Side Trip to the White Lake Salvation Army & Sonic...YUM!

Today there was no school for either of my boys, and it was my day off. Last Sunday on our trip East to visit family, we saw a Sonic Restaurant on the way that was right next door to the White Lake Salvation Army Thrift Store. Since I've been to this store before, and have found some great bargains, I mentioned to the boys that if they would go with me to the store sometime, I'd buy them lunch out at Sonic!

The pull of the banana cream pie milk shake proved to be really strong today, so we took a little road trip! My older son (who in 4 months will be 19) decided it wasn't cool to hang with mom and younger brother and stayed home. I was good, and didn't blow my diet, I only took 2 sips of his shake and didn't get my own, and boy was it YUM!

If course, we had to stop, and shop for bargains before we ate! After scouring the store, I found 2 candy dishes at $1.99 each and a vintage yellow Pyrex mixing bowl for $6. The mixing bowl was really nasty dirty, but it looked like it was just from years of not being washed properly, and nothing permanent. It has been soaking in hot sudsy water since we got home and most of the grime has washed away.

I have been giving the mixing bowl sets a second glance for about a year now, but I haven't been willing to pay the $50 or $75 prices that I've been seeing. So before Christmas, I mentioned to my friend Anne that I was going to start collecting them one bowl at a time, that way it would be cheaper (I hoped), and it would give us something to hunt for on our antiquing trips.

Shortly after that, I found a set listed as "excellent condition" on ebay and won them for $22.50! Let me tell you, I was really excited with my bargain, and couldn't wait for them to arrive! Unfortunately, when they arrived...the box tinkled when the mail lady handed it to my son at the door. I was sooo bummed!! The two larger bowls (green and yellow) were in pieces, while the red and blue bowls were intact. There was another problem...they weren't what I'd call "excellent condition" either. They were in good condition, but definitely not excellent.

I sent the seller an email and simply said that the two larger bowls arrived broken. I didn't ask for a refund or suggest anything. The seller responded immediately by giving me a full refund and apologizing, and telling me to keep the other two for my inconvenience! That is customer service!!! Although, I didn't agree with the description she gave the item, she went above and beyond as a seller taking care of a customer-so she is now on my saved seller list-and if I see that she has anything interesting, I will shop from her again.

For my Christmas present this year, my friend Anne gave me the small blue bowl filled with homemade chocolate covered pretzels! She remembered that I had said I was going to collect them one at a time, and found one that actually was in excellent condition and bought it for me! I LOVE it!! I have used it many times since, while the other two bowls are sitting on a shelf in my basement. What a thoughtful friend I have! She lets me drag her all over checking out all kinds of antique places, and we have such great times!! We give each other an ear that listens (without condemning or judging and confidence in knowing what we say to each other NEVER goes anywhere else), a shoulder to lean on, and encouragement to press on. She has been a true friend in deed!!

I like to shop the thrift stores. About one in every 6 or 7 trips is a winner!

Eric and I found our first Sonic when we were driving my grandparents car back from Florida for them so they could fly home. It was love at first taste of the banana cream pie shake! At that time, there weren't any in Michigan-the closest one was over 4 hours away. Now, we have 3 within a half an hour from us!! YAY!!!!

Not only do they have the cream pie shakes...they also have car hop service that is kinda fun!