Yard Sale

Joe is not often denied the vacuum but tonight was not the night to be denying it, when all the poor boy wanted to do was go outside a mow with his new bubble-blowing toy lawn mower. But it has been in the fifties and raining most of the day.* Yes, Fans! You are remembering that we said something about a yard sale! This weekend was the weekend. We put an add in the paper and on Craig's List, so we couldn't really back out. The good news is, yesterday, on what was our first and really only in the end, day of the sale, it was cool (read: cold) and clear. Sale stats: the sale overall grossed about $700--!!!!! $50 went to the Johnsons, and about $85 to the Babkas. We grossed about $575, but netted $513 and change (we are subtracting what we spent on the ad in the paper and assorted supplies). The top item? The Johnsons punching bag which no less than SIX PEOPLE stopped to inquire about after it had sold, but before it had been picked up. Two of the six couldn't believe it had been sold for just $25. Who knew?! But the name of our game was "Price it to move." The top dollar sale went to that which was paid for two of Ted's tools and other assorted garage/basement/Man Land treasures. Julie was saddest to see Joe and Clara's mobile go. They loved that mobile; she loved that mobile. They would lie under it mesmerized for a good 20 minutes. What made her sad is that it didn't immediately find a happy home, and so it went with other assorted baby gear during today's nap time to the awful, horrid Once Upon a Child--a store which is so junky, and where all are treated with such disdain, that it is amazing they stay in business.**

And so, Ted's first yard sale (and Julie's third) has come to a close. We were disappointed to have been rained out today, but you take these chances when you have a yard sale in Minnesota in the spring--oh wait, that's right. It's still WINTER!!!!!

*Yes, we thought spring had come to Minnesota as well. We spoke to soon.

**In case you are wondering how it stays in business, it is by preying on people with small houses who cannot store unwieldy things like mobiles indefinitely, paying them, like, a dollar for something it will sell for $54.99. On its door, it has a top five items wanted list: strollers, cribs, toddler beds, entertainers, and high chairs. Good luck with that OUAC: folks can sell that stuff on Craig's List for even 50% less than what they paid at retail and still make out like a bandit compared to the pennies you'd toss in their faces. HA! (And yet, it has our mobile. Clearly, this author is not at all bitter about the fate of our mobile. Clearly.)