Perhaps you've noticed that I haven't been posting yard sale recaps in the last few weeks. Or maybe you've haven't noticed as such, but you've been wandering around with a vague need to see a picture of a box of old stationery. I do not want you to think that it's because I haven't been yard saling. Please, never question my devotion to getting up early on my day off, driving around, and exchanging money for people's discarded goods. No, the problem is that my camera went on tour with my boyfriend. I could still write about the sales, but without pictures, I'd just be rambling on trying to describe the mini copper scuba diving helmet that I got for $2. While that might be a good writing exercise, I've never really liked any kind of exercise.
So rest assured that there are still yard sales happening in the world, and I am still going to them. In fact, I am happy to report that it is officially "the season." You probably have no idea how excited that makes me. Here, let me tell you, I am this excited: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday, I had company on my morning out. I was hanging out with a couple of friends on Friday night, and they asked about my plans for the next day. Clearly, they don't know me all that well, because everyone knows that I have a standing date with the front lawns of strangers on Saturdays. When I told them, they wanted to come along.
I confess, dear readers, that I was reluctant about the idea. I am not opposed to having people come with me, in fact, I love the idea of converting people to the secondhand lifestyle. But I wasn't sure that these girls knew what they were in for. Were they prepared to get up early, paw through piles of crap, and drive all the way to Chapel Hill if that meant hitting a huge church sale when they were just starting to mark down prices?
But, hey, they were game. I showed up at their apartment at 6:50 AM and they were ready to go. We hit a church sale first off, and they both made some purchases. It was quite a good sale, which was lucky. Some people see my house full of treasures bought used and think that I find something amazing at every single sale I visit. But buying used is a hobby of patience - there are many days when I don't find much at all. I wanted this to be a good day so they would get enough of a taste of the possibilities to carry them through other sales which might not yield anything. But they seemed to be having a good time. I also had a good time, buying a cowbell and the aforementioned copper diving helmet. I also bought some things that are not inexplicable.
There was something else that I would have bought, but by the time I arrived, the beautiful dresser already had a SOLD tag on it, right next to the one that said "$40." I don't put much stock in getting to sales right when they open. I've never had any trouble finding junk to buy, and as for what was sold before I got there, I didn't see it, so I don't know what I'm missing. I've been looking for a dresser for a while, and this one would have been perfect. But you know what? I got there at only a few minutes after they opened. I suspect that someone working at the sale bought it. Which just goes to show that someone can still buy something before you, even if you are waiting when the doors open.
I only hope that they enjoy that dresser as much as I would have. A moment of silence, please, for the dresser that I did not buy. Thank you.
The rest of the day was decent. Alas, my friends were growing weary by 10, and so they went home. However, as they were leaving, they showed interest in coming along next week. I don't expect them to be as hard core about it as I am, but even if they only spend a couple Saturdays a year perusing yard sale offerings, that is a success in my book.
After they went on home, I headed out to Chapel Hill to hit a giant sale. No, really, it was HUGE. Which reminds me. Friday night, one of the girls was looking through CraigsList for sales. She saw an ad titled "HUGE YARD SALE," and said, "We should check that one out." Ah, poor sweet innocent newbie. I pointed out to her that they all said they were huge, but most of them just had a stack of baby clothes, some Dan Brown novels, and a table of five years worth of Pier 1 sales. Not to alienate any Dan Brown/Pier 1 readers with children out there, but it's just not my bag.
Anyway, this church sale wactually was HUGE, much HUGER than anyone having a single family sale could even aspire to. It was the kind of sale where they hand out maps so you can navigate to the different rooms, depending on whether you are interested in clothes or furniture or cooking gear. It was almost too big, as it was so crowded that there were lines queueing up outside various rooms. I spent ten minutes waiting to just look at the selection of accessories, as my desire to see all the stuff battled with my anxiety about being in large crowds. Then I didn't even buy any accessories, possibly because once inside the room I gave everything only a cursory glance in my haste to get out of the tiny room with too many people in it. I did buy several books, because there was absolutely no wait to get into that room. Let's not think too hard about what that indicates about the public.
Overall, a good day. I bought a lot more than what I've mentioned (pewter-handled forks, demitasse cups, old cigarette advertising sign, buttons, giant lamp that Josh will hate as soon as he sees it), and nothing was very expensive. And I introduced some people into my world, and hopefully they will come back to find many inexplicable treasures of their own.
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