In Which I am Struck by Passion

Holding a sale is such a lot of work…can you imagine moving one to another location? An estate sale no less? That was our first stop on Friday, an estate sale at our local grange hall. It was rather nice to have plenty of room to move around, and the family members running the sale were a cheerful lot. But I can’t imagine moving all that stuff!

Judy and I both found some things we liked. She scored first with a little scroll-backed vintage vanity chair, perfect for the bathroom in her new 1949 home. Then she found some wonderful vintage drinking glasses, still in their original box. And then I looked across the room – and was struck by sudden passion.

He was standing in a corner by himself. Quite tall, over 6 feet, though most of his height was hat.

I dithered for about two minutes over the $10 price tag, then caved. I have no regrets, especially since I got his story. Like me, he used to live in Southern California. “I was a teacher in the Anaheim School District,” the lady told me, “and one of my fellow teachers was married to a woodworker. He made these and sold them, back in the early Sixties.”

I’d be willing to bet there’s a pattern for this guy in some old woodworking magazine, or Better Homes & Gardens. I may change his nose for a red light bulb. Won’t that be festive?

Santa was the only thing I bought there, though I did find several items that amused me. How’s this for a diet?

And someone in the family must have suffered from a nervous disposition back in the Sixties. We have the massage pillow (lest you think it was something sexy, it was a cushion about a foot square covered with brown corduroy – but very chic corduroy) to ease nervous tension

and the Relax-o-matic Back Scratcher, “for that wonderful feeling in relieving that nervous itch.”

A young guy bought the back scratcher. Saw him again at the next estate sale and he told me it’s going to be a gift. Sure wish I were on his gift list!

Judy scored again at that sale, a vintage brass hanging lamp with star perforations. (Clearly I’m going to have to start taking pictures of her loot as well as mine!) Then we found hats for Judy to try on.

While we were standing in line to pay for her lamp, a tall, lovely young woman got in line carrying a couple of the hats. We were glad to know they were going to a good home.

We stopped at another sale that according to its Craigslist ad was part of a neighborhood sale. They lied. Just the one, and my bet is these people had bought a storage unit and were selling the goods. Or maybe they own rentals and these were things left behind. Judy scored a pooper scooper (which you’re probably glad I did not photograph) and I picked up a decent iron for downstairs. (We keep an ironing board down there for guests.) A Rowenta for $3? Yes please. And it even works!

On Saturday Toni made the rounds with me. We met a couple of lovely dogs. Handsome Beau is a mastiff mix. We both wanted to sneak off with him.

No one was quite sure what Roxie is, except for sweet.

Pickings were slim, but I found a pair of seersucker gingham crop pants. I’ve been looking for some black and white fabric for a project I have in mind and this will be perfect.

And my other big purchase was a package of sticky notes. For five cents.

I especially like the logo. “Accept no copycats!”

When I handed over my nickel, the lady acted thrilled. “Oh good, now we can close up shop!”