Day 254 Katoomba Saturday 16th February 2013

Hi All,
  
Garage sale day in Katoomba. There were 7 garage sales advertised including Emily’s, which was advertised to start at 9:00. True to form the dealers were around by the car load at 8:00. I took on the task of telling them, politely but firmly that we weren’t starting until 9:00. There was one “gentleman” on his third visit before 8:45 who became a little unpleasant, intimating he should be given priority to rummage through the wares. Thankfully he didn’t return after the third refusal. I think these people are so driven to get a bargain that they no longer have good manners, or perhaps it is a deliberate nuisance ploy to catch one off guard during the set up activity so that you sell at a lower than planned price just to get rid of them. My malicious side played a mental scenario where the “gentleman” was in his second hand shop and was just going home at 5:25 and I wouldn’t leave, deliberately taking my time and an alternate scenario of knocking loudly on the shop window before opening time demanding to be let in. Of course I would never do such a thing, and neither would most people, so why is such behaviour obvious at garage sales? My dad has run plenty of garage sales, I shall have to ask him what his experience has been. Simon reckons you don’t advertise the street address (he has had similar experiences) and advertise “signs out at 9:00” to dissuade the dealers.

I continued painting and Simon puttyed the windows, we will not be able to paint the putty before we leave, it is the old fashioned linseed type which needs 2-4 weeks to cure. The rain came down again mid afternoon, but we were prepared with a tarp to cover the back wall which I had repainted after the previous washaway.

 

The garage sale was quite successful but not every thing was sold. There was a steady flow of lookers and many arrived after the closing time, due to the fact that we had forgotten to retrieve the street signs. There was one interesting character a 70’s year old fellow who could talk, and cornered Chris and chatted for about 4 hours. Some of the conversation snippets fascinating, but I am sure he didn’t draw breath, changing from one topic to another seamlessly.

Simon tinkered with the battery controller, which apparently has a fault and will have to be returned, Monday is starting to look busy. I actually got around to doing some of my cross stitch as the late afternoon light was just perfect complimenting my ever more feeble eyesight.

Night All

Susan

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