Bargain Hunter

Memorial Day weekend in Houghton Lake is FUN. Besides the parade, there’s a garage sale on every corner, Friday through Monday. Summer cottages and permanent homes alike explode onto their driveways, and let me tell you, you just never know what you might find. Right now in our house, two of my most prized possessions come from such explosions. The 1960s wood and metal camels on my bedroom wall were purchased after a small disagreement between M and myself before we were married…he didn’t like them, I pouted and possibly shed a tear, and two blocks later he turned the truck around and I bought them for a dollar each. We also have a beautiful painting of a field of orange flowers, done by a woman who lived on Lakeshore. When I bought that, it was in a not-so-flattering frame, so I made an offer to remove the frame and buy the painting at a lower price…together they were $5, so I offered $3 for the painting. The seller said, “It’s a deal! Just put the picture over there by the garage.” No, I explained, “I don’t want the frame, I want the picture.” When I took it out of the frame, she looked at it and said, “Huh. It really is pretty, isn’t it?” But I did not budge…a deal’s a deal. Later that day, we bought a beautiful frame at Arnie’s, and we get many comments on how gorgeous that picture looks on our art wall. I can spot a bargain, let me tell you.

This Saturday, while E was asleep and Baby m was in the care of Daddy and Grandma, I went driving for a whole hour, by myself, scouring the driveways and yards for treasures. I spent under $10 and came home with the following stuff…

• A vacuum sealer and two boxes of bags for $1. I’ve borrowed L’s before, and it would be nice to freeze some fresh asparagus this spring. Let’s see if that really happens.
• Two sets of stencils, numbers and letters for $1. I think E is almost good enough with a pencil to use these. If not, we’ll put them in the closet for later.
• A pair of size 3T overalls for $1.50. They are in perfect condition, and I think she will fit into these now or in the fall.
• Two homemade M&M cookies for 50 cents. A Clifford book for 50 cents.
• The same Clifford book (I didn’t realize it) at another sale for 10 cents. Nobody’s perfect.
• Two little pink chairs for $1.00. These are meant to combat the fights over the ONE kid sized chair at the cottage.
• Three larger sippy cups, all in better shape than the ones she has now, for 75 cents.
• Two coloring books, one old Christmas elf, and several beaded Christmas ornaments for $1. I plan on ‘un-stringing’ the ornaments, and letting E make new ornaments to give away next Christmas.

It may sound like a bunch of junk to you, but to me it was an hour of pure joy to me. Small price to pay for $7.35!