The Thrill of the Hunt

Growing up in Seaboard in the 60s and 70s, no one had yardsales. Or garage sales (not many garages!) or tag sales. They were strictly big city, like MacDonald’s, shopping malls and swimming pools.  They sounded like fun but who knew? Besides, did we really want or need anyone’s castoffs? 

As a young woman in Durham I found myself in a leadership position with the United Methodist Women where I was introduced to the wonderful world of yardsaling. Once a year, we solicited donations and plopped them right in front of the sanctuary during the community yard sale and then watched the quarters, dimes and nickels roll in. I learned about pricing, haggling and early birds. When it came time for our second yardsale, I invited the parents thinking this might be fun for them. 

Dad was all in! He was hooked from his first perusal of boxes and baskets and kitchen ware and trinkets. Anything was possible: finding tools, kitchen wares, tools, fabric, tools, old toasters, typewriters or tools.  For my VERY financially conservative father, part of the thrill was that he could buy ANYTHING he wanted; it was ALL within his budget. Guilt free shopping. And the chance for tools.  Pretty soon he and Mom were making regular pilgrimages to Durham to yardsale with me. 

Mom however had to be wooed. She minced around the first few yardsales and in fact WAITED IN THE CAR for most. Obviously sifting through other’s personal and used belongings was beneath her. I took items to the car to try to win her over and she would regally nod yes or no. 

At one Chapel Hill yardsale Dad and I spilled out of the car onto the vast front lawn of a genteel house. It was yardsale heaven. In particular I found a 1940s deck of playing cards with models of the world. These cards were bedecked with nude beauties holding strategically placed items representing their country of origin. For example a plate of spaghetti over the naughty bits adored lovely Italy and wearing a red, white and blue tophat ONLY was gorgeous Miss USA! And a steal for only 50 cents!!!  I showed them to Dad and he added them to his stack of stuff and bought them for me, probably shelling out 3 or 4 dollars total. As you might imagine Mom was HORRIFIED at the nudie cards and even more HORRIFIED that my father had unabashedly purchased them for me. Had we no shame? I was thrilled and continue to hold this purchase as the bar to which all yard sales are measured! 

Finally my mother came round. It was the books that did it. She finally realized that books were one of the universal items to be found at yardsales (along with mugs, frayed baskets and acid washed jeans.)   She scoured stacks for children’s books, old books, bestsellers, any and all books. 

Eventually Mom and Dad bought maps of nearby Roanoke Rapids, purchased the Friday papers and mapped out yardsales for the next morning. They prioritized based on the juiciness of the ad copy and neighborhood. And they set off before dawn. Yes, my parents had turned into Early Birds. 

Their skills grew as Dad eventually learned to haggle and especially enjoyed the “what would you take for the whole box?” strategy. He was happiest when he returned home and sorted through his prizes. My sister got into the game as well and found scads of things for her grandchildren. 

Dad checks out the yardsale setup at Seaboard UMC in 2005.

Mom and Dad loved playing this little game - a 2005 yardsale find! 

Yardsaling became a way of life for us. I went with my Durham girlfriends and my family regularly and my boys suffered from an overabundance of books, games and puzzles. But I enjoyed every minute of it and they may not admit it, but they enjoyed the spoils as well. 
These days yardsaling is not easy for my mom. She can’t walk very far with her “push buggy” and wheelchairs are tough to maneuver in yards or drive ways. So as you’ve read in these pages we’ve converted our hunts to thrift stores and flea markets. 


Sunday brought us the opportunity to do both kinds of hunting. We attending the TROSA yardsale at the State Fair Grounds and the Flea Market. It was only a touch warm, sunny and beautiful! We didn’t find much at the yardsale, but of course managed to snag a few books including another battered copy of Clyde Edgerton’s Raney. (I always buy and give away any of these I find – one of my favorite books! )

 Mama at the TROSA Yardsale 8/4/13

And once we wrapped up the yardsale, Nat’s girlfriend Lilly joined us and we trailed up and down the aisles indoors and out to find the perfect going away gift for Zack’s departure for Berkely. The yardsale gods and goddesses shined on us. Here it is!  

Zack's Going Away Gift 

This little vintage ceramic monkey will be on his way to the great state of California. I didn’t buy him at first, but  more I thought about him the more I had to have him! I was relieved to find he was still waiting for me. The owner was taking down his stand, but the little monkey was still there and priced at $16.50. I offered $10.00, the owner counter offered $12.00 and we both ended up happy.  Dad would be so proud! 

I was not sure what this jaunty little monkey was really for (soap dish?), but I came home and found him pretty quickly online.He is a man’s caddy – you put change/cufflinks in the bowl, hang your watch on his arm, and tuck your wallet into the slot on the side. Obviously it is what every young man needs! Zack didn’t know he needed one, but is relieved, I’m sure, to have it. 

So gather your  (ceramic or dusty artifical ) rosebuds while you may! If its nice this weekend, fill your pockets with quarters, hit the road, keep a keen eye out for yardsale signs and find what you never even knew you needed! After all, it's the thrill of the hunt...