Dogs and Cups and Festive Eggplants

I’ve been a tad frustrated since I moved to Salem that I see way fewer pets when I’m out garaging. But I think I may have discovered the secret: you have to go garaging with at least two friends you made at the dog park for all the dogs to appear! Yup, piled into the car with Edward and Zoe’s Aunty Judy and Aunty Toni (your pets have aunties, don’t they??) and off we went, meeting dogs all along the way. Alas, some of my pictures didn’t turn out to be usable, like the lovely huge hound at our first stop and his little brother, some kind of poodly mix who had been rescued from a bad place and weighed only five pounds when he arrived. He’s still wary of strangers but up to a much healthier 17 pounds, and agreed he was a very lucky boy. I spent fifty cents at their sale on a Fisher Price Humpty Dumpty pull toy for my children’s literature room. He was quite, quite dirty

but nothing a little soap and water couldn’t cure.  I thought he looked quite relieved to get his face washed.

Then we ran across Josie

who is another dog park aficionado. Didn’t get the names of these sweeties

but the first two had a lot to say for themselves. Then in keeping with the dog theme of the day, we ran across a hotdog hat, which Judy kindly modeled (being our hat specialist).

The lady having the sale (yes, the one laughing in the background) said it was odd – everyone was picking up that hat but for some reason no one was buying it.

Can’t imagine why.

I did buy some Christmas ornaments there though. Really like the colors.

Though…don’t the purple ones look just like little eggplants? Such a festive vegie!

Toni and her dog Xanny have been doing quite a bit of hiking lately, and I got to give them a little backpack we found that’s perfect for carrying water and a handful of dog food. This is Xanny at the park.

She’s waiting for Zoe to drop her ball and give her a chance at it.

As if.

The backpack sale also yielded a cup and saucer that match a coffee pot bought I bought back in 2009. Winfield China, Dragon Flower pattern.

I ended up spending a whole three bucks for about $40 worth of merchandise. As far as I’m concerned, that’s more like winning a lottery than winning a lottery! And the time with friends? Yup…priceless!

Rocks and Socks and Rockers

Friday was Cute Little Kid Day on the yard sale trail.

Picked up Judy and we headed for the ATM. Her credit union is a ways off, so she was going to see about using my bank’s machine and just pay the fee…but it was a whole two dollars. “Stop,” I said. “We’ll be going by yours later, and I’ll spot you until then. Two bucks is eight cashmere sweaters!” Back in the car she counted the handful of change in her purse – just about a dollar. We were good to go. At our second stop we had to admire the adorable baby girl standing on a lady’s lap and talking up a storm…in her own private language. Yes, she was at that stage where it sounds like a baby is really talking, but it’s just the sounds and not real words yet. This little one is going to be quite verbal! I told her to make sure mommy and daddy read lots of books to her, and her mom just beamed as she told me the baby is always bringing them books to read. “Good job,” I told the little girl. “It’s good to be cute, but it’s even better to be smart.” She babbled in agreement. Wise child!

We noticed this rack of…metal thingies for sale.

What are these? we inquired. They said they didn’t know either, and were hoping someone would come along and tell them. Are they router bits? (Not that I’m all that clear on what one does with router bits.) Here’s your chance to enlighten me. What are these – and should I have bought them?

We pressed on. Another couple we chatted with were glad to be clearing out some stuff, but said they couldn’t wait to get back to going to sales next weekend. We all agreed that it’s just fun to poke through other people’s stuff!

And speaking of fun…one reason it’s so much fun to go garaging with Judy is, she is game to try on anything – and let me take a picture! I think these cat ears are awfully becoming, don’t you?

There were a couple of pairs of shoes at this sale that she liked the look of, and the lady having the sale noticed she was wearing sandals and offered a pair of socks from the ones they were selling, since shoes often slip on more easily with a sock. She grabbed a pair. Alas, the shoes were a bit small, but she loved the socks and bought those! I glanced at the socks for sale at a quarter a pair, and as soon as I picked these up, knew they were mine.

I’m pretty sure they are cashmere, or at least a cashmere blend!

Our next stop was nearly finished, and there was a good reason – it was a free garage sale. I’d noticed their ad on Craigslist that morning, that everything would be free. “We were nearly wiped out in the first half hour,” the lady told us.”I wanted my kids to experience how much fun giving can be.” Judy found something she could use, a couple of boxes of baby wipes that she’ll use to clean off puppy paws after Buddy the Springer has been out in the dirt. We chatted for a few minutes, and I admired the landscaping, including the blooming day lilies. Her little boy, age seven, walked right over to the Stella d’Oros, picked a blossom, and presented it to me.

What a charmer! About then another couple arrived, and the man noticed a baseball helmet. “Is this for T-ball?” he asked. “My daughter is seven and she’s starting to play.” So the resident seven-year-old modeled it for him, and he happily went off with it. “My daughter’s team only has a couple of helmets between them. This is great!”

At our last stop, the young woman having the sale was wearing one of those front baby carriers…with no baby in it. But he was nearby, watching everyone from a baby seat in the shade of the garage. Another charmer! He cooed and smiled and giggled. One of those babies you just can’t imagine ever crying. Kind of wanted to send the mom over to the baby girl’s house we’d been to earlier. It just seemed like those two tots would have a ball together.

Saturday I got a pretty early start because there was a neighborhood sale not far from home. It promised 15 homes, but I think a few had changed their minds. Or maybe I missed a street, which is perfectly possible. I chatted for a few minutes with a lady I remember talking to last year, when she was the sale’s organizer. Since then she’s gone through 6 rounds of chemo and gotten rid of cancer! She pulled off her hat to show off her cute very short hair. “I admit I was really upset about losing it at first, but then I realized that was the least of my worries,” she told me. I said that maybe it’s good to have something like that to focus on for a while, so  you don’t get overwhelmed by the medical stuff. She told me she’d gone to a support group, but everyone there was moaning and groaning. “When it was my turn to introduce myself, I said my name is Carol and I USED to have cancer! I never went back, they were just too gloomy.” She said the worst part these days is having big holes in her memory; it takes quite a while to get all those drugs gone from your system. So I told her my friend Marcia’s idea about memory. She says she can remember anything until she takes a step, and then it’s all gone. So clearly, it is our feet that are the problem, not our heads!

Around the corner I found this.

 

These starburst clocks are so popular these days, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one for sale on a driveway. I’m sure the dollar price was because of the missing piece, though the lady said she had it somewhere in the house and promised to call me when she finds it. (My fingers are crossed.) One just like it, with the same missing piece, sold a while back on Etsy for something like $30!

I left the neighborhood sale and set the GPS for the others I’d charted. Didn’t care so much for the guy who described to me the horrible death I can expect via my convertible. Of course it’s possible. I intend to just focus on all the fun I’ll have along the way! The two ladies at his sale were rather nicer, and I bought ten balls of lovely New Zealand wool yard. Now I just have to decide what to make and see how rusty my knitting skills are.

Across the street, I couldn’t resist taking pictures of their neighbor’s yard art. Is this fun or what?

I got to another sale as someone was leaving, and the family was chuckling about their oldest little boy (probably another seven-year-old) selling a rock. There were a couple of younger kids, and the middle one, about four, said he wanted to sell a rock too. I noticed there was lots of gravel by the drive, so I pulled out a penny and asked him to pick out a rock for me. He took quite a while selecting one, but the youngest kept handing me pebbles. I ended up with a whole handful of quartz!

I drove past the next sale and had to turn around, and as I headed for a parking spot I noticed a woman standing by the curb. That woman looks just like Judy, I thought. And that’s who it was! She had been to the neighborhood sale, then spotted this one on her way home. Right away she picked up a very nice Woolrich sweater that fit perfectly.

The price was fifty cents, so what could I do but buy it for her? We checked out everything, and soon she was trying out being an angel.

When we left that sale, I talked her into coming with me to the last two on my list and we’d come back for her car. I’m awfully glad she came along because she was the one who spotted these weights, which were on my list. (Can you tell which one I’ve cleaned up?)

And at our last stop she modeled another hat!

My goodness, I just realized I left out my big buy of the day. I think it was the stop before I encountered Judy. Walked up the drive and noticed a chair that looks to be from the Fifties. Certainly that Early American fabric was popular then!

 

It’s a rocker, and very comfortable. But what I really fell in love with was the feet.

They remind me of that iconic Noguchi coffee table.

The price was marked ten bucks, I offered five, and we settled on seven. I figured when I arrived home that the hubs would be asking me where I plan to put it, but he surprised me by falling in love with it right off. It definitely needs a new bottom cushion; the foam has ossified. I thought for a moment it might be stuffed with straw, it’s so crackly. And the fabric is definitely not us. I’m thinking perhaps a beige linen with darker brown piping. Will keep you posted!

 

Tattoos, Warm Feet, and Purses

Saturday morning. Back in the car after perusing a sale with lots of stuff; I spent ten cents on a brand new linen towel from Germany.

As I waited for Gertrude Pemberton Smith, my GPS, to come to life and tell me where to go next, a guy (short red hair, bulging biceps with tattoos) walked across the street carrying his loot: a black leather jacket and a black purse. Just one of those slightly amusing sights you happen across. I continued on my way, and noticed a Garage Sale sign that wasn’t on my list for the day. Quick right turn, drive a couple more blocks, and oh good – parking right in front. A couple was leaving the sale, and the wife smiled at me and said, “Great day for a convertible!”

“As long as it’s not raining, the top is down,” I assured her. Another car pulled up and parked, and the guy that emerged and I smiled at each other and went up the driveway. The young guy having the sale looked a little confused. “You do sales in separate cars?” he asked. “Oh wait, you’re not together.”

That’s all we needed to start us off. We started kidding about being best friends and how long we’ve known each other. There wasn’t much merchandise in the garage, but I noticed that my new best friend headed straight for the purses. “Was that you I saw at the last sale with the black jacket and the purse?” He said it was, and I complimented him on the ensemble. By now we’d both finished looking around and headed back towards our cars. He kind of laughed and said, “EBay. I’ve kind of been selling purses on eBay.” Of course this got my attention, since I’ve sold a purse or three myself that way. I recommended he keep an eye out for Coach bags, as I’ve found those resell pretty well. He told me he’d been at a yard sale a while back and overheard some women commenting on the wonderful Coach bags for sale. Inspired by their enthusiasm, he bought one and resold it at more than double the price, and was hooked. So we stood in the street talking eBay for several minutes. I told him some of the things I’ve resold over the years, and we commiserated on the big chunk that goes to eBay for fees. I told him it’s important to keep good records for tax purposes, because even if you don’t make a lot of income that way it’s still income and one thing in life you really do NOT want to do is get the IRS mad at you. Besides, when you do your Schedule C at tax time, you can legitimately claim all your related expenses, like mileage when you’re out looking for merchandise to resell, and shipping, and all those fees. Had a very nice time talking. Okay, you know I love talking to anyone who lets me give advice! After a while he mentioned his name is Allen. I told him mine and said I’d probably be able to remember his because I have a brother named Allen. “You’re not going to believe this,” he said, “but my sister is named Sharon.” He also told me he’s a corrections officer and retired military. I told him any purses that don’t sell can be loaded with Stuff (you know, what we women drag around in our purses) and used as a defensive weapon. Man, some women carry around bags that weigh more than a two year old child. Swing one of those babies and damage can be done.

I expect I’ll see him around at other sales. If you’re garaging in Salem, keep your eye out. Muscles, upper arm tattoo, friendly. He’ll be looking at the purses.

Amazingly, I knocked three more items of my “watch for” list this weekend. The first was a small paper shredder. We have a big one down in my husband’s office, but I read recently that shredding all those junk credit card offers that come in the mail helps protect your identity. I’ve been in the habit of ripping them up into several pieces, but shredding definitely sounds better. And there it was at my first stop.

I think it’s actually designed for junk mail, since the slot is narrower than a sheet of paper. But all you have to do is fold a piece of paper to run it through, and any big shredding jobs can still go downstairs. (And into the compost bin when the shredder is full.) I didn’t notice the bonuses until I got it home. This baby will also slice open envelopes

and sharpen pencils! Not bad for two bucks.

And at the same sale I shelled out another couple of bucks for a gigantic box of the brand of kitty litter we use.

Their kitty died just after they bought this, at the age of 18. So we talked kitties a while.

Another sale in the same tract was just starting up when I arrived. A woman about my age and her mother were still putting prices on things, and I heard the mother say the name Sharon. I told her I was a Sharon too and we laughed about having a trendy name for the times. I picked up an interesting roll of Christmas garland…and then picked up the other four rolls because the price was right – twenty-five cents for all five!

 

Across the garage I noticed a nice looking weight bench, which has been on my list for ages. (Put there by my husband, not me!) I knew he was on a conference call for a board he’s on, but I called home anyway. No answer. Tried again when I got back to the car. Nope. I didn’t want to buy it without consulting, knowing less than nothing about what to look for. Fortunately he got free from his conference and called me right back, so I started describing the set to him. It was kind of like being a simultaneous translator. He would ask me a question, I’d try to answer, the other Sharon would chime in with what she knew (which was every detail about the thing) and I would relay that back. It ended with my buying, and Steven arriving with tools a couple of hours later to take his new weight set home. So now we have a mini-gym downstairs in what is called the Playroom on the house plans.

 

We moved the eliptical I found last year down to keep it company. So he’s all set, and I’m trying to convince myself how much fun I too can have with these toys in our Playroom.

My other good find of the day probably won’t be used for a few months, but when it’s time I know I’ll be really appreciative.

If these boots don’t keep my feet warm and dry at the dog park next winter (where we alternate between rock hard frozen ground and wet, wet, wet) I will give up the quest. Sorel boots, with serious felt liners.

Last used in the snow when they lived in Alaska. I will approach next winter with a laugh upon my lips in anticipation of toasty tootsies.

He’s Available for Autographs!

How about that? My sweet Edward promoting dog treats…NOTHING could be more appropriate!

We’re often asked what kind of dog he is, and I’ve never been able to answer with a straight face because it’s such an unlikely combination: Springer spaniel, Rottweiler, and some kind of shepherd (I’m guessing German shepherd from the way he moves). We got him from the family that owned his mother, and his dad was the shepherd down the street. He is the best boy. Ummmm, except when he goes counter cruising. Won’t tell you about the three-quarters of a freshly-baked pecan pie he scarfed down recently.

Just an extra big dog treat in his view.

Thanks again to everyone who voted for him!

Rain or Shine…make that Rain AND Shine!

Went garaging with my friend Judy on Friday. We met at the dog park and I thought I’d try to talk her into going with me. “Hey Judy, want to go garaging?” “Yes!”

She’s SO hard to persuade!

Our first stop was an estate sale. I should have taken a picture of some of the shoes. Adorable – in size 4.  Everyone was stopping to look at them and exclaim over their cuteness. But no one seemed to have size 4 feet! Fortunately handbags are not size-dependent, and I succumbed to the lure of this vintage tapestry bag

with a smooth lining of leather or vinyl, not sure which.

We wandered on to the family room where we found some linens, including these cheerful Vera napkins.

 

I’m thinking they may be early Vera since they have a sewn-in tag rather than her signature on the print. Judy rather liked a leather sofa nearby, but needed to check with family members before buying something that major. And when she went back for it, someone else had bought it. Drat! But I assured her that if she keeps looking, she’ll find something just as good. It’s the Garage Sale Way.

There were several nice ladies working this sale, and when they saw someone with several items they would offer to make a pile of their stuff. An older gentleman gratefully surrendered his armful, and the sale lady asked what name to put on them. He hesitated for several seconds, to the point where everyone in the room was listening. He finally gave the name Tanya. We all blinked. “It’s my wife’s name,” he said when he caught my eye. I told him I thought maybe we were dealing with a “boy named Sue” situation and he laughed. Another shopper said she’d been thinking the same thing. (And if you remember that song, you’re probably my age!)

The laundry room had sheets and towels. Nice ones. I picked up a set of pleasant yellow bath towels, hand towel and washcloths

as well as a couple of hand-embroidered cotton sheets. One of them has one embroidery design on the top edge and a different design on the bottom. Curious. Perhaps they liked to switch them around.

 

Judy ended up with some lovely vintage embroidered pillowcases. I was glad to see them go to a good home…so I wouldn’t have to take them home with me. My stash of pillowcases and tablecloths is getting a embarrassingly large!

When we returned to the car the sun had come out, so we cranked the top down. Ahhhhh! However, a couple of sales later the clouds returned, so up it went again. (I’m awfully glad it works with a push button.) I found a pair of Nikes at one place. They’re stamped inside that they are samples. When we lived near the movie industry in Southern California I used to see “screener” DVDs. Now we live near Nike and it’s sample shoes.

White shoes are not really my faves, but I don’t care what shoes I wear to the dog park as long as they are comfy and keep my feet dry. These fit the bill. Tried them out Friday afternoon and they were fine…except that one shoelace came untied on the way down the field, and the other on the way back up. And I remembered why I like Velcro better than shoelaces. They now make shoelaces out of polyester, and they WILL NOT STAY TIED. (Do you ever play the “I’m so old” game? As in, I’m so old I remember when shoelaces used to stay tied!) So as I retied my laces (which were pale gray, not very attractive on a white shoe!) I vowed to make some better shoelaces. So I did.

I ripped some strips of cloth (left from making my family room draperies) and ironed them in half. Originally thought I would sew them but decided not to bother. I like the frayed edge look. And once these babies are tied, they stay tied. Maybe they look a little silly, but who cares. Certainly not the dogs at the park!

At the same sale I snagged this set of small cookie cutters, intended for future dog biscuit making.

Since I use pumpkin or squash in my dog bickies, these should be perfect shapes! One of them has me a little puzzled though. Logically I suppose it is intended to portray a leaf, but that’s not what it makes me think of!

We made it to one more sale after that, where I got to mark another item off my search list: a better desk chair than the one I’ve been using.

The previous owner told me this was the chair she sat in for hours and hours studying to be a nurse. Since she’s an ER nurse now I figure the chair must have soaked up some smart vibes. We had to put the top back down on the car to get it home, and it started sprinkling about six blocks from home. I decided not to take the scenic route!

Saturday was still rainy and I had a workshop to attend at the community college (on playing piano by ear – pretty fun). But (no surprise) I stopped by a sale on the way, advertised as 4 families and an art studio’s stuff. Found a few things among the jumble and went back after the workshop to see what else had been unearthed. Their pricing was obviously done by several people with quite divergent ideas about values. A number of things had just silly prices on them, but this midcentury (I think) stainless butter dish was a quarter.

I’ve been wanting to find some shadow box frames for an art project I have in mind. When I saw these boxes with sliding lids I snagged them. The price was right!

Picked up this one when I went back. I’m thinking of putting artsy jumping jacks inside, with a hole drilled in the bottom for the strings. I’ll keep you posted.

 

Also picked up a few books

 

and what I’m calling a Yard Bird, made from a hunk of rock and some metal. He’s  currently hanging out in a pot of mint on the upper deck.

 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice my play-by-ear piano chords.