Surprise! Estate Sale only 3 miles from home!!

Last night, I found an ad for an estate sale that was right next door to our local high school-only 3 miles from our house. After looking at the pictures, I decided I wanted to check it out.

So Kevin (DH) and I arrived about 30 minutes prior to the sale starting. There were several cars lining the street, but only 3 people standing in the yard. I walked up and got a number as did about 4 or 5 more people. It was nice to have a number and not have to stand in a line or worry about someone jumping in (like some other sales I've been to). I was number 16! Then I thought I'd better text Auntie and let her know how close to home this one was. She was out for breakfast and was there within about 15 minutes.

I don't know about you, but I'm a people watcher. I always find myself watching people. It can be very entertaining. While I was waiting for Auntie to arrive and Kevin to get out of the car, I stood and talked with a couple of ladies and was watching the other people arrive-listening for what they were looking for or why they were there.

One guy was really crabby! I thought from the things he was saying to Auntie that he was rude. She brushed it off, and once the excitement of the door opening and looking for treasures hit, I forgot to ask he what he was saying.

The first person in line was a woman with several garbage bags (empty) in her hands (all opened up) and ready to go. She FLEW through the door as soon as they were letting people in. I later saw her when Auntie realized she had set down the silo to the Fisher Price barn she was buying and Kevin told her "that lady just took your silo!". Auntie was searching all over for her, trying to locate the silo that went with the barn. The lady (who was obviously dodging her), held tight to it and ended up buying it separately for $2.50. I think the old "don't set something down if you want it at an estate sale" rule was forever etched into our brains today! I know we both knew it, but had never experienced someone quite like this woman-maybe we don't do enough estate sales and are just naive-but all in all, she was pretty rude.

Have you ever experienced estate sales where things got a little tense?  One of the ladies I talked to before the sale opened, said she'd never seen a fight over an item at an estate sale. I chuckled when she said that and thought that was an odd comment to make out of the blue, but chuckled anyway and didn't say anything. Then when the silo got snatched, I chuckled again remembering her comment. No way would Auntie physically fight someone over something at an estate sale, but she did tell the lady woman that she thought that was hers and it went with her barn-a couple of times, but the lady woman wouldn't bend.

I've been thinking about that as I type this and have been pondering what I would do if I was the snatcher or the snatchee...As for being a snatcher... I hope I have never snatched something away from someone! I try to be really, really careful to be sure someone has for sure discarded an item before I snag it, so I don't think I've ever snatched ( I hope! At least not that I know of), and I would like to think that if someone came through a house looking for the person who picked up "such and such" because they set it down by mistake, and it went to a set, that I'd be gracious and let them buy it. Especially if it was an incident like today...c'mon...we're talking a Fisher Price silo, not a vintage Fiesta relish tray (my Pièce de résistance). You can find the silos pretty easily for less than $5-why not take the high road and give it back? Now, would I be so gracious with the relish tray? I'd like to think so...I hope so...what would you do? Have you ever been a snatcher? A snatchee? What did you do?

I did see another woman lady watching me like a hawk as I inspected the two tablecloths I was holding to see if I discarded them, she even commented on how pretty they were, but she didn't snatch. I had to set one down to open the other and vice versa, and still she didn't snatch! Oh well... the whole thing is just something to think about I guess.

It was an interesting sale, with lots of eye candy (no, not the 50+ year old men there-the vintage household goodies)! It was in a neat little cottage/house, that even though it was just mere feet from where I picked Eric up every day at school, I never saw it through the trees.

It is much bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside-and what cute character it had! Loved it!!

This is my sweet husband holding all of my treasures, so I could sneak back in and check out the garage where I found a metal headboard and foot board that I am regretting not getting that would look really cool in my flower bed with vines all over it-it was only $6 for both-dumb for leaving it-huh?

This is what he had in his arms...

A side view-same cloth.

This is a really neat suitcase that Auntie picked up for just $4! We saw a WWII label on it-what a find!

Sorry...camera phone was all I had with me and it's a little blurry!

Now, I'm off to try my hand at removing some tablecloth stains (thanks to the great advice I found on C. Dianne Zweig's blog). 

Thanks for letting me vent! I'm looking forward to seeing what your thoughts are on snatchers and snatchees-leave your comments-I'd love to see your thoughts!

Have a GREAT rest of the weekend!