On a fairly regular basis, Andra and our neighbor Anna play yard sale.  This consists of them dragging all kinds of things out into the yard to "sell".  We live on a dirt road, where 5 families live.  Not yard sale nirvana.

So I told Anna's mom if she would give me Anna for a couple days I would get the yard sale disease out of their system.  I think I succeeded.

This weekend we held an estate sale at Dad's house, after weeks of preparation.  Phil and I went through his Grandpa's, his father's and his mother's stuff as well, so it was really all the dead people we know's stuff.  I realize this sounds irreverent, but really, we are weary of the grief and have had to acknowledge that things aren't special just because someone dead owned them - we can't keep it all.  I have take to saying that at least 20 times a day to the girls - "We just can't keep it all."  And we don't want to anymore.

My sister Julie came down, and we tagged and arranged for hours in preparation.  I dreamed of the early birds, but none came.  The first wave came around 8, and it was pretty steady all day Saturday, and less steady Sunday. 

Our favorite shoppers?  The 3 teenagers who bought the Tai Chi practice sword, so I threw in a Tai Chi sweatshirt with purchase - they were ecstatic and sweet.  The engineer and his wife who stayed for an hour and bought the fantastic vintage office supplies, and several other engineer things we didn't understand.  The other engineer and his wife who stayed for an hour and bought the fountain and the fleece booties we couldn't figure out a purpose for - they admitted they use different names wherever they go so we named them several times during their stay.

Our least favorites?  The really annoying visitors from the South who kept pushing Julie down on all the dishes and pots and pans until she raised her voice - NO!  Let's be fair!  The person who stole the camera (we don't know who you are but you will be punished), and last, but not least, the lady who brought up 10 NY Times bestsellers - hardbacks and paperbacks - and almost required medical attention when we suggested she pay $2 for the whole lot.  $2!  She put half back because it must have been out of her price range.

It was an experience, and one I hope never to repeat again.  To steal from popular culture:

Yard sale value of Tai Chi Sword - $5
Yard sale value of motorcycle helmet - $7
Yard sale value of Grace's Barbie - $2
Breaking Andra and Anna of yard sales?  Priceless.