Today is the first day of returning to some form of sanity after spending the past four days engulfed in our annual mega garage sale for my special needs group. With outstanding efforts by my two compatriots and myself, plus side help from a few others, we managed to survive ,unscathed, from the ordeal. Don’t get me wrong – I love garage sales but each year as the dates approach for this colossal sale my joints start to ache at the thought of going through mountains of boxes, unpacking loads of various dishes & glasswares, huge piles of clothes, shoes, etc…it is a bit disheartening. The three of us have made an agreement this year that this was THE LAST garage sale, after many in years past. Why, you might ask? Because first, we just don’t have the help we’ve had before, the three of us are all in our ’50’s (with me closely hedging 60) and we’re just ‘plum wore out!’ We’ve decided that next year we’re going to have to come up with another form of fund raiser for our group, with various suggestions being a spaghetti dinner, or some sort of food-related activity. Our group consists of approximately 45 special needs adults, some of who come from group homes. Our parents are getting up in their years (70’s+) and also do not have the energy/stamina to help out in these events, so after all of our efforts, we sadly say “Adieu” to the mega garage sale. Our totals for Day 1 of this event were somewhere in the area of $500, and I’m sure Day 2 did not bring in that large an amount ( we reduced clothing to 25 cents an item). I’m guessing that our totals will be somewhere around $650; all proceeds will go into the General Fund to pay for things like our paper products, plastic wear, pop and snacks, birthday cakes, printing ink & paper for our newsletter, etc. It was a well-spent four days and I gave it my best efforts.
Today begins “Digging Out the House!” I noticed (who could miss it!?) that during the four days I was ‘in absentia’, the total condition of my abode deteriorated to almost “Health Department Quarentine”! Just finished cleaning out the microwave (numerous spills ‘baked’ on, splatters untold, etc.), ‘finding’ the top of the diningroom table under piles of papers, a belt, a pair of socks (remember I live with all guys) and other unusual objects that have no reason to ‘be’ where they were found! The sink is overflowing with dirty dishes, as well as the laundry basket & surrounding floor….oh, this will be a busy day for one Mom…ME! Did I mention that I also need to go grocery shopping as the cupboards are pretty bare? (Just call me “Old Mother Hubbard” for the time being…). It’s going to be a very busy day around here (perhaps spilling into tomorrow, I foretell) just trying to return my house to some semblance of the order I left it in four days ago. I can’t fault my dear husband, though…he called me at the garage sale yesterday while he was at work to ask me approximately when did I think I would be coming home (answer: “Hopefully somewhere around 6/6:30 p.m.) to whit he replied: “Would a Shield’s pizza be in order?” (I need to insert here that Shield’s pizza is at the pinnacle of my favorite pizzas-expensive but ohhh so tasty!) When I dragged my very tired body home at 6:30 there was awaiting my taste buds TWO Shield’s pizzas (one Meat Lover’s and one Veggie…for me), a large Greek salad AND bread sticks with dipping sauce! WOW…he did GOOD!!! (I, of course, showered him with numerous compliments and gratitude for his thoughtfulness). He said: “I’ve seen the work you put into the garage sale and thought you might need a little something ’special’ to help make your day”….WHAT A SWEETIE!!! (there was enough leftovers for dinner tonight, as well!!!).
Well, friends, that’s ‘the way it was AND the way it’s going to be’ for awhile…I survived!
Hugs;
Pammie
Bless your heart and also his for getting through some difficult times. But at least it is over now.