Incredible view from Vicki’s bedroom of San Pablo Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge far off in the distance.
Vicki Gray’s estate sale was this weekend. Shea helped her family and friends out. They were already gracious enough to give us some furniture before the estate sale. I bought some key pieces I really wanted on Friday, but today I really went nuts with the 50% off prices. Of course, these acquisitions will be used to decorate my house, which is under renovation. Indeed, I bought so much stuff that the estate salespeople thought I was a reseller!
I was able to acquire the panorama of the Bixby Bridge and at least one of these model ships.
Truth be told, I love Vicki’s taste, and I am more incentivized to buy her stuff after going to her memorial and learning more about her. I only briefly met her once when she participated in the Glen Cove garage sale a few years ago. I bought several gorgeous little things from her at that time, but they were destroyed in my fire.
Here’s a Tibetan prayer wheel. I recognized what it was pretty quickly because I have a huge macrame Tibetan wind spinner in my backyard that I bought years ago and which DID survive the fire. I got a lot of chiding for buying it years ago, but I can’t imagine my backyard without it now.
I’ll have to wear my newly thrifted Greek Fisherman’s cap when I row. I didn’t know why I liked it when I saw it, but I really like it (even though it was made in Tarzana, California).
We did some exploring in the regions across the bridge. The trip was around the bridges, stopping in Crockett and then Martinez. I was dreaming of a boba drink recently, so it was nice to find a corner deli that had it in Crockett.
In Martinez, we parked downtown and walked through it while they had a wine walk. We stopped in a bunch of boutiques and antique stores, but I only got one little thing, which spoke to me. I love southwestern American art, especially with bear fetishes and paws, so I decided to get this high-quality tile. She commented on how unappetizing this heart pastry was in the entranceway to one of the shops.
We then went to the pier near the marina where Shea’s family used to moor their boat. There were lots of interesting things to see.
I’ve never been to Martinez before, to my knowledge, but it was fascinating to see my neighborhood, Glen Cove in Vallejo, from there, especially since I’ve rowed in the Carquinez Strait a thousand times. There was a direct view of Glen Cove, but I wasn’t absolutely sure, so I magnified it 100% in the closest shot. Pretty cool.
I’m having a baby girl! She was a little chilly, so I had to think fast. I love that I snapped the shot as she was kissing me too.
Saffon, previously known as Edna, is back from her second surgery on her mouth, which wasn’t just for teeth. She also had yet another foxtail stuck in her and had to have her cheek resutured.
Today was bittersweet because our beloved foster Perry got adopted! The good news is that he’s with a friend of a friend (thanks, Paula!), and we are happy to plan future doggie playdates. I also offer to dog sit for those who adopt our fosters. Perry is a wonderful catch, being a very well-behaved, housetrained, and not yappy medium-sized dog with wonderful red hair, an expressive face, very healthy, neutered, and loves everyone. He only barks at doorbells, as is expected. I know he’s going to be well-loved in Berkeley by a family of four humans and a cat in the ADU. I’m so glad I woke Shea up from a nap in late October and told him, “We’re driving to Modesto to save some dogs,” after I got an email about Perry and Ella. That’s what I get for opening up emails of that nature.
These are the things I was willing to pay full price for on the first day of the estate sale, with no regrets.
I love this panorama of the Bixby Bridge near Big Sur. My first trip with Shea was down here and we got some great pictures by this bridge, so it’s sentimental for that reason, and also because my dad was born in Monterey.
This little ceramic piggy bank has Carmel and Monterey written on it, so that was why I got it in memory of my father, even though I won’t use it as a piggy bank.
I’m pretty picky about my masks, but this one spoke to me.
Black Russian bottle intrigued me because it’s a bearded man from a distance. I’ve never seen a bottle in this shape.
I’ve always been a fan of model cars, but this oversized diecast metal one that actually roll are particularly fun, and the surfboard carrying Volkswagon bug van is very California-esque.
This polar bear on ice was a reasonable price, and it’s no secret that I collect bear-themed items.
This London telephone booth bank is going to be very practical since I collect change and immediately deposit it in the bank whenever I have a few coins to make sure I don’t hang on to it around the house. It’s a petpeeve of mine to have change fall out of pants pockets.
There’s a tiny stained glass window hanger which I don’t think I even got charged for.
The steamboat wheels actually roll and it’s actually very utilitarian because it’s a pencil sharpener!
The golden apple is actually a bell so I can summon Shea when he doesn’t respond to me!
The Berliner bear is very cool. I’ve been to a lot of the tourist spots featured on him, and it continues the very appropriate bear motif.
These painted fish on one wood piece really pop.
All of the leaves on this wood plant are adjustable! I’m going to have to think of things to put on it.
I suspect this is a Chinese model ship. It’s hard to see in front of the cable box, but it’s in good condition.
Bearded man (another theme I have) with a parrot and under a palm tree, I think.
This heavy seal carving reminds me so much of the sightings I’ve seen during my many rows in the Carquinez Strait.
This is a ceramic Mexican skull for Dia de los Muertos, obviously, but it has a tiki light on top of it, which of course I will never ignite. However I believed it to be a hanger when I first saw it, so I might fuse it together and hang it from the awning when I move back, perhaps near my hot tub.
I’m a sucker for most Snoopy stuff since my grandfather was a big Peanuts fan. That’s why my dog is named Snoopy, after my grandfather’s dog, which was after Charlie Brown’s dog. I did visit the Charles Shulz Museum several months ago.
This boat in the foreground is very cool as well. It unfortunately has a tear in the sail, which I hope I can fix with some subtle scotch tape.
This is one of the big boats that I’ll be putting up above the divider between my bedroom and the wet room that I’ve designed.
Here’s a picture of the new boat next to another one I purchased at a Benicia antique store about a year ago.
On Facebook marketplace I found two fabulous sculptures from a woman in Clayton. I had never been to Clayton and didn’t realize how gorgeous that area was at the foot of Mount Diablo. I had to stop the car and take pictures.
View of Mount Diablo from downtown Clayton, California
In any event, she had two pieces that were really calling out to me on two subjects that I love so much – dogs and rowing, so when I had a chance to pop by after running errands in the East Bay, I was glad they were still available for me to swing by and pick up on my way back to Vallejo.
