The 100 Mile Garage Sale

Around here the second weekend in September means that it's time for the "100 Mile Garage Sale." It runs through towns in southeast Kansas down into northeast Oklahoma and kind of loops around in a big circle - well maybe not a really round circle but I think you get the picture.

AD and I have never gone before. He wanted to this year and this morning we got up and around to go. We didn't get an early start but we weren't really looking for anything in particular, mostly just piddling around. It was about 9:00 when we left the house. Hindsight is always 20/20 and now I wish we would have left at about 8:30.

When we got out at the first house we stopped at a lady had just bought a good-sized box of glass door knobs! She was telling the lady of the house that her day had just been made. I know it would have been for me because I love glass door knobs! Just to sit around. I guess I kind of identify with Bewitched's Aunt Clara in that way.

But that was ok. It was only our first stop and we anticipated finding other treasures. After several more stops it seemed like we might be wasting our time but we continued on.

I might say here that I can't believe how people were parking today! At one house AD pulled off a one lane driveway as best he could so others could get in and get out easily. He got out and headed over to yard sale while I chose to stay in the truck. My thought was I could move the truck if need be. Just about that time, 2 women pull into the driveway (mind you people were trying to drive in and drive out) and they just stopped and straddled the whole drive way! Their front bumper was up against our truck bumper so I couldn't have moved if I'd wanted to and the rest of their car was clear across the driveway totally blocking traffic. In order to get out people had to drive clear around the car and into the yard of the home. I should have taken a picture. Incredible!

On down the road we were just about to turn a corner when I caught sight of this sign but not before AD had turned in the opposite direction. I told him about the sign and he found a place to turn around. I just had a feeling about this barn sale.

We followed some more signs before we got to the barn. I don't know if you can see it very well or not but it's in amongst the trees there.

This lady had BUNCHES of stuff. Among the things for sale were 2 old Singer treadle sewing machines. She said the one with the more ornate carved cabinet was a 1909 model. Oh, my how I would have loved to have bought it but I just flat didn't know where I'd put it. It was in really good condition, so pretty and it was only $75. And it had all the attachments too. I thought that was a really good price but, like I said, I just don't know where I would have put it.

But I did buy this. This wonderful old trunk. I've always wanted one. There was no price on it and the lady told me to make her an offer. I told her I'd rather she give me a price. She said $15! Ok, so now I was interested but I had to make sure the bottom was still good. It was. The top drawer is missing, one of the locks is broke and there's a really worn leather strap but hey, for $15, I went for it.

I know I didn't have room for the sewing machine but I bought the trunk. I hope to get it all cleaned up, put a glass top on it and either use it for a table or maybe in one of our extra bedrooms for extra storage.

Does anyone have any tips to cleaning the trunk up? If so, I'd love to hear from you.

Continuing on our way we came across this flea market. You can't tell it from the photo but there were several tents. Some had really nice things with nice prices, some had junk pretty much. It was probably the best stop of the day but we came away with nothing. Not. One. Thing.

After that it was pretty downhill but we were getting tired and didn't stop at very many more places. Maybe we'll get out again tomorrow morning. It's supposed to be cooler. Surely there's more treasures out there to be found.

Make it a great weekend whatever you do!