National Yardsale Day!

We started the day with a highly anticipated estate sale. Usually, an estate sale is the liquidation of a deceased person's collected property, minus the good stuff that his kids have skimmed off the top. But today's estate sale was the liquidation of a young family's stuff. They are moving and down-sizing. At first I felt sad and ashamed -- sad to witness the family's loss of such beautiful things and ashamed to be a vulturous beneficiary of this family's hardship.

But then I decided to look at it a different way...

This family has not waited until the end of their lives to realize that their material objects are just the trappings of this world. This family is refocusing their energy now on the things that matter: family, health, and happiness. The rooms full of silver and china mean nothing. The furniture and books are absolutely replaceable. They are moving forward into the future unencumbered by these tangibles, free to appreciate and enjoy each other without the usual material clutter of middle class life.

Having said that, I bought some great shit!

I got a couple of metal hanging planters, some cute wall art, some smelly soap, some costume jewelry... Betty bought a wonderful dresser which will live in my house until she retires this November and moves down here to establish herself as a full-time member of the YSA club.

Here we are with the numbers that would determine the order of our entrance into the sale.

Here is a savvy shopper who came early, got a low number, then skibbled over to QT for some coffee. Smart thinking!

Onward, Ho! ...to the St. Henry's rummage sale!

This was a standard sale. This little bitty church, dwarfed by Blessed Sacrament and Queen of Peace, it seems to me, somehow hauls in a mother load of junk every year. I found this hat lying on the floor.

Readers, what could this possibly mean? Here are some possibilities:

1. This hat is to be worn by rescue workers who need to clear a very noisy building in a time of danger.

2. This hat is to be worn by someone who is suffering from an intestinal parasite.

3. I can't think of any other reason.

The top purchase at St. Henry's was Sara, the life-size pony. JoJo and Addie snagged her for 75 cents and plan to work out some sort of joint custody arrangement.

We had to go to QT immediately because St. Henry's did not have a bake sale and the kids were starving to death. Donny and I bought the standard double taquito meal. Jo and Addie got donuts. Betty enjoyed a cucumber chicken caesar wrap. And Little Laura bought this:

That is a gigantic smoothie of some sort, two egg sandwiches, and a box of donuts. I don't think I've ever seen Laura in such close proximity to such a large quantity of food. She claimed the donuts were for her kids but I can't confirm that they were ever delivered to those poor boys.

We skivved a bit after that. Donny wanted me to take a picture of this flag pole:

In his opinion, its owner is either creative with PVC or disrespectful of the flag. We couldn't tell.

Next week: Laura hosts a yardsale! Saturday 8/21 at her house. Come early. Bring cash.