What the H... is THAT?

So I'm at the thrift store today, as is my wont. And I see this thing (which I stupidly do not photograph with my phone). And I think, "What the hell is that?"

So, it was like this:
A thermos. A big one like you would carry soup to school in in the 1970s. Only, a bit bigger.
And it has a carry strap. And a picture on it (the thermos, not the strap) of a happy country scene.
Nice. It's 3$ which is high for a thermos at this particular store.
And it's oddly attractive so I open it and look inside...
BUT WAIT, there's MORE.
Inside are 3 little metal tins with lids, Each about the size of a tuna can but taller. And around the 3 stacked tins is a little wire frame that makes a handle to lift them out and keeps them all together.

It's sort of like those stacked lunch containers they use in India:



















But small and inside a special made thermos.

I walk away from the intriguing item but am drawn back because I notice a SECOND ONE exactly the same next to it. I can't stand it. So I open it and it is the same...only NEVER USED. The inner metal bits are still wrapped in plastic from the factory.

Now I really wanted it.

But, in the name of simplicity and frugality, I asked myself my usual questions:
Do I need it? (well, no. I have tons of lovely thermoses and other food hauling items)
Does it replace something plastic with something not plastic? (well...no. It would replace something entirely metal and recyclable with something partly plastic)
Is it useful? (well...no. The inner containers are just too small to be useful to someone of my size and appetite. Maybe if I only hauled condiments. But who the heck has a dedicated condiment thermos?)

Anyway, it killed me to leave it there. I hope someone else bought it and will love it.

At the next thrift store (I have a circuit), there was another cool thermos type item. This one all metal! And retro with the original label still on it from like the '50s or something. It was a beverage or food cooler or warmer. So said the label. it was round like those beverage containers they use at camp and at construction sites or to pour gatorade over the coach after winning the big game. Only no spigot. And shorter. And metal. Basically it was a round metal cooler. Again, I don't need it. I have a metal cooler (but not round) with a retro original label from about the same time period. I do not need another cooler by any stretch of the imagination. So, again I had to leave it there.

I think I may have to quit thrift shopping unless there is a specific item I need. Crap. Now I need a new hobby.

To get rid of my shopping addiction, I passed it on to Jonny. We had a nice long phone chat today in which I introduced him to the wonder that is craigslist. He had not navigated this. I was shopping on it for a recumbent trike (more on that in a later post) and then I started shopping for whatever. At the mention of china (tableware) Jonny noted that his was dull. I got on the Denver, CO version of craigslist and found the CHEESIEST cowboy dinner dishes EVER. Jonny wanted them. He wanted to drive right over and buy them. Jonny has a problem. I banned him from craigslist.

Anyway, I've got to get my beauty sleep! I'm on the radio tomorrow. It's good it's not TV as I have a zit on my chin the size of Mount Fuji. It has not one, but FOUR whiteheads on it. If only Aunt Billie were here. She loves to milk a zit.