Of drums, books and leather handbags

I always love seeing what people have found in charity-shops on their blogs! It's like watching the return of an expedition, or an archaeological dig or seeing treasure being found! Either way, it's a type of post I really like reading, so always drop me a line if you've done one!

I found one or two items recently which I was very pleased at and thought I'd share. Actually, some were from the Easter holidays and others from before half term, so I'm not very current. But anyway that's the craic and I'll continue...

So, I was walking very quickly to Primark to go and grab something (a hat as a present for someone) after school one day and I happened to pass a St Francis Hospice charity shop where I spied 3 djembes in the window!!! I tried to get in the shop and was told they were closing. But when I asked if I could reserve the 3 drums, she let me in and I got the set for £10, I think.  They were for school since as well as teaching my after school drumming club I also do a half term with Year 5 on cyclic drumming and I never have enough djembe-type drums for the whole class (I am lucky as I have 21 now- 24 with these three. I've built it up from nothing over the last 3 years), so any extras are an advantage.  I've bought a fair few instruments for school in charity shops or in music shop sales since I've been a teacher but never claimed for them as I kept thinking I'd prefer to own them and use them at school then if I ever leave (you know, it happens), then I will have some instruments ready for my new school as I know most schools are not blessed with the resources I have and the thought of having hardly any instruments does not bear thinking about!  In the past, I found drum sticks, a brand new orchestral cymbal, a miscellaneous drum, a glockenspiel and beaters in charity shops and I bought about 20 castanets and a triangle in a Newcastle music shop! Good thing too as we only had 8 castanets at school originally!


 That's a mnemonic for remembering the start and stop signal for trad African drumming!



In the Easter hols, I was in Northumberland and CBC went to do something or other which meant I had an unattended 30 mins to run round the Hexham charity shops.  I came back with 8 Hardy Boys books which were 25p each.  I was really excited about these as I read only about 4 Hardy Boy books as a child/teen and adored them. They were a boy version of Nancy Drew (which I read many many of) and I've always loved formulaic writing!  In the meantime, I've read them all and enjoyed muchly.  Really, I should pass them on, but I like them too much!

Finally, I found this either Leather handbag or very convincing Fake leather handbag in the Hexham hospice charity shop for a modest £3 which I was pleased about as it is immaculate and a good size with very handy size pockets and inside bits as well as a cunning chain to attach keys to. I looked at their website and handbags of this size start at about 80 euros so that's quite good! Unless it is a fake of course?!??!




Alas, if only I'd bought the two amazing vintage hats in Oxfam I'd tried on - but I had to walk round Borough Market all day and I didn't want to have to traipse around with large bags!


xxxx