Community Garage Sale

Both of us up at 6 am. Shannon is picking us up in her golf cart at 6:45 for the big Sunland Village East Garage Sale. There are only 2 days out of the year when the complex will allow people to have a garage sale and today was one of those days. They start at 7 until 1:00. Surprisingly, Pudge is all revved up about going. He will drive the golf cart but he also has things he will be looking for. We pick up Gloria and off we go. Oh my!! Every where you look there is a garage door open with lots of treasures spewing out onto the driveways. Some better than others. Clear sailing until about 9:00 then it starts to get somewhat crowded and congested. But not enough to deter me, Pudge or Gloria. Shannon has had enough. We drop her off at home. The golf cart makes it very easy. Not hard to park and very easy to jump in and out. Filled up the cart with treasures but we were not done so we had to make a run home to drop off and then off again we went. It is so much fun. People are great. Greeted many neighbors and friends that were also doing the garage sales. It is cold the first few hours but then the sun comes out and it is very pleasant. I failed to mention that Jim & John opted out of going which was just fine with all of us. Pudge is enjoying chauffeuring and hunting out golf treasures. Had to make a call to Jim one time when we came across a table of golf balls that we thought he might be interested in. He was so we had to go get him so he could look them over. After making his purchase we bought him back to his project he was doing in the garage. The three of us still had about an hour and a half of garage sales to go. I think we hit about 90% of them. About 11:00 things were starting to wind down. Some garage doors were being closed. We did find quite a few more and called it quits about noon.
So what treasures did I get--you ask. Beautiful canvas paintings of 2 Indian children by a famous artist. They are about 8 x 10 and very colorful. A very pretty small piece of art that is sand painted. Love it. A small metal bird with a nest next to it. 6 tiny pewter figures, a southwestern tablecloth, measuring cup, cheese slicer, a big wooden lazy susan, a nice stool, 3 large cups for serving soup. There were a few more small, insignificant items also purchased. Pudge got golf clubs which he is thrilled about, a small zip bag, a push broom, and old sheets that will be used to cover things when we leave over the summer. It was a very successful, very fun day.
I do need to mention this one fact. My tastes have changed down here. The country, cottagy look back in MN does not go down here. The southwestern decor is somewhat appealing to me. Not the pastelly pinks and blues--nope--can't get comfortable with that. But I can see where those colors are coming from. The sunsets and the earth have the same pinks and blues in them. I am starting to like cactus (some-not all), Indian children and the pretty ladies. Some of the southwestern and Indian designs found in rugs and pictures, the pottery, Kokopelli (I had issues with him but now I have to say I have grown fond of him.) For those of you who do not know who he is he is a spiritual figure- rather cute- and very popular here. He is all over the place. He is supposed to depict the god of happiness and fertility. Most of the time he is blowing on a flute and dancing. I found one where he is shooting a golf club and hung him on the patio. He looks really cute there. Now I would not be able to have all southwestern decor but I do want sprinkles of some of the pretty things I am fond of throughout the condo. They seem so fit and appropriate down here.

2nd load of treasures

Gloria and Shannon looking at a bamboo rug. This sale happened to be across the street from our condo. They did not purchase this rug

Gloria got a really nice set of dishes. Picture does not do it justice. They are Noritake pottery type, blue with a small southwestern design around the edge. She was thrilled

Pudge, Shannon, and Gloria when we first started at 6:45 am on John & Shannon's golf cart..