A, Alligators All Around…

Spring. Don’t you just love Spring? As old Mrs. Cheever tells the children in Return to Gone Away by Elizabeth Enright, “Oh, I declare I can hardly wait for it myself! No matter how old a person gets, he’s never old in spring!”

Of course Spring is a relative term. Winter still grips colder climes, and my readers in Australia are heading into Fall. But here, Spring is springing, and how do I know this? Not the arrival of Daylight Savings Time, though I’m glad for that. Nope. We’re talking the arrival of neighborhood sales!

I found at least four yesterday in my usual garaging territory. It won’t be long before there are enough that I can’t get to them all in a morning. Why yes, that is one of my definitions of heaven! Doesn’t even matter that I only bought stuff at two sales (and one of those was not part of a neighborhood sales). It’s all about the treasure hunt.

Of course for me part of the treasure is getting to meet pets. This nice kitty enjoyed a good writhe on a warm spot of driveway.

This little cutie headed right up my leg for petting.

This is Maggie, a certified therapy dog. She visits a hospital and a local school, where kids get to read to her.

While I was petting Maggie, a lady walked by with her two Golden retrievers. Didn’t get this sweetie’s name, I was too busy petting her as she leaned all her considerable weight against me.

The other retriever was Gunnar, who insists on walking himself!

Had a really good time at the first sale of the morning. My friend Linda is part of a large music group, and these ladies throw a fund-raising yard sale a couple of times a year. (It was at one of their sales that Linda and I met!) I eagerly anticipate these events because these ladies are a hoot. Oh, and also because I always find some new-to-me clothes—which they sell for fifty cents apiece. Not sure how they always come up with so much clothing to sell, but I continue to be glad that they do! Got extra lucky this time, because everything I bought fits. Came home with a cotton shirt that feels like linen

and a printed tee with ruffly edges.

   

Two Land’s End sweater sets, in (Spring!) green

and blue.

A pair of Sigrid Olsen pants.

And two long-sleeve t-shirts for the hubs. (T-shirts are easy, long sleeved is hard to find—at least in my fifty-cent price range!)

This adorable handmade Chinese  character doll will go to a children’s librarian, to be part of our around-the-world summer reading program.

Linda also gave me a couple of bags of big pieces of felt for my librarians. I foresee new felt boards in several locations!

And possibly my fave item of the day…an alligator.

 

He’s a nutcracker. I think he has a sort of vintage midcentury vibe, though one online antique dealer had one  that they said is from the 30s, so who knows. I just like him. All the ladies of the music-group were calling him Alfred, and it turns out they have a song in their repertoire about an alligator named Alfred, which one of them sang to me. I had to return the favor with my favorite crocodile song:

“She sailed away on a happy summer day

Riding a crocodile.                          

‘You’ll see,’ said she, ‘he’s as tame as he can be.

I’ll ride him down the Nile.’

The croc winked an eye as she waved them all goodbye

Wearing a happy smile.

At the end of the ride, the lady was inside

And the smile on the crocodile!”