Long Time No Write

 I hate Google.

I can't upload any of my photos unless I give them more blood money. As if they don't make enough from their advertisers. I sympathize with the young man who shot the CEO - corporate greed over services is rampant. Our country is on the verge of being run by billionaires and probably as corrupt as it has even been. The idiots (from sea to shining sea) who voted this vile excuse of a human being will suffer the consequences and the rest of us will endure. 

Anyway, I have continued to run my Ebay store, which is where 99.9% of my orders are coming from. I believe I have sold two things on Merc which at one time, when I began, was phenomenal for me.

I have truly neglected listing for the past several months but my spending has not curtailed and I believe I could officially verg on hoarder.

I'm reading again. After a long drought of reading an occasional book, usually  a non-fiction, but I have found an interesting author, Jim Harrison. I have finished one of his books and checked out another from the downtown library. The books are full of lust and liquor, Indians and land grabbers, cancer, promiscuity, wealth and interesting characters. The author also wrote Legends of the Fall, so you can imagine the thrill I have knowing I have about 20 books to plow through.

And in real life, I have ridiculously volunteered to foster two dogs who lost their home due to circumstances that many of us face. Money problems. I won't judge on the why and hows a person could find a home that does not allow dogs, I just know it must be terribly hard on him. And the poor dogs. It's a well know fact that I like dogs much better than most people.

I await their arrival.

Until then, I plug along and hope for better things to come.

Oh Oh oh. In ;the book one of the protagonists in an anxiety attack of sorts (this character is delicious) had been advised by one of his psychiatrists to list all the things he likes. I was hard pressed to go back to sleep after a 330am doggie bathroom trip so I began to list things I liked.

The list is endless....so my life, bereft of Joe, must be worth living if I enjoy/like graveyards, walking the dogs, auctions, making pies, smell of mowed grass, new shoes, puppies, etc. etc. etc.  

No Luck at the Yard Sales - Again

 Yesterday I ventured out in search of the elusive Yard Sale Holy Grail. I do not understand how the landscape of available garage sales in this area can yield such pathetic results. I watch the "influencers" on YouTube and see them score wonderful items and then post the results of what sold, how much they spent and what the items have been listed at asking prices. For example - Spent 36$ - listed at 385$ It just does not happen around here for me.

A month or so ago, I bought a 1962 Barbie Doll Dream House form the original owner. I was very excited because they list on Ebay for good money and I had the original owner - the provenance! It was huge and the cost of shipping would arrive in the mid to upper 20's, so I sold it at my yard sale for what I paid for it. 

I suppose the essence of a successful yard sale chase is #1, knowing your stuff.  I cringe when I see nothing but clothes and plastic toys. I do not know my toys well enough to know what has value and what does not. #2 is know the territory you are hunting. Maybe the 100 mile yard sales are the Mother Lode. I did it once, in June and stuck out. I spent all day chasing the dream and ended up with desperate purchases that once again, I unloaded at my yard sale.

Yesterday I had high hopes of one that was advertised as having an abundance of items accumulated from years of Estate Sale purchases. Wrong. Just a bunch of Home Decorator stuff, once again childrens things, and Big Lot purchases,

The only outdoor that bore fruit was the Lutheran Church Community Yard Sale - which I must remember for next year because it is an every Saturday set up for 20$ a spot, I found a lady who was in the mood to deal with her exquisite jewelry booth.

  For 20 bucks she sold me three fantastic signed pieces.

 So, I went to my old stand by, the Estate Sale. 25 - 50% off on Saturday. I found 36$ worth of stuff, two purses, a pair of designer boots, an Hawaiian tea cup and saucer (she double charged me for this!!once at 50% off then again at 25% off, oh well. A cashmere sweater and a fabulous faux fur jacket so soft that you could lay a naked baby on it.

20$ should translate to 150$ 

36$ to 250$ I may keep one of the purses.

I may go back today, its 75% off.

I see Them Long Hard Times to Come

Originally started in early April

Missed me? Wonder where the hell I have been? Joe died in March and my world is upside down, side ways, all shook up and I am still processing life without him. It's empty and difficult to even acknowledge he is gone. No longer here. I feel him in the room, in the car, everywhere.

I have hammered on with Ebay despite it all and the sales are still trickling in. 

April Sales

The Estate Sale Trail

 I need to take pictures of all the beautiful homes I visit while on my Estate Sale Trails. This one was on Blank-er Rd. You parked at a museum or historic building and were then transported to the home via van. It was awesome. The home was going to be torn down due to termite infestation. But it was super cool and very old. Late 1800's if I had to guess.

I went the last day, after 1 when everything was 75% off. There was a bookshelf full of antique books but they were in very bad condition. A complete set of Charles Dickens was decrepit, yet at 75% off I still picked out the best several of the crumbling spined books.  I put them  back after thinking about it. Even at 50 cents, was I going to risk possibly bring silver fish or some other pestilent into my home. Not worth it. Anyway, finding an interested buyer would be hard. I then began posting my volumes of Charles Dickens on Ebay. They are undated but once again I am guessing late 1800's. I got them at an auction house that I use every now and then, but when I went to pick them up, having paid for the entire set, it was incomplete! They had somehow managed to give several volumes (4!!!) away to someone who also bid on antique books. This is not the first time an auction house has messed up. But they are only human.

This is one of the treasures I found. I saw it during my first pass through of the house. It was marked 26$. During my final pass thru a couple, Mother and daughter were examining it, the daughter saying she thought it was creepy. That was enough incentive for me to grab it as soon as they moved on. For 6$ I was going to take a chance on it. Turns out its fairly valuable. It is not marked on the bottom, just MADE IN CHINA sticker remains. It could or could not be marked. It's obscured. It could be Staffordshire, could be a copy. This original pitcher has been copied by many companies and artists. This one is in terrific condition and very heavy. I believe I have it listed for over 200$ So we will see. I believe it will eventually sell.

Sales are steady as long as I run a sale on my entire store. What the heck, I send out offers etc and sell a lot at the offered price. If  the Ebay algorithm  likes and promotes my items because of this, so be it. Its a sale all the time.

July Sales

June Sales (and my feet)

May Sales

Yard Sales

 I just went and wasted a whole day and 1/2 tank of gas cruising  the US 68 400 mile long yard sale. I went on about a 50 - 60 mile stretch of the sale, from Lebanon to Shaker Village and found crap.  This is my fifth year of reselling officially, and I have to say I have been to only one yard sale that yielded any profit or had any substantial items for sale.

This is what I saw. Amazon Pallet junk. Rusty old tools. Toys, games, puzzles and clothes. I did see some bicycles that would have been an excellent buy if I were in the market for a nice ride. Only that morning I had seen how to remove the front tire to slip into your back seat but this particular bike did not look like it was in that style. And the brake line was rusted.

I did buy some yard ornaments for myself. A boyd bear that upon closer inspection had some issues with the clothing, a horse ceramic brooch, a Barbie Beetle Car which is sub par once I really took a look at it. 

I am going to have a yard sale in the near future to unload some items I am very hesitant to list on Ebay and I have just abandoned Facebook Market Place as too convoluted to maneuver any more. It use to be great until they screwed it up with advertisements for Temu and stuff from other areas. Thats me buying, to sell is a nightmare.

I set up a "booth" at the Shriner indoor yard sale and did fairly well making a 162$ profit. My Cracker Barrel experience helped make my booth look interesting and well organized.

That's all the news that fits.

Except I'm depressed. Joe passed away and a huge hole in my heart has opened up.      

January Update

January Sales were strong and much better than last year. My google photos has not been working since mid January and for the life of me I can not figure it out. So the pics of the good stuff I sold will have to be worked out in the future by transferring to my email and then into my photos. A major pain in the butt. I did sell some stuff I have had for awhile and sold for some great profit.

This past week, taking advantage of the few days I have left before J. comes home and my life will change forever! I have hit up some Goodwills in the area just because it was in the middle of the week and no Estate Sales. 

I also have been watching Youtube inspirations videos to help guide me. I certainly hope I make my money back! DR gives a very inspiring suggestion on being accountable. When you set a goal you punish yourself when you do not achieve it. It is a goal you have control over. If I want to sell 1000$ a week I actually have no control over if I make it or not. But if I set a goal of listing 5 a day I have total control over than. Last night I had to catch up, but I made it. I've listed 29 items so far this week and still have today to go. I'll list the 6 before the end of the day.

The other goal was to source more efficiently. Buying things that will sell and not sit on the shelf (or in the box) for ever and then not sell. I love to pick up glass and glass does not sell. Sometimes eventually but its always a long tail. 

Which brings me to why I went to the Good wills this week. To test out the theory. And after watching CLL shop at Goodwill. First, her goodwills are jammed packed with good stuff and not many people. I guess I make the mistake of when I drop in on a goodwill it is usually on a Saturday, their busiest day. this week I went and I did find some treasures.

UPDATE: I have been ending a listing and then sell similar. The whole house has been rearranged to accommodate Joe's hospital bed. The small bedroom has been converted into and Ebay room and I have not acclimated to it yet. The photobox not hooked up yet.

A Day at Ley's Auction

 Oh what a day. Beau came up, spent the night and I  headed to the Auction of all Auctions Saturday. The consolidated warehouses, and the (I think) third and final auction, (first 2 or 3 were on line auctions) of a world famous antique dealer. So famous that he was the source for many a movie set designers who would seek out and comb over his inventory. He was in the Nulu area of Lou and had a gigantic store front in an old warehouse type building, three floors or more of endless "stuff". There was a very cool freight elevator in the building. I went to JL first in the 1980s and you paid a $1 to get in and wander around for as long as you wanted. I can't remember if I bought anything at that time being a very poor single mother going to University in the evenings!

I did purchase a print in the first on line auction, and it sits in my garage, a 5$ investment that is worth 600$ that is if someone is willing to pay the asking price. 

Yesterday was cold and windy. I got a parking place fairly close, about a 3minute (if that) walk to the warehouse. It seemed forever because of the wind and because I was not dressed for 30+ degree weather! The initial auction was packed, as you can see from above, I would guess 100+ people since I was assigned #118. The crowd swelled then ebbed. They sold smalls for the first 3 hours, switched to selling all the  bookcases, chandelier's, furniture, rugs etc. It took another 3 hours for the auctioneer to make his way back to the smalls.

Naturally, people were bidding high at first and I am adamant at not spending too much on something to resell. I coveted a set of Wm. Rogers very early silver plated cutlery and so did another bidder. I was willing to go to 30$ and he went 35$ and I just let him have it. I did get a box of nice brooches, several display boxes with pins/buttons, and some police photos and early Kentucky post cards. All in all I only spent 107$ when all was said and done. Others were spending crazy money for things like empty tin food cans, posters, etc. etc. etc. 

I met some new people. A very nice gentleman from C-don who reminded me of Muncie. A girl (I'm going to be 71 in a matter of days so everyone looks younger to me anymore) who I remember from Hay's who got some kick butt leather puttees from WWI. Which sparked a memory of  how well and how much money I made from a lot of WWII items. I need to be more aware of historical items and that they are BIG money and BIG money is my main goal now that I am looking at losing 2000$ in retirement money in a few months, years (who knows). Some regulars from Hays were there. Larry, Joe and his son, Brook, and a lot of others who names I do not know but recognize from their occasional appearance at Hays.  

I have not seen Ken for some time and I am worried he may be unwell. He told me he took a tumble in his basement, knocked himself out and came too hours later. He hurt his back and I do not think he really recovered from such a trama.

Next auction Tuesday. I have not spent much this month and have sold close to 2 grand. Of course cut that in half, and I made about a grand.

February! Good-bye January, I hope to never see you again

This was my Ebay work area. This was my death pile - well, not all of it, but a good portion. I have moved most everything to the spare little room which has been equipped with shelving and holds everything from the master bedroom (my doll, Painted Ponies and, Breyer collections and the mess in the back of the family room.

January was a sucky month. Not in sales, I will post another with January sales, which totaled nearly 50. But because my husband took a turn for the worst, ended up in the hospital and is now in a rehab nursing home.  It is not looking good. He will come home, but it is going to be a huge change. I am trying to apply for Medicaid with the help of a law firm specializing in Eldercare and Medicaid applications. I can not afford to keep him in a nursing home even if we are approved for Medicaid. I would become destitute. My "allowance" would be only for the mortgage and utilities. No food, no car payment, no gas, no home and car maintenance, no extra's like hair styling, gym membership, donations to humane society etc, no veterinarian for the two dogs, no medicare supplement for Joe and myself,  no phone, no cable, no entertainment, no credit card payments. Life would not be bearable let alone sustainable.

It boils down to this. For 2200 a month (if he is medicaid approved) I would have in home Medicaid. Physical therapy, visits from a nurse (I guess), people to sit with Joe, light house cleaning. So, I have to learn to live on what's left over.   

Added to this horror is that I have two adults living with me who are drug addicts and try to help out but are just making matters worse. My family is helping prepare the house for the influx of what is ahead of me. My house is a wreck and I have just given up any shame I may have about allowing it to get out of control.

I am trying to adjust but it is hard. I am depressed and found it extremely hard to get out of bed this morning. My daughter was already up - she is screaming in the bedroom at her boyfriend right now - and I just WANT TO BE ALONE.

That's all the news that fits.
 

Strong Finish

The sales keep coming! I have 10 packages to mail out Tuesday. I have sold 500$ worth in the past three days and I am ecstatic! I sold a special High Dollar Barbie. I paid up for it - maybe 60$ but she sold for my asking price I think was 229$ I at one time was spectacular with remembering numbers. Not any more.

So I ended up selling 76 items, had two returns and I refunded one doll that arrived with a broken foot. It could have been broken when I mailed it. So, I probably ended up making over one thousand taking everything into respect. There is an auction on this coming Tuesday I plan on going to but I am going to concentrate on my death pile and getting rid of things I will not take the time to list. 

I've been at it this morning taking pictures until my phone ran down. So I'm taking a break. I made vegetable and beef soup and can no longer put off tackling the  garage to consolidate and move all the crap from the back of the living room into the garage.

What sold you ask? 

I reposted my cabbage Patch Dolls after reading a post on one of the Ebay groups I am following. Three relisted and 2 sold. So happy this little fella found a home.

One of the Marilyn Dolls Sold.

My high $ barbie sold. 

100th running of the Derby Jim Beam bottle.

My horse Lamp sold. 

Etc. Etc. Etc.