runnage heroines

Nancy, as usual, posted some great material! She and Lolly were the true unsung heroines of the day. The spirit was high, the crowds were thick, and the air cold (who the heck kept leaving the darn outside door open in 20-odd degree weather?!)
So this morning started for me carrying a very heavy donated doctor's scale to the sale, through 4 inch? 2inch? deep snow (I walked). Excellent on the biceps, by the way. Only to be almost bludgeoned to death by a large falling tree limb. But I made it to be helped by super-strong Nancy. We already had 2 people waiting in the parking lot at 7am (advertised start time was 8am). These people were hungry for bargains after yard-less-saling all cold long winter (and really, it is freakishly cold here).
I am one of those people who still have to pony up for my treasures, but as it has already been widely spread, I am undeinably miserly. I know Nancy and family have paid more than their fair share (was anyone else alarmed by Paul's request of gas money?!?! Who ponied up for that? Nancy and Matt, that's who! Generous gal and guy.)
Oh-one should definitely not try to hold a rummage sale in the cold, having slept poorly the night before, with just coffee in one's system, especially when one is prone to acting a wee bit flightly during low blood sugar episodes. I am talking about my penchant for falling over without food in me. It is pathetic really. Thanks goodness for Lolly and Nancy being there to hold me up.

Ahhh...

Listen to this sound... ... it is the sound of silent satisfaction after having busted ass at this school rummage sale. It was a symphony of volunteerism. Parents, teachers, and children pulling together to haul, sort, fold, sell, bag, schlep, load, pack, and toss. Our enthusiasm never waned. We encouraged customers to "Round up for a Kiss". If, for example, a customer's total came to nine dollars but he agreed to pay us a ten spot, he got a Hershey's kiss, loud cheers, and applause. This was an effective fundraising strategy! Very few people refused to round up. (Only the grumps.) At noon we began the $5 bag sale. At 1pm a bag-full was only $1. At 1:30 everything was FREE! At 1:45, Paul, assistant to Elmer, arrived with his truck and trailer and hauled all the leftovers away.

There are a few people who have left to pay for their loot, but we can confidently forecast earnings close to $1700.

Ahhh. Sleep well, yardsalers.

Rummage our Rack - Support our Track

Good news, Blog Followers! There's a big rummage sale at school this Saturday!

Stacey Henke, who is the unofficial Chancellor of the Neighborhood and Prime Minister of Signal Hill School, wanted to have a rummage sale to raise money for the track. We have a new track, thanks to previous fundraising efforts, but now we need other stuff like a long jump pit, hurdles, and whatever else track-and-fielders need to do their sport.

And as we know, if you want to have a rummage/yard/garage sale in this neck of the woods you need to involve Nancy and Laura! She roped us in as helpers and somehow we rose to the top and are now in charge. Luckily, we freakin' love it!

After a few emails, a backpack flyer, and a sentence on the school marquee (the standard marketing tools of any PTO operative) we have a gym stage FULL of crap. Big, black garbage bags full of clothes. Boxes of books. A pet cage. Two vinyl bean bags. Seasonal wreaths. Old Tupperware. Bikes. Probably some owl figurines and a Gail Sheehy self-help book. The usual stuff.

But what lies beneath the usual stuff? What treasure waits to be discovered under cardboard and dust? Will we uncover a taxidermied animal? Some rustic wooden objects? A round metal circle with holes?!

Tune in Saturday...

over-pricing

So there was an estate sale in Country Club today. #104. Huge house, 3 floors of stuff. Except it was WAY over-priced. Which brings me to my topic for today. People, if you are going to have a yard sale, price it cheaply please! If your stuff is that valuable you have to put a 4 dollar price tag on used shoes, then just keep the darn shoes! (It is a well-known fact at this point, how very miserly and painfully cheap I am, right? I don't need to keep reminding our 4 followers. I will not pay over a quarter for shoes. Pathetic, I know.)
So anyway, this estate sale was wicked pricey. Shells for $6! A neat giant clam shell that I would love to get for my boys-$25! Come on! You expect estate sales run by professionals (this one was) to be pricier than an amateur one, but seriously. I may have to run by tomorrow since everything will be half price, but the only thing that struck my fancy was this awesome retor 60s sectional sofa with spindle legs. With a reuphosltery job, it would look so freakin' awesome, but the price tag was 225.00 today. I don't even want to spend half that on it.
I did stop at St. Henry's craft/yard sale today. I didn't see any crafts. Nancy said Thurs. at the O'Fallon thrift stores (I scored 2 $2 mini windows and a $4 old medicine cabinet-wooden. She even takes a military discount!) that if Samantha, her and myself want to exchange Christmas gifts, we have to keep it under a dollar. So she found something for me on Thurs. and I found something for today. Now....whatever shall I find for Samantha?
I think we are going to try Cherokee Row soon. I would also like to hit St. Louis thrift stores. Samantha and Nancy did one day last week. We have to get our shopping fixes some how! Samantha said she got good stuff when she went. She even found a great old (but in great condition) sled for Dylan for Christmas for $15!

Pam's old stuff

So Nancy and I had another one of our moving-heavy-furniture-down-SHB days. We moved an excellent old kitchen cabinet from Pam's garage. We had Hudson in his stroller, who announced every 30 seconds, "I hate it! I want to get out of here! I'm cold!" So here is the set-up: Nancy dislodges the 2 components (pics later), we hoist top component onto the old wagon, wheel it to neighbor's driveway, whereupoon we hoist it over concrete barrier, place back on wagon, Nancy leading, me making sure component stays on wagon, me pulling Hudson in stroller. We make it to the street, where we decide to stay, because of course it is garbage day and all garbage cans are blocking the sidewalk. We would be blocking traffic, if there was any. We make quite a sight. We make it to my garage and unload top (lighter) piece. Back to garage for second piece, where we find a lovely little mouse nest. Bottom component goes on wagon, up over concrete barrier, down street again, pulling Hudson all the way. Sweet Hudson has to go along for many of our crazy adventures. Make it to the garage. Nancy's work was done. Mine is just beginning. I am thinking crackling, yes?
Funny conversation:
Me: Men could not do this.
Nan: Esp. not with a baby. They would complain they didn't have the right dolly and how could they possibly do this with a baby.

Save the World Debrief and Funk-Related Shopping

Klekners' sale was a success. Pam's goal was threefold, really: raise money for Honduras, clear out stuff before the move, accomplish these things without feeling "icky". I think she may have had an "icky" moment when the hard-core dealers arrived 30 minutes early. (Bear in mind that she did not even advertise. How did they sniff her out?) They didn't have the good-feeling vibe she was hoping for. But when the friends and neighbors showed up it turned into a real neighborhood social event. The Holm family made off with quite a few books and some dyn-o-mite animal knick knacks!

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I have recently been in a deep funk. This could be caused by many factors. Here are a few possibilities:

• absence of spouse (three weeks and one day so far)
• grayness of weather (there was a brief mood peak during the few sunny days last week)
• chemical imbalance (as of yet undiagnosed by medical professionals)
• lack of yard sale adventures

This funk has resulted in the cutting of bangs, dyeing of hair (darker), and an absolute inability to dress myself. Maybe it's the hair, maybe it's the body, but whatever I put on doesn't feel right or look right. I change my shirt like 4 times each morning, usually ending up in some neutral, baggy tee or sweater.

So, in an effort to kick myself in the ass and turn this funk around, I weeded through my closet and pulled half (Really! Half!) the clothes out for Goodwill. (Remember that they were all probably from garage sales to start with so I figure I donated about $35 worth of merchandise.)

Then I went in to St. Louis to Forest Park Pkwy. In a half mile stretch of city street they have Goodwill, St. Vincent DePaul, and Salvation Army. (Also, there is a Habitat for Humanity Re-Store but they are unfortunately closed on Monday and furthermore would not help me with the appearance-related funk, only a home-decor-related funk.)

So I bought some clothes. About $60 worth. Maybe $65. This is a lot of thrift shop merchandise. Figure approximately $3 per sweater or shirt. Admittedly, most of these shirts are neutral and baggy. But they are NEW and neutral and baggy. So maybe I will have a little more pep in my step tomorrow morning when I get dressed. The new clothes will inspire me to have a new attitude.

Maybe. Or maybe I'll have to cut off more hair, buy a sun-lamp, and get some better medication.

Then again... there's always retail.

Save the World

Save the World!

Help the Klekners!

Dave and Pam Klekner, 34 Signal Hill Blvd, are moving. They are downsizing, consolidating, simplifying, reducing, and scaling back. Everything they want to keep is out of the house. Everything left in the house is for sale!

But wait!

All money raised from this event will be donated to several projects in the Honduran mountain village of Monte Verde. Monte Verde is a remote village populated by the Lenca Indians. The Lenca live in mud huts and eat rice, beans, and corn tortillas. At times they have only one meal per day. All money raised from the Klekners' down-sizing sale will support projects that improve the quality of life in this Lenca village.

Please join us

Saturday, November 7, 8-12 for a

fund-raising, goodbye-saying, bargain-getting event like no other!

This event is not being advertised publicly. However, please help us by forwarding the e-mail to friends or bring a friend or a friend of a friend. And bring lots of cash!

If you are not a shopper, please come and enjoy some coffee and donuts and visit with neighbors and friends. This is not only a sale but their final Boulevard social event. Many books are also available for adoption. Please join us.

If you are not able to come on Saturday, call Nancy for a sale by appointment.

__________________________________________________________________________________

So this is the email that went out today. My neighbors are moving and the wife (Pam) was freaking out about selling the excess. After we planned the sale, she sent me an email that said, "Now I am looking forward to something that I was dreading."

This is how we make the world a better place, People!

So I'm going through her stuff. She has 20 years of stuff. I first thought it was just furniture and wall art left. But I started opening drawers and found: cassette tapes, VHS tapes, old pencil boxes, blank DVDs, spices, cups, bowls, old blankets...

There is a whole category of stuff that we become blind to after 20 years. You just HAVE a pile of extra blankets. You don't NEED them. You just KEEP them. Just in case. And when you are moving, what do you do? Their lake house is furnished and stocked. They have packed the personal stuff and the memorabilia. But what about the in-between stuff? You can't throw it away! It's perfectly good stuff! And it has history! But give it to Goodwill? Will they appreciate its emotional significance?

Downsizing is painful.

So far, Laura, Sam, and I have offered good homes to: 15 sundae glasses, a few pairs of pants, some kitchen utensils, ten books, a candle holder with tea lights, and a floor mat for Laura's mom's car.