Category: Vintage

Tom Petty knows exactly what he’s talking about when he sings the waiting is the hardest part.  Waiting, especially in a hospital situation, requires a vast amount of patience and a variety of good reading material. I’m what you would call a student of the old school- a scholar of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it studies.  In other words, I decided to read a print magazine instead of pulling up a digital edition on my tablet.  I spied a couple of shelter magazines of house and home interest in the rack – some with current cover dates, and some not so current.  Enlightening articles-tips-snippets of information beneficial to all things house that make a home will always make for a good read, regardless of cover date.  I look at it as an interior design, decorating, home decor accessories, antiques and how to score the best of the best refresher course.

The first article of interest gave the reader tips for successful flea market, garage and estate sale shopping.  Everyone has their own way of treasure hunting, but there is a proven core strategy.  In the world of antique auctions, flea markets and estate sales, the preview is the time to get your deals and steals game on.  Dave the Builder and I split up; a divide and conquer technique that works for us.

Pop-up Flea Market ~ Paris

I keep a notebook and pen in hand for taking notes from everything to lot number to condition to dealer location to asking price to this is my absolute bottom bottom line price offer, bid etc…

Dave takes close up pictures with his cellphone of the pieces he is interested in to further examine for imperfections before bidding begins. The deal can be found in the imperfection only if you can do the repair, refinish or reupholster yourself or hire out for little out of pocket money.

Gallery Auctions

Auction houses stack items tight and tall in dark spaces and corners to utilize floor space.  A crowded house or stacked to the walls booth translates to scores of salable merchandise.  For this reason we bring his and hers flashlights so we don’t overlook a fracture or fine-line crack.

Brooklyn Flea  Fort Greene  ~  Pinterest

Dealers at flea markets, estate and garage sales begin to discount unsold items later in the sale which can work to a buyer’s advantage.  Larger ticket items can be worth the risk of playing the waiting game.  I’ve scored several pieces for a steal, and missed out on some too.  It’s strictly depends on the item and nerves of “steal”.

It’s basically an in the moment call.

Now let me share with you another enlightening articles-tips-snippets of information gem stemming from the magazine article my mother read while keeping me company in the hospital waiting room.  Our recent coffee talk conversation went a little something like this:

My mother:  “Sister, what is WTF?”

Me:  “An acronym for Where’s the Food.”

It took me about three seconds to realize I’d better tell her what WTF really means.  Leaving her in the dark depths of millennial slang, risking her repeating to her beauty shop cohorts and the ladies that lunch loyal what she thinks is simply a hip colloquial term would be irresponsible on my part.  Funny, but irresponsible.

Me: “Mother, WTF is slang for What the F***.”

I was curious why she wanted to know what WTF means, so I did what any respectable curious and/or noisy person does.  I asked.

Me: “Mother, why do you want to know what WTF means?”

My mother:  “When Dave was in the hospital and we were in the waiting room, I was reading in a magazine (she can’t remember the name of the magazine, but she can remember WTF) a story about a woman catching her tweenage daughter texting WTF.  The woman asked her daughter what WTF means.  “With the Family,” replied the fast thinking tween.

Pinterest

Fast forward several months to when the woman, a newbie to Facebook and the speak, slang, and acronyms of social media, posted an update from their family vacation to Paris.  Surprised by the amount of likes her post received, she shared the development with her tween daughter.  The daughter asked the mom what she was posting vis-à-vis the vacation. “In Paris WTF.”

Me:  Well, now you know.

We’re headed back to the hospital next week for more tests, more waiting, more reading.  I think I’ll bring a few of the shelter magazines from my 2017 stack to donate to the cardiac unit waiting room reading material collection.  A good read passes the time, enlightening articles-tips-snippets of information are always appreciated, and a good laugh lightens the mood.  As they say, laughter often is the best medicine.