3/27/10 What happened to the good yard sales?

The winter cold has spread into spring. Thru February and into this month I have waited for the full yard sale season to bloom. I have waiting for multitude of signs to begin appearing on utility poles at intersections but the cold or the rain seem to hinder this. This morning I wander out with Cindy saying that her commentary will add to my observations and that maybe I can find something new to wear. But Cindy simply makes an observation about what she's been seeing lately ”It’s just the same junk from China you see everywhere what happened to the good stuff?” Maybe the years I’ve spent observing the debris of American civilization are reaching their nadir. Maybe the weather just needs to get a little bit warmer.

Oakdale Ave – Druid Hill “Yard Sale”

It had to be in the 30’s when we exit the car to inspect the goods arrayed in the back yard and garage of this Druid Hills home. Cindy zips up her parka so her face is barely visible while I keep my hands in my pockets as I inspect the home furnishing placed around the driveway. An oversized sofa, a painting of a palm tree, some lamps, chairs. It’s all big home furnishings I want small stuff, I want clothing I want something that will at least make a good photograph. We buy nothing and move on.








Harvard Dr. – Druid Hills “ Yard Sale”


We made one more stop in Druid Hills at a small sale where a selection of goods were displayed in the front yard of a brick one story home. The seller admitted it was too cold to have a sale as she watched us peruse her merchandise. Here we found baskets, slightly out of date electronics, a collection of rubber stamps including one for approving mortgages from Fannie Mae and some rope. In a free box was the usual collection of non-matching Tupperware lids and bottoms. Cindy bought a basket to use for Easter.





Childerlee Ln. Woodland Hills “House and Yard Sale”


This was a large sale inside a 1970’s tri-level home. There were three things that stood out in this home liquidation the sadness, the smell and the disorder. This sale was an example of family life interrupted. Toys and children’s clothes were the majority of stuff here. Where were the children why didn’t the need their clothes or toys anymore? The disorder was widespread, except for a few tables in the garage nearly everything was on the floor. Most of this was clothing that had been excessively picked over. An attempt had been made at order by creating printed oval signs that described the unruly piles. “Curling irons (Test before buying we think works but sold as is)” or “Art work individually priced – We have no history of the artist (was left by previous tenant – Ink on plastic is NOT on most of the art pieces. We will be glad to take out of plastic for inspection.” My favorite was hung above a pile of plush toys “We are sooooo lonely, please adopt us” this sign set the tone for the entire sale.
We bought nothing. Cindy complained about the smell and said the sale saddened her.



Artwork with unknown history.

















Sign for lonely toys.

















Disorder on the floor.
















Briarcliff Rd. “Moving Sale”


The reach this moving sale one had to climb some steep stairs to reach a small apartment on the second floor of building. The stairs landing and the open breezeway to the apartment were crammed with sculptures of gargoyles, hardware, a large Buddha, plastic bins, a school desk, rocks and gardening implements. The inside of the tiny apartment was stuffed with electronics, scrap booking supplies, jewelry, paper items and computer accessories. A fine looking calico cat lounged amid the clutter. I poked and perused the paper products thinking of some project I could do to justify their purchase. But the last time I purchased paper I didn’t even bring it in from the car for three weeks and some of got damaged by the rain when I opened my trunk.
I bought a package of photo printing paper for two dollars. Cindy bought nothing but stated that the man must be breaking up with someone who‘s does not like his clutter.


Clutter outside the apartment.

















Cat inside the apartment.














Briar Mill Rd. “Yard Sale”


Heading towards a neighborhood sale in Sagamore Hills we stopped at the sale in the driveway on a ranch home on a cul de sac. The owners spoke in an accent I was unfamiliar with and everything assembled in the driveway and garage was over priced. When we got there a teenager was complaining about the price of some clothing they were refusing to lower their asking price. Most of the stuff here was unremarkable aside from two strange pieces of artwork shown below.

What is this man doing?





















Why does this waif have a knife?



















Sagamore Hills “Neighborhood Sale”


Here we found about 20 sales many on which we only slowed down the car to look at. Neighborhood sales seldom feature interesting materials and it’s the activity of the neighbors that I find noteworthy. I failed to find this here. Maybe it’s too early in the spring or maybe Cindy is right, yard sales aren’t what they used to be.