Getting ready for the basement sale or How to put things off 'till next year

Our church, the Nevada United Methodist Church, is having a Basement Sale today and tomorrow. We do this twice a year, to benefit different projects. The one going on today will be for Habitat for Humanity right here in Nevada. Since I worked for Habitat for Humanity for several years when I was only in my 80s, I wanted to really support this sale.

I used to work in the days before the sale, unloading the bags of donations, putting the nicer things on hangers and (don't tell the other members of United Methodist Women who were working there also) picking out something I could buy for some of our grandchildren or great-grandchildren. I don't think I was the only one doing this however. It was fun on the next Sunday to see some familiar outfits on all ages.

Since I am not supposed to drive now and am awkward in my walking and stuff, I realize I help more by staying away.

I also used to help on the days of the sales. It was fun meeting all the customers and helping them find what they were looking for. But again, I decided my best help would be to just stay home and send some good stuff to sell in the sale. I don't think there will be any problem getting good things because this is a BIG sale. It fills the fellowship hall, spreads down the hall and into the adjoining classroom with everything from furniture, clothing, kitchenware and even toys. But I wanted to do my part.

One thing I was hoping to find was a low dresser or chests of drawers. Marilyn, our great-granddaughter, is having her second baby soon and needs more space for both the baby's and Avery's clothes. We remembered that we bought the matching pair of dressers for Marilyn from one of these sales when she came to live with us when she was 12. They are sort of in the way now since we inherited some family furniture lately. We thought about donating them back to this year's sale, but that seemed silly. Someone else might buy them before Marilyn had a chance to get them. Maybe it would be best just to give them to her in the first place.

When we moved them out we found the drawers were filled with things people had given us for Marilyn and didn't fit her. We put them in those drawers and thought that they would probably fit her little sister soon. But we forgot all about them until now. I sure wasn't going to wait until Avery can wear them because by then they may not be in style or she may prefer dresses.

I was puzzled by the contents of one of the drawers. It had a variety of things like hot pads, do-dads, out of date calendars, and used jigsaw puzzles in taped shut boxes. Then I realized this was a drawer I filled last year for the sale, but forgot to bring the things. So I felt I'd better for sure put them in my box of donations. Maybe I should remove the out of date calendars however.

Then I started on Lester's and my clothes. Some of the things were too embarrassing to donate. Sure, we'd been wearing them, but you couldn't expect someone else to wear something that the mice had chosen to add comfort to her hole. But it was just a small piece missing and it was in a spot where no one else would see it. No, this is a quality sale. We don't sell discards, only if you have outgrown them or your best friend got one just like yours.

But I did find a nice little bundle to take to the church for the sale. Let's see. It says in the church bulletin that all donations must be brought before 5 p.m. on Thursday. Oh my! It's already Friday. The sale will be open until five and then again Saturday morning, but it's too late to donate my things.

Oh well. I'll just put these things in the drawer of Aunt Lyle's dresser and take it in early next year. I probably will have even more by then.