Fifty Cents…it’s SUCH a good number!

I thought I had probably missed the big Episcopalian church rummage sale this year while I was in DC. But I got lucky – it was a week later than I thought. Thursday morning found me prowling about their church basement along with dozens and dozens of other bargain hunters. As far my own needs and wants were concerned, it was slim pickings, but I really enjoyed my conversation with one of the church ladies over the set of four avocado serving dishes and the relative uselessness thereof. As in a set of four individual avocado shaped bowls. (If you have some and love them, sorry, no offense intended.) I suspect they had never been used and we agreed they were most likely a gift. Which sent both of us down memory lane, recalling other gifts we’d received that were similarly rummage-sale-worthy.

I almost passed up this tablecloth, but then I saw it is a vintage Vera, her Shadowferns design from the 70s.     Noll likes it.

Hoping this will resell, as well as a set of 6 new Pottery Barn chandelier shades. Fingers crossed.

That’s all I had in hand when I noticed how long the line was to pay, so I looked around again…and the line got longer! With a sigh I took my place at the end, behind a middle aged guy keeping an eye on his grandmother, who was still shopping. “She’s 92,” he said, “and she’s got more energy than I do.” Grandma joined him then and he said he’d been bragging on her being 92. She sniffed. “At least my memory is better than yours. I was 95 last August.”

Got into conversation with the nice lady behind me as the line inched forward. As these conversations sometimes do, we got onto the topic of dogs. I mentioned our Edward. “Edward,” she mused. “Edward. Do you go to Minto?” Minto-Brown is our local dog park. I said I did. “I remember Edward,” she said. Another of those small-Salem moments – I meet a total stranger who knows my dog.

Friday was cold and wet, and (I hope you won’t be disappointed in me) I stayed home. I was still prepping for Saturday – I got to do my Shopping on Driveways program at the Sheridan Public Library! We had a small turnout but still it was way fun, and I may go garaging next month with a couple of the ladies when I go back up there wearing my author’s hat to meet with a writing group.

On the way up to Sheridan I hit a few sales. At the first I spied this quite nice wine carafe on a shelf with other glassware, none of it priced.

How much? Fifty cents, they said. Even I was surprised this time, but did not hesitate. “You speak my language,” I told them. Stopped at another sale in Dallas at a little farm where they had homegrown seedlings and handmade jewelry along with garage sale stuff. Didn’t buy anything, but really enjoyed their farm. Goats out in the pasture, and Dahlia and Maisie taking a nap.

One more stop netted me a book and some videos.

 

As I often do, I asked if they were having fun yet (sure-fire ice breaker at a yard sale). Which netted the story of how they had neglected to get the required permit for their sale…and the code enforcement guy had found their ad on Craigslist and stopped by. He just gave them a warning, but since the guy having the sale works for the city, I think he was pretty embarrassed!

Oops, almost forgot to mention my favorite little find. While the rummage sale line was slowly moving forward we had plenty of time to scrutinize the tables we were passing. Liz, the lady who remembered Edward, spotted a very nice little pine needle basket and snagged it. My find was this set of coasters, eight in all.

The starburst design in the center! The gold glitter embedded in the plastic! Definitely worth waiting in line for. And they cost but fifty cents!