Auction Fun

Ken enjoys an auction.  I enjoy digging through all the "treasures".  Last week's sale, the older couple was selling everything to live in their 5th wheel traveling.  First--Ken bought me 3 large plastic garbage cans for $2.50.  You never have enough of those big plastic garbage cans.  I bought an office chair for $30.  We stood while they sold trailers full of household goods.  Furniture.  Tools.  Some of the last items to sell were the appliances.  This couple had bought all new appliances not long ago.  We bought the kitchen stove.

My old stove had some issues.  $$$ issues.  I had been pricing new stoves.  But, this one was only $190.  Yes, a brand new one exactly like I wanted would have been nice.  But, I try to live by the phrase "is it a want or a need??"  This stove works great.  Looks new.  Has every option I would use.  Yes, I wanted a stove with five burners.  But--there are TWO of us!  The old stove went in the basement--it is wired for one down there too.  I'm happy.  

Last item to sell was a pickup.  Alycia--we did get another truck.  This is a 1999 Ford 350.  Basic truck.  No 4 wheel drive. 

Was it a wise buy?  We'll see.  It wasn't that expensive.  We wanted a heavier/more powerful truck to pull our camper and horse trailer.  We have two other 4 wheel drive pickups.  It's a ton truck, automatic with overdrive (I can shift just fine, but it makes my shoulder sore) and the air conditioner works great.  Will have our mechanic check it over, and have the ball and fifth wheel hitches put in.  Yes, I would have loved a new 350 diesel dually crew cab with 4 wheel drive.  But, it's those "wants vrs needs" again!

The other thing I got at the sale was a bad sunburn.  My shoulders, a bit of my neck and my nose.  The 2nd and 3rd layers are peeling.  It's not very sore anymore, but the skin is stiff and brown.  Yes, I forgot the sunscreen and I'm paying for it.  Ken was in the sun much more than I was.  He didn't even get pink.  

I did sew a bit last night.  Josh--I mended your pants.  Josh is a summer National Park Ranger who works sometimes where I volunteer.  Two pairs of his pants had holes/seam rips right below the fly.  Josh does not sew.  He is a bachelor and his mother and girlfriend do not live near him.  First--he tried to STAPLE it shut.  Uhhh-Josh--I don't think that's a good idea.  Then he tried to hand sew it.  Nah--didn't work.  

 

These pants are well worn.   The fabric is missing in places.  I used a zigzag that makes little stitches from side to side in the zigzag.  The thread matches very well, the pants are dark olive green.   I'm satisfied.  Josh will be happy he has two more pants to wear without a hole.

Tomorrow I am meeting a good friend in Sioux Falls.  I have a few items to pick up, Ken is going along.  I need some fabric!  Yes, a need!  I am participating in a group swap.  The color they chose was red.  I have very little red.  Not enough to make blocks to swap.  Its a controlled color swap (so not me, but that's OK!).  Only red and white.  Now, if they had choose green...........!