I went out in the blustery, freezing Robin plagued (more on that in a minute) cold this morning to hit up a couple of estate sales with
Lisa. For the most part, the sales were duds. I bought $3.85 worth - and that was at two sales combined! The first sale just didn't really have much - though probably some things that I would have bought back in my younger days before my house started hitting maximum capacity (70's shelf liners......vintage Tupperware....a cardboard cut-out of Billy Ray Cyrus) - but here are the few things that I got.
Glitter
Okay, here's the thing: Due to the Chernobyl fall-out-style cleanup that one has to commit to after using it, I hardly ever use glitter - but I can't stop buying it. Especially when it comes in old packaging with the price written on it. It's just so damned pretty. This bit me in the butt today because I bought it in a sealed grab-bag along with some throw-away items. When I got it home and opened the bag, I realized that they'd thrown the glitter containers in the bag with the tops in the "open" position so basically, I opened a bag of loose glitter on my lap. So now I'm just as fancy as my Mama always told me that I was.
Speaking of fancy:
Vintage Christmas Candy Box from Dinstuhl's Famous Candy store in Memphis
This is another genre that I can't resist - old candy boxes. This one was just too pretty to resist. If they're clean, I like to store things in them or use them to wrap presents in. Sometimes, I'll just throw them under the tree at Christmas to jazz things up. This is the kind of thing that I'll actually fight over at an estate sale. It looks like Dinstuhl's is still in business and their candy looks soooo good!
When I was buying this, the estate sale lady warned me not to eat the chocolate inside. The box was empty so I thought she was joking until she told me that while she and the other workers were preparing the sale, one of her coworkers actually ate one of the chocolates that was inside. Now, mind you that had to be some decades old chocolate. Uggh. That poor lady probably had the runs fit for the record books later in the day. That might also explain some of the cracked-out prices that were on everything at that sale. I still can't get over those prices, even on day two.
Another genre that tugs at my heart strings: Old Office Supplies
And with a cute name like "Tuffy", they had to be mine. You'll also notice the "10 cent" price written right on the box. I have no clue why that appeals to me so much.
Finally: This guy
Small cat complete with vest
He's made of yarn and soon after I got him home, my own cat (who is made out of piss and vinegar and nothing but time) tried to take him down. He now lives behind glass - like 95% of the items in my home.
$3.85 - I think that might have been my least expensive estate sale haul ever! It was a fun morning though. Lisa bought a great metal patio couch and I'm sure that it was comical for others to see us trying to wrestle that thing into her car - first the trunk....then the back seat...then upside down in the backseat....then out the windows....before giving up and driving to get another car to complete the transaction. There is something kind of exciting about the "will it fit?" moment when you drive a sedan and buy an item that may or may not fit! But the even more exciting moment? When you get it home. Holla!
Oh! And the robins!
It's the time of year when a biblical sized flock of robins descends upon Nashville and for several days straight, rattle our house gutters and defecate on our cars. And oh, slam into our windows - so I've had all of the curtains drawn tight for two days now and the cats are going ballistic trying to get at those fat little robins. My photos are desperately suffering from the lack of sunlight in here.
A lot of us drive around town in what for all intents and purposes are "bird poop mobiles" but thankfully, anyone who lives within a mile of a robin's favorite tasty haunt, the hackberry tree understands the deal. You can hardly drive down the road without having to slam on the brakes in fear that you're about to take out a whole mess of them that have decided to sit in the road to enjoy their hackberries and fresh rain puddles. If you go out into the yard, it's some serious Tippi Hedren business, let me tell you. Here is a snapshot of just one tiny part of my yard.
I hope that you all have a great weekend! For those of you in our North-Eastern U.S. who are about to get hit by that insanely huge historic snowstorm, please be safe and report in on the other side. We'll be sending good thoughts your way!
Until next time,
x's and o's,
Eartha
