The Ellis-Downing Yard Sale Extravaganza

After much careful planning, the long anticipated Ellis-Downing Yard Sale Extravaganza has come to a close. Okay, so there wasn't much careful planning. It went more like this:
Erin: What do you think about having a garage sale next weekend?
David: (long, long pause) I can't come up with a good reason why not, so I guess we can.
This concluded the planning phase. Next came spending a very hot fourth of July dragging things from the attic and from storage. When we moved a year and a half ago, I packed boxes full of stuff and labeled them "garage sale." I brought that with me from my old house! Crazy!
So yesterday morning before 6 a.m., we drug all of the treasures from the garage into the driveway. Between 7 and 10, there was hardly a time when we didn't have several customers. We met some of our neighbors and several complete wackos. And I sold my first piece of original art! I'd put $0.50 on in thinking that maybe someone could paint over and use it as a blank canvas. Later in the afternoon, when we were down to very little, a college-age guy and his girlfriend stopped. I was so excited when they picked up the giant pink and black, uh, thing. And asked who made it! And bought it! I signed my initials at the corner for him. My first sale!


My mom and dad came by bringing us yummy salsa and chips. I tried to sell my dad an old screen door that he has moved numerous times, but it didn't work. I did sell it though - very late in the afternoon for a great price. And threw in a free windsock!


A cooler full of Land Shark beer and mojitos eventually beckoned our friends like some sort of snake charmer. By the time we began to put away the few leftovers, they were ready to try on a few black shirts that I quit wearing because they're too small. Don't they look great!? Drew kept us entertained most of the afternoon with water and naked baby antics.
Here's Todd and me modeling some of the leftovers. No one was interested in a foam flamingo or crab hat?! What is wrong with people?
Despite how it looks here, Kevin and Todd stayed around to help us clean up for which we are very grateful!Tuley stayed out with us all day and was great help. And by great help, I just mean that he didn't wrap his leash around a table and knock it over. As you can see, the effort has left him exhausted!
I'm not sure why Henrietta is so tired, but maybe she is just glad that we're not opening and closing the door so she can get some rest! We feel a little like the animals today and are sure glad to be able to cross 'yard sale' off the to-do list!