The Joy of Jobies

Mira is a Jobie.  For those not familiar, Job's Daughter's is a youth group of the Free Mason's.  Mira became a  Job's Daughter shortly after her dad became a Mason.  Mira loves Jobies with all her heart.  It is her favorite thing to do.  I was scared to have her join.  It is a group of young women that I didn't know.  I had all the fears that most special needs parents have.  How will the girls react to her?  Will they accept her?  How will they treat her?  And what about the other parents? Parents that don't know what it is like to have a child with special needs.  Parents that haven't been around children with special needs.  

Fast forward two years and every time I go to a Jobie event I am amazed by this group of young woman.  The Jobies have accepted Mira with open arms.  She is loved, accepted and treated with such kindness that it brings tears to my eyes.  The girls are leaving for Grand Session today.  Mira has had her bags packed for weeks.  At Grand Session the girls will be competing at a ritual.  They are scored and judged on their memorization.  Speaking and memorization is not something that Mira does well.  So when I went to the meeting I was planning on having them sit Mira out of the competition.  I would hate for the whole Bethel not to do well because of Mira's lack of speech.   However, the girls had already insisted that Mira participate since she is a member of the Bethel.  The Honor Queen has asked the judge if they would be willing to make accommodations for Mira in the judging.  They knew she could say no, and they still wanted Mira to participate.  

Regardless of the outcome of Grand Session, these young woman are winners. They don't see Mira as different.  She is just one of the girls.  

I hope they have the time of their lives over then next few days.  I know they will be creating memories to last a lifetime.  I am so proud of Bethel 77 and I know that their compassion will shine at Grand Session.

Here is an update on my Goodwill Hunting.  

 So here is the run down.  I received a $5.00 gift card to the Goodwill from my Grandma.  I purchased a Yakima Ski rack for $4.99 and sold it for $19.99.  The vintage mangle iron that I purchased for $1.29 sold for $99.00 to a lovely lady who plans to use it for ironing embroidered pillowcases.  Today I dropped Mira off at the Scottish Rite Temple in Shoreline where she was serving dinner.  Buck, Jasmin and I hit the Goodwill.  No big ticket items purchased, but a couple of smalls.  The first is a signed silk Vera scarf that I paid $4.99 and the second is a pair of orthotic inserts that I paid $2.99.  I don't expect the big payoff like the mangle, but did have a lovely time hanging out with the kids except for the moment when I thought I lost Jasmin.  

Vera Scarf

Goodwill Hunting

I have made my second purchase to sell toward a new to me Pachinko machine.  It is a vintage Whirlpool Mangle.  It is a beast.  It is so heavy, but still works.  If you love to iron I suppose you would want one.  Me, I hate to iron.  My idea of ironing is put the item in the dryer for 10 minutes.  

If you are in the market for a Mangle from the 1950's it is up on Ebay right now.  If you buy it bring a friend to lift it because it is weighs a ton.

At this point my total I have in my pocket towards a Pachinko machine is $18.71 cents not including taxes and the fees that accrue from Ebay.  

Ebay Whirlpool Mangle

Goodwill Hunting

                                   Happy New Year 2013

   One of our favorite Christmas gifts this year came from my 94 year old Grandma, also known as Skinny Grandma.  She gave us each a $5.00 gift card to the Goodwill.  We are junkers.  Our family loves to go to thrift stores and garage sales.  Kids are funny.  Mira found a lovely set of pj's at the Goodwill,  the kind that zips up with feet.  They were new with the tags for a price of $4.93 with tax.  She is a as happy as a owl.  That is the animal that was on the jammies.  Jasmin,  she loves candy and spent a little bit on a baby bottle pop.  Buck on the other hand is looking for something special.  So far he has bought one book, a Simpson's comic book for a grand total of $.44.  Moe spent his on a wood rack for salt and pepper shakers and a new one to add to the collection.  

   As for me, well,  I thought about just buying something, but then I thought it would be more fun to only buy things to sell on Ebay and roll that money over, and over until I can buy something really amazing.  What would that be you ask?  A vintage Japanese Pachinko machine.  I have always wanted one since I was a kid nd my cousin in Spokane had one.  So this is my journey to being a Pachinko machine owner.  I have made my first purchase and have it on Ebay, it is a Yakima ski/snowboard rack for your car.  I purchased it for a grand total of $4.99.

Yakima Rack