debrief, part 2

Here is a picture of the deer we saw on our way to pick up Samantha. Hard to see. But I suck at taking pictures.



Here is Nancy's Big Van O' Dreams. This sucker can take it all. Tables, kids' wheelbarrows, lamps, iron circular art, kids' chairs, etc.

Here is the kind yard seller who let Nancy buy her chandelier. This light was original to her house, was absolutely beautiful, and she let Nancy buy it for $5.

Thanks to all the yard sellers who sold me their warm blankets yesterday. My kids were toasty warm in this chilly midwest weather. (We moved here from Alabama, and our linens are simply not adequate).

One of the wonderful things about yard saling, to me, is my personality is not a hindrance. I am, as discussed before, really energetic and enthusiastic. Sometimes, this is not appropriate. Say, for example, a solemn church service. (I used to get in big trouble with my mom). Or a library. Or a doctor's office. Or someplace where squealing and jumping isn't appreciated. But yard sellers love it! They love seeing you excited over their stuff! It makes them happy, and it makes you happy that you made them happy! They like seeing their stuff go to a home where there is happiness. The nice lady who sold me her table was ambivalent about selling it. As I was leaving, though, she said, "I am glad to see it going to a good home." I promised her my boys would use it well and love it well. And we do. It is like Christmas in our house every Friday and Saturday.

Nancy brought up a good point yesterday to Samantha. She said that yard saling is the greenest shopping there is. You park and walk to places. Lots of places, in the case of yesterday. Nothing is being used to make your treasure, it was already made, many times years ago, with less plastic (many things, though not all). You may argue that internet shopping is also green, and it is, except for the fact that a lot of times, things on the internet are new, so resources are being consumed. Many of the goods available today have plastic as a main component, either in the product itself or in the packaging. Many years ago, this was not the case. For example, I purchased, for fifty cents, a storage bin made out of heavy duty cardboard/paper with an aluminum top. No plastic! Also, you have to ship your item when you purchase online, which uses not only jet fuel, but regular gasoline. Yuck!