That's What She Said: #2 Yer Mom

If, like me, any of you are lucky enough to have had the kind of friendship which spans decades, you've likely probably experienced another related phenomenon. That phenomenon is the one in which their parent becomes your parent, too. You probably had a nickname for that parent, like NeeNee (stolen from her nephew when he was a little kid). That parent probably was allowed to call you a nickname which few others have been able to call you and live to tell the tale (don't even try it). That other parent probably knows all your favorite foods, your exes, all your crazy habits, has been the primary videographer of your Ann and Sarah TV show,  and maybe knows the theme song (that's right, there was a theme song). And maybe now she's getting to be featured in the second of a dueling-blogs series by her actual daughter and you, her daughter-in-spirit.

If you had a second mom like this, you'll understand how excited I was to have her join us on this week's saling adventure! If you didn't have one, my deepest sympathies.

We've had some iffy weather this spring (and by iffy, I mean I wouldn't be surprised to see an ark loaded up with some animals floating by at any moment), so while some neighborhood sales were on the agenda, we were relieved to get to the first bunch and have (temporarily) dry skies. 

Most people were smart enough to have a garage handy, regardless.

I found this at the second sale in the cul-de-sac that we went to. I can't begin to describe my excitement. If you aren't familiar with this, it's a rhythm instrument made out of a hollowed-out gourd called a shekere. These are tremendous, if you happen to be  a choir teacher who happens to be obsessed with making your choir sing African pieces. I had the school purchase a djembe last year and it got used a lot this year, and now this will be joining it! Super exciting! Especially since I got it for FIFTY CENTS! I am 100% sure that both Sarah and Neens really enjoyed me rattling it enthusiastically in the car afterwards.

I didn't get these, but what a fun pattern!

Everything's better when there are dogs! This guy's shirt says "Mommy's Firecracker". Amazing.

This goes in the category invented by Sarah's husband called "Ann Could Make This". I totally could. And quickly, honestly. I can't believe a store sells them!

Took a picture of him just because. Can you blame me?

For 50 cents, you could have all the fun of taking your actual money and folding it up and throwing it away. Literally. Why would anyone do this???

The next thing on our agenda was an estate sale. Now, there was nothing in the pictures of this sale that got me very excited, but there were plant pots and crazy vase-type-things that NeeNee and our friend Heather (who was shopping vicariously through Sarah) were ALL excited about, so we got there in time to get numbers.

Please note the manicures that Sarah gave NeeNee and me, because they are summer incarnate, and ridiculously adorable. Be jealous.

Considering that we pulled up with only about 10 minutes until the start of the sale, not bad! And they actually started close to on time (something this company is not known for, which drives Sarah absolutely batty) and we all got in pretty much right away. Thank goodness, because it was starting to rain. Again.

There wasn't anything I was super-duper excited about at this sale (aside from getting to watch NeeNee dork out over plant holders), so I dug through the jewelry and then happily wandered around, taking pictures of the most ridiculous/awesome stuff.

It's like a dog head tilt, only little boys.

 Buckets...

....and buckets of shells!

All the salt and pepper shakers in the entire universe.

So many vases they were arranged in rainbow colors!

Gingerbread man scissors, anybody? I'm assuming it's impossible to do Christmas crafting with regular scissors.

4 little duckies, all in a row!

Strawberry... cookie jar, maybe? (I'm being told it is perhaps for jam.)

If I'd only had an 8-track player, I would have been ALL set!

"You're right. You're not worthy."

7 Christmas-tree piggy banks! More on these later.

I found a little vase version of this last summer at a Buffalo Salvo and took a picture and sent it off with the caption "I think someone will want this, right?" It turned out to be our friend Heather. She sent Sarah to this sale with instructions to buy another vase chick, and I found the matching lamp! Apparently these are very popular!

Marionette with maracas...

And actual maracas! I bought these, because a) I was already feeling the rhythm instruments that day (see above) and b) when I ordered some for school through my local music store, what they sent me were these ugly plastic yellow ones that not only offended me by their hideousness, but were WAY too loud for a choir. So now I have pretty ones that make noise at an appropriate volume. Hooray!

We went to check out and while Sarah was in line...

...in what was a somewhat swamp-like garage since it was muggy and had started raining, she demanded pics of some of my jewelry. So I obliged.

Mother of pearl shell earrings! Yes! I've already worn these beauties!

I love bright orange, the end.

While I was in line, I also saw this adorable guy. He was just so happy I had to pick him up and marvel at him. As I did, the lady behind me started chatting and told me that he is a wallet holder! You put the wallet in the hole in his back, you can put rings and things on his horn and tail, and you put loose change in his mouth! SO cute! Her husband collects them and she posed for me with the frog version she'd picked up for him. Adorable!

We went to another sale, and it continued to rain.

I forgot my phone in the car so I didn't get pics (for once you'll have to go to Sarah's blog for the pic!), but I did get a pic of all the jewelry that I'd bought that day! Such a sparkly bag!

And Sarah's loot:

It was time for the really important stuff. Lunch and cocktails!

I know. We're adorable.

That evening, I shared with my not-very-interested but ever-tolerant husband some of the pictures of the sale. For the first time pretty much ever, I caught his attention. The hippo and the piggy banks were apparently too good and needed to be rescued, so he went back with me the next day. This is an estate saling first!!

So the hippo has made his home with us, along with one of the piggy banks. He stared at them for an enormously long time, and then finally asked in a somewhat pathetic tone, "But will I regret it if I don't buy one?" Sigh. Estate sale newbies. I explained that only he could answer that question. The answer was apparently yes.

While he was staring at piggies, I spotted this on the nearby Halloween table:

I don't know if he was buried under something the day before, or maybe they only brought him out for day 2. But he is in beautiful shape and he'll be coming soon to Sarah's Etsy Shop!

On the way out, we spotted this little gnome. My husband is a gardening fiend, and we have recently come into a much larger yard (thanks to a little demolition of the house next door) so his garden has expanded. He has declared it a "gnome sanctuary" and when he saw this gnome, he started going on about "no gnome left behind" and "all gnomes are welcome in the Maine gnome sanctuary". So he's a little worse for wear, but he's made his home in our garden.

No gnome left behind!

You might notice I found no clothing, whether for myself or my Etsy shop. I got a bunch of jewelry for me, I helped rescue a lost gnome, but most of all, I got to have cocktails with my favorite second mom. Oh, and I did take a #ootd pic in my amazing Jams World sundress! Yay summer!

Don't forget to read the partner blog at The Snug Bungalow!