"Is that the best you can do?"

I lost track of how many times I asked that question at this morning's yard sales. We were up and out before 6:20 this morning, off to the yard sale that was due to start at 7:00.... we were the first ones there, and we just sat and waited, since there weren't any other sales starting that early this morning.

We didn't have long to wait....... they opened up their garage doors about five minutes after we got there. And in the garage.....my husband's eyes lit up--- a beautiful boat! -- but it wasn't for sale. Oh well..... but I did get a few kitchen things there, to add to my growing set of Corningware baking dishes for the cottage. They had some outdoor furniture there as well, but nothing we really liked.

Off to the next sale, which wasn't open yet...... I could tell my husband was tired--- he had been up and awake and working at his computer since 4:00 this morning, so I dropped him off at home and back out I went to the rest of the sales. And that's when I found the good stuff.

I had to drive back and forth to our house three times, because I couldn't fit everything into the car all at once. I bought a white wicker dresser for the guest room of the cottage, plus two white wicker end tables, and a beautiful white wicker rocking chair. (Love this wicker.... and all of this was in perfectly brand-new condition.) Each piece was marked $20.00...... and I asked the woman if she could do better on the price if I bought all the pieces...... she gave me ten dollars off, so I thought that was a good enough deal.

At another sale, I found a vintage oak two-tier "pie-crust" table....... very nice little table, with the bottom tier separated into sections to hold books. I don't know exactly where I'll use it at Mayberry, but I'm sure to find a spot for it. Probably in the game room up there, because the wood on the pie-crust table matches the wood of the game table. And heaven knows I've already got a lot of books in that cottage.

I also bought two beautiful oak counter stools for the island in the kitchen of the cottage...... very heavy, expensive stools, both for just $15.00........ they had been marked $10.00 each, but of course I had to ask if they could do better on the price. And they almost always do, so it never hurts to ask. (Except for yesterday's "fifty cents woman.")

So today's yard sales were much better than yesterday's. All that stuff I found early this morning, and I was home before 8:30. I could've driven around some more, but I learned a long time ago that the best things at the yard sales always sell at the very beginning of the sale, so there's no sense in trying to find good stuff an hour after the sale has begun.

Now the garage is getting filled up with furniture again for Mayberry. We'll ask C's dad to bring up what he can with his truck, and the little things will fit into the trunk of our car..... it will just take us a few trips to get everything from here to there, that's all. I'm thinking of renting the smallest U-Haul truck they have and just driving up there one day myself...... but I don't think my husband will be thrilled with that idea.