Mother Nature's icy grip ensnarls a city and cancells yard sales.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
City panics as ice falls-all yard sales cancelled
Mother Nature's icy grip ensnarls a city and cancells yard sales.
I awoke early to see how the predicted ice event was going this morning. The hardy reporters in the field showed sideways cars and people breaking off ice cicles from their front bumpers. The skies were gray, the air was cold and the streets were deemed dangerous. Stay in your homes warned the television anchors. Below the doom forecasting meteorologist was a constant scroll of closings. Yard sales were not on the scrolling list. The Ty Ty Christian Academy was closed as well as the Lake Lanier School of Massage. But there was no “Moving Sale on Alta Ave- delayed until 10:30” on the scroll. So I just had to assume that if Ty Tyians are out of school (why they were going to school on Saturday is beyond me.) then the Octogenarians estate sale on University was not happening either. People will have to wait another day to buy candles shaped like cinnamon buns or to divest them selves of unneeded Tupperware.
Lockwood Dr. – Decatur “Estate Sale”
This sale was in a tiny shabby green bungalow nestled among large infill mac-mainsions. The Inside of the house was claustrophobic. AS I entered two men were dragging a full size mattress out the door. I nearly tripped over some boxes at the entrance to avoid being toppled by the exiting bedding. The home had that closed up and left alone for a long time feel. giving it an atmosphere not unlike what Howard Carter must have experienced when he came upon King Tuts Tomb. But I doubt Carter was run down by grave robbers carting off a mattress at the entrance. Inside (the estate sale house not Tut’s tomb) were six tiny rooms packed with an assortment of objects. Indicating the passage of time was a 1976 calendar hanging in the hallway. Because of the crowding in the front (they still had to get the box springs out) I headed first to one of the bedrooms. Here I found two boxes of books next to several crutches. Among the titles of the books were “My life with God”, Daily guide to Miracles” and “Walking - The pleasure exercise”. Upon a dresser in the same room was a box with the sign saying “car wash rags” beneath it was an old bible with the word “Lindsay” printed with one of those plastic embossed label makers. Leaning against the bedroom wall was a framed photo of a highway passing a river running below a mountain.
In the hall closet were a number of old appliances including a Fry Baby and a 3-D orbital massager still in its original box.
The other bedroom had less stuff. On a wall was a framed photo of what looked like a retirement party, and on a dresser rested a green Rich’s shopping bag that appeared to be from the 1960’s.
In a small bathroom curtains and clothing were hung on coat hangers from the shower bar. On a chair were some blank 1958 tax forms and an empty one gallon can of mixed nut meats.
The kitchen had the usual assortment of hand held cooking utensils. One mysterious item was a yellow and white tapered cylinder with the name Mr. Sprinkle on it. A large coffee mug featured a hillbilly motif depicting a bearded mountain man yelling “Maw come git your coffee!” Also on the counter was a small rectangle of wood with round holes in the top, it bore the name “lipstick bar”. A plague hung on the wall with the words “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get”
Off the living room was a room that could not have been larger than 6 by 9 feet. There I found two boxes of lps most of which were gospel, including “Mama’s Songbook” by Jimmy Swaggart. One of the secular recordings was Bobby Goldboro’s “Honey”. In a box filled with mostly sheet music I found a 1991 copy of the Dekalb news folded open to the classifieds for yard sales. I perused this 13 year old artifact wondering which ones I may have had visited that week in November. It made me fell old, nostalgic and somewhat crazed for having spent so many years of my life wandering through the clutter and discard of so many souls. For a moment I considered all those lost Saturday mornings, could I have written a book, could I have trained and run a marathon, could I have learned another language, or even learned to play the piano? No, on all those weekend mornings I was driving from yard to yard to gape at unwanted self help books and candles shaped like cinnamon buns. The road of life has many turns. In addition to the memory shocking Dekalb News was a Your Health magazine with the screaming headline “Most Hysterectomies Unnecessary”. Among the songbooks was one entitled “Beyond the Blue”. Scattered among the room was a selection of homemade Christmas decorations many in big zip lock bags In a corner stood an umbrella stand holding three wooden walking canes
In the living room, which was now less crowded was a lamp with a glass base filled with black eyed peas. Boxes of inexpensive jewelry sat of card tables in the middle of the room. Most of the floor was covered with cardboard boxes. One contained a selection of cassettes with several by Patsy Cline. In another box were zip lock bags with mismatched assorted items. One contained a giant clothespin, a bag of very tiny clothes pins, the size that a Barbie doll would use and two little cloth ducks. Another had a tea ball, an egg slicer and a callus remover. Yet another had a funnel a mallet and an ice pick. One of the sellers told me that they had bagged them themselves and some were designed for women and some for men. The funnel mallet and ice pick bag was definitely a male thing.
I bought nothing
This sale was in a tiny shabby green bungalow nestled among large infill mac-mainsions. The Inside of the house was claustrophobic. AS I entered two men were dragging a full size mattress out the door. I nearly tripped over some boxes at the entrance to avoid being toppled by the exiting bedding. The home had that closed up and left alone for a long time feel. giving it an atmosphere not unlike what Howard Carter must have experienced when he came upon King Tuts Tomb. But I doubt Carter was run down by grave robbers carting off a mattress at the entrance. Inside (the estate sale house not Tut’s tomb) were six tiny rooms packed with an assortment of objects. Indicating the passage of time was a 1976 calendar hanging in the hallway. Because of the crowding in the front (they still had to get the box springs out) I headed first to one of the bedrooms. Here I found two boxes of books next to several crutches. Among the titles of the books were “My life with God”, Daily guide to Miracles” and “Walking - The pleasure exercise”. Upon a dresser in the same room was a box with the sign saying “car wash rags” beneath it was an old bible with the word “Lindsay” printed with one of those plastic embossed label makers. Leaning against the bedroom wall was a framed photo of a highway passing a river running below a mountain.
In the hall closet were a number of old appliances including a Fry Baby and a 3-D orbital massager still in its original box.
The other bedroom had less stuff. On a wall was a framed photo of what looked like a retirement party, and on a dresser rested a green Rich’s shopping bag that appeared to be from the 1960’s.
In a small bathroom curtains and clothing were hung on coat hangers from the shower bar. On a chair were some blank 1958 tax forms and an empty one gallon can of mixed nut meats.
The kitchen had the usual assortment of hand held cooking utensils. One mysterious item was a yellow and white tapered cylinder with the name Mr. Sprinkle on it. A large coffee mug featured a hillbilly motif depicting a bearded mountain man yelling “Maw come git your coffee!” Also on the counter was a small rectangle of wood with round holes in the top, it bore the name “lipstick bar”. A plague hung on the wall with the words “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get”
Off the living room was a room that could not have been larger than 6 by 9 feet. There I found two boxes of lps most of which were gospel, including “Mama’s Songbook” by Jimmy Swaggart. One of the secular recordings was Bobby Goldboro’s “Honey”. In a box filled with mostly sheet music I found a 1991 copy of the Dekalb news folded open to the classifieds for yard sales. I perused this 13 year old artifact wondering which ones I may have had visited that week in November. It made me fell old, nostalgic and somewhat crazed for having spent so many years of my life wandering through the clutter and discard of so many souls. For a moment I considered all those lost Saturday mornings, could I have written a book, could I have trained and run a marathon, could I have learned another language, or even learned to play the piano? No, on all those weekend mornings I was driving from yard to yard to gape at unwanted self help books and candles shaped like cinnamon buns. The road of life has many turns. In addition to the memory shocking Dekalb News was a Your Health magazine with the screaming headline “Most Hysterectomies Unnecessary”. Among the songbooks was one entitled “Beyond the Blue”. Scattered among the room was a selection of homemade Christmas decorations many in big zip lock bags In a corner stood an umbrella stand holding three wooden walking canes
In the living room, which was now less crowded was a lamp with a glass base filled with black eyed peas. Boxes of inexpensive jewelry sat of card tables in the middle of the room. Most of the floor was covered with cardboard boxes. One contained a selection of cassettes with several by Patsy Cline. In another box were zip lock bags with mismatched assorted items. One contained a giant clothespin, a bag of very tiny clothes pins, the size that a Barbie doll would use and two little cloth ducks. Another had a tea ball, an egg slicer and a callus remover. Yet another had a funnel a mallet and an ice pick. One of the sellers told me that they had bagged them themselves and some were designed for women and some for men. The funnel mallet and ice pick bag was definitely a male thing.
I bought nothing
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Saturday January 22, 2005
The day is cold and it’s going to get colder. The skies are gray and in the northeast great amounts of snow are falling. We have no snow but it is a cold and dreadful looking day. A thin coat of ice is starting to cover our fishpond. There is no notice in the AJC of the Virginia gentleman reprising his postponed sale. My principal goal today is to visit an estate sale in Morningside since the term ephemera was used in the ad.
The day is cold and it’s going to get colder. The skies are gray and in the northeast great amounts of snow are falling. We have no snow but it is a cold and dreadful looking day. A thin coat of ice is starting to cover our fishpond. There is no notice in the AJC of the Virginia gentleman reprising his postponed sale. My principal goal today is to visit an estate sale in Morningside since the term ephemera was used in the ad.
Saturday January 22, 2005
If you buy the water works you get to charge everyone for sewer improvements.
Highland Terrace. – Virginia Highlands “Moving Sale”
This sale was located down the driveway and behind a brick Tudor. The home’s size is deceptive, from the front it appears to be a modest one story structure, but from the back it looms three floors above the driveway where the sale is located. Since this is still a time of few sales the site is packed with buyers when I arrive. Among the items displayed in the driveway and the garage are a framed photo of a train with the caption “Time freight from Spartanburg”, a large scanner, some baskets, some old drab looking luggage, several rugs, a large CRT monitor and a big pair of large Cervin Vega speakers. On a table is a plastic bag of old matchbooks, several from Fulton Federal Saving. Books include “The Book of Lists”, ”Voiceless lips” and “The country diary of an Edwardian lady”
I buy nothing.
Cumberland Dr.- Morningside “Yard Sale”
I followed the large bight and well placed signed to this sale. In the yard of a typical Morningside Tudor is a small selection of clutter. About a dozen cold looking folks stand around shifting thought the stuff. As I arrive a buyer is closing a deal on a mosquito magnet. One of those highly priced devices that supposedly trap mosquitoes with CO2. Fear of West Nile has pushed the development of such technology, but with the current weather it will not get much use for at least a month or two. The mosquito magnet buyer is also purchasing two boxes of poker chips and one of the two humidifiers sitting in the yard. Also in the yard is a boom box, a sectional sofa, a desktop fridge still in the box and a pair of wooden easels. One of the seller hauls out a box of Lp’s and declares its full of 70’s rock. Going through the box I see recordings by Dave Mason and The Almond Brothers. The sellers wife exclaims “Oh no not my Derek and the Dominoes!” as a buyer examines it. Several board games are scattered about. One is Monopoly-The Dog, which I presume has a Get out of the pound for free card. Nearby is an Atlanta monopoly. Where I presume the cheapest rents are found on Metropolitan (nee Stewart) Ave. Unlucky players might also pull a card saying “Rebuild city sewer infrastructure- pay $10,000,000”.
I bought the pair of easels for $4.00
Morningside Cir- Morningside “Estate Sale”
This sale is in a newer condo complex located on the north end of Morningside. This is the second day of the sale so I expect a lot things have been picked through. I arrive about ten minutes before the sellers open the doors. A line of about dozen and a half shoppers are waiting at the front steps. They include men in Nascar jackets and young women with Hello Kitty purses. A few in the front of the line are discussing estate sale deceptions where shabby furnishings are placed in upscale homes to attract more buyers. Others wonder if the possibility of an approaching ice storm will cause prices to suddenly drop. At ten they let the line of cold shoppers into the home. Inside are three floors of stuff. I head upstairs since no one else in the line has headed there. At the top of the stairs is a lone bedroom and bath. On the floor of the bedroom are a number of children’s toys including a full set of play kitchen appliances. Upon a dresser is a pile of naked dolls. In a closet is some women’s clothing and on a table is a clown mask. Downstairs has a wider selection of items including the ephemera advertised in the paper. On a bookshelf I find a large selection of travel guides and brochures to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and China. Most of it is from the 80’s or 90’s. One older transport item is a passenger list from the C.G. Transatlantique, the date of passage was not given but from the style it was from the 50’s or earlier. Next to the passenger list are six copies of the Classic Comic version of Jane Eyre. Books include Peg Bracken’s “The I hate to cook book” a Santorini guide and Kipling’s “Barrack room ballads”. A large number of paper items cover the dinning room table. Among them are news clipping from the Augusta Chronicle dated 1960 on the PTA, some sheet music including a piano solo entitled “Waltz in Outer space” as well as “If you please” from the film Dixie. A wide selection of original artwork is on the table as well, including a wood block print of the Annunciation as well as several drawings and paintings as well as a print entitled “Van Gogh dreaming in Gauguin’s bed” A small box on the floor is filled with old family photographs that include several farm scenes from at least 50 years ago. Mixed with the photos is a hand typed document entitled Guide to Spanish for Travelers. On a sideboard are some old Playbills, including one for a 1974 production of Camelot at the Charleston Municipal Theatre, and others for My Fair Lady and Prisoner of 2nd Avenue. On a small table in the same room is a deck of Norman Rockwell playing cards and a paperweight made of marble with “I finally got it together But I forgot where I put it” inscribed upon it. In the living room is a coo coo clock sitting in a cardboard box and a selection of Japanese lacquered boxes. Watched over by one of the sellers is a glass-topped case with jewelry and other small items. Among them is a Kennedy election button for $20, as well as a Mondale Ferraro button. Next to the case was a pair of framed Russian icons appraised at $1500.
The kitchen looked as though it had been recently used and was still stocked full of food much of which was for sale. A sign on a cabinet said “Food -25 cents to $3.00”. The food includes packages of oyster crackers, cans of water chestnuts, cake meal, two boxes of corn flakes and a few other items. I had a hard time determining which item could be selling for the top price of $3.00. The kitchen drawers are still filled with an assortment of cutlery and other implements for cooking. On the stove is a selection of old dishtowels, one with a 1978 calendar and another with a 1979 calendar. In the kitchen one shopper hold a two-thirds empty bottle of Galliano, the price is not marked.
The basement to my delight is a bit more confused. At the bottom of the stairs is a table with artwork and posters. One is a student poster explaining how plants breathe. Artwork includes several portraits and architectural studies. The original block for the prints of the Annunciation seen in the dinning room is also on the table. Behind one painting is an unused piece of linoleum used for printing. I grab this since I had just paid $50 for a piece to give to Cindy for Christmas. Below the table is a box of unused envelopes with the name of International Enterprises on them. Next to it is a composition notebook with the words “Alaska 2001” written on the cover. The pages are blank and the first page has been torn out. A corner of that page remains on which one cryptic word can be read – “weather”. Also below the table is the booklet “Rev up your immune system with the amazing super food of the orient”. In a back room of the basement is another glass case with jewelry and small items, including a flask bearing the insignia of a Russian paratrooper corp. Sewing supplies, Easter and Christmas decoration are mixed together in the basement hallway In the garage the light is dim and there is even less order. Stacks of graded Spanish tests sit next to power tools. A curled up lithograph of Herman Hesse rests on a shelf flanked by garden tools. Some framed artwork rests against the wall of the garage including a sketch of a southern mansion still bears a first place ribbon. Other artwork includes a portrait of a distinguished lady wearing a sprightly chapeau. Also framed is a reproduction of a notice from 1806 calling for investigations into the cause of Yellow fever. In boxes on the floor of the garage I find little cards with pictures of Fredrica Lorca on them, a packet from the Department of State regarding a career as Foreign Service Officer, and some large chest X rays.
I buy the piece of linoleum for 50 cents.
Barnett Ave. – Virginia Highlands “Moving Sale”
It is late in the morning and still cold, there is a for sale sign but no yard sale sign at this address. The only thing is the yard is a paper shredder. But the door is open and inside a couple is discussing how early birds descended on the sale before they were ready. Not too many items are left. Books include “Getting it right the 2nd time”, “Couplehood”, “Help my apartment has a kitchen” and an entire box of Mary Higgins Clark paperbacks. On a mantle are an espresso maker, a drip coffee maker, and a Charles Schawb thermal coffee mug. There is also an unopened VHS copy of “ The Long, Long Trailer” as well as a 32-inch TV.
I buy nothing.
Murray Hill – Kirkwood "Moving Sale"
When I pull over to park a woman is packing up some clothing that was in her yard, a few items remain on her porch. She’s moving to Ft. Lauderdale and doesn’t have much left to sell, mostly women’s clothing. She does have three bottles of unopened wine for a dollar each. One is a Whole Foods brand French Merlot, another a Nouveau Beajoulais from 2002 and a third a bottle of Fritz Haag Riesling she said she brought back from Germany.
I buy the Merlot and the Riesling. The beajoulais should have been served two years ago.
This sale was located down the driveway and behind a brick Tudor. The home’s size is deceptive, from the front it appears to be a modest one story structure, but from the back it looms three floors above the driveway where the sale is located. Since this is still a time of few sales the site is packed with buyers when I arrive. Among the items displayed in the driveway and the garage are a framed photo of a train with the caption “Time freight from Spartanburg”, a large scanner, some baskets, some old drab looking luggage, several rugs, a large CRT monitor and a big pair of large Cervin Vega speakers. On a table is a plastic bag of old matchbooks, several from Fulton Federal Saving. Books include “The Book of Lists”, ”Voiceless lips” and “The country diary of an Edwardian lady”
I buy nothing.
Cumberland Dr.- Morningside “Yard Sale”
I followed the large bight and well placed signed to this sale. In the yard of a typical Morningside Tudor is a small selection of clutter. About a dozen cold looking folks stand around shifting thought the stuff. As I arrive a buyer is closing a deal on a mosquito magnet. One of those highly priced devices that supposedly trap mosquitoes with CO2. Fear of West Nile has pushed the development of such technology, but with the current weather it will not get much use for at least a month or two. The mosquito magnet buyer is also purchasing two boxes of poker chips and one of the two humidifiers sitting in the yard. Also in the yard is a boom box, a sectional sofa, a desktop fridge still in the box and a pair of wooden easels. One of the seller hauls out a box of Lp’s and declares its full of 70’s rock. Going through the box I see recordings by Dave Mason and The Almond Brothers. The sellers wife exclaims “Oh no not my Derek and the Dominoes!” as a buyer examines it. Several board games are scattered about. One is Monopoly-The Dog, which I presume has a Get out of the pound for free card. Nearby is an Atlanta monopoly. Where I presume the cheapest rents are found on Metropolitan (nee Stewart) Ave. Unlucky players might also pull a card saying “Rebuild city sewer infrastructure- pay $10,000,000”.
I bought the pair of easels for $4.00
Morningside Cir- Morningside “Estate Sale”
This sale is in a newer condo complex located on the north end of Morningside. This is the second day of the sale so I expect a lot things have been picked through. I arrive about ten minutes before the sellers open the doors. A line of about dozen and a half shoppers are waiting at the front steps. They include men in Nascar jackets and young women with Hello Kitty purses. A few in the front of the line are discussing estate sale deceptions where shabby furnishings are placed in upscale homes to attract more buyers. Others wonder if the possibility of an approaching ice storm will cause prices to suddenly drop. At ten they let the line of cold shoppers into the home. Inside are three floors of stuff. I head upstairs since no one else in the line has headed there. At the top of the stairs is a lone bedroom and bath. On the floor of the bedroom are a number of children’s toys including a full set of play kitchen appliances. Upon a dresser is a pile of naked dolls. In a closet is some women’s clothing and on a table is a clown mask. Downstairs has a wider selection of items including the ephemera advertised in the paper. On a bookshelf I find a large selection of travel guides and brochures to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and China. Most of it is from the 80’s or 90’s. One older transport item is a passenger list from the C.G. Transatlantique, the date of passage was not given but from the style it was from the 50’s or earlier. Next to the passenger list are six copies of the Classic Comic version of Jane Eyre. Books include Peg Bracken’s “The I hate to cook book” a Santorini guide and Kipling’s “Barrack room ballads”. A large number of paper items cover the dinning room table. Among them are news clipping from the Augusta Chronicle dated 1960 on the PTA, some sheet music including a piano solo entitled “Waltz in Outer space” as well as “If you please” from the film Dixie. A wide selection of original artwork is on the table as well, including a wood block print of the Annunciation as well as several drawings and paintings as well as a print entitled “Van Gogh dreaming in Gauguin’s bed” A small box on the floor is filled with old family photographs that include several farm scenes from at least 50 years ago. Mixed with the photos is a hand typed document entitled Guide to Spanish for Travelers. On a sideboard are some old Playbills, including one for a 1974 production of Camelot at the Charleston Municipal Theatre, and others for My Fair Lady and Prisoner of 2nd Avenue. On a small table in the same room is a deck of Norman Rockwell playing cards and a paperweight made of marble with “I finally got it together But I forgot where I put it” inscribed upon it. In the living room is a coo coo clock sitting in a cardboard box and a selection of Japanese lacquered boxes. Watched over by one of the sellers is a glass-topped case with jewelry and other small items. Among them is a Kennedy election button for $20, as well as a Mondale Ferraro button. Next to the case was a pair of framed Russian icons appraised at $1500.
The kitchen looked as though it had been recently used and was still stocked full of food much of which was for sale. A sign on a cabinet said “Food -25 cents to $3.00”. The food includes packages of oyster crackers, cans of water chestnuts, cake meal, two boxes of corn flakes and a few other items. I had a hard time determining which item could be selling for the top price of $3.00. The kitchen drawers are still filled with an assortment of cutlery and other implements for cooking. On the stove is a selection of old dishtowels, one with a 1978 calendar and another with a 1979 calendar. In the kitchen one shopper hold a two-thirds empty bottle of Galliano, the price is not marked.
The basement to my delight is a bit more confused. At the bottom of the stairs is a table with artwork and posters. One is a student poster explaining how plants breathe. Artwork includes several portraits and architectural studies. The original block for the prints of the Annunciation seen in the dinning room is also on the table. Behind one painting is an unused piece of linoleum used for printing. I grab this since I had just paid $50 for a piece to give to Cindy for Christmas. Below the table is a box of unused envelopes with the name of International Enterprises on them. Next to it is a composition notebook with the words “Alaska 2001” written on the cover. The pages are blank and the first page has been torn out. A corner of that page remains on which one cryptic word can be read – “weather”. Also below the table is the booklet “Rev up your immune system with the amazing super food of the orient”. In a back room of the basement is another glass case with jewelry and small items, including a flask bearing the insignia of a Russian paratrooper corp. Sewing supplies, Easter and Christmas decoration are mixed together in the basement hallway In the garage the light is dim and there is even less order. Stacks of graded Spanish tests sit next to power tools. A curled up lithograph of Herman Hesse rests on a shelf flanked by garden tools. Some framed artwork rests against the wall of the garage including a sketch of a southern mansion still bears a first place ribbon. Other artwork includes a portrait of a distinguished lady wearing a sprightly chapeau. Also framed is a reproduction of a notice from 1806 calling for investigations into the cause of Yellow fever. In boxes on the floor of the garage I find little cards with pictures of Fredrica Lorca on them, a packet from the Department of State regarding a career as Foreign Service Officer, and some large chest X rays.
I buy the piece of linoleum for 50 cents.
Barnett Ave. – Virginia Highlands “Moving Sale”
It is late in the morning and still cold, there is a for sale sign but no yard sale sign at this address. The only thing is the yard is a paper shredder. But the door is open and inside a couple is discussing how early birds descended on the sale before they were ready. Not too many items are left. Books include “Getting it right the 2nd time”, “Couplehood”, “Help my apartment has a kitchen” and an entire box of Mary Higgins Clark paperbacks. On a mantle are an espresso maker, a drip coffee maker, and a Charles Schawb thermal coffee mug. There is also an unopened VHS copy of “ The Long, Long Trailer” as well as a 32-inch TV.
I buy nothing.
Murray Hill – Kirkwood "Moving Sale"
When I pull over to park a woman is packing up some clothing that was in her yard, a few items remain on her porch. She’s moving to Ft. Lauderdale and doesn’t have much left to sell, mostly women’s clothing. She does have three bottles of unopened wine for a dollar each. One is a Whole Foods brand French Merlot, another a Nouveau Beajoulais from 2002 and a third a bottle of Fritz Haag Riesling she said she brought back from Germany.
I buy the Merlot and the Riesling. The beajoulais should have been served two years ago.
Friday January 21, 2005
Conway Dr. Decatur “Estate Sale”
In the driveway of this small frame home is a classic Mercedes Benz with a large yard sale sign resting on its windshield. The sale is not as classic as the vehicle. Inside a woman who is talking loudly on a phone tells me they are already closed even though it was 20 minutes before the closing time noted in the classified ad. She tells me they will be open tomorrow but that I could just look for a few minutes. She continues talking loudly into the phone. There was not a lot here. Only three rooms are open and the bedroom in the back contains only a plaid hid-a-bed love seat. The living room has stacks of neatly folded towel and sheets, a few books including a few titles of the Left Behind series as well as “How to get off the menopause roller coaster”. In the Dining room are three older computers sitting on the floor, some hand tools and a bulky entertainment center.
I buy nothing.
In the driveway of this small frame home is a classic Mercedes Benz with a large yard sale sign resting on its windshield. The sale is not as classic as the vehicle. Inside a woman who is talking loudly on a phone tells me they are already closed even though it was 20 minutes before the closing time noted in the classified ad. She tells me they will be open tomorrow but that I could just look for a few minutes. She continues talking loudly into the phone. There was not a lot here. Only three rooms are open and the bedroom in the back contains only a plaid hid-a-bed love seat. The living room has stacks of neatly folded towel and sheets, a few books including a few titles of the Left Behind series as well as “How to get off the menopause roller coaster”. In the Dining room are three older computers sitting on the floor, some hand tools and a bulky entertainment center.
I buy nothing.
Sunday, January 16, 2005
This was the week for estate sales that had been put off for the holidays to happen. The AJC’s 805 listings were considerably longer than last week. In today’s listings the estate sales out numbered the garage and yard sales. Several listings were quite intriguing such as a Midtown sale where a Virginia gentleman is divesting of antiques and family pieces as well as the estate sale of a wealthy political mogule (sic). So I got up early defrosted the car and headed out. But disappointment was waiting.
Normandy Dr. Druid Hills “Estate Sale”
Disappointment number one: This was the same humble ranch house where a sale was held in December. The same ranch house that is not really in Druid Hills, the same one that was the residence of the day sleeper, and was filled with redundant microwave ovens and boxes of Tupperware. The same “Garage sale-entire house” sign was in the very same place I had seen it a month ago. I didn’t even bother to stop.
St. Charles- Virginia Highlands “Yard Sale”
In front of a large two story home divided into apartments a couple in heavy coats watched over a small selection of goods in the yard. Among the items are an espresso make, a large pair of JBL speakers, and three empty Ray Ban cases. Among the books are “No one gets out of here alive”, “The iceberg hermit” and “The portable Do it” There is also a table fan and a pair of snow skis and boots.
I buy nothing.
Ninth St.- Midtown “Estate sale”
Disappointment number two:
This was the sale of the divesting Virginia gentleman advertised in the AJC. I was eager to investigate this site. Why was the gentleman selling his family belongings? Had he fallen on hard times because of falling tobacco prices? But when I arrived at a modest brick bungalow with pink flamingoes and a snow sled in the yard I noticed a sign on the front porch. It read “Sale postponed-family illness”. Next to the sign was a large green machine of unknown use. Was this a family heirloom? There are so many questions to be answered. Why was there a sled in the front yard when there was no sign of snow? What does the machine do? Was the sled named Rosebud? Perhaps I will find out next week.
I left perplexed.
Heritage Dr, way beyond Toco Hills, Estate sale
Driving up Briarcliff I realized that this sale was not in Toco Hills at all but several neighborhoods beyond. But the thought of going to a sale of “a wealthy political mogul” as advertised in the paper was something I had to do. I drove up Briarcliff past the real Toco Hills where I saw observant Jews walking in heavy coats and warm hats to Beth Jacob. I continued past the Target, past the neighborhood I call Motor Hills. Here all the streets are named after cars. There are streets with names like Chrysler, Continental and El Dorado where large expensive ranch homes are found. Others streets such as Valiant Dr. have more economical homes while Renault Lane has smaller homes that need to be repaired on a regular basis (if you can get parts for them). As I near my destination I see to my right a large gated replica of the White House. This is the home of a local businessman who built his own White House for all his neighbors to gape at. Occasionally there are tours tours. On the tours you might hear a guide say “This is where Lincoln would have slept if this were the real White House, this is where Monica would have et al” I wondered if there was a connection between the nearby mogul and the faux presidential palace? Perhaps this mogul was a Karl Rove wannabe who planned the career of his neighbor in the nearby palace? There are just too many questions that must be answered on Saturday mornings.
When I arrived at the sale it turned out the rich mogul lived in a somewhat humble ranch house (I’m sure Rove’s home is bigger than this). Signs around the home directed buyers to go through a garden gate and enter on the side. The back yard was blocked off with yellow security tape. Inside I was greeted by a beefy security guard, probably not unlike the one Rove uses. Only three rooms and the garage were open. When I asked a sales person who the mogul was she said the family was related to a former mayor of San Antonio and the items for sale had come from the mayor’s wife. I had always assumed San Antonio was run by political jefes not moguls. The sale featured only selected items that the family, whom I was told was still living in the home, wanted to rid themselves of. There were no everyday common items like old food or exercise videos that would shed light on the mogul’s lifestyle. Each of the rooms were set up with tables and nearly all the small items were placed in glass topped display cases. Despite the lack of everyday stuff there were some remarkable finds. On a cabinet in the living room (if it was a living room) was a stunning plastic troll with a clock in his belly; he stared across the room at a wall from which several nudes paintings were hanging. One of them was a Garden of Eden scene where a naked Eve was offered an entire basket of apples by a devil that was part snake and part tree. It was titled “Persistence”.
In another room was another demonic motif in the form of a clay sculpture of four devils playing some sort of board game. Not demonic but just strange was a ceramic ashtray with a large griming mouth on it. Classic style and primitive crafts seemed to be the main influence in the mogul’s collected belonging. In the dinning room was a large brass Spynx, nearby were a pair of very large metal greyhounds balancing vases on their heads. On one wall was a cryptic plaque of an eye with a dagger below it plunged into a heart. Nudity was found in several other items including a glass topped occasional table with the naked image of a woman in relief on the glass. On a shelf an alabaster white naked female in top hat figure sat atop a stopper on a wine bottle.
Back in the garage on a table strewn with exotic fabrics was a Yathzee game. Across from it were three manikin heads modeling hats. Next to one head was a massive bright yellow old adding machine.
I wandered through the rooms trying to find some evidence of the mogul’s life. Some items I notices were an old bright red Corona portable typewriter and an old framed photo of a dozen or so young ladies in front of a root beer stand. There was little here that spoke of politics and the only relic I found that was indicative of life in South Texas was an armadillo plush toy.
I bought nothing.
Lakeview Ave – Decatur “Yard sale”
I drove away from the land of moguls and presidential pretenders back towards my home and one more sale. This was advertised as being in Decatur but was really in Edgewood near the Decatur line. The sale was on the porch of a house high above Lakeview Ave. When I climbed the steps there was no lake in view. Two women were selling a small selection of goods. On the porch was a sleeping bag, two yoga mats, a small framed print entitled “Pond at Shiba, August 1929”, a selection of shoes, a bridesmaid dress, the Mad Gabs game and some Christmas decorations. Media selections included the books “Why do cats sulk?”, “The cat horoscope book”, “Pugilist at rest” and “Grilling for dummies”. A suitcase contained a number of CDs by the Damned, a copy of Sandanista by the Clash and a Man or Astroman CD. In the same suitcase was an original R.Land painted switch plate done for Man or Astroman dated 1997. When I told the seller to hang on to this since it was an early R.Land she said she didn’t want it because her former boyfriend was in Man or Astroman and she wanted to get rid of it.
I bought the Cat Horoscope book and a Link Wray double CD for fifty cents each.
Haralson St.- Inman Park “Yard Sale”
I had called it a day and was on my way to help Margie Thorpe clean out her parent’s West End home, which is rapidly facing foreclosure. She told me to wear protective clothing and that she would provide a mask or respirator. Driving on Moreland I spotted a sign for another sale. In the yard of a not so well kept frame bungalow was a disheveled collection of mostly dusty and broken things. Among them were several guitar stands, a black light, a projection screen, a very dirty and torn weight bench and bar bells, a VHS of Hanson, an edition of the game Clue that provided clues on a VHS tape and table top arrangement of three plush snowmen riding on a sled.
I bought nothing.
Disappointment number one: This was the same humble ranch house where a sale was held in December. The same ranch house that is not really in Druid Hills, the same one that was the residence of the day sleeper, and was filled with redundant microwave ovens and boxes of Tupperware. The same “Garage sale-entire house” sign was in the very same place I had seen it a month ago. I didn’t even bother to stop.
St. Charles- Virginia Highlands “Yard Sale”
In front of a large two story home divided into apartments a couple in heavy coats watched over a small selection of goods in the yard. Among the items are an espresso make, a large pair of JBL speakers, and three empty Ray Ban cases. Among the books are “No one gets out of here alive”, “The iceberg hermit” and “The portable Do it” There is also a table fan and a pair of snow skis and boots.
I buy nothing.
Ninth St.- Midtown “Estate sale”
Disappointment number two:
This was the sale of the divesting Virginia gentleman advertised in the AJC. I was eager to investigate this site. Why was the gentleman selling his family belongings? Had he fallen on hard times because of falling tobacco prices? But when I arrived at a modest brick bungalow with pink flamingoes and a snow sled in the yard I noticed a sign on the front porch. It read “Sale postponed-family illness”. Next to the sign was a large green machine of unknown use. Was this a family heirloom? There are so many questions to be answered. Why was there a sled in the front yard when there was no sign of snow? What does the machine do? Was the sled named Rosebud? Perhaps I will find out next week.
I left perplexed.
Heritage Dr, way beyond Toco Hills, Estate sale
Driving up Briarcliff I realized that this sale was not in Toco Hills at all but several neighborhoods beyond. But the thought of going to a sale of “a wealthy political mogul” as advertised in the paper was something I had to do. I drove up Briarcliff past the real Toco Hills where I saw observant Jews walking in heavy coats and warm hats to Beth Jacob. I continued past the Target, past the neighborhood I call Motor Hills. Here all the streets are named after cars. There are streets with names like Chrysler, Continental and El Dorado where large expensive ranch homes are found. Others streets such as Valiant Dr. have more economical homes while Renault Lane has smaller homes that need to be repaired on a regular basis (if you can get parts for them). As I near my destination I see to my right a large gated replica of the White House. This is the home of a local businessman who built his own White House for all his neighbors to gape at. Occasionally there are tours tours. On the tours you might hear a guide say “This is where Lincoln would have slept if this were the real White House, this is where Monica would have et al” I wondered if there was a connection between the nearby mogul and the faux presidential palace? Perhaps this mogul was a Karl Rove wannabe who planned the career of his neighbor in the nearby palace? There are just too many questions that must be answered on Saturday mornings.
When I arrived at the sale it turned out the rich mogul lived in a somewhat humble ranch house (I’m sure Rove’s home is bigger than this). Signs around the home directed buyers to go through a garden gate and enter on the side. The back yard was blocked off with yellow security tape. Inside I was greeted by a beefy security guard, probably not unlike the one Rove uses. Only three rooms and the garage were open. When I asked a sales person who the mogul was she said the family was related to a former mayor of San Antonio and the items for sale had come from the mayor’s wife. I had always assumed San Antonio was run by political jefes not moguls. The sale featured only selected items that the family, whom I was told was still living in the home, wanted to rid themselves of. There were no everyday common items like old food or exercise videos that would shed light on the mogul’s lifestyle. Each of the rooms were set up with tables and nearly all the small items were placed in glass topped display cases. Despite the lack of everyday stuff there were some remarkable finds. On a cabinet in the living room (if it was a living room) was a stunning plastic troll with a clock in his belly; he stared across the room at a wall from which several nudes paintings were hanging. One of them was a Garden of Eden scene where a naked Eve was offered an entire basket of apples by a devil that was part snake and part tree. It was titled “Persistence”.
In another room was another demonic motif in the form of a clay sculpture of four devils playing some sort of board game. Not demonic but just strange was a ceramic ashtray with a large griming mouth on it. Classic style and primitive crafts seemed to be the main influence in the mogul’s collected belonging. In the dinning room was a large brass Spynx, nearby were a pair of very large metal greyhounds balancing vases on their heads. On one wall was a cryptic plaque of an eye with a dagger below it plunged into a heart. Nudity was found in several other items including a glass topped occasional table with the naked image of a woman in relief on the glass. On a shelf an alabaster white naked female in top hat figure sat atop a stopper on a wine bottle.
Back in the garage on a table strewn with exotic fabrics was a Yathzee game. Across from it were three manikin heads modeling hats. Next to one head was a massive bright yellow old adding machine.
I wandered through the rooms trying to find some evidence of the mogul’s life. Some items I notices were an old bright red Corona portable typewriter and an old framed photo of a dozen or so young ladies in front of a root beer stand. There was little here that spoke of politics and the only relic I found that was indicative of life in South Texas was an armadillo plush toy.
I bought nothing.
Lakeview Ave – Decatur “Yard sale”
I drove away from the land of moguls and presidential pretenders back towards my home and one more sale. This was advertised as being in Decatur but was really in Edgewood near the Decatur line. The sale was on the porch of a house high above Lakeview Ave. When I climbed the steps there was no lake in view. Two women were selling a small selection of goods. On the porch was a sleeping bag, two yoga mats, a small framed print entitled “Pond at Shiba, August 1929”, a selection of shoes, a bridesmaid dress, the Mad Gabs game and some Christmas decorations. Media selections included the books “Why do cats sulk?”, “The cat horoscope book”, “Pugilist at rest” and “Grilling for dummies”. A suitcase contained a number of CDs by the Damned, a copy of Sandanista by the Clash and a Man or Astroman CD. In the same suitcase was an original R.Land painted switch plate done for Man or Astroman dated 1997. When I told the seller to hang on to this since it was an early R.Land she said she didn’t want it because her former boyfriend was in Man or Astroman and she wanted to get rid of it.
I bought the Cat Horoscope book and a Link Wray double CD for fifty cents each.
Haralson St.- Inman Park “Yard Sale”
I had called it a day and was on my way to help Margie Thorpe clean out her parent’s West End home, which is rapidly facing foreclosure. She told me to wear protective clothing and that she would provide a mask or respirator. Driving on Moreland I spotted a sign for another sale. In the yard of a not so well kept frame bungalow was a disheveled collection of mostly dusty and broken things. Among them were several guitar stands, a black light, a projection screen, a very dirty and torn weight bench and bar bells, a VHS of Hanson, an edition of the game Clue that provided clues on a VHS tape and table top arrangement of three plush snowmen riding on a sled.
I bought nothing.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
N. Holly - Toco Hills, Estate Sale
In the front yard of this large Toco Hills ranch home was a sign from the auction and estate company announcing the sale. When I arrived it was already late into the second day of the sale but the home was still filled with an assortment of clutter. Coming in the side door I went into the kitchen to find three boxes of unopened food for sale. This being Toco Hills there was the usual two boxes of Matzo. There were also dry soup mixes, some canned beets and beans and a box of mix for a bread machine. Nearby on the counter were no less than four partially used spray cans of Scotch guard. In one cupboard was a variety of mugs, some saying grandmother, others with “Alison’s Bat Mitzvah” one had a handle on the inside of the mug and proclaimed “Made in Poland”, another mug saluted the millennium with the words “Millennium Family” with smiley faces in the zeros of 01 01 2000.
In the living room were five television sets with screen sizes from 15 to 32 inches. Flanking either side of the largest TV were two massive speakers and a stereo system in a glass cabinet. Nearly hidden behind the largest TV was a large oil painting of a woman. On a nearby table were three brunette wigs; below the table was a selection of LP’s as well as a few dozen 78’s. One of the 78s was Sinatra’s “I could write a book”. The lp’s included “An evening with Tom Lehrer”,” Mambo at midnight”, “Brazen Brass zings the strings” “Bagels and Bongos” and the complementary “Champagne and bongos” there was also an Lp by the Yaarab Band recorded at the Yaarab Temple on Ponce De Leon. Other media in the room included a Cd of Hooked on Swing and Songs of World War II. VHS tapes included two by Richard Simmons “Grovin’ in the house” and “Blast off” both were unopened. There was also a tape of ‘The California raisons sold out”. Other items in the living room included a small mirror with a picture of children jumping on a bed etched into it and a brass etched relief of the Santa Maria. I was delighted to find yet another millennium item, on a table was a snow globe honoring the millennium bug. Inside the globe was a little plastic computer, for snow it had ones and zeros that floated around when the globe was shaken. The notorious date of 01-01-00 was on its base.
There were two bedrooms both packed with women’s clothing. In one was a frightening lamp with a demonic clown at the base. It’s the type of thing that can scare you when it’s on as well as when it’s off. In one bedroom were enough ladies shoes to make Imelda Marcos jealous. An interesting item found in a bedroom cabinet was the Knit wit bowler, a small crocheted figure of an angry bowler. On a shelf below the angry bowler was a Goofy floor puzzle and the Girl Talk game. Most of the clothing was incredibly bright and on the verge of garish. Notable was a black and white hounds tooth jacket with matching hounds tooth boots. There was a dizzying array of stuffed animals. A sign indicated they were only 50 cents.
Down in the basement I spotted even more stuffed animals including a dirty white unicorn. On a table was an antiquated computer selling for $20. The omnipresent uninstalled ceiling fan set nearly. Leaning against the basement wall was a massive ornate gold headboard lacking a bed. Across the room was an old Gesetner mimeograph machine. Next to it was a large box of crossword puzzle magazines. Also on the lower level was a bowling ball and AB flex exercise device.
In what may have been a den I found a two and a half-foot tall pepper mill, bight yellow bar stools, playing cards from the SS Norway and a cardboard box filled with loose light bulbs.
In an office area was an attractive Kimball organ, and no less than five computer monitors each priced under $20.
Books in the office included “ 1001 free goodies and cheapies”, “How you can use inflation to beat the IRS”, “The Hite Report”, “The Fat Book”, “Succulent Wild Women”, ”Everything you always wanted to know about sex…” and ”The last days of America” Still in its original box with Suzanne Summers face staring at me was a Thighmaster Plus.
I bought nothing.
In the front yard of this large Toco Hills ranch home was a sign from the auction and estate company announcing the sale. When I arrived it was already late into the second day of the sale but the home was still filled with an assortment of clutter. Coming in the side door I went into the kitchen to find three boxes of unopened food for sale. This being Toco Hills there was the usual two boxes of Matzo. There were also dry soup mixes, some canned beets and beans and a box of mix for a bread machine. Nearby on the counter were no less than four partially used spray cans of Scotch guard. In one cupboard was a variety of mugs, some saying grandmother, others with “Alison’s Bat Mitzvah” one had a handle on the inside of the mug and proclaimed “Made in Poland”, another mug saluted the millennium with the words “Millennium Family” with smiley faces in the zeros of 01 01 2000.
In the living room were five television sets with screen sizes from 15 to 32 inches. Flanking either side of the largest TV were two massive speakers and a stereo system in a glass cabinet. Nearly hidden behind the largest TV was a large oil painting of a woman. On a nearby table were three brunette wigs; below the table was a selection of LP’s as well as a few dozen 78’s. One of the 78s was Sinatra’s “I could write a book”. The lp’s included “An evening with Tom Lehrer”,” Mambo at midnight”, “Brazen Brass zings the strings” “Bagels and Bongos” and the complementary “Champagne and bongos” there was also an Lp by the Yaarab Band recorded at the Yaarab Temple on Ponce De Leon. Other media in the room included a Cd of Hooked on Swing and Songs of World War II. VHS tapes included two by Richard Simmons “Grovin’ in the house” and “Blast off” both were unopened. There was also a tape of ‘The California raisons sold out”. Other items in the living room included a small mirror with a picture of children jumping on a bed etched into it and a brass etched relief of the Santa Maria. I was delighted to find yet another millennium item, on a table was a snow globe honoring the millennium bug. Inside the globe was a little plastic computer, for snow it had ones and zeros that floated around when the globe was shaken. The notorious date of 01-01-00 was on its base.
There were two bedrooms both packed with women’s clothing. In one was a frightening lamp with a demonic clown at the base. It’s the type of thing that can scare you when it’s on as well as when it’s off. In one bedroom were enough ladies shoes to make Imelda Marcos jealous. An interesting item found in a bedroom cabinet was the Knit wit bowler, a small crocheted figure of an angry bowler. On a shelf below the angry bowler was a Goofy floor puzzle and the Girl Talk game. Most of the clothing was incredibly bright and on the verge of garish. Notable was a black and white hounds tooth jacket with matching hounds tooth boots. There was a dizzying array of stuffed animals. A sign indicated they were only 50 cents.
Down in the basement I spotted even more stuffed animals including a dirty white unicorn. On a table was an antiquated computer selling for $20. The omnipresent uninstalled ceiling fan set nearly. Leaning against the basement wall was a massive ornate gold headboard lacking a bed. Across the room was an old Gesetner mimeograph machine. Next to it was a large box of crossword puzzle magazines. Also on the lower level was a bowling ball and AB flex exercise device.
In what may have been a den I found a two and a half-foot tall pepper mill, bight yellow bar stools, playing cards from the SS Norway and a cardboard box filled with loose light bulbs.
In an office area was an attractive Kimball organ, and no less than five computer monitors each priced under $20.
Books in the office included “ 1001 free goodies and cheapies”, “How you can use inflation to beat the IRS”, “The Hite Report”, “The Fat Book”, “Succulent Wild Women”, ”Everything you always wanted to know about sex…” and ”The last days of America” Still in its original box with Suzanne Summers face staring at me was a Thighmaster Plus.
I bought nothing.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
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