Seeking: Punch bowl for the parsonage

I am not sure when I first came up with the idea that the parsonage needed a punch bowl, but I did. It seemed quite reasonable to me. And when I realized a local consignment store was on its last day of this season's sale -- 75% and 85% off -- I went. I love to poke in Goodwill, consignment stores, antique stores, etc. In fact, my engagement and wedding rings are from a consignment store in Charleston, SC, Joint Ventures (thanks Jenna!). Arriving at the store, I see the clothes were 85% off, and I lucked out finding a polo-style Lilly dress for Kate, along with some striped pants whose top was probably long lost....and a longsleeve green Tshirt for fall. Green is Kate's favorite color. Still. I asked her today, and she confirmed.

But when I found a punch bowl and eight cups, it seemed like divine intervention. A beautiful touch of kharma, especially since the set was priced at $50, but I took it home for $13.50. I briefly wondered how I would host a Christmas Open House at the parsonage with 8 cups. Hmm.

As you may recall, I was rather displeased with the sheets on the twin beds, and all week, I visualized myself waking up early today and sneaking out the door to hit yard sales, to find wash-worn, softer than soft, twin sheets. I daydreamed this scenario all week. So, I did. I woke up around 7 am, started to put on yoga clothes for my 9:30 am class......before I could get fully dressed, I heard "MAH-Muh! Come scratch my back." Uh oh. It was a trap. My four-year-old was about to hijack my beautifully daydreamed and almost realized morning. I told her I would, before I went to yoga*.

*note: small white lie. Kate is my garage sale, yard sale pal. It's how we sometimes waste morning time until her swimming lesson.

And it worked. After our typical goodbye of a kiss-hug-high-five, I made it out the door as she snuggled back down. First stop, Publix ATM. $20. Second stop, Oakfield Road. Nuthin. Third stop, Longbrook Road. Bingo! No cars, so I glanced around the garage until the seller appeared and she was indeed open. I asked her if she had any sheets. "No." Darn. So I perused and found a Mexican blanket (I use these for yoga, and this one will stay at the parsonage. Retail: $7.99 at the Hess truckstop). I found an old iron. My mom used to go to garage sales for old irons. I thought she was crazy. But when I bought a new iron and felt how light it was, I realized my Mom was incredibly wise. Nothing irons better than an old steel iron with the thick black and white (or blue and white) cord. And I also found THIRTY SIX PUNCH BOWL CUPS. I told the seller, Jackie, about parsonage punch bowl idea, and she started packing up the cups. I had a brief moment of worry: I only had $20, so what if she charges me like, well, more, and I have to begin prioritizing among my excellent finds. "How much for the cups?" Pause. Pause......."$5." In addition to these finds, she had a load of Beauti-Control products. My pal Ellen Thames got me onto the BC Sugar Bath Wash, and here for $2 each are a table full of those, the lotion, and other related products. (Retail: roughly $10-15 each). I selected 5 items from this table. Jackie told me her husband and mother died. She's moving, downsizing. Her mom used to live with her. She seemed sad.

Now.......if she'll sell me all of this for $20, I'm set. Her cell phone rings, and it's a friend of her mother's who wants to know about buying a chair, and the little lady is talking through her thought process of how she's going to get to Jackie's house to buy it for $15. Jackie says, "Yes ma'am, well you just get on over here...I've got to talk to someone right now, so I've got to go." Her face spoke of untold irritation over this phone call, but her words where kind and mannerly. So, we rehashed the price of the cups, tallied my beauty items, and I said, "will you take $5 for the blanket and the iron?" I liked hearing myself sound like a garage/yard saler. They say things like that. And so she did.

Fourth stop: Publix ATM. $20. Fifth stop: Sunnyside Road. Nothing there except one bag of full size sheets, $2. Sold. I do not know if the double bed has itchy sheets or not, but I am not taking any chances.