Meeting Rosie P.
For about a year I heard “tales” about a new Social Worker who had moved to Boone, and how I just HAD to meet her.
“She keeps our office entertained with the gifts she finds us at sales”. “She arrives at the office every week with something new for someone, and she even found our very classy staff physician something!” “She has an eye for clothing.”
So, for that first year I’d often be met by eye rolling from other Social Workers who exclaimed, “I can’t BELIEVE you haven’t met her!”
Without doubt, during that first year we must have bumped butts several times in thrift stores and yard sales while seriously stalking the racks, and the suspense continued about just WHO this “ya gotta meet” person was.
My memory of our first meeting is not as clear as Rosie P’s , but I DO remember a younger version of me, all curls and spunk, color and original style. It was an instant friendship, and once we met it seemed as though we were always meeting up in thrift stores; funny, “cosmic” encounters complete with eye rolling, belly laughs, and mutual admiration for how “sick” our little hobby was. At times we joked about starting a treatment program for “thrifters” (12 steps to second hand bliss???). Seriously, we are Social Workers, right!
It’s been a wild and wonderful ride, and a treasured friendship with someone who appreciates finding her bliss in Goodwill; a good for the soul friendship full of laughter, creativity, and endless possibility. As we enter year two of this zany project we will just cast our fate to the universe and see where it leads.
“She keeps our office entertained with the gifts she finds us at sales”. “She arrives at the office every week with something new for someone, and she even found our very classy staff physician something!” “She has an eye for clothing.”
So, for that first year I’d often be met by eye rolling from other Social Workers who exclaimed, “I can’t BELIEVE you haven’t met her!”
Without doubt, during that first year we must have bumped butts several times in thrift stores and yard sales while seriously stalking the racks, and the suspense continued about just WHO this “ya gotta meet” person was.
My memory of our first meeting is not as clear as Rosie P’s , but I DO remember a younger version of me, all curls and spunk, color and original style. It was an instant friendship, and once we met it seemed as though we were always meeting up in thrift stores; funny, “cosmic” encounters complete with eye rolling, belly laughs, and mutual admiration for how “sick” our little hobby was. At times we joked about starting a treatment program for “thrifters” (12 steps to second hand bliss???). Seriously, we are Social Workers, right!
It’s been a wild and wonderful ride, and a treasured friendship with someone who appreciates finding her bliss in Goodwill; a good for the soul friendship full of laughter, creativity, and endless possibility. As we enter year two of this zany project we will just cast our fate to the universe and see where it leads.
Meeting Rosie W.
Shortly after landing in North Carolina, the girls at work told me about this other social worker who I reminded them of. She had gone to school in Illinois, too and had a funky and eclectic style, much like my own. She loved to thrift and garage sale--this was a well known fact. She worked in Ashe County and one Thursday afternoon, she happened to wonder into our office. Rosie W. was friends with my co-worker, Teressa. Rosie’s curly hair swept back to reveal her large asymmetrical earrings, wrists full of jangle bracelets, wearing flowing layers of black with a pair of expensive clogs to complete the outfit. This little lady had some flair, a contagious laugh, and a sparkle in her big blue eyes. She was a whirlwind of energy, enthusiasm, and fun! I knew we would be quick friends. T. introduced us and from that day on, Rosie W. and I ran into each other all over the secondhand scene in Boone. We would greet each other in the aisles of various thrift stores with "We are crazy" " Thrifting is an illness" "Let's create a support group" etc........ always laughing afterwards and showing each other our latest finds. We also started to see each other in more professional venues, at trainings, staffings, and so on--always sitting next to each other and talking about upcoming community sales. It was in the fall of 2009, that we began to discuss the idea of the Secondhand Rosies. We set out to write over the winter months--those long, mountain, winter months----and published the first blog in March of 2010. We have been writing, shopping, laughing, planning, and creating since then. This March will mark our first anniversary. We will commemorate it with our fist annual High Tea and Rag Shakin' Clothing Swap on March 12 at the Watauga County Library. It has been a wonderful ride with the spirited and energetic woman, Rosie W.. As my grandma would say " We were cut from the same cloth". Amen to that!
Shortly after landing in North Carolina, the girls at work told me about this other social worker who I reminded them of. She had gone to school in Illinois, too and had a funky and eclectic style, much like my own. She loved to thrift and garage sale--this was a well known fact. She worked in Ashe County and one Thursday afternoon, she happened to wonder into our office. Rosie W. was friends with my co-worker, Teressa. Rosie’s curly hair swept back to reveal her large asymmetrical earrings, wrists full of jangle bracelets, wearing flowing layers of black with a pair of expensive clogs to complete the outfit. This little lady had some flair, a contagious laugh, and a sparkle in her big blue eyes. She was a whirlwind of energy, enthusiasm, and fun! I knew we would be quick friends. T. introduced us and from that day on, Rosie W. and I ran into each other all over the secondhand scene in Boone. We would greet each other in the aisles of various thrift stores with "We are crazy" " Thrifting is an illness" "Let's create a support group" etc........ always laughing afterwards and showing each other our latest finds. We also started to see each other in more professional venues, at trainings, staffings, and so on--always sitting next to each other and talking about upcoming community sales. It was in the fall of 2009, that we began to discuss the idea of the Secondhand Rosies. We set out to write over the winter months--those long, mountain, winter months----and published the first blog in March of 2010. We have been writing, shopping, laughing, planning, and creating since then. This March will mark our first anniversary. We will commemorate it with our fist annual High Tea and Rag Shakin' Clothing Swap on March 12 at the Watauga County Library. It has been a wonderful ride with the spirited and energetic woman, Rosie W.. As my grandma would say " We were cut from the same cloth". Amen to that!
Cheers and Happy hunting Folks—now you all know our story!
