End of the season

Today was the annual Hinckley garage sale. The whole entire township is invited to sell their unwanteds and shoppers are reminded not to park on the main streets. For the most part, Hinckley is not a cookie cutter place, so there is usually a lot of variety at the sales. Mansions are parked a few streets away from crumbling farmhouses. Pack rats live next door to trendsetters. And of course, that favorite garage sale category- baby items- is found at every other house. Which was good this year, because there will be a new addition to the family in April. An ex is pregnant, which I guess technically means that the baby will not be part of the family, but in my family once you find yourself here you can't ever really leave.

This year I bought: a pair of shoes (the ones that look like bowling shoes but way cuter), one of those drink coolers that has a little spout on the bottom, and a big box of books. Plus various snacks and drinks from all the little lemonade stands every 20 feet. I got a ton of books for the classroom but also a handful for me. Which is great, since I haven't been reading much lately. I have to get back on the ball to compete with my students to see who can read 26 books first. I'm also itching to read since I got an email from the Cool One, recommending a book. It's almost fall and I want to snuggle up with a good book and start making all my favorite recipes. That reminds me- I didn't buy any cookbooks this time. That's weird.
I bought most of my books from one woman. She had a bunch of really good books, some that I've already read. I get so used to seeing worn romance novels from the 70's that I was surprised to see so many good books in one place. If I wasn't a big loser, I would have struck up a conversation with the woman and become her best friend.

I also bought a ring for Cali. It's a huge pale blue rock of a thing. I paid five whole dollars for it which is just crazy but she wanted it. That house had a ton of cool old rings. Big huge stones and metal things. I wanted all of them. But I don't wear much jewelery so I didn't buy any. I can't remember to wear my wedding half the time. More than half. While I was there I managed to kick over a container that held all these little drawers filled with jewelery. Everything was upside down and I had to try to figure out how to right it back up without all the drawers falling out. I wasn't very successful.

I'm a little sad that garage sale season is officially over. I have to shop at real stores for the rest of the year.