Frugal Outdoor Decorations, Cleaner Came Today

 One summer day about 20 years ago, I was at a yard sale in Decatur, AL. I found a hairy creature that sort of resembled a reindeer. I inquired as to the nature of the beast and the price. It was a reindeer for $1. At that price, why not?

I got it home and started looking at it. It had a plug, so I plugged it in. Under the hairy stuff were lights. When I started trying to pull the hair off, it came off easily. It appeared someone had taken a Christmas reindeer and hot glued strips of fake hair. 

When I got the stuff pulled off, I had a reindeer without antlers. When I started dating the guy before Tommy, one day during Christmas holidays his daughter came with him to my house. I gave him several wire coathangers and asked him to make antlers. He was stymied even after I explained. His 14-year-old daughter was listening and watching as I explained. Finally, I asked her if she understood how to make antlers. She assured me she did, so I told her to help him. 

I had bought a string of lights for the antlers. The deer was gold and the light strings on him were goldish or beige, not white. So, I took foil and covered every light and sprayed the whole string gold, turning it over and over in the grass until I had covered the whole wire string of lights. Plus, I sprayed the coat hanger antlers. This Christmas light spraying was a fun thing to do on a hot summer day. 

A bit later, I had them make the antlers! They put the lights I bought on the antlers and it was perfect, moving his head up and down. 

That summer I bought a six-foot tree for $3 or so at a yard sale. It was not an outdoor tree, but I put outdoor lights on it and put it outdoors with my reindeer. I put it in the side yard so it could be seen from the street and from my picture window. My whole outdoor display cost me less than $10 and I had a tree and reindeer. 

I really want a reindeer!!! The tiny ones are not right and the huge ones are not right. I want one in the mid-size, just right. 

Wednesday, I put our Christmas candy in a cheap, covered, plastic, Christmas-decorated container. I don't dare put it in a candy dish where is easily and unobtrusively gotten. 

Thursday, today, the cleaning woman is coming. So, I will have to tell you about how it goes in another post. 

Cleaner just left. It took her 3 3/4 hours to clean refrigerator and the freezer above it and the front and a bit of one side of the refrigerator. She did not clean the top because she is short, older, and has fallen. It cost $80. There are dishes with food still to be emptied and washed. 

Neither she nor I could get the shelf in that holds the crisper drawers. Tommy had to lie on the floor to get it all together! 

There is a tall kitchen garbage can full of food and bits of bottles of stuff thrown out. I would have kept some of it, but it was out of the refrigerator, so I let her toss it. I sat in the kitchen the whole time, talking to her and and saying what goes and then what goes back in and where. 

The two crispers are now in use. And, the shelf he took out 20 years ago is back inside. I may have to take it out if he cannot get milk out. I don't want him to have to lie in the floor to get his breakfast. I have three of the Dollar Tree bins like milk cartons, really small. I did not have her even look in those because it is just cheese. Yes, in all three. and cream cheese and goat cheese. 

She wanted to throw out my out-of-date cottage cheese that I know I will eat soon! She would not have like the dates on the milk and eggs. The milk had been frozen, so it was "out" of date by weeks. 

We hope she will at least come back to clean the two baths, well, 1.5 baths. And, the guys installing the installing the dishwasher want her to clean under the sink...lol. 

Do you shop yard sales for Christmas decorations or Christmas houses like I do? What have you found?