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Well, here we are - it's spring! All sorts of signs of it. There are buds on trees, little green sprouts of grass, turning green already. And something we look forward to all years. They are colorful markings of spring, poking their heads through the grass. Nope, not the tulips and daffodils, they are rummage sale signs! Yay! We are heading off to some this morning to see what we would see. It is amazing what folks consider to be of "value." The usuals; clear glass vases that came as part of a gift when they had surgery last year (originally included with the $30 flowers, now worth $10!) Then you have the scratched and not-so-secure, burp-free tupperware. Priced a bit high at the home sales, here only 10% lower than original. A pair of jeans from little Timmy. They were a bit worn at the knee, a stain here or there but still worth $5! And even food items - yuck! Some people put their canned items from years ago up for sale. Years back we went to an estate sale at the home of an extremely elderly couple. It was run by their children and the prices were quite out of whack. We found a few things but the most unique of all was when we went into the basement. They had a pantry down there and in it was a huge assortment of canning granny had done years back and probably forgot about. Many of the jars had the seals protruding; bubbled up. Others actually had a vine coming from the glass top and others were the funkiest colors you've ever seen. A lady came up behind us as we stood with our mouths open and "ewwwws" coming from our lips. She said "oh, we knew that no one would want to actually EAT the food, but thought the jars would be of interest since you can see they are certainly re-usable." My husband who will not purchase milk from a gas station (because he perceives a smell), nearly fainted. Just then, a lady pushed her way in and began putting the jars into a small box. We did not want to know her intentions and quickly moved upstairs. Another time, my sister and I went to a large yard sale. There was a lovely portrait of a lady, very old and in a rickety, but definitely old frame. We stood and looked at the picture. A young lady came over and said "that was my great-great-great grandmother. She went from the east to our west on a wagon train. She had a buggy accident when she was only 20 and had to have her leg amputated. The story was that she saved two children from being run over! She married and her husband died after her 5th child was born. She had to raise them by herself and did sewing, took in laundry, did whatever she could. She also did teaching and lived to be 94 years old." We both turned to her and simaltaneously said "why don't you want to keep her picture?" She stared and said "but, it's OLD!" Neither one of us had the heart to buy it, even though she had priced this incredible woman's picture at only $10! So, we wish each other luck as we head off at 6:30 to locate treasures. And who knows what we will find?
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