Weekend in the fair haven of Fairhaven

I'm currently working on a post about Valentine's Day, somewhat belated I know. And, while I'm not keen on buying into what is seriously over-commercialized pressure to get all publicly lovey-dovey - albeit a great excuse to stuff one's face with chocolate - Lorne and I did actually make a little weekend trip south of the border recently, purely coincidental timing. Okay, okay....let's call it what it really was, a little post-Valentine's getaway..... ;-)  Bless!

Anyway, now that we both have our NEXUS cards (which allows us to take the fast-lane through border patrol) hopping over the US border is a breeeeeeeeze. In fact this time was our all-time land-speed record, through in about 2mins without even a passport check!

The weather was quite sunny - too nice to head indoors to the shopping mall - so we decided to head off for a bit of a drive along the very scenic (and aptly-named) Chuckanut Drive.

We were going to continue towards Anacortes Island and take some photos but the clouds soon rolled in, turning everything very dark (as it's been for the past several months!) then came the rain....and wind...so we decided to head back to our main destination, and our hotel, in Fairhaven.

Founded in the 1880's, Fairhaven is a small and cute historical town located in Washington State and is now part of the City of Bellingham. It lies just to the south side of Bellingham, bordering Bellingham Bay and looking out toward the San Juan Islands. I especially love the town's old brick buildings (well, old by North American standards anyway). Unlike Vancouver, all newly constructed buildings in Fairhaven are required to conform in outward appearance to the community's traditional 19th century style, rather than stick out like a sore thumb and have zero character. They've stayed wonderfully true to the heart of this small, quaint little town and the atmosphere is almost european; courtyards, coffee-shops, local artisans, galleries, family restaurants and quaint specialty shops.



Mambo Italiano Cafe - our favourite place for
scrumptious food and great service!

We've visited Fairhaven a few times, though mostly just to potter about for an hour or so, usually around lunchtime during one of our cross-border shopping trips, when we 'always always' end up stuffing our faces with another delicious meal at our favourite restaurant, Mambo Italiano Cafe (pictured).

The last time we visited (Nov. last year) we decided we should make a weekend of it sometime and book an overnight stay at the well-regarded Fairhaven Village Inn, so that's just what we did.

While the Inn looks somewhat generic from the outside, it's actually lovely inside and has the feel of being much older than it really is. In keeping with the town's general age/theme, they've integrated wonderful 19th century features everywhere (like the lobby fireplace shown below) and I have to say, our room was lovely! Nice and spacious with a massive king-sized and super-comfy bed and overlooking the village green.

The 22-room Fairhaven Village Inn - perfect little getaway!

Heritage-looking lobby and beautiful brick fireplace

Large room, big comfy bed and no cats :-)



Of course, even with all that extra bed space, I still found myself perched right on the edge when I woke up, force of habit from having all three cats piling onto our bed at home. And since Mishka has taken to waking up Lorne between 3 and 5 times every night for snacks, it was a night off for him. (It's not so much that she cries/whines but rather repeatedly let's out a "meh!"....."meh!"....."meh!" which gets louder and more frequent, the more agitated she gets wanting her cat crunchies, which we now have to literally keep by the bed at night to shut her up. Bless.

Great beers to be enjoyed at The Archer Ale House.

Before going for dinner at our favourite haunt, Mambo Italiano Cafe, (where my veggie ravioli was out of this world and the wine pours were wonderfully generous) we stopped off at The Archer Ale House for one of a selection of fine beers they have on tap. The bar's actually downstairs from street level (see bottom right of this photo) and it's a friendly, low-key, english-style pub, so I instantly felt at home. :-)

In fact we went back there after dinner, for a nightcap - a really good Manhattan, if only I could remember which rye it was they used. It wasn't Sazerac but it was a specialty rye that we don't get in BC (well, that doesn't say much really, since there's plenty of regular booze that BC's Liquor Board simply won't 'allow' into the province for no real reason other than bloody-minded bureaucracy. Grrrr don't get me started). Anyhow, The Archer - a great little pub for a decent choice of beers & other fine beverages and a friendly 'anything goes' atmosphere.

So we had a lovely evening and a relaxing stay at the hotel. After breakfast the next morning - which was meant to be 'continental' but turned out to offer much more, including a massive waffle & syrup - we went for a quick walk to take a few more photos before heading off to do some shopping at Bellis Fair and stock up on cheap and yummy groceries at good ol' Trader Joe's. (Downside being, it serves as a big reminder of just how much we're gauged on prices for virtually everything back in Vancouver.)



View from our room - The Village Green and it's massive
movie screen for summer evenings in the park.



Apparently the fish & chips here are great - but we'll have
to wait till next time to see if that's true.

Malt vinegar - always a good sign for a fish n'chip restaurant.
'Closed', not such a good sign :-(

I love these old-school store signs/paintings.

Lots of arty and handicraft stores.

Sycamore Square (Mason Block), 1890.

I have to say it really was a great weekend. Very relaxing, too much great food, excellent beers and I have no idea what Lorne and I still find to talk about the whole time, but we always do and I love these little trips together.

It was a pretty successful shopping trip for me too. I mostly wanted to buy new gym gear (so much cheaper in the States) and went to my usual success spot, Kohl's Department Store, where they were having a 40% off sale plus I got an extra 30% off everything after that. Wohooooo, I loves me bargains! And the others at the gym will surely be thankful I finally got new gear. Having kicked up my workouts these past few months, some of my gym stuff wasn't smelling quite so fresh. (Though still not as bad as the one woman at my gym, who's been wearing the same vest top for years, to the point it's literally rotting away on her back!)

Anyway, it was a perfect little cross-border getaway. I can't wait to do it again soon. We're seriously contemplating selling our camper van this year, more to sell it while it's still on a high rather than because it's falling apart, so our weekend jaunts might be fairly limited. But if our escapes are as simple and relaxing as this one was, then that's definitely a-ok by me.

And breathe.........

Phew! Today I feel I can finally breathe the big sigh of relief that I was actually hoping to feel a week ago.

After my third and final (for a little while) breast appointment, five people poking and prodding my boobs and armpits and a long couple of weeks harbouring enormous underlying fears of imminent bad news, I am very pleased to report that all seems to be perfectly well :-)

Turns out my family doctor - who is somewhat over-zealous in her medical manner - is perhaps being a little dramatic about the firm lymph node in my left armpit. Thankfully - and I mean a HUGE thanks to my lucky stars, higher power and whatever else - it seems to be nothing of concern and I've even been given the all-clear on the left boob, for which I had a third ultrasound Feb. 8th. Yay!!!!!!!!!!

When I saw Dr McF last week for a regular 6-month, post-surgery follow-up, he didn't yet have the written report from the ultrasound though he'd listened quickly to the dictated report and felt there was no cause for concern. Lorne was hugely relieved but it still wasn't concrete enough for me, I'm afraid. I needed to know 100% (what if he'd been rushed and hadn't listened carefully enough?) so I couldn't let myself breathe until ideally having the written report in my hand.

This morning I had a follow-up with my oncologist, Dr N, which was really to discuss my concerns over the right boob becoming very swollen and tender at 6 weeks post-radiation, but with the added bonus of hearing once more that there was nothing unusual noted on my ultrasound report. While I don't have a copy of the actual report, three confirmations that all looks to be okay is the best news I could hope for and I'm ready to accept that.

As for the swollen booby (which is actually quite a nice size thank you very much only I just wish the other one would plump up as nicely), he reassures me that it's nothing unusual post-surgery and radiation therapy and is perhaps a sign of mild lymphedema which, he anticipates, will correct itself in the coming months. Basically the placement of the tissue/lymph nodes removed during my surgery can inhibit the drainage of other lymph nodes in that area around the breast/chest etc. So even though my lymph nodes are doing their usual job in taking care of any infection etc, they're not able to run it from my breast and through my lypmph system quite as efficiently as they would have pre-surgery so you can sometimes get swelling/tenderness. If it builds up significantly, then it can lead to infection, but at this point, Dr N assures me, it all looks okay but he'd like to see me again in 6 months just to follow up. Okey dokey then. Personally I'm encouraged by the fact both the swelling and soreness have already diminished since I originally made the appointment to see him back in January.

He did make me a little nervous in talking with the student doctor attending my appointment, when he started to explain to her that my right boob has what they call a slight peau d'orange appearance since it can sometimes indicate inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) - what the f.....??? - although he maintains it's rare and is probably not the case here, but nevertheless it's worth taking note. Personally I'm not seeing anything that looks as bumpy as orange peel (peau d'orange sounds so much more elegant) but there is definitely a slightly different skin texture when compared to the left side and it wasn't too long ago that things were much more swollen, tender, pink and warm, which is why I booked to see him again in the first place. However, I think it's best I just leave that thought well alone - mentally!

All-in-all a good day and fantastic news to hear I'm really doing quite well after all and have nothing to worry about. That is a big weight lifted off my shoulders and maybe now I can fill my preeety leeetle heeed with something more positive and constructive.

Thanks heavens for technology and great medical care!!! Amen and get me a stiff drink!

Mind Games

This feels like the longest week ever....well, a long 8 days actually. While I feel a little better today, I've been weighed down all week with the fear that a small lump in my left armpit might signify cancer has infiltrated my lymph node(s).

A few weeks ago, around the same time my right boob was really swollen and sore (which it still is but to a slightly lesser degree), I noticed a small, firm lump in my left armpit. The only reason I even noticed it was because a lot of my lymph nodes have been swollen and tender the past three weeks or so - armpit, groin and neck. At first I just figured I was fighting something - there are so many cold/flu viruses around at the moment - believing that, if my glands are swollen, at least that means they're doing their job and fighting any signs of infection, so that's a good thing. Then I noticed the one small but firmer lump (reminiscent of the one I found in my right breast that turned out to be cancer) and then I decided to mention it to my doctor while visiting her last week for a prescription renewal. BIG mistake.....maybe. Her reaction was quite dramatic and has since sent me spiralling into a vortex of questions, fears, doubts, uncertainties, anxieties and general mental mayhem.

"Yes, I see what you mean. You really need to get that checked out."
"Well I have a repeat ultrasound scheduled for Feb. 8th - following up on what they identified as an atypical cyst in my left breast, I thought I'd mention it (the armpit nodule) when I go."
"Ok, good. Yes, you should absolutely mention it. Make sure you do. They need to check that out. And if they can't look at it during that ultrasound, then make sure you come right back and I'll give you a requisition for a separate one right away." (I felt myself do a big gulp.)

"You see an ordinary lymph node, like the one next to it, feels smoother like this...." she said, drawing a sort of kidney-bean shape on the paper drape they put over the bed. "But that firm one you're feeling is more like this...", she drew what looked like a jellyfish. "It has very irregular edges. You need to get that checked out."

Yup, her gentle bedside manner is still decidedly lacking. While there are advantages to your doctor being up-front and cutting to the chase, I came away feeling her honesty was perhaps just a little brutal for my liking....and from there my mind went into total overdrive. For the next six days!

What if it's the cancer again? If it's in my lymph nodes, that's a whole other ball-game - and definitely not good. (Not that having breast cancer in the first place is ever a good thing, but at least it was small and very low-grade.) It'll mean Chemo for sure. I'll lose my hair & feel like sh*t. What after that? What if they suggest a mastectomy? Or double-mastectomy? If that lump's only a few weks old, is it growing fast or did I just not notice anything before? Does this mean I do have some cancer in my left breast as well? Is that what the 'atypical cyst' really is? Could the cancer in my right breast really have travelled to my left lymph node when the right lymph node biopsy came back all-clear? Is that possible? Und so weiter, und so weiter.....

Of course, in my escalating desperation, I turned to Dr. Google, only to read that a firm lymph node generally signifies cancer. Great. Just bloody fantastic! In fact almost all search items associated with firm lymph node came up with breast cancer right alongside. Well isn't that pally? - those two just hanging out together - like best buds - and frazzling my mental state!

Suffice to say, it's been weighing on me horribly all week - I've felt close to tears most days - and this ultrasound (the third on my left breast in 8 months) can't come quick enough. I've been more worried since seeing my Doc last week than I was even pending biopsy results and being given the original diagnosis last May!

For a moment last week I even toyed with the idea of a private ultrasound just so I could get in sooner. (Lorne did that just recently and got in the very next day, paying $350 for a private appointment, compared to the 6 weeks he would've had to wait to get one through regular MSP health care. Thankfully a lump on his bicep that has been quite painful lately appears to be a clump of fatty tissue and benign. Phew!!! Now that the word 'cancer' has so closely touched our lives, it's entirely understandable that he felt he'd rather pay for a private appointment than wait - and worry, not knowing - for a further 6 weeks!)

Anyway, since the report from my last ultrasound stated that it was too difficult to effectively compare reports from two different technicians and from two different machines, I came to the conclusion that paying for a third - that would be in a completely different clinic (not BCCA), on a different machine, with yet another completely different technician - would really be of very little use. (Besides, I could do with using that money to buy a replacement Ipod for the one I dropped down the loo a few weeks ago!)

So with that and the fact that I already have an ultrasound scheduled for Feb. 8th back at BCCA,  I decided I might as well wait. But it's felt like a veeerrrryyy long wait and my mind has been on little else. Needless to say I started to wonder if I'd been just a little pre-emptive in my sense of having had a close escape the first time around. Perhaps there's more to come: a whole other (more ominous) chapter to add in what I'd previously thanked my lucky stars as being a close brush with cancer that had been easily and quickly taken care of. In darker moments recently I've felt like I'm half-expecting the other shoe to drop.

Thankfully by the time yesterday came around I think I'd exhausted all what-if scenarios and finally found room for some less daunting prospects, like: if they didn't notice anything in the previous two ultrasounds, then maybe it's nothing; if it's new from the last one, three months ago, then it would still only be very small; it's not necessarily cancer (is it???), if my right lymph node came back all-clear and that's the side the breast cancer was on, could I really have cancer in the other side without yet having been diagnosed as having cancer there?; if I'm on tamoxifen, wouldn't that be fighting any potential cancer cells?; should I find myself a new, less dramatic and more diplomatic family doctor?

Anyway, as we finally tick to within the last 15hrs to tomorrow's ultrasound, then maybe I should just breathe and hope they at least give me some little of morcel of hope during the appointment and don't just do the exam but tell me nothing (which is usually the case, so I'd better brace myself). And the good thing is, my follow-up appointment with Dr McF, who did my lumpectomy last July, has been moved forward from Feb. 19th to the 12th (apparently he's scheduled to do a surgery on the 19th) - so hopefully, by the time I see him next Tuesday afternoon, he'll have some answers for me. I hope so anyway, since I had to wait three weeks for someone to finally get around to writing up the report from the last one. Failing that I'm booked to see my oncologist on the 20th, for the appointment he cancelled on me from last week because he'd rather see me after the ultrasound - even though that's to check my left boob and not the swelling and pain I've been feeling on the right. Urgh!

And so continues the legacy and mind-f*ck of getting that initial cancer diagnosis. It certainly makes your  head spin and fires your imagination in dark and not-so-wonderful ways.

******************************************

Post-Ultra-Sound update - Feb. 8, 2013

7:45am is unreasonably early to be flashing your boobs at a stranger (I usually wait till at least 9am....hahaha!) - especially when he's a grumpy old git who can't even be bothered to grunt a meagre good morning. Instead he spits out instructions with all the compassion of a Gestapo officer, "Take off your top. Put the gown on, open at the back. Clothes in the basket."

Once changed, I followed him to the imaging room where he was busy at the computer, zipping through my previous reports and images. After a range of snorts and exasperated huffing and puffing he finally turned to me and snarked, "Take your arm out the sleeve. Left side. Are you feeling a lump?"

"Yes, a couple actually, around here...". I pointed to the side of my boob and towards the armpit.

He prodded my boob, "They're very lumpy", he says. (Charmed, I'm sure). Yeah, I've been told that before, doc. Well, I believe the 'technical' term used last time was lumpy-bumpy actually, you ignorant ass.

There was not one degree of warmth to his bedside manner and I soon remembered his overt grumpiness was just the same when doing the ultrasound on my right side almost a year ago. And he's the same misery of a man that got all mad when he couldn't place the wire correctly just prior to my surgery in July, and had to call in two others to help pummel and wrestle my boob around until they got the marker in the right spot.

No surprise then that he gave me no information to go on today. Not one hint. I tried to look up at the screen as he did his thing but it was hard to really see without getting cramp in my neck.

I tried to explain about having swollen lymph nodes and the new, firm node I've noticed in my left armpit. He cut me short, "Show me where." I placed my fingertip on it and he promptly stabbed the spot with a marker pen.

Within 20mins he'd apparently checked out my boob and armpit to his satisfaction - the last two ultra-sounds - both with women - had taken close to an hour. (Of course now my mind is wondering, was he less thorough in his examination, or is it that he quickly saw enough evidence to confirm the worst? Or, if I dare try the silver lining approach, maybe he saw nothing of concern?)

"Ok. You can use that towel to clean yourself up."

With that, his job was done.

I tried to ask if there's any way the report will be available to Dr McF in time for my Tuesday afternoon appointment. "No, Monday is a holiday." he snapped. "If he wants to find out, he can listen to the dictation."

With that I was shown the door.

"Thanks you f*cking Pig! Have a day!"

I'm gonna pop some tags...

"Thrift Shop" - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

This song completely tickles me and the video's just perfect (bar the wearing of fur coats, of course). Be warned though, it's a little explicit so best kept out of range of younger ears.

As a self-confessed Thrift Store Junkie (get it???), I might just have found my theme tune. Mind you, if this song gets too popular then maybe everyone will start hitting the thrift stores, darn! They already seem to have become much more popular in recent years, which I count as a good thing from a recycling and less obsessive consumerist standpoint, except for the fact it's pushing up prices and often I can't find anything because it's already been so picked over.

I'm all in favour of recycling - much moreso than for avid and unnecessary spending and 'buying into' relentless commercialism that endeavours to convince us we should keep buying, accumulating more 'stuff', snatch up the latest-and-greatest and spend silly money on things just because of the hype and brand/designer name associated with it - or, worse still, because it's what all the 'celebs' are gushing over. Next thing you know it's getting thrown away once the next model comes out.

Thankfully I'm proudly lacking any overwhelming desire to consume for the sake of it or to load up my wallet with a multitude of store/credit cards. I never spend beyond my means and don't even like having a balance on my Visa at the end of the month. I've religiously paid what I owe, as long as I could afford it. Admittedly there have been times I just couldn't, such as unexpected veterinary bills or needing to spread out the cost of a UK flight, but for the most part, my credit card is there for emergencies only and booking holidays.

Shopping at thrift stores (or second-hand/charity shops as we'd call them in England - and they're generally set out much nicer than their dumpier, sticky-carpet, musty-smelling canadian counterparts) is my secret and guilty pleasure - tinged with utter excitement and an awkward, underlying element of shame all at the same time. You just never know what treasures or bargains you might find - and I've had some incredible deals before now that left me with a real 'shopper's high' - but for me, even though I've shopped at thrift stores on and off for many years, there's nevertheless a latent nervousness that I'll bump into someone I know or, worse still, work with. I don't know why I carry such fear of being found out, since I'm secretly proud of recycling, saving money and getting a fabulous outfit for under $50. Besides, I've been a poor student, a poor single person trying to afford rent (not always easy, especially at Vancouver prices!!!) and unemployed more than once - so I know what it's like to really have to penny-pinch without looking like a complete bum. Oddly enough it's more often than not the items I've purchased second-hand that garnish more compliments than those I bought new. Go figure!

I suspect any niggling inner shame stems from childhood, when less popular, scruffier kids suffered the relentless jeering of their peers for having bought their clothes, shoes, sports bag etc. from Oxfam as if it was the scabby equivalent to having dragged them straight from the garbage or off a dead body. Similarly I've worked with people who are all about the labels and always ask exactly where you bought something rather than just complimenting you. There's only a very select few to whom I might own up and proudly admit that I got it on consigment for $15 or at a thrift store for next to nothing. Besides, not everyone needs to know! If someone thinks I look a million dollars, even though I know the outfit is something I got for a steal, I'm certainly not going to burst their bubble now am I?

"Who loves ya, Baby?" We did! I wonder if this
game ever came with lollipops.

Somewhere during my teenage years I certainly had my phase of thinking second-hand was tacky and 'scavvy' (UK slang for scavenging/begging) though I remember my mum sometimes taking us to second-hand stores as kids to get bits and pieces for our school uniforms, my first pair of ice-skates and even some of our favourite board games were ones she'd picked up at Grimsby's well-known 'Parkins Second Hand'; Kojak, Payday, Star Trek to name a few. Just looking at these pictures gives me a pang of nostalgia and homesickness.

The board game no-one else had ever heard of,
not where we grew up anyway.

Star Trek board game ca. 1975
(complete with rubbery blurg)

(In fact, when I last went back to England on my own (Oct. 2010), my Mum and I had a lovely time mooching around the many charity shops of Louth and Grimsby. I always get a kick out of listening to the chit-chat of the little old ladies that work in them and want to adopt them all as my grandma.)

Anyhooo, not to sound like an old whinge-bag but I find stores charge far too much for clothes that often self-destruct after the first wear/wash. I've bought $70 sweaters that turned bobbley after one wear, $150 and $1,500 coats whose buttons literally fell off in my hand, paid good money for shoes that soon split or leak and purchased nice wine-glasses that broke if you so much as looked in their general direction.

So high-street purchase frustrations aside, thrift store/consignment shopping definitely appeals to the more careful (i.e. frugal) side of my nature. Not only that, but popping tags at a thrift store means I can afford to change/re-stock my closet as often as I like, for next to nothing and, if I buy something I later change my mind about, it doesn't bother me so much because I didn't spend much on it in the first place. I usually just re-donate it to thrift. Unless my sister wants it, such as the lovely figure-flattering faux-wrap dress that I bought for $8.99 but later decided its colour was just a bit too dark for my colouring but it works perfectly with her skin tone and hair colour. (I'm fair skinned, reddish-brown hair, she's dark-haired with more olive skin....hence we are rarely assumed to be sisters.)

Mind you, I should clarify that being frugal or thrifty definitely doesn't mean I'm cheap. Quite the opposite - if I have money, then I'm happy to spend it, enjoy it and be generous though I'm by no means spendthrift. Cheap, in my mind, would imply I buy everything thrift, compromising quality/fit/suitability just for the sake a cheap price tag. Noooo, I'm quite fastidious in what I look for and very discerning of quality, fabric, fit, age-appropriateness and colour etc. I'm very picky about my bargains and getting value for money - even at a thrift store.

According to Wikipedia: Frugality is the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent or economical in the use of consumable resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance.

In behavioral science, frugality has been defined as the tendency to acquire goods and services in a restrained manner, and resourceful use of already owned economic goods and services, to achieve a longer term goal.

Common strategies of frugality include the reduction of waste, curbing costly habits, suppressing instant gratification by means of fiscal self-restraint, seeking efficiency, avoiding traps, defying expensive social norms, embracing cost-free options, using barter, and staying well-informed about local circumstances and both market and product/service realities.

One of the major considerations for successful thrift store shopping is in knowing where to draw the line. You can certainly look stunning for under $30 but, make the wrong choices, and you can just as easily end up looking like a badly-packed kit bag or worse. It's really up to you. There's no point fighting your way into a shrunken/bobbley sweater just because it says cashmere on the label, or sporting tight, half-mast jeans simply because they're designer label. A fantastic shirt isn't such an awesome deal when it's sporting a stain down the front (unless you want to take a chance on it washing out). I won't buy a cheap lemon-yellow top that's in mint condition and fits perfectly when the colour looks bleedin' hideous on me. I've come close, I won't deny that, but at the end of the day, just because it's cheap doesn't mean you should buy it. Similarly, just because it fits, doesn't necessarily mean it's appropriate. I've tried on some fabulous party outfits....that would be perfect if I was 22 and hanging out at clubs on Granville Street every Saturday night. Which I'm not....and not.....so I know to leave those for someone else....about half my age.

Nor do I sacrifice quality just for a low price, unless it's an easy fix. I'm not going to spend money (all $5 to $10 of it) on a nice purse if the lining's all torn up and the shoulder strap's frayed, nor will I invest in a brand new Samsonite suitcase for $10 when it's evident some disgruntled kitty has peed in it. (Cat-pee isn't quite the duty-free Eau de Parfum I'm going for when travelling.) Even a discounted 'as-is' price isn't so attractive when the item is broken, worn out or just plain stinky.

That said, even at thrift stores I've noticed prices have definitely gone up over the past few years. Tops that used to average $3.99 are now almost double that. I've bought great jeans for $6.99 but some go for $14.99 or even as high as $29. Boots that were once below $10/pair now frequently range between $15 and $40 and it's not unusual to see a tag of $12.99 on a small handbag, compared to $5.99 just a couple of years ago. But for the most part you can still score some incredible deals, you just need the time and patience to pick through while closing your eyes/ears to some of the freakier characters that often hang out at thrift stores. Or, for those in the UK, the same wierdo's who climb in your car the moment open your trunk (i.e. boot) at a 'Car Boot Sale' only to grab at your stuff before it's even unpacked and begin arguing you down to 10 pence for a pair of pants because there's a button missing! Yes, I speak from bitter experience.

So there are some days where I realize much of what I'm wearing was 'pre-owned' (with the strict exception of underwear - even I definitely draw the line there!) and yet the whole get-up probably cost me less than $50 total, accessories included. (I never could justify the $200 t-shirts at Holt Renfrew or a poncey Louis Vuitton wallet.....not least because I hate the over-priced and overt snobbiness of Holt Renfrew anyway and think the LV design of Louis Vuitton is just plain ugly.) And there's a part of me that sometimes wonders about a second-hand item's previous life - who owned it, where did it come from originally, what was that person's story, had it changed hands before that and who might get it after me? Imagine you followed the life story of, say, a great pair of jeans, shoes, even an armchair or the wordly travels of a suitcase. The tales they could tell, I'm sure. Anyhow, I digress....

If you have the time and inclination you could easily go scouring the thrift stores, garage sales etc. to snap up items and then sell them on to a consignment store or on Craigslist/Ebay. I've definitely seen clothes, purses etc. on sale in a consignment store that I know I'd seen in a local thrift shop the week before, for a fraction of their freshly-inflated price. But that's if you can be bothered to go to that extent - you'd definitely keep yourself busy, but I'm not sure there's all that much money in it. Besides life's too short to tolerate obnoxious consignment store staff, scowling at you with palpable disdain as they profess, "we're already over-stocked for the coming season" - which really translates as; "Why you bring me this shit? I don't like your face. Get out of my sight." Even when you take brand new and very decent stuff to them, however 5 mins perusing their rails will show you a bunch of clothes in way mankier condition than those you just tried to drop off. I've long-since given up trying to consign for those very reasons. 

Anyway, since this posting is already getting waaayyyy too long, I thought I'd wrap up by including a few pics of some of my recent finds - though I'm not convinced the photos do them much justice.

I believe this was $5.99

These dresses actually look great on
but I don't have any pics. Just $8.99 each.

These boots are brand new, super-comfortable & stylish.
What more could you ask for, especially at $9.99? 

A couple of lovely shirts from MEXX - waiting
for the weather to get a bit warmer. ($6.99/ea)

My $6.99 fabulous-find jeans -The perfect fit!
And guess what? I look freakin' awesome in them :-)

While I never ever used to buy footwear 2nd-hand (for foot
hygiene reasons) I've scored some great boots/shoes for
between $5 and $15.

Sequined purses - perfect for money, lipstick, ID and keys.
($2.99/ea)

These bags/purses look much nicer in real life but perhaps a little
garish in these pics. Both Aldo and in perfect condition, $6-$8.

And to prove it's not all about clothes & shoes, here's a
great little sequined jewellery box I scored for $3.99. I'd been
looking for one just to keep on the bedside table - perfect!