TIGERS AND CHICKENS AND BUNNIES, OH MY!

Isn’t it amazing how different people look at the same scene and see completely different details? A problem when you’re talking about witnesses to a crime scene, but a real advantage at yard sales! My husband went out with me this Saturday, and it is barely an exaggeration to say that our brains are wired in a completely opposite fashion. Even backing our cars out of the driveway, which is at the end of a cul de sac…I back out to the left, he backs out to the right.

Our two big buys of the morning wouldn’t have happened if he hadn't come along, because I literally did not even see them. Okay, maybe if I chatted with everyone less and looked around more I wouldn’t miss so much. On the other hand I enjoy the stories people tell me as much as buying stuff, and the stories are free!

One of my favorite stories today was at the sale of a young couple with two small children. Dad was out minding the sale, and mom had gone in the house to tend to kids, and they were hollering back and forth. “Sold your bike,” he hollered, “you better come see it one more time.” “Ooohhh,” she wailed, “I love that bike!” The bike in question was a vintage-looking big-tired thing, but lest you think she is now bikeless, I saw at least four more in their garage. “She gets really attached to things,” he told me. “I sold her college bike at our last garage sale, and it took me about five years to talk her into parting with it.” He paused for a moment, than added, “Sold it for ten bucks, which I've never told her. I told her I got twenty for it so she’d feel better.”

Met several dogs during the morning. Didn’t get the name of this elderly gent, who started growling at me as I snapped the shot.
His owner was so engrossed in her conversation with some guy that she completely ignored anyone who asked her how much her yard sale stuff cost. Looking at the dog’s expression, I think it's probably a good thing I wasn’t a little kid who might have tried to pet him.

This trio was having a really good time barking at everyone.

Wish I had a better shot of these guys.
A small folding gate thing across the doorway, about a foot high, kept them all trapped in the house. I commented on how good the Lab was, since a barrier that high wasn’t much of a deterrent for a dog his size. “Oh,” said his owner, “he’s easily fooled.”

Maybe he thinks he’s a Chihuahua.

This lovely Golden is called Harley.
He is reputedly a real wuss around other dogs. Reno is a Swiss Mountain Dog, just a year old and full of pep.

And little Lily is a wiggly Cavalier King Charles spaniel. When she wasn’t wiggling she was falling over.

We managed a major spending blowout—$56.75. Guess we made up for last week’s $1.10. The big buy was a gazebo like this one.
We’re still getting it set up. We bought it thinking it is ten feet square, which is the right size for one of our patios. But when we began to put it together, we discovered it’s 11½ feet! Can we say big? We’ve been trying to figure out how to place it. Probably the only gazebo in the neighborhood that will have flower beds on the inside as well as out. But it's quite posh. Screens, curtains—maybe I'll start sleeping outside when it gets hot. Have to say I'm looking forward to being outside after dark and sheltered from the mosquitoes. They consider me a delectable treat.

Other big buy…three vintage stools.
Can't you see them in our kitchen-to-be?
We’ll probably paint the chrome legs to go with the tile colors on the backsplash, and maybe recover the seats.

Picked up some door prizes for children’s librarians. This is Charley the Chicken.

I love the dangly legs. Also found a couple of kits…
…and this frog mitt for playing catch with Velcro balls.
Thought this faux ice cube will look awfully cute on the tree next Christmas…
…and this set of candles will be used in the lanterns in the yard.
My hubs found a book he’s been wanting to read…
…and when he comes up for air we can watch these DVDs…
…and listen to all these CDs.

The CDs were all a quarter each (and one is a two-CD set). Found them at a couple of sales; loved it when one of the sellers told us, “I-tunes has nothing on us.”

Couldn’t resist these pieces of fabric, though I admit I don’t know how I'll use them. There’s a total of at least 7 yards in the three pieces for seventy-five cents. I'd like to see you resist a deal like that.


I'm absolutely in love with my last find, a little vintage hand puppet.
Thought at first he was a bear, but he has stripes on his back so must be a tiger.
I'm not sure if the fabric is mohair or an early synthetic. He needs some cleaning, but I think I'll just give him a surface wipe. Wouldn’t want to do anything to hurt him. Don’t you love his serious expression?
It was late in the morning when I found him. Maybe he was worried no one would want him. I think he’s starting to look happier already.