Best-ever yard sale score

One of my very favorite past-times is searching for treasure. Whether in obscure flea markets and consignment shops or local antique haunts (and even Goodwill on occasion; OK, RARE occasion), I get a thrill out of what might be discovered.

With Ricky on call today, I knew I'd have to wake Sarah Clay up early to 'drag' her with me. She's not as fond of yard sales, or ANY sales, for that matter. So, I waited until 7:30 and then woke her up with a back scratch and promise of a yummy doughnut from a coffee shop.

45 minutes later, she's happily spreading cream cheese on a bagel (no doughnut, but a minor catastrophe averted with the bagel offering), and I'm sipping a cup of House Blend. Sitting out front of The Daily Grind, we met a great couple with a sweet rescue dog named Sadie. We chatted a bit and they told me all about the coffee shop and its owner, the local artist whose paintings hang about the place, and the daily 'breakfast club' they enjoy. Soon enough, another fella joined them and it happened to be Trevor Dickerson, Short Pump connoisseur and Twitter friend. Before leaving, the 'breakfast club' even gave us a tip about another member's yard sale going on just up the street.

The day's booty was quite small. Total spent: .25 cents. On what? A paperback 2nd/3rd grader reading book about the legends of Bigfoot, Yeti, and the Loch Ness Monster. Just to be clear, I do ADORE shopping for treasure. However, I am also EASILY creeped out by what I see. Some things that wig me out include: dirty toys (vintage or not), clowns, wizards, and fairies. There are others too, I assure you.

So what's the best-ever score at a yard sale? No doubt, my church pew. A couple of years ago on an unsuspecting Saturday morning, I stumbled upon an unmarked yard sale where a cute young couple was selling a few modest goods. Immediately spotting the bench, I braced myself for the response as I quietly inquired about the price. I had seen these things go for hundreds in local antique shops. The young girl looked shyly at her husband and then back at me: "Um.... $25?" she said hesitantly. "SOLD!"

My mother still thinks the pew is a bit nuts, and she laughed out loud when I brought it home that day (she was visiting us) and proudly exclaimed that I had "always wanted a church pew!"

According to the couple, the pew came out of a little church in Williamsburg, Virginia. The couple kept the pew outside, and it weathered quickly. And while I've thought about having it redone, it's really the aged look and beautiful gray patina that speak to me. It feels good too to simply have it in our house.