I have a confession to make....

I feel like a bad Auntie.

Well over a month ago, I bought this box of lego from my favourite local op shop, one day when I had Zoe under one arm, and a small bag of shopping in the other. It was the first thing I saw when I walked into the shop. All I thought at the time was "Oooo, lego, you can never have too much lego. And wow, 10 bucks only. Bargain" So yoink, I put the big box under my one arm. The kind man at the oppy sticky taped the box up for me, so no bits would fall out, and I carefully walked out to the car with Zoe on one hip, and the box of lego on the other.

I went home, put it down in a corner, and promptly forgot about it. Then Chris, Abbey and I all got sick. Then we realised that it was Richie's birthday, and we weren't very organised on the present front. Maybe he would like the box of lego? It is Star Wars lego, and he already has lots of that, so I am sure he will love it. OK, lets package it up and post over to England.

When I opened the box to package it up, I then realised how much lego was really in this set. It was huge. 985 pieces of huge.

Then I found out how much it would cost to post to England (just the lego, not the box it comes in) and I almost fainted. A small fortune.

This lego looked so new, they must still be making this one. OK, lovely inter-web, I am sure we can find the same thing on an English website, and get it shipped to him locally and cheaper than the price of the postage from Australia?

Wrong. It is not longer made. It is lego vintage 2004. This box of lego is now a collectors item.

So, what to do with a collectible box of lego? We will probably sell it. I will then donate some of the money from its sale to the local op shop. At the end of the day, our local op shops are here to raise money and support people in need.

And Richie, we are very sorry we are so unorganised with your birthday present this year. A different lego-like birthday present will be with you soon.

Love from Auntie Cat and Uncle Sid, Abbey and Zoe xox

Opp shopping goodness

I love opp shopping (opportunity shops) They are called charity shops in the UK, Jus :) I have been opp shopping since I was a teenager. I miss the days when I was a student and I could spend a whole spare day visiting lots of different opp shops (when I should have been studying!)

We are lucky that our suburb has three, yes 3, opp shops in the local strip of shops. One of them is my particular fave, and just happens to be the biggest one. Last week I had just enough time to pop into one, and one only. So of course it was my favourite one I chose to visit: and it did not disappoint. I got this huge pile of fabric for only $10. There was black, red and white linen, two different blue cord fabric, denim, blue fleece and the top two patterned fabrics. I did not buy it all either, left some there for someone else (I went back a few days later, and got some more coloured cord and a few other odds and ends)

I feel a bit humbled, as I must have bought some ones fabric stash. Why did they take their fabric stash to the opp shop? No time to sew, run out of inspiration? I'll never know, but I can wonder.