A Really Big Sale

It's great when I'm toddling around online, minding my own other people's business, and find things that inspire me to write. I see something that tickles my funny bone or gets me thinking seriously, and before I know it, I'm writing another blog post. I just needed something to jog my memory or start the thinking process. A friend posted a couple of pictures recently that made me remember something that was funny, but not long enough to stand alone as a blog post. Lucky me!

Picture this: a lovely lawn and front yard in Suburbia, USA. Nestled amidst the green trees and propped up to afford passers-by a better view, is a lovely canoe. It is gently used, and appears to be in good condition, but is no longer needed by its current owner. Rather than dispose of this still usable craft, the owner is attempting to sell it. he or she has made their intent clear with a well-placed sign. "KANEW for sale," it proudly proclaims. Of course I will never know if the "kanew" ever found a new (k-new?) home, but I certainly enjoyed all of the witty comments that were made about it! I guess sometimes it's the little words that can give us the most trouble. Who knew?

This same friend managed to follow up with another unfortunate sign just a few days later. Yet another family trying to get rid of things they are no longer using, and hoping to make a few dollars doing so, decided to have a sale. I'll freely admit that Trent and I are among those wits who occasionally get silly about these signs. "Oh, look honey! Someone's selling their yard!" "Hey, Katrina, these people are selling their garage! Want to check it out?" We both think that garage/yard sales are a great idea. Someone gets to buy something they'd like at a low price, and someone else makes a few bucks getting rid of their extra stuff. This sign, however, was another spelling mishap. No mere yard sale for these folks, though. They were having a GROJ sale. Some words, depending on local pronunciation, just can't be looked up in a dictionary.

That was the one that took me back through the years. There was usually a sale held by one or another of our neighbors at least once a month. I'd be driving down our main thoroughfare and see the signs thumb-tacked to the telephone poles, announcing the yard or garage sale that would be happening the coming weekend. I looked forward to these sales as an opportunity to buy some books cheaply, or score some crocheted doilies that I'd never have the talent or patience to make myself. One year, three or four families decided to just have a joint sale rather than take turns. It was going to be a really big sale. In fact, as the flyers proudly announced, it was going to be HUGH. And I must tell you honestly that it took me a while to figure that one out. I was wondering who Hugh was, and why he was having a sale on our block. Finally it hit me. It was huge! Other that me telling Gram, never a word escaped my lips. Hey, I have good manners. Sometimes I even know when to use them.

Summer is here again. The lawns and trees and gardens are awash with color. The swimming pools are open, and the scents of suntan lotion drift on the air. Grills are working overtime. And sale season is upon us. One bit of advice, though. If you go to a hugh groj sale, don't buy a kanew unless you test it first for leaks.