Yard Sale Treasures

(Photo by Mike Hall)

Patty Hall smiles after getting back home with the groceries recently.

Yard Sale Treasures 

Normally, with temperatures reaching to get up to freezing, the concept of yard sales would be, to put it one way- frozen- in most places.  Patty and I have found three moving sales and one church sale - all indoors for the most part- in Zionsville, a community northwest of Indianapolis.

We have been pleasantly surprised at what we found and bought.  Most recently we have brought home a name-brand reversible belt that fits me after the holidays, and new name-brand tie for work, a bargain on earrings for Patty, a mini-sandwich maker (for 50 cents),  a new lace old-fashioned table cloth that work well with the Old West theme of our apartment, a wooden snowman accessory kit with a heart and corn-cob pipe (just add snow), a few cool music cassettes that may make it to my computer (with my conversion kit), and a mini-emergency flashlight with three kinds of lights (batteries not included).

For $8, I bought a new digital compact camera case with a HP Photosmart M525, made in 2009.  First introduced in 2006, I read on the Internet the camera was a good basic compact camera that originally sold for $104.  Amazon had two new of the discontinued items for $292 each (at the time of this writing).  Even though the built-in lens cover didn’t close when shut off, the one I got worked well otherwise.   Look at the photo of Patty I took just after I brought in the groceries.  This camera was a good deal for the price, and even though I have five other digital cameras, I took a chance.  That’s the fun of it.

Sometimes the electronic sales from yard sales are not so good, and blogs on the topic suggest not buying electronic devices. I say just don’t go crazy.  I once got a complete Pentax K-1000 film camera outfit with bag, three lenses and flash for $50. I still have it.  That camera bag was used for another camera set-up I have, and the Pentax system is now in another large camera bag I got that same weekend.

One thing about going to yard sales, even when it’s 25 degrees outside, is the thrill of finding different locations.  You learn things about other places.  By going to the historic town of Zionsville, we discovered a great restaurant , The Carolina Grill, in Zionsville that serves real fried chicken the way Patty likes it, and a local coffeehouse, The Eagle Creek Coffee Company, along Main Street, not a franchise, that was the place to be on a Saturday afternoon.  By checking the newspaper for places to go, filling up the gas tank, and filling the wallet with a few bucks, the rewards can be amazing.  We often contribute to Goodwill, as we did this weekend, before going on to our  adventures, so what we don’t want any more is someone else’s treasure.   It’s all a matter of balance. Happy hunting.
Click on the name Patty Hall or her photo for a biography of her.

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