Whatever your hobby is, it is always a great help to have a "good luck charm." For some gamblers, it is a rabbit's foot (but how lucky was that bunny?) To sports nuts, wearing a special shirt or carrying a special key chain seems to work. When I go hunting for my bargains, I love to take along my lucky charm - my granddaughter Allie! She has helped me find many a treasure.

Since she has been a rummager before she could say the word "bargain", she knows enough not to ask "is this to keep or sell?", or "how much is that really worth, grandma?" and the like. She waits until we are in the car, door closed and then blurts out those words.

One of my favorite memories of a garage sale with her was when she asked "grandma, do you like cows?" I said they were OK and why did she ask. She said "because there is a tablecloth over here with lots of them." After a closer look, I discovered this was the "Mother of All Cows" - Elsie! of Borden's fame. And this tablecloth had two aprons of the same material. And they were 50 cents, Yes, 50 cents! I promptly paid for them and did not even think of asking if they'd take 49 cents!

Another time, she asked if she could buy a baggy filled with old costume jewelry. It was $1.00 and she said she wanted only the pin with the cat on it. I suggested she ask if they'd take less and she, nervously, did just that. They took 75 cents so they struck a deal. We took the cat pin out, put it on her jacket, and I tucked the rest of the baubles away. Several weeks later I remembered them and looked them over. There was a Weiss rhinestone broach in the bag - it sold for $25.00 on ebay. (Allie got a special gift from grandma after that find.)

On one occasion we went to a yard sale with loads of bargains. I bought three full bags of things and we were loaded and in the car. All of a sudden Allie yelled "did you get the horse statue?" I checked and realized that they had not packed it. I ran back and saw the man at the sale preparing to give it to another rummager. I exclaimed "I already paid for that horse" and his wife came over and said "oh, yes she did!" I re-claimed my prize. This ended up selling at our flea market booth for a profit of $35. Once again, Allie was rewarded.

I feel I have taught Allie some things about the "hunt." She knows to be polite to the sellers and buyers alike. She has been taught to only look, not touch, until an adult picks it up. And she knows what fun it can be to find something that is special! Ahh, we all need lucky charms like her!