They Are Like Potato Chips

Apparently for my beautiful wife, Aladdin Lincoln Drape oil lamps are like potato chips; you can’t have just one. A while back I told you about how Terry used to collect oil lamps before we got together, and though she had quite a few of them, she had always wanted a Lincoln Drape but had never been able to find one. I made it my business to locate one for her, and we did in Safety Harbor, on the other side of the state, and we made a daytrip over there to buy it.

Though I had been looking for a Lincoln Drape for her for a long time, it was the first one I had been able to find. And then, wouldn’t you know it? A couple of weeks later when we were browsing some antique shops we found not one, but two more, and one came home with us. Kind of like when I was looking for cabinet radios and Speed Graphic cameras. I wanted one of each, and now I have two of each. We have seen this happen several times where we can’t find something we want, and once we do find it and buy it, they seem to be everywhere.

Yesterday we went to the huge Renninger’s Antique and Collector’s Extravaganza in Mount Dora, and yep, Terry found yet another Lincoln Drape. This one didn’t have the chimney and a couple of other items that are easily replaced, but at only $20 it was a heck of a deal, so it came home with us. Terry also found this nice little table to go in our living room and hold one of the lamps.

And here is another lamp, on the dresser in our guest bedroom.

Just like we did the first time we were there back in November, yesterday we walked for miles at the Extravaganza, and we saw a lot of very cool stuff. One thing that really caught my eye was this 1946 Whizzer Model H. Back in the day, this was a heck of a ride. It came with heavy duty front and rear wheels with a Schwinn brake on the front and Bendix brake in the rear, and a sign with it said that the engine gas tank, lever controls, exhaust, and most everything else on it were factory correct. While I thought it was cool, it wasn’t something I wanted for myself. But later in the day I saw someone tying it down in the back of his pickup and I asked if he could give me a ballpark figure of what he paid for it. He told me it was a bit under $1700. I’m not sure if that’s a fair price or not, but it was to him, and that’s all that matters, right?

Terry was not the only one that got some goodies yesterday. I picked up three more badges for my collection.

Another vendor had an Arizona State Liquor Control agent badge that was very nice that I would have liked to have had, but he was a real jerk. I asked for a price and he ignored me while he played Candy Crush on his phone. I asked a second time and he told me I couldn’t afford it. Between us Terry and I had several $100 bills in our pockets, but I didn’t figure I would waste my time telling him I probably could. At the same time, I saw him blow off somebody else who was looking at a fairly high ticket item. It makes me wonder why he bothered to go to the event and pay for a vendor spot if he was going to act that way.

I also saw this nice sign, but Miss Terry told me it was tacky. Well, yeah, of course it’s tacky. I’m a guy, that’s the kind of thing we like. Not the boobs, I mean the sign. Well don’t get me wrong, I like boobs, too, but… never mind, I’m going to shut up now, even if it is too late.

They hold these Extravaganzas several times a year in different locations around the country. The next one in Mount Dora will be February 15th -17th and I guess we will probably be there. Even if we don’t find something we can’t live without, and we always seem to, we get a lot of exercise just walking around the huge outdoor show.

Today is your last chance to enter our Free Drawing for an audiobook of The Gecko In The Corner, the second book in my John Lee Quarrels mystery series. To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn this evening.

Thought For The Day – No relationship is all sunshine, but two people can share one umbrella and survive the storm together.