So two Sunday afternoons in a row we've gone on a destination-partially-undetermined expedition. Both times we have ended up at flea markets. Last week was the Antrim Truckstop Fleamarket, just east of Ottawa. Today we drove to Morrisburg, about 40 minutes away.
They have a yearly Antique fair there, so we determined that as our destination this afternoon. However throughout the year, when I supply teach to the east, I pass a sign for the Morrisburg Fleamarket. We had never been there, so we opted to visit it on our way to the Antique show.
It is definitely one of the better kept secrets in our locale. The sign says 150 vendors and that was no exaggeration. It almost became mesmorizing, booth after booth.
We made our first purchase within a couple minutes. The missus located a great bicycle helmet for the princely sum of $2.00. Below see my eldest at her modeling finest with the helmet.
At the same booth, I noted a decent looking girl's bike. Now a little background. Missus and I have had bikes for years, but the girls outgrew their little bikes long ago, and neither really developed much interest in biking. This spring I brought my bike up from the basement, parked it in the garage, filled with good intentions. A week or two later, I noticed the bike was gone - obviously stolen out from under my nose.
The missus surprised me with a new bike for Father's Day. Earlier this week we both finally went for a decent ride and commented that it might be a neat family thing to do. So we determined to see if we could locate a couple of bikes for the girls.
So there was the first one. The bike looked great, and the vendor assured us that it was virtually new. A quick trip to the ATM and the bike was ours. So we spent another couple of hours perusing stall after stall. I was looking for little farm animals (the vintage plastic kind) and View Master reels.
About three o'clock we finally headed to the Antique show. We finally found it and realized that it was only open for another hour, and there was a $5.00/head entry charge. Cheap and Cheaper decided we had looked at enough treasures for one day.....we'll get there earlier next year.
On our route home, along the scenic St. Lawrence (there does seem to be a river theme in my blogging these past few days), we chanced across a second-hand bike shop. Our screeching breaks brought the proprietor out....well no, we actually had to ring the doorbell and awaken said chap from his Sunday slumber. He had a whole array of refurbished bikes. I took several out for a spin, and decided upon a well maintained specimen for my other daughter. Curiously, its price was precisely the same as the one we picked up at the flea market. They both have 26" wheels and the very same colour (different makes though).
So tonight, after a couple minor adjustments, we went for a most enjoyable family bike ride. Here are the two princesses posing after their sojourn. Please concentrate on the bikes not the goofballs.
And that brings me to my other gem. This was from last week's treasure hunt. I've blogged about my little plastic cows before. When I was a little fellow I had a nice tin barn to go with my cows, but over the years it has vapourized. Last week, I finally located a similar one. Mine had a red roof, while this one is blue, but I'm willing to overlook that. There is a bit of rust here and there, but I prefer to think of it as a finely aged patina! Anyway, here are my few remaining cows in their new home. Now if I could just find a few more livestock to fill my barn (150 vendors, nary a one).
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| Isn't it absolutely wonderful! |
And that is about all I have to say for today.
Musings and meanderings from the Musical Gardener.
