OUTA CONTROL

There's no hope, I'm convinced that we are totally out of control! We've sunken to the lowly depths of deprivation, as we have been seeking that perfect treasure, hidden away in someones pile of junk, cleverly disguised as a garage, or yard sale. The way we have been searching through other peoples throw away stuff, you would think that we don't have the proverbial pot to p#$$ in, and that our lives are as hopeless as the occupy wall street crowd. When you're up at the crack of dawn, with the GPS programed to strategically take you from one sale to the next, and you just know that the early bird gets the worm, the word urgency takes on a new meaning.

Yesterday, we spent about $50, not to mention 1/4 tank of gas looking for treasures. When the dust had settled, I was glad I had a truck, and wasn't driving a VW Beetle. When we finally called it quits, about 25 garage sales later, we had accumulated a whole bunch of stuff that we didn't need. But, when something sells new for X amount, and you can get it for only a buck, how in the world can you pass up a deal like that! Unfortunately, there were a whole bunch of those super bargains that ended up packing the back of the truck to the brim.

Here I am with our days treasures, which included 2 pot shelves, a crock pot, a bread maker, an umbrella stand, a drink warmer, an ammo can, assorted books, XMAS decorations, a toothbrush holder, & probably something else I've already forgotten. No, we already had the dog.

There were 55 garage sales advertised in the weekly white sheet, and around the 8am hour, the numbers of vehicles at any given location can be almost frightening. There were a few times when I had fleeting thoughts of resurrecting my former career, and either directing traffic, or writing parking tickets to the idiots who park right in the middle of the road. I guess it's all about being at the head of the line, and being the one to find that hidden treasure. There's almost a cult mentality involved, as we sometimes followed, or were pursued by the same people from one sale to the next. Heck, as much as Patty likes to chat with folks, I'm surprised we don't have a bunch of new friends coming over for dinner tonight.

I guess when you're retired like a lot of folks in this town, garage sales cater to a bunch of people like us, who have the time to become somewhat addicted to the pursuit of that perfect find. When that happens, I'll be sure and let everyone know. In the meantime, the pile of stuff for my next garage sale is piling up!