This Saturday morning I drove to a part of town I haven't been to in quite a while. One of the thrift stores in town has another location where everything is only 50 cents and they're only open on Fridays and the first Saturday of the month. Seeing as I work every Friday I haven't been able to make it out there, but since it's my Saturday off I finally made the trip.
On top of everything being only 50 cents, they were also giving away hangers for free. And I mean a girl can't have enough hangers right? I have to admit I felt a little white trashy digging through all these tubs of hangers trying to get the best ones. Everything was all jumbled up and I was yanking and pulling and hangers were going everywhere. I think it was well worth it though, I got a ton of hangers and all for FREE.
I did get some pretty good buys today too. Even though the temperatures here are a 100+ I bought some things for the winter. A sweater from the Limited, a sweater from Old Navy, a long sleeved shirt from American Eagle, a fleece pullover from GAP, and 3 skirts. All of that for only $3.50!!!! Isn't that crazy?? I LOVE shopping at thrift stores. It's almost like an adventure or a game, trying to find the best stuff. Shopping at thrift stores almost makes it harder to shop at regular stores now. I don't want to pay $30 for a shirt or a dress when I can buy it at the thrift store for $5.
I had to do a little bragging about my buys today, but what I really want this post to be about are all the memories that flooded me in this 10-15 minute drive across town. How many of you live in the same place you grew up in? I've lived in this town for the last 14 years and it's a pretty small town so people and memories are everywhere. Even those I wish I could forget.
One of the people I follow on twitter phrased it just right when they said, "I wish memories were like text messages. I could delete the ones I don't like, and lock the ones I love." I wish this was possible. For those of you that aren't following me yet on Twitter, you can do that here.
Today the route I took, followed my old middle school bus route. I was remembering being new here and how much I hated middle school. I was thinking of my school friends and then my bus friends, if you can actually call them friends. It's amazing how many memories can come up on a simple drive down a country road on a Saturday morning.
My old bus route, the place I took gymnastic classes in 8th grade, the guy I kissed in the front yard of one of those houses, how I almost wrecked my car because I was driving fast when I was pissed at a boyfriend, riding around with friends on hot summer nights, driving past an old boyfriend's grandmother's house, driving past the cemetery where my grandmother is buried, etc etc. That's a lot of memories for one road.
What are your memories like? Sometimes it's comforting to live in a small town and be surrounded by these people I know and all my memories. But at the same time I'm ready to move somewhere new and make new memories and leave my mark on a new town. It's very odd to think about not living here, to have a gap in time where no new memories were made. To stop being a part of a place and become just a visitor. For a long time I didn't want to belong to this place, but I think without meaning to it happened. That doesn't mean I'm not meant to belong somewhere else though.
Where do you belong?
Your deals sound amazing. And I'd for sure visit that thrift store, too :).
ReplyDeleteI belong in my hometown, and even when I don't live her I feel like I belong. Whenever someone asks where I am from I tell them my hometown and qualify it with "but I'm living in this town now."
Man those are some great deals! I went shopping today and spent a little more than you did!
ReplyDeleteAnd I currently live in the town I grew up in, but I had left it for 4 years for college. It's actually really hard for me to be back here. Most of my friends are no longer in town, so it makes me miss them even more and leads to me being a bit lonely thinking of all the old times. I also have the tendency to run into several exes of mine, which leads to some awkward encounters! I will cherish the old memories for sure, but I had already moved on once and I am ready to move on again!
hey jacque! thanks for checking out my blog!! i am super jealous of your thrifting deals- i have GOT to get with the thrifting. its been YEARS since ive even gone to a thrift store.
ReplyDeletemy hubby is from a small town, its actually where we live now (i came to college here, and we both had jobs so we stayed after we graduated). ive lived here for about 6 yrs now and we're looking at relocating... its too small for me- and doesn't really offer good career choices in what id like to do.
this post made me think about my hometown. while i think i would go crazy if i still lived there (its a metro city, a good bit bigger than the town im in now) its so nice to visit my parents and remember the memories... and it will always be "home".
Your post speaks with me. I've lived around the same area for most of my life, and all too often an ordinary day turns into a trip down memory lane. Some memories I would give anything to experience one more time. Others? I would love to forget.
ReplyDeleteBut these experiences, the good and the bad, combine to make us who we are. We wouldn't be the same without them.
So take the time to remember - and never forget.
~SP