Yard Sale Intimidation

  There are only a few things in this world I like better than a good yard sale and I'm not kidding you.  I could be on my way to work, headed to an important appointment,  or maybe even rushing someone to the hospital to get stitches in their head, and I firmly believe I would brake for a yard sale sign. Today was no different.    I was on my way to church when what did I see but a newly planted yard sale sign that made me brake so hard the kids flew forward and  the seatbelts nearly put indentations in their little shoulders!  My heart started racing with anticipation and I said, "Ooh look, there's a yard sale sign," while I made the sharp right to get there and the kids looked for something to grab on to to stay in their seats.  Brooke immediately yelled out, "UUUUUugggghhhh!!!," and followed that up by saying that yard sales were tacky.  It was then, that another priceless piece of blissfully presented and impolitely ignored motherly advice fell from my lips. I said, "Now Brooke, you'd be sorry if we didn't go to this yard sale and there was something there that you really wanted."  She looked me square in face and replied firmly, "I don't appreciate you trying to IN-TIME-UH-DATE me."    I scrunched down my eyebrows tightly as I tried to figure out what she was saying and then I thought to myself, did she mean intimidate?  Was she accusing me of intimidation, OVER A YARD SALE? How in the world does she even know what intimidation is?  "What are you talking about?"  I snipped back. And that was when she said and I quote, "You know, when a person threatens you to try to get power, like when a person says, do as I say or you'll be sorry." (WHERE DOES SHE GET THIS STUFF???)   I thought this conversation was going to need some more discussion and context  for sure, but  I put the talking on hold in my brain for a minute as I quickly popped the car in park and jumped out to check out what treasures I might find in this stranger's front yard.  I mean, anybody who truly understands yard sales knows the early bird gets the worm and prolonging your visit by a mere 30 seconds can make the difference between getting something really good or watching some other person walk down the driveway with it while you leave wondering how much they paid FOR THAT!!! 

Brooke and Sarah spied a few big cardboard boxes and followed right behind me, I suspect falsely continuing to  fantasize about finding some cast off American Girl dolls (yeah right). 

Unfortunately, nothing caught my eye at this place so I was quickly back in the car and on my way to Sunday school, hoping maybe I would see another yard sale sign and also hoping I would not in-time-uh-date anyone else along the way.  Brooke snatched my phone from the console, snapped a picture of herself and informed me that this was her, Someone has tried to intimidate me face:



 Whatever.....I didn't even really mention it again, except to say, "Mommy would never try to intimidate you, Brooke." 

Now, I know that with a kid on the autism spectrum, every moment should be teachable, and for the most part we have made every moment teachable for Brooke, much to my own exhaustion.  But, over the years, reality has set in, and to be honest, on this Sunday morning, I just wasn't up to the challenge.   We work with Brooke a lot on her social skills and sometimes things don't get generalized quite appropriately, case in point.  

Now back to my yard sale obsession-  

My mother loves a yard sale as good as me, but she hates it when I tell people that some of the stuff in my house came from a yard sale, (as you can see I just can't help myself) like this coffee table -

It has a removable glass top and was in pristine condition!  I bought it from a family with a toddler.  Anybody who has a toddler knows the coffee table has got to go, so I picked it up for a cool $25.

This credenza came from a yard sale and is in my foyer:
I got it for $40.

And the painting above it was a yard sale find for $25 

     Of course there are some things I would NEVER buy at a yard sale, like a mattress or a sofa or anything else that could possibly have reproductive bodily fluids on it, and I will just leave it at that.

 I could go on and on here about my yard sale finds over the years,  but out of respect to my mother, I won't.   Well,........except for just one more of my most special purchases.  I was at a community sale  where I bought this antique set of Haviland dishes (service for 12), still in the boxes, for $50.  When I looked up the value, they were worth over $3,000! 

 

I Love Them!

What about you?  Do you just drive right on by or do you give in to the temptation to brake for yard sales too?  And if you're like me and have to stop,  here's hoping you find something spectactular!