Rummage sale rant

First of all, there's this sign.  I mean, come on!  No kids allowed at a dinner party? Fine.  A wedding?  Sometimes I'm okay with that...  No more than two kids at a time in the convenience store?  I was probably part of the reason that rule was made.  But at a rummage sale? What gives?! 

So we went to this rummage sale on Saturday. And it is, make no mistake, a GOOD rummage. It's the Greendale annual (maybe even bi-annual) rummage sale held at the high school. There's tons of stuff and it's good stuff. 

But aside from the fact that people without childcare, and people who just might want their kids to try stuff on or at least be part of the choosing process can't even come in until after 10 kind of was strange to me.  And to my kids--see their faces?

Second of all, they close from 11-12 a.m.  I mean, what are they doing in there from 11-12?  Are they cleaning up? Straightening the piles of clothing? It's a RUMMAGE sale!  What do you need to do in there for an hour?  It's a big pile of used clothes! Come on!

So anyway, Tad and I got there to meet Tad's parents with the kids.  We arrived at like 11:30.  There were six people in line.  We went for a walk and came back at quarter to and there were like forty people in line!  Tad and I started making jokes about door buster sales, but no one really smiled at us. Can't say I blame them.  But we were thinking...why get in line for a rummage sale? Everything's all piled up on rows and rows of tables. It's not like you're going to get a better deal than someone else. What's the rush? I mean, you wait in line for half an hour just to go to the same section of table at which number 43 in line can go right next to you.

Thirdly, at Noon, it becomes a 1/2 price sale. Except for the items with red stars.  Those items do not go down to 1/2 price, no sir.  Because these people who have red-starred their clothes believe they are truly worth the full price (AT A RUMMAGE SALE!!!!) and if they don't sell for full price, they want their stuff back. 

Come on!

And don't worry!  I'm not ripping on Greendale. It's the same thing at the other neighborhood and community rummages.  I just feel like if you're rummaging your stuff, why try to make a bunch of money? It's stuff. Stuff you don't want any more. Because you're selling it!  I just think it should all go to half price at noon.  Your daughter's Christmas dress that she wore once is going to go to a good home...probably to my daughter who will wear it, like, fifty-nine times.  Just let us have it for 1/2 off. 

We did well, nonetheless.  I refused to buy any full--price items just on principle. Oh except for the book Coen chose since it was his only buy at the sale. Of course, later we found some child had cut multiple pictures out of it.  FULL PRICE! Hmph.

And the best part of the day was that we left, $45 later with lots of books and Lucy's fall/winter wardrobe.  And got lunch with their Nana and Grandpa.  At a restaurant. That allows kids. Open to close.