A gem in the rough

What’s there to do in our little town on a cold winter day when the boys are out of town? Why head to our local Thrift Shop and hunt for hidden treasure.

So there I was checking out the real bargains like used electrical fuses and ski boots that went out of style two decades ago. After checking out the men’s thread department I realized half the stuff was my old clothing that I had donated last year (not that they were worn out just that it was a slight fit problem.) This was rather depressing so I headed to the book department. Yes, our little store has it all!

I spent 20 minutes at the used paperback book racks which were filled with 10 year old Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum novels most of which had also come from our own book shelves. But finally I happened onto one that hit me… it was a very thin paper back from the publisher Frommer’s. They are the folks who produce travel guides for all the states and around the world.

This one is different. For instead of telling you where to go and how to get there it tells you how to pack. Imagine a book on packing a travel bag or in olde English a suite case. In the book it gives you detailed drawings of how to prepare your ”stuff” for a long period of travel. Can you imagine? Gee, for 60 plus years I’ve been doing it wrong. I always waited to the last minute and just threw my stuff in a bag.

Now with a little time on my hands (no Packer games) I spent last weekend practicing packing. The book showed me that there truly is an art form to packing, folding shirts and undies take practice and at the other end as well. So now I am ready for our trip south in several weeks… there will be no more looking like I slept in clothes at the other en. I’ll be a dapper Dan and a complete fool for I don’t speak the language except…. “bonjo pronto.”

Today's one liner... " A fine is a tax for doing wrong... a tax is a fine for doing well."