Sunday, September 27, 2009

SATURDAY SURPRISES


The woman minding her yard sale was reading a book when I walked up—a sight guaranteed to gladden a librarian’s heart. I said hello and asked if it were a good book. She showed me the cover and I read the title: Strength Finder. My first thought was that it was something devotional, but no. “I have to read this for my job, and then take a test. It's supposed to show what my strengths are.” She sounded a bit dubious, as I probably would myself. I told her that by our age we probably already knew what our strengths are, and she nodded. “Maybe I could have used this more when I was young,” she said. I suspect that when she takes the test it won’t hold many surprises.

Some people a few blocks from my house woke up to a surprise though—and have cause to be grateful for the strength of a fence. When I started out I passed a police car parked in the street with its toplights going. Beyond it, in front of an apartment complex, a large tree had toppled in the night. But a stout iron fence held the tree up and off of several parked cars. Wouldn’t that put a crimp in your day—to go out to your car and find it under a tree!

It was another low-key Saturday, and I don’t even have going to the airport as an excuse! The past week was quite hot though, which can be discouraging when you’re planning a sale. And because sales go on all year here, there’s no motivation to get it over with before winter sets in. I spent a total of $2 this week. You certainly can't say I have an expensive hobby. But I found two items I was about to buy in a store. Don’t you love it when that happens?

One was this hair clip.
Those of you who know me are probably wondering what anyone with hair as short as mine would want with a hair clip. Wish I could claim it was for some really clever use, but I actually want it for my hair. Which, while in a short cut, is longish on top, and when I’m playing Wii tennis I'd like to be able to clip it up. And now for twenty-five cents I can.

At the same sale I scored a pack of 2 dry erase markers. Admittedly not a thrilling find, but we use a wipe board in the kitchen to keep a running grocery list. As soon as an item runs out and the backup goes into use, it's added to the list to get a new backup. I'm lucky to have a pantry, and happy to say we rarely run out of anything. And one of the things on the wipe board was…dry erase markers!
I don’t know what these folks were thinking to put a price sticker on one of the notecards, thus ruining it, but there are enough left to make them worth fifty cents.
Looks like I can make a couple of pairs of earring from these beads.
I got them knowing I have a stash of earwires. What I didn’t remember was that my stash is gold-colored, and for these I need silver! Oh well, I'll just keep an eye out for some silver ones.

This is my frivolous, have-no-idea-what-I'll-do-with-it buy for the day—two cards of pink beaded edging.
I'm not much of a pink person, but these forced themselves into my hands. And when the price turned out to be a quarter each, I figured what the heck. There's 3 feet of edging on each card. So if you have any ideas on what to use this stuff for, I'm completely open to suggestions!

When I left this sale I saw a whole herd of ducks across the street—walking down the sidewalk. (There were several more that wouldn’t sign a photo release so got left out of the picture.)
So that was my big Saturday morning, but it came with a bagel and cream cheese and I had a good time. I have to admit that the thing that amused me most happened before I left the house. I was checking the ads on Craigslist and came across this gem:

“Big Garage Sale, Better Than a Swat Meet.”

23 comments:

  1. I love your blog. I always look forward to reading your newest post. You could use those pink danglies to trim a lamp shade, I suppose. I love it when I find exactly what I'm looking for for cheap. Yesterday at the grocery store (yes, the grocery store!) the girl was loading up their discount shelf with Eucerin face lotion w/spf 20-30 for $3! I couldn't believe it. Also, I've been wanting to try Neutrogena body moisturizer for a while but it was $12-$16 @ the store. She was stocking that, too and I think it was $4 or $4.50! God must love me ;) Love the ducks! oooo, a Swat Meet! Could be exciting ;)

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  2. I love reading what you right about going to garage sales, and the people you meet, and daily events! I love your finds, those beads will make some Beautiful earrings! How cute are those ducks!

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  3. What a pleasure it is reading your blog. How about trimming Princess Fairy Wings with your pink edging? I love your garage sale adventures. I need to get my own camera. I'm tired of borrowing my daughters.

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  4. Nice finds. I also always enjoy your garage sale stories. I bought some bead trim for super cheap back a while ago and ended up giving it to my daughter. Not sure what she was going to use it for - I think a lampshade.

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  5. Cute stuff, esp. those ducks! You are always entertaining. Thanks for joining my party this year. We'll have plenty to keep us busy the rest of the year with the holidays coming up. Yep, that beaded trim could go on a lampshade or pillow.

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  6. LOL funny ad..sometimes they are gems. I so look forward to reading your blog!
    You found some great finds! I love it when you find something on your "list"! Nice trim, I'm sure it will come in handy sooner or later.
    Sweet duckies;)
    *hugs*deb

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  7. I love your little finds - I adore pink - here's what I would do if I weren't a pink person...no, not give them to me....although could be a good give away....anyway - how about making a tassle for spring - with a bunny and use pink and some other pastels - you could always give it as a gift.....you asked, LOL !
    Kammy

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  8. I absolutely love your adventures and look forward weekly to seeing what you have been up to :) LOVED the photo release part regarding the ducks, still giggling:)
    Toni

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  9. Hi 50 Cent Queen,
    The pretty blue and white beads were a great find. I like to make charm bracelets and they would be perfect.
    Cathy

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  10. What a fun read! I am going to love it here I know. So glad I found you! One of the best parts of yard sale-ing was that we met all sorts of people! That was a fun side benefit!
    Love,
    Sue

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  11. Well, I to love your blog and read it everyweek. I love yard sales and you are so lucky to have them year round...ours don't start until late March so then I have to relie on fleamarkets.
    I love it too when I stumble across things that I need and was going to buy at the store it always makes me happy!
    Love the ducks...to cute!
    Rondell

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  12. I wish I had your talent for relaying adventures!! You would have had a blast with this one... Saturday while out 'saling' we encountered a Man in an electric wheel chair, and the guy holding the sale was strapping a FOUR-DRAWER DRESSER to the back of it!!?! Later we saw the man in the wheelchair cruising down a sidewalk in town with it!!

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  13. I'm a librarian, too. Always on the lookout for new books! {a children's librarian... I'm addicted to children's books...)

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  14. My best find of the week happened tonight while my sister and I were sorting through my parents things getting their condo ready to sell.

    My sister handed me three pyrex mixing bowls all snuggled nicely together. Green, red and blue! She said, "Here. These look like you!"

    Free. Even better than cheap!

    I don't remember these bowls at all, which just seems odd to me.

    There were no ducks VISIBLE where I was, but a flock of geese did make a honking landing on the lake.

    (as always. love your blog. love your finds.)

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  15. I'm sure you will be able to find a good use for the lovely pink beads. Thankfully the sales are still going pretty strong where I live, I had a great weekend!

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  16. Another great post ... somehow even a slow ho-hum Saturday turns into an adventure with you!

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  17. Isnt it awesome finding something you NEED?

    Im having a paint party, feel free to check it out!

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  18. Funny post. I enjoyed reading it. Love the pink beaded edging. Love the duck photo. And loved the "swat meet".

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  19. I have seen beaded egding like that sewn into the bottom of a small bag. It could be a nice gift for a friend who likes pink--either an evening bag, or a dress-up purse for a child, or a gift bag.

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  20. You got some great and useful things! I hate when I go to sales and it looks like people dumped their garbage cans on their lawns for me to buy. Looks like you found some things that were great but people couldnt use. My favorite kind of sale

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  21. I have to tell you, I look forward to your posts and imagine my surprise today when I realized I hadn't checked in on my regular Monday...I swear if we lived close we would have a blast shopping on Saturday mornings. Actually, here during the season, Thursdays and Fridays are prime days since many people work. I was excited to read that they have sales throughout the season where you are...reading thru the winter will keep me in the mood quite well. I hope you have a great week...wanted to share my find from the weekend. $5 lamp...was a brown iron rooster with an oval toile shade in a red/brown...very cute.

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  22. I just love your blog and have an award for you on mine!

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I really love your comments. Thanks for coming along on my thrifty adventures!

 
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