Many books I buy on Amazon and Alibris are used but I’ve paid over 80 for one rather rare one (used) Most are under $10, as low as 2 or 3, but shipping brings it up. I just bought an expensive machine to improve my breathing for BP this week.
One day I was outside gathering roses here. This was during the war – you saw myrose beds, didn’t you? – And they were magnificent. And I had two bigclothesbaskets out there and I was filling them with roses. And there was a boycame across the lawn – I was down on that part – and he’d asked where the ladyof the house was. He said, “I’m selling magazines. I’ve had an audition at thePeabody Conservatory and if I can sell so many magazines I’ll be able to get ascholarship.” And I said, “Well, if you’ll wait til I’ve finished picking theseroses and you help me carry this basket up we’ll go up and talk about it.” So westarted up and he was thin and kind of all humpbacked and I was behind him and Isaid, “Straighten up!” and slapped him on the back. “You’ll never play the pianowith a humpback like that! You have to sit up straight like Paderewski does!” Sohe kind of straightened up and we came in the house.
And I said, “Now while I’m fixing these roses in the flower room here’s thepiano.” The piano wascovered with Schumann, Schubert, Beethoven, and Chopin and probably everythingyou’ve ever heard of. And I said, “You play for me because I’m very fond ofmusic while I’m fixing the flowers.” So I left him. And I got two or three vasesfilled and not a sound. And so I thought, well, I’d better come back and seewhat’s happening.
So I came back to the living room and he was standing turning over the music.And I said, “Well, haven’t you found anything you can play?” And he said, “No. Ican only play Tchaikovsky and Gershwin.” I said, “I don’t have any of that. So,play me what you played in the audition.” He couldn’t remember it. I said, “Playme any ditty and I’ll sit here until you think of something.” He stood there along time and I was sitting by the window there and he came over and said, “Ican’t play.” I said, “I didn’t think so. That’s the reason I asked you to.”
He told me a long tale that he’d been in Pittsburgh and he’d been to the SouthHills High School and so on, that his mother and father were dead and all thislong rigmarole. And I said, “I suppose everything you told me is a lie. Who toldyou this story?” He said, “The magazine.” Well, I said, “It’s a very poor story.I’m going to tell you a better one. Next time – if you ever do it again – tellthem you play the harp. Because there are very few people who have a harp!”
Templo S.U.D. over 11 years ago
Better get an IOU prepared, Elliott, if you say “borrow.”
rubinocreative Premium Member over 11 years ago
Your biggest extravagance? CLICK to see how to help with Hurricane ReliefCLICK for Holiday swag at the Daddy’s Home Store!CLICK for DH on Pinterest
sleeepy2 over 11 years ago
Was comic books, then I had kids, so no more extravagances.
GROG Premium Member over 11 years ago
Movies & music
gcarlson over 11 years ago
Travel
vldazzle over 11 years ago
Many books I buy on Amazon and Alibris are used but I’ve paid over 80 for one rather rare one (used) Most are under $10, as low as 2 or 3, but shipping brings it up. I just bought an expensive machine to improve my breathing for BP this week.
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 11 years ago
To date, this laptop I’m using which will soon be 2 years old.
stamps over 11 years ago
Here’s a story my grandmother loved to tell us.
One day I was outside gathering roses here. This was during the war – you saw myrose beds, didn’t you? – And they were magnificent. And I had two bigclothesbaskets out there and I was filling them with roses. And there was a boycame across the lawn – I was down on that part – and he’d asked where the ladyof the house was. He said, “I’m selling magazines. I’ve had an audition at thePeabody Conservatory and if I can sell so many magazines I’ll be able to get ascholarship.” And I said, “Well, if you’ll wait til I’ve finished picking theseroses and you help me carry this basket up we’ll go up and talk about it.” So westarted up and he was thin and kind of all humpbacked and I was behind him and Isaid, “Straighten up!” and slapped him on the back. “You’ll never play the pianowith a humpback like that! You have to sit up straight like Paderewski does!” Sohe kind of straightened up and we came in the house.
And I said, “Now while I’m fixing these roses in the flower room here’s thepiano.” The piano wascovered with Schumann, Schubert, Beethoven, and Chopin and probably everythingyou’ve ever heard of. And I said, “You play for me because I’m very fond ofmusic while I’m fixing the flowers.” So I left him. And I got two or three vasesfilled and not a sound. And so I thought, well, I’d better come back and seewhat’s happening.
So I came back to the living room and he was standing turning over the music.And I said, “Well, haven’t you found anything you can play?” And he said, “No. Ican only play Tchaikovsky and Gershwin.” I said, “I don’t have any of that. So,play me what you played in the audition.” He couldn’t remember it. I said, “Playme any ditty and I’ll sit here until you think of something.” He stood there along time and I was sitting by the window there and he came over and said, “Ican’t play.” I said, “I didn’t think so. That’s the reason I asked you to.”
He told me a long tale that he’d been in Pittsburgh and he’d been to the SouthHills High School and so on, that his mother and father were dead and all thislong rigmarole. And I said, “I suppose everything you told me is a lie. Who toldyou this story?” He said, “The magazine.” Well, I said, “It’s a very poor story.I’m going to tell you a better one. Next time – if you ever do it again – tellthem you play the harp. Because there are very few people who have a harp!”
lin4869 over 11 years ago
Gin