There is this wonderful store in Rice Lake, Wisconsin which calls itself Bargain Bill's. This place is great! I make it a point to stop in there at least once a summer. Amazing stuff. You never know what you may find. They have actually expanded so they now have 4 buildings on their property. The new building is called The Boat House. One would expect to find boats for sale in such a store and there was one boat. I had to laugh when this one woman with a delighted expression on her face stated that she and her husband had stopped in to see if they could find a boat. Her husband never knew what hit him. She was behind me in the check-out line. The place was filled with interesting treasures. I wonder what one could do with a porcelain balloon molds? They had boxes of those in every shape and size. I suppose they might make good drawer pulls? Or maybe you could buy a few and use them as coat hooks? They also had boxes of porcelain glove molds. They had a couple of them sitting at the register as a ring display. I bet my youngest daughter would have loved a few of those porcelain hands to decorate her apartment. My husband bought a snow shovel. I passed up the opportunity to buy wooden military cartridge boxes. They were really neat. Only $4.95 each. My son would have loved one. I was thinking that they'd make great window boxes for flowers on our deck.

After paying for our purchases at The Boat House, we went on to the main building where I could have spent the rest of the day. My hunting instincts were really in full gear. This was a veritable hunter's paradise. I spent a lot more then I intended, monetarily speaking. My husband was riding shotgun but there were tools....lots of neat tools. I think he was distracted by the tools. I didn't buy that cool sign that read, "Hell Has No Fury Like a Dad When His Tools Aren't Put Away"... or that one that read, "Laundry Room....Drop Your Drawers Here". But I really couldn't resist those cute frog figurines. I bought a frog sprinkler too....and a frog sitting by a sign "Mom's Garden" was just too hard to pass up. Then there were those cute garden markers with the smiling tomatoes and lettuces. I wish they'd had the cucumber and bean markers but I guess they must have gone first....or weren't a part of that auction lot.

They have groceries too. Canned goods. Amazing prices. I was able to pick up some canned black beans at .25 a can. And I found this really neat mustard to try. BBQ sauce. And some crackers. And cookies. Wow! And some new towels for the kitchen. I resisted the glasses but bemoaned the fact that I'd spent a great deal more money on some glasses at another store. These were cheaper....and nicer too. I really hate it when that happens.

Shopping Nirvana! I will have to go back at least one more time this summer. I may even go this weekend! I think I'll bring my sister and mother and my daughter too if she can get away for the weekend. Three generations of "hunters". Bliss. I wonder if those cartridge boxes will still be there?

Cliche of the Day

Filled to the Brim. Getting the maximum of statisfaction out of something; exhibiting the utmost. You can't get any more into a container that is thus filled, and the thought easily transfers to other things, as in The Mikado, by Gilbert and Sullivan (1885):

Three little maids from school are we,
Pert as a schoolgirl well can be,
Filled to the brim with girlish glee.