auction lessons

Saturday my posse and I attended the auction
of some grade school friends' parent's estate.

They had four sweet daughters.
The daughters and I all attended 
a small country school 
until 7th grade.
I love when I see these other country kids.
We grew up very much the same.
We have lots of memories with each other.

It was gorgeous weather.

Annie, Ollie, Abbie and niece Ellen

were my fellow bidders.
Once again, my girls bought and fled 
leaving Ellen and I with the 
packing and hauling job.
They owe us.
Girls, can you say gift card? ha
Regardless, it was worth it.

I saw so many people from grade school.

I saw an longtime junking friend I hadn't seen forever.

She moved a few years ago.

We talk on facebook,

but man, it was good to wrap my arms

around her and squeeze tightly. 

It was really a wonderful outing.

We got some good junk.

Mostly, stuff for my girls.

Maggie was doing hair for a wedding but 

I had her back and got her 
a great cabinet for her future pantry.
That's original mustard and green paint.
Boom.

 Ellen got the cubby and started an ironstone collection
with some fine pieces.
 Abbie scored a great bunch of windows, doors and 
some neat pieces of trim.

 I got a couple of folding benches from my school,
a little table and a pile of beautiful dishes.
 I got 7 school house lights...$21 each.
Yeah baby.
Some of them are huge and from the gymnasium.
I got several at the last auction.
I may have a problem. Hmm.
I definitely have a winter project for Stuart.

Annie got a great counter for her jewelry work.

a galvanized piece to become a  kids book rack,

 metal tool bins and trays,

 and a cool file cabinet for her buddy's photo studio.

Ellen got a surprise on the back of her cubby.
Hello my jelly fish.

And I surprised Abbie with my solution to 
avoiding the porta-potty. HA.

We had lots of laughs and got super stuff.
 One of the daughters 
from this estate sale
said something to us that I loved.
We were talking about
our parents and their homes, 
stuff, collections, etc. and
how home isn't home without them in it.
She said my Grandma used to tell me something
that really puts things in perspective.
"You buy the carton of milk for what's inside.
When the milk is gone, the carton is not important."
 We got great stuff at the sale,
but we more importantly we had a fantastic time.
We reconnected with childhood pals.
We made memories.
We spent time with people we love.
But that being said,
we are still a little ticked-off
that the cool flip-top trash can we bought 
got stolen out of our pile
before we got it loaded.

An investigation has been launched.
Thieves, consider yourselves warned.
We may leave a toilet in your yard. 
Because when you crap on us,
it's how we roll.

P.S. All three daughters are guest posting while I am away. I should probably be scared :)

262. warm fall days

263. a visit with dear friends

264. allergy pills

265. a hot shower

Sold to the highest bidder

Attending an auctions is one of my favorite things to do.

Saturday we hit one close to where I grew up.

Me, Jackie, my niece Ellen, Abbie, Maggie

Annie, and Ollie

battled the heat, the crowds,

and made a haul. 

This was the farm auction of the parents of 4 sisters

who went to the same country school 

Jackie and I went to.

It was the first of the "barn stuff" auction.

There is to be another and

then the house stuff will be sold.

There were 2 auctioneers going at once

so we tag teamed and got most of what we wanted.

There was lots of stuff.

We had a pile going from the start.

There was a mega fan where we took turns

hanging out with Ollie

while the rest of us followed the wagons

and bid on the furniture.

Maggie was shopping for stuff 

for the house 

they are going to start building 

later this summer.

Annie scored lots of galvanized treasures,
an iron bed and a dresser. 

  Abbie got a trunk and a great door.

Old funeral baskets for me and

a wooden phone box.

A sweet pony for Caroline.
 A large wall slate from my grade school and

a cabinet for the garage 

to hold my garden supplies,

birdseed, and spray paint with 
room to spare.

 Ellen scored a big rural mailbox, 

a garden chair,

some flower seed prints,

a small wooden trunk,

and  a garden gate.

Jackie took home locker baskets.

 Everyone got something they wanted.

We all got some sun.

We came home sweaty, filthy

and smelling like the smoke from the pit

where they were cooking

rib-eye sandwiches and pork patties.

It was a great day.

I love a farm auction. 

Even more, I love time spent with

some of the people I love the most in the world.

Thanks girls for a fun day.

Start saving your bucks for the next go-round!