More on living well in Merrill

Lately it seems like I'm writing more about trying to live well in Merrill and less about the design stuff I love so much. This will be remedied soon, but for today, I'm going to continue the topic. Going from the lowbrow to the highbrow here...

Garage sales: EVERYWHERE around here there are garage sales, with everything you could possibly be looking for, and about a billion kids clothes too. I've gotten a wrought-iron room divider, a couple of dvd shelves, some chairs, a bed (for 25 bucks, in nigh brand-new shape)... not to mention a million books and other things. Only problem is I WORK and garage sales/rummage sales around here seem to always start on Wednesdays or Thursdays...by the saturdays when I get to em the good stuff is a little fewer and father between. Wausau area sales are in the Wausau Daily Herald, and Merrill area sales are in the Foto News (yeah, there's a lot of cross posting)

Along the same lines but cheaper, there's Freecycle, where there's both a Lincoln County group and a Wausau group. If someone puts up something you want respond quick, because it'll go quick. Also, pick just one thing out of a group if there's multiple things from one lister... you'll be more likely to get it. More expensive is another local online option, Wausau Craigslist. Some good stuff, some cheap stuff, but always worth a check.

Then there's the local auctions, a really good bet for nice stuff thats not terribly expensive. Its where I got my really nice leather couch and desk chair - it didn't go for a song, but its a nice couch that I expect to last me a long time.

I've posted about food before, and I got to go to the Wausau Farmer's Market for the first time this past weekend. Got some wonderful ramps and lettuce from Moonshadow Farm, some really nice bread, and some green beans and tomatoes. I'm hoping next time I'll see Stoney Acres Farm there, as I've heard really good things about them - they also have a CSA which I'd love to do but haven't been able to get the money together for.

Midnight openings of movies at the Cosmo have helped keep me sane too - both Star Trek and Terminator 4 were really well attended and lots of fun (doesn't hurt that I'm a huge nerd and kicked major butt at the Star Trek trivia contest) Now we just gotta get some more GOOD dining establishments into downtown (Checkered Churn is great, and I hear good things about the First Street Coffee Station, but cafes alone don't quite make it) and get businesses - and dining establishments! - to stay open past 5 on a saturday, and we could have a real downtown. Maybe even a bar that's not a sports bar or dive bar? Hmm, might be too much to ask.