One of the rites of spring in our part of the world is the garage sale. With the early spring, the garage sales have started earlier than usual.
Over the years my husband has learned to just shake his head when I show up with my auction and garage-sale treasures, but when he remarked to one of our daughters last winter that the house was getting rather full, I took the hint.
I would have my own garage sale!
But what to part with? I hardened my heart and got on with the job. I wasn’t being asked to sell my first-born, after all, though it sometimes felt that way.
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For weeks, our laundry room was filled with baskets amd boxes of treasures I could no longer keep. Material, some of which I’d had longer than my children. Patterns never opened. Candy molds and cookie cutters, a rolling pin, jack o’lantern lights. At last the time arrived and with two friends we spent an evening setting up in the unused portion of another friend’s shop.
The first thing we did, after unpacking, was eye each other’s stuff.
They each descended on my hoard, grabbing the treasures they wanted. I, in turn, came home with a plant stand, three Lawrence Welk tapes and a quiche dish.
There were things, such as what I thought was a giant shower cap, I was tempted by but left lie.
Good thing. I later found out that the giant shower cap – a conversation piece, I thought – was actually a wind cover for a baby seat.
Ah well.
As I unpacked, I found some things I couldn’t part with.
My Viewmaster. A set of bubble pipes. An old kettle.
Why are you keeping bubble pipes, my friends asked in horror.
I don’t have small children, after all, and who else would blow bubbles? I don’t know, I said untruthfully. I just don’t want to sell them.
And the kettle? Well, you see, it’s blue and I still like it. Maybe I could put a plant in it.
It’s logic like this that tends to drive my husband to distraction.
My friends and I had such a good time at the sale that we’re setting up for another one this week.
I scurried home and found a couple more boxes of stuff that I can bear to part with.
My husband is getting worried.
The bubble pipes are back in the cupboard where they belong.
