Day 122/365 The Sale To End All Sales

One of the best things about being a bookseller is always having justification for stopping at yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, and of course, church rummage sales.

The Holy Grail of all church sales in our area is the annual Joyous Junque Sale, held on the first weekend in June, by Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta Virginia.

So guess where we were this last weekend?

Short of a Beatles reunion or an early flight to Scotland, this sale is the only reason you'll find me getting up at 3:45 A.M. Before we left for the sale (all day affair), puppies had to go out/come in/eat/go out, then we made an early morning breakfast stop, met my mom half-way at 5:30, and ended up 5th in line at 5:45 A.M.

Sale didn't open until 7, and by then, the line stretched all the way around the church (approximately 3 blocks). Some people brought trailers, others drove vans (us, for instance), some brought trucks, or even two vehicles, many with out-of-state plates.

The first Joyous sale was held in 1986, but we just started going 8 or 9 years ago. I've bought French doors, a freezer, two couches, three easy chairs, one recliner, more than a few light fixtures, a cooktop, lots of wallpaper, dishes, stereo components (amplifiers, turntables), TV's, bookcases, dollhouses, cookware, baskets to dry herbs in, curtains, bedspreads,concrete stain, the paint on my kitchen walls (paprika) and at least a hundred boxes of books.

So what did we find this year?

Just the highlights:

Ice cube trays - for freezing fresh herbs in, making it very convenient to add them to soups and stews. My basil plants are almost ready for picking, chopping and freezing - so these appeared just in time.

Two huge pieces of carpeting - approximate size 9'x12' - just in time for cutting in strips for garden paths (the carpeting I've been using for the last 4 years has finally worn out). I lay it carpet side down, meaning no matter how much it rains, I still have a dry garden path .

One of two framed prints - this one is of a medieval square, with a half-finished cathedral behind it. No idea if its "famous", haven't had time to research it.

The second framed print - a Mary Cassett - HAD to get it after my earlier post about her. This one has my little redhead in it (of course) and is titled Young Mother Sewing (1900).

And the "icing on the cake" purchase: an electronic treadmill. Not a fancy one, or even a newish one (apologies for the blurry pic, no time to do another one since it's now dark and raining) - but for $25 I get to see how devoted I am to walking on a treadmill (versus ending up using it as a clothes hanger). And it folds. At the moment it's out on the carport, but the plan is for it to be part of my office.

You know: list a book, walk a bit....list a book, walk a bit.....list a book....(yeah, you know I bought a few boxes of books in addition to treadmills and paintings).

Wish me luck.