What Made Me Think of This Story?

Something about this time of year makes me really eager for warmer weather and the antique events that accompany it.  Nobody has auctions outside this time of year. I am not eager to sit in my cold car waiting for an estate sale to open.  There are no outside markets or sales venues--so what is left?  A midwinter antique show or two.

This past weekend--Husbola and I were set up at an antique show--and as is always the case--there are ebbs and flows in the crowd and sales.  It was during one of these ebbs that I started thinking about my antiquing beginnings--and one particular event--about 40 years ago.

Antique auctions were a several times a summer past time while vacationing as a child in central Wisconsin.  My Grandma in particular loved to go to a good farm auction--and she would buy things to use in the cottage--she was not selling them on.

One particular August, several family members and I attended a huge estate auction.  One of those auctions that I would give my eye teeth to freeze in time and attend that same auction today.  The treasures that were not evident to a young 11 year old--that would be candy to this 51 year old today.  I remember seeing a huge mayonnaise jar filled to the brim with marbles.  Grandma bid on that jar for me--but it went too high for her at 5 dollars.  So instead--I got a huge mayonnaise jar of crayons.  I think it was a dollar.

My grandma and mother were both interested in a singer treadle sewing machine.  It was a fabulous example in a wooden case--and the machine was beautifully painted and it was a in super condition.  In addition--this was when the craze of copper wash boilers and milk cans were also big--there was one of each of those.  So we all waited patiently for these items of interest to come up for bid.

All of a sudden--there was a huge crash on the street next to  the farm yard.  Many people started running to the road to see what the commotion was.  A woman's car had run out of control and crashed headlong into a parked car.  My dad was one of the people who ran to the noise to see what had happened.  Just as quickly he was running back to us to inform us that the car that was "run into" was ours.

OH NO!! said we women as we all ran to the car to survey the damage.  Now what?  How will we get home?  How will dad be able to get back to the city to his job tomorrow?  Do they even have tow trucks in this part of the country?

"Wait," says Grandma. "Is the auction still going on?  "All the crowd is down here, looking at your Daddy's car," she added. "There is no one up there to bid--quick--let's GO!"

Grandma grabbed me and grabbed my mother--and off we ran --AWAY from the wreck, back to the auction site.

I bet you can figure out the rest of the story.  Copper wash tub--$3.00.  Milk Can-$1.00.  Sewing Machine-$6.00.  Car repairs?  Who knows.  It was a great day.