Three weeks ago today, I asked my dear love-to-sleep-in husband if he would get up early on his only day to sleep-in and go with me to the park for my veggie co-op at 8:00 am. He was nice and said yes. The co-op is called Bountiful Baskets and is such an amazing deal… $15 for a laundry basket full of fresh produce… if you don’t mind getting up early on Saturday morning.
As we’re driving there, Rick delivered a speech about an unexpected bill that came and the freeze that was currently slapped on Crosby spending. Hey, the co-op HELPED save money!! It is good to be informed. I was heretowith informed. Secretly I was hoping to be taken out to breakfast, but those thoughts were dashed after the speech. Oh well.
After picking up the bountiful basket, we were heading back to I-17 and saw several garage sale signs that sucked us in like gypsies to a fountain full of tossed coins. The first stop was not inspiring to me. Neither was the second stop, even though I found some Mason jars for science experiments for twenty-five cents. Ready for departure, I was at the van waiting for Rick, when I noticed he was trying to get my attention in a covert fashion. Head nods, throat clearing, undecipherable silently-mouthed words. What could he have possibly found at this old folks garage sale??? I meandered over to his location and got a close up view of his eyeballs bulging from his head. He obviously thought he had hit pay-dirt, baby. All I could see were some old metal airplane signs. “Great!” I surmised sarcastically, “More junk to put in the garage.” Rick whispered, “The guy went into the house to get some more aviation stuff!” Imagine my excitement! I felt no need at all to do a jig. I could tell Rick did, but was refraining. Out came stacks of books…. more metal signs… 8×10 glossy black and white photos… postcards… and two huge metal boxes of slides. ALL of vintage airplanes. Rick started asking the elderly gentleman about the collection. Seems it belonged to his passed-away old buddy and he was unloading it. With every new photo and flight training book, Rick was positively salivating… with eyes bulging and eyebrows raised… trying to convey the glory of the moment without anyone but me witnessing this jackpot.
I was standing next to my thrilled husband reviewing the “unexpected bill…. spending freeze” speech I had just endured. It had left Rick’s mind temporarily. As Rick is known to do, he talked the lovely old folks down to $50 for all the airline paraphernalia. But he didn’t have $50 cash on him. He asked where our nearest bank was and we were off in a flash to the ATM. As soon as we got in the van and shut the doors, Rick started spewing joy unspeakable and gobs of glory about the collection. He explained that “we” could sell it on eBay and make a bundle (“we” = me.) What could I say? I knew nothing of the value of dusty old airplane books from the 40s…. and hundreds of slides of airplanes that don’t fly anymore… not my idea of an eBay goldmine.
Ok, my thinking has since changed. The first book (of 25 in the box) sold on eBay yesterday for $89. … a few hours later SIX of the 300 slides sold for $21.50. I was starting to drool myself… and I believe my eyes were bulging. Was that a jig coming on? Larisa asked if I was going to do my eBay dance. Maybe. Some of the pictures are so old, we don’t have a clue how to explain the planes… so Gramps, we might elicit your expertise!
Current garage sale score: Rick 1 – Linda 0.
Tags: aircraft, airplanes, Bountiful Baskets, flight training manual, garage sale, mom, mother, pilot, pilot's wife, pilots, spending freeze, vintage aircraft, wife
My Sister's Jar 
November 28, 2009 at 12:31 pm |
Now you have me salivating all over the place. Are you two going to be home in Jan? I think I will schedule a trip south instead of north to Mark and Shannon’s. Apparently you have stumbled on, and purchased, a treasure of aircraft history. Rick, my first airplane ride was in 1936, in a Sikorsky twin-engine flying boat built in the early 30’s. Any chance that there is a picture of an old Sikorsly in the bunch? I was 10 years old. I have a picture but don’t know how to put it here. Also, I’m having e-mail troubles so can’t send it that way. I have a lot of pictures of later model aircraft such as Navy P-3, SR-71, Lockheed L-1011, etc. Do you have room somewhere for a poster sized picture of one of those types?
Have you read my story about the woman stuck on the toilet in a DC-6 that I sent to Linda? (Because of cabin pressurization) We need to talk more. I’ll try to solve my e-mail problems soon.
November 28, 2009 at 2:17 pm |
Gramps, Rick here…yes I read your pressurization story, that was hilarious!!! And yes I have room for a poster sized picture of any thing aviation! I still have the T-shirt you sent me and the pictures of the SR-71. Thank you again! What a cool airplane! I’ve told many people over the years that I know someone who helped work on the gear of the SR-71. I have not looked through all the slides as of yet but I have not seen your Sikorsky T/E flying boat. If I do, I will send it your way. Thanks for all your comments on Linda’s blog. We enjoy reading them!
Rick