It's Saturday! Yard Sales!! Yippee!

I awoke this morning and peered out on a clear blue morning and smiled, "It's Saturday!  Not a cloud in the sky! It's cool!"  Rubbing my crusty little 'ole sleepy eyes I thought about all my friends who don't live in a sunny, tropical location.  They will probably not be going to any tag sales in their neighborhood this morning.  "Ahhh, oh well.  They like where they live for some reason." 

Had to slam down my first cup of coffee of the day, check emails and give advice on where to buy a contemporary set of mirrors for a bathroom to someone who works with my hubby.  I know that I am headed out soon in the hunt for treasures, but experience has taught me some important strategies.  The early bird might get the worm, but they will pay top price for it as well.   I'm gonna let those tag sale, garage sale, yard sale, charity fund raising people get a little seasoned this morning.  I know that there will be plenty of goodies left that started the day priced too high.  I gotta wait until they are getting a little anxious about all that stuff they dragged out and don't want to drag back. 

I don't check the newspaper anymore.  I don't drive to far off locations anymore.  I live in a neighborhood filled with people who supply me with amazing free stuff on their bulk trash piles on a regular basis. So imagine the yard sales. Imagine a neighborhood filled with people who are blessed to have so much that they discard great stuff on a regular basis.  Okay.  I will quit bragging.  Believe me, living with these folks is not easy task.  I know they have seen me picking off their trash piles and they think I am the weirdest neighbor ever.  I see bulk trash piles and yard sales as my way of contributing to a 'recycle' program.  I am 'keeping the local dumps from needless waste!' 

So off I go.....go-cup of coffee in hand, my camera and my wallet.  The first sign I see has the address of one of the wealthiest streets in my little town.  "NO WAY!"  I scream out loud, almost passing the turn and swinging back around, running over the grass on the corner.  You see.....there is NEVER a yard sale on that street!  There is never a bulk trash pile either. (Except for the occasional discards from a lawn person.)  I don't know what these people do with their discards....probably Goodwill comes and takes it away.....  I drive down the street in the direction of the cars parked like someone is having a huge party.  I huge party alright, and I have been invited!!  My heart starts to race in anticipation.  I KNOW that there is going to be something here for me.  I know it. 

The sale is mainly children's and babies things.  Heart sinks.  "Okay. Get it together.  You felt it.  It is going to be there.  Get out of the car and go look."  (I actually say this stuff out loud in the car to myself.)  So glad that I got out of my car.......TADA!

"You are kidding me right?!"  I ponder in my quiet thoughts so not to tip off any of the hoards of people shopping and not noticing this amazing comforter.  It looks like it was never used.-- Okay. So, I am in the middle of a master bedroom redo.  This picture above will give you a little sneak peek into the direction the project is taking.  Story and photographs at some point. -- I ask how much to the guy with the large mustashe, wearing a safari hat.  He says, "30 dollars."  I have already calculated that I have saved hundreds of dollars.  But, it's a yard sale.....I must dicker.  I say, "Will you take 20?"  He tells me that he has to ask his mother (a cute little 80-something looking grandma sitting right over there helping her grand daughter sell lemonade and cookies.) He tells me that she said the comforter was too heavy for her to make the bed everyday.  I wonder why she just didn't return the thing.  She never used it.  Two seconds go by, "Deal."  At this point, two woman come over to accost me because, as they put it, "I was going to give her full price!"  "Oh well lady, I got it and you didn't," I think to myself. (Yard Sale Rule: Never engage in word wars with other shoppers.) The safari-hat-wearing guy assures me that the comforter is mine.  Oh!  Did I mention that somewhere in this he included matching shams and a dust ruffle?! 

I'm shaking.....I have to calm myself down.  If I get the money out of my wallet, my shaky hands will surely tip him off that I believe I just stole something. (Another Yard Sale Rule:  Never let them see your excitement.)  I say, "I'm gonna look around a little more, K?"  Breathe, Lesley, breathe.  I look over at the lemonade stand and think, "Well, I must give grandma and her little blond, soon-to-be-bombshell of a grand daughter a little business.  After all, they just bestowed on me such a treasure."   Walking over I notice they are selling a glass of lemonade and a baggy with two chocolate chip cookies for 50 cents.  They tell me all about the fun they had baking together and the little girl informs me that her 'Meemaw" sure does know how to spill things in the kitchen!  I give them a dollar and told them to keep the change because, after all, the lemonade sign reads: "Proceeds to benefit children who lost their homes in the Japan earthquake disaster."  So nice to see people teaching their little people to take care of others.

So I pay the mustashe-laden guy for the cover and a few other things I picked up and move on.  There were other sales, I was sure of it.  Well.....there were two other sales.  I found a few little treasures, including a little wicker wine rack for 50 cents at a tag sale benefiting our local Humane's Society.  Ahh....giving back never felt so good!  All in all, the morning was a productive one.  I will feature some of my finds on another day.....new projects to follow!  Happy Saturday everyone!!!

Some pics of my little treasures:

The afghan in the foreground....2 bucks!  Never used.  Hand-made.  What's not to like?! ......Also....

Wicker soon-to-be-wine or towel-rack.  Still thinking on this one.....50 cents!  Another pic:

Humane Society Tag Sale.  I got the wicker piece pictured before at this sale along with a little silver ladle and a Cracker Barrel-style over sized checkers set. 

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