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.
My Sister's Jar 