How to survive a garage sale with your husband.

Okay, this is kind of misleading and you're probably thinking that I have all sorts of examples of why you shouldn't go to the 'mother of all garage sales" with your husband, but no I strongly advise you take him...There are many reason like the conversation along the way, the small knowing jokes you both share....okay, who am I kidding, he's really great at carrying all the heavy stuff and doesn't seem to mind, AND, when the bags get too heavy he treks back to your car to drop it off and gets new empty bags to start over again. I know, it brings a tear to your eye. Garage sale 101, made easy. Also I discovered a gem smack-dab in the middle of the sale. I cannot divulge the name of the school because well I'm not giving it up, but let's just say that's it's been a pain in the arse (yes, I'm Canadian) looking for a bathroom each and every year when I go to the sale. You have to go into a restaurant and hope they'll let you use their washroom, and this can be inconvenient when you are not around one...so in the past, I usually went into one of the churches, but by the time you get in there, there is a line-up and NO toilet paper. So the genius of the school I discovered is they have a donation jar and I believe this alone keeps out the delinquent scallywags that use up all the toilet paper and throw garbage on the ground, and let's face it sometimes have difficulty getting their bodily fluids into the toilet! So this donation loo has volunterers stocking it all day and it's a beautiful thing, I gave them three donations to be honest, kept going back. Six hours into it and this bathroom is still stocked and clean!! If you're a girl you know the importance of a clean available washroom....I'll be back next year, don't you worry. It's my new loo away from loo ♥ If you're really nice to me, I may tell you where it is. The garage sale I'm talking about is the annual Glebe neighbourhood sale where all of Ottawa descends on the Glebe. We're talking all of Ottawa, their dogs, babies, puppies, birds(I took a picture of a beautiful parrot )although I can't see the reason to bring strollers and young toddlers, when those Glebe streets get so congested it would be one stressful day just keeping track of the little ones.
My husband enjoyed it, , and he was a great Glebe garage sale virgin(geez, someone has to break him in), but I think he's a convert now. We got down there at 7:15 am, found my favourite parking spot,  and were going, going, going for 6 to 7 hrs (two energizer bunnies). Well, we had to have one beer break (twist my arm) and then got our asses back out there on the street. We were hard-core, it was the best. This is one of my favourite days of the year, why you ask? Well how many time can you go shopping and spend $2, $3. and $4. for each purchase and the negotiation is the fun part. Come on, everyone know that most items are overpriced to compensate for the haggling that's going to happen. We all try to get a better price!! The most we spent was $30 (yikes) for hubby's golf clubs...it was a good deal.
My garage sale pet peeve are those people who won't haggle(a rarity), or the ones who have things that are over-priced. I don't care lady that you spent $400. on your boots, and think $175. seems a fair price. You don't get the philosophy of the garge sale. It's someone else's used items or garbage(so to speak), so I'm not spending over $10 for a clothes item, it's USED for crying out loud!!
My favourite quote and this is not a lie was two fellows walking by a seller of duvets and there was a sign, "Touch me, I'm super soft". One guy didn't miss a beat, he looked at his friend (or hmmm, maybe more than friend) and said "I have that Tattooed on my behind" His friend laughed and said " Better than having it tattooed lower than your belly button. A hardy laugh was had by all. What did he mean though??  :D
I'll be there on the mean streets of the Glebe next year. Hope to see you there...we'll high five in our loo, okay?

Con ♥
* Here's a friend I met at the garage sale.