Tag: tag sale

I’m not sure it’s possible to express how tired I am… how tired we are. It’s 9:25 PM. Helaine went to bed around 8!

Doppler, who spent the day being praised and petted by strangers, is bushed too. She is currently in a state of suspended animation on the sofa to my right.

Tag sale day. Yikes!

The sale was to begin at 9:00 AM. My wake-up was at 4:40 AM when Helaine discovered the lawn sprinklers had fired. Uh oh.

Luckily, few things were hit or hurt. Still, who expects to be awakened for that? I went back to bed after assessing the situation with Helaine, but that kind of sleep is not the same.

Helaine, joined by next door neighbor Margie and friend (and Bentley’s mommy) Cheryl, were out before the official start time. The early bird predictions many of you made were for naught. There were a few before 9:00 AM, but no onslaught.

The first sale went to across-the-street neighbor, Joe.

I ambled out a few minutes after nine, cup of coffee in hand, as if I was an observer. That attitude quickly faded. From then until well after noon there was a steady rush of pickers.

We sold a lot, not everything. Much is being donated to a variety of charities. The rest hit the dumpster.

Helaine and I found that part therapeutic. It’s part of letting go. Twenty three years in this house. We have to let go!

Helaine rented fifteen industrial strength tables for the tag sale items. She’s very smart. Of course, it also meant 15 tables to knock down and carry at the end of the day.

Actually, most of what I remember from today has to do with carrying. That’s why I’m so physically spent.

It was great to meet those of you who came to say hello. I was touched by your kind words and how you remembered specific times I was part of your life.

People came with dogs. We love dogs. A majority of the dogs were small. Many resembled Doppler!

Every tag sale is different. This one was to save things we like, but can no longer use, and find them new homes. The money (as our prices reflected) was secondary.

In that regard… in all regards, the sale was a major success.

Our garage has been purged. Another step on-the-way to Tuesday’s move.

Thanks to Tom Powers for all the photos.

From the no good deed goes unpunished file…

With a few days left before we drive off into the sunset, Helaine decided a tag sale was in order. As I’ve found out, we’ve accrued a boatload of stuff!

By 6:00 PM everything was out on the driveway, neatly displayed on the 15 tables Helaine rented.

Then came the text message. Rain on the radar! Seriously, Mother Nature? I thought we were friends.

Within a few minutes EVERYTHING was back in the garage.

We did get a little rain. Not much. It didn’t make any difference. Any rain was too much.

It’s all back outside now. We’re ready for our 9:00 AM kickoff.

My back will never be the same.

The house looks like a bomb went off! Stuff is everywhere. We quickly realized an interim step in packing is, “Holy crap what a mess!”

Parts of tonight’s dinner were served on Barbie paper plates. Does that give you an idea?

We’re moving with no furniture. Most is staying with the house.

What to do with the rest? We have a veritable lost and found after 23 years in this place.

Helaine has organized a tag sale for Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We’re selling household goods, lots of ties and some odds and ends of furniture. We even took out an ad on Craigslist.

I’ll admit it. It’s weird for me, someone who’s been in the public eye for decades, to mention our tag sale online. It seems the right thing to do.

I suspect some of you might come to say hi (no goodbyes, please). That’s fine. There’s no obligation to buy.

I have no idea how many people will come. In case there is a crowd, I ask you please be respectful of my neighbors and neighborhood.

See you Saturday. The weather will cooperate!