Friday morning and I've hit the Mennonite Thrift Shop - a few small treasures and then I discover a huge church pew, curved, perhaps 8 feet in length, $75.00.
I want it, it's a bargain, it won't be here long, but try as I might I can't find a place for it in my head. Not the living room, the office, the kitchen, the bedroom, it will have to stay.
It's perfect, 8 feet in width, curved, it's exactly what I wasn't looking for it. I exercise some great restraint and leave it.
***
Saturday morning and I'm up - as always - far too early, there's an early sale down in Hillhurst, then a parade in Kensington. And driving down 20th Avenue, early, I'm the only one, clouds and street grey with impending rain, what do I see but a Superhero, sparkly cape and tight lycra leggins, perhaps 15, 16 years old, jogging down the street.
An omen, but I'm not sure what for.
The first sale in Hillhurst, there's a small group of dealers waiting for it to open. It's now past 8:00 and one of the dealers has been persistently calling the host of the garage sale for the past 10 minutes, eager to get in and then on with business. It's beginning to sprinkle rain.
I decide not to wait. Whoever is holding the sale won't be in a good temper when they wake up and have to answer the phone to be told they're late for their own garage sale.
Kensington, and by now it's pouring, and I drive about the neighborhood but there's only one garage sale, all the wares covered in plastic tarps. A wireless phone, soaking wet, 25 cents. "25 Cents? Does it work?" I ask and the organizers laugh from the relatively dry safety of their porch.
There will be no sales in Kensington today, there are no garages, only front lawns, and with the rain they'll cancel, and the rain - abundant, heavy, has me thinking of calling it an early day as well. But I persist - the greatest treasures will be had if only because nobody will be out searching....
9:00 and I'm at the St. Edmund's sale, plastic tarps, cold trailers and church cellars, nothing.
From here on to Tuscany - a neighborhood I'd usually give a miss to, but they have garages and so fewer of their sales will be cancelled.
And in Tuscany business is flourishing, there are loads of cars on the street, people driving, my windows keep fogging up and I roll them down to drive by slowly and see what treasures are on offer.
Exactly what I would have guessed. Last years catalog treasures, Chintz & Co, the "Out of Fashion" decor items, one person - from the abundance of cards and cheap new stationary - used to run a gift shop (there must be great money in gift shops if they can afford to live in Tuscany), nothing, 1 dozen, 2 dozen sales, not a single thing.
Eventually I find a Bass Guitar, Fender, in case with cable for amp, asking $50.00, I offer $40.00.
And that's the day.
Returning home, close to 12:00 and I've held my pee all morning - dancing on the street, pinching it in the car, the net haul for the 6:00 AM morning wake up 3 plant pots (I need dirt) and a bass guitar for the boy.
Next week, now, next week there will be something...