This morning was gloriously cool and bright in Atlanta–perfect fall junking weather. Posse member Jinxie and I headed out to a very promising “Meemaw” estate sale in nearby Virginia-Highlands. What is a “Meemaw” sale? It’s the real-deal old-lady kind of sale–where nothing has been replaced (or cleaned!) in decades. You know you’ve hit a Meemaw sale when you see either a walker, bedpan or potty-chair on the front porch. Today’s sale had walkers AND bedpans, so that was promising.
It was a sweet little duplex and by leaving at 7:30 a.m. (and driving past all those annoying health-nut runners) we were there when they opened at 8. Meemaw sales are growing increasingly rare around here, much to my sadness. What did I get? A couple of ribbed-glass aluminum-lidded Hoosier cupboard jars (my most expensive purchase), a couple of gigantic gallon glass jars (for some kind of Halloween display in booth at Seaside Sisters) and my favorite item of the day, a complete stack of four nesting Pyrex Butterprint batter bowls–plus an additional fifth bowl. Also a cute pelican planter and a way cool vintage Black Flag pump-style bug sprayer. The bug sprayer will look great in my Halloween display at the shop. And a little green wood-handled sugar scoop.
One of the bedrooms had been designated the crafts graveyard. Sewing supplies, knitting supplies, plastic funeral arrangements, a nifty sewing machine and cabinet full of thread and accessories. A sign on the door said every object was $1. Seriously? I found a plastic box full of two different kinds of completed quilt squares. There were 31 completed Vogue-Art cross-stitch squares and 37 of the sunflower appliqued squares. I may just have to try and list these on Etsy or eBay. Score! A big bag full of knitting needles, crochet hooks and yarn. Double score. Do I knit or crochet? Well, no, but I have friends who do, and for a buck a bag, I couldn’t not get them. I also picked up a plaid wool stadium blanket which will be a great addition to the red/green/plaid/fall/camping theme I’mm planning for my booth.
Then we got to the basement. The basement at a Meemaw sale can be very scary. I myself have spotted rat skeletons and unknown vermin poop, not to mention toxic levels of mold, mildew and rot many times in basements.At one Meemaw sale earlier this summer we noticed they had at least a dozen aquariums lined up on wooden benches. With gravel in the aquariums. It gave me a bad feeling and I could not have gotten out of there fast enough. Upstairs, I asked Vicki, the dealer running the show—if the aquariums had been for snakes. “Um, maybe?” Yeah, I was mouth-breathing the whole time! This basement wasn’t so bad. Jinxie pointed out a gigantic galvanized tub with chippy red paint. We got the price–which was less than a Happy Meal, and of course I had to get it.
After we paid and went on to another sale–at a ritzy condo in Buckhead where you had to be escorted in and out of the locked building–I realized I’d left my horse trough behind. Back we went, and fortunately, it was still there. All in all, a fabulous fall day of junking. Made better when I did a little research and found that the Pyrex nesting bowls book for between $50-$75. Yay, me!
And before you ask–TFB (the friggin’ book) isn’t done. Yet. But it will be, this week.
Ok… I hate snakes… I mean REALLY. HATE. SNAKES. Just reading that part gave me the creeps this morning! I don’t know if I could’ve gotten out of that basement fast enough! :-0 I love your description of the MeeMaw sales with the walkers and potty chairs… Around here that usually means it’s the family running the sale and not an estate sale company — so the prices are WAY BETTER!! You seriously got the horse trough for less than a Happy Meal?? Wow….. there are a TON of things you can do with those things! That was probably your best buy of the day!! And lucky for you they were honest and it was still there waiting on you when you went back. 🙂