Yard Sale Addict

Noble Ave. – Morningside "Estate Sale"

Roman Catholicism has always been a minority religion in the south. Even in a somewhat cosmopolitan city as Atlanta the icons and artifacts of Catholicism have always been looked on with wonder and bewilderment, as was some sort of hoodoo. While the influx of northerners and even the presence of a major BVM apparition site have toned down this attitude it continues to persist.
This was the estate of an erstwhile Catholic. The 805 ad mentioned many religious items but did not name the faith. I presumed the religion to be Catholicism since the only protestant religious items are plastic praying hands, bibles and plaques of the 10 Commandments. Judaism does have its implements but they are always referred to as Judiaca. Upon arriving at this two story colonial revival brick home a sign indicated that this was only phase one of the sale indicating that there was more clutter than the reselling pros could handle. I first headed to the second floor past a framed copy of the Nicene Creed and went into a small bedroom. There I found a box of old neck ties, some women’s clothing, boxes of Xmas tree balls, a small ceramic dog, a high quality nativity set, some swizzle sticks, boxes religious themed Christmas cards, rolls of gift wrap and a stethoscope. On the walls were a painting of a seated girl and another of a teddy bear. The other bedrooms were sealed off so I then headed back down stairs. Heading to the kitchen I passed a naïve-framed painting of the Virgin next to a votive candle. In the kitchen I found a small stash of old food for sale. Gathered in the cupboard were a bottle of vinegar, a jar or Ragu Rich and Meaty sauce, a few cans of soup and a jar of salad olives. Other clutter in the kitchen included a drawer filled with cutlery, a dust buster, an avocado green hand mixer and a sign the read "The diet stops here".
In what may have been the dining room I found a table with a selection of a half dozen crucifixes. One of the crosses was one of the popular (at least among Catholics) extreme Unction kits. The kits features a crucifix that slides off from its base to reveal a vial of anointing oil and a few other items so that the household will be last rites ready. Here the cross was opened reveling the vial, but it seems that the vial was not opened. So this kit like every other I have seen did not see action. Near the crucifixes was a bottle of Lourdes water. That appeared to have been opened since the bottle was only two thirds filled. Near the Lourdes water were two wall mountable holy water founts.
In the living room the estate sellers were watching over what they presumed were the more valuable goods arranged on a series of tables. Among the stuff found there were a trio of ceramic altar boys, a concrete yard statue of St. Francis, a small guitar, a hunting knife, a wooden figure of a monk sipping from a goblet, a large silver punch bowl, and a framed print of a young John Paul II. Some books there included "The Egg and I", "Gentleman’s Agreement" and a biography of Omar Bradley.
I bought nothing, but hope to return for phase two.