Here are some of the things we got and did at the Great Glebe Garage Sale yesterday:
- An authentic persian rug, 4×6, for $25
- A pretty leash for Rosie for $1
- 2 gorgeous light switch plates, painted with birds, 50 cents each
- 5 books for $5
- 2 sweatshirts and a t-shirt for $10 (yes I overpaid, but I loved the colours)
- An antique photo album of cabinet photos, most of which were ordinary but one of which had an antique bicycle, for $15
- A laptop case for $5
- A scarf for a nickel
- A stretching lesson for a handful of change (proceeds to Uganda)
- A pair of earrings made out of beer bottle caps for $5 (proceeds to Uganda)
- GC played a song on a Seagull guitar – it was filmed and he’ll be entered into a draw to win the guitar (free)
- The book Annabelle by Kathleen Winter – thanks to Bonnie and Len. (We ran into them early in the day and I mentioned I was looking for that book – I never found it, but when I got home there was a message from Bonnie saying she found me a copy!)
But our favourite thing of all?
Three pieces of advice for $1.50. We had to wait in line because these kids were in hot demand. We eavesdropped on the advice they gave the woman ahead of us, and it was good.
“Never be afraid to tell a guy you like him. Just go up to him and tell him you like him and ask him if he wants to go do something with you. He’ll like it. He’ll like you even more because you had the courage to do that.”
We were impressed not only by the caliber of the advice, but also by the confidence with which it was delivered.
Then it was our turn.
“We have three grown-up kids,” I said. “We want grandchildren, but none of our kids seem to want to have kids. What should we do?”
Girl: “How old are your kids?”
Me: “Twenty-three, twenty-five and thirty-one.”
Girl: “Okay, leave the twenty-three year old and the twenty-five year old alone for awhile. But the thirty-one year old: you could tell him some of the great things about having kids.”
Me: “Like what?”
Boy 1: “Like they’re fun….and they can help around the house.”
Boy 2: “Not when they’re babies.”
Girl: “No, but babies are cute.”
Boy 1: “And you could offer to help with the things that aren’t so cute or fun, like diapers.”
Girl: “Just focus on the positive. Like why kids are great and why they would make his life even better.”
Me: “Okay, thanks. I’ll try that. GC is going to ask the next question.”
GC: “My favourite colour is yellow and I’d really like to wear it, but it doesn’t look good on me. What should I do?”
They answered this question as if they get asked it all the time.
Boy 1: “Wear yellow undies.”
Girl: “Wear splashes of yellow, little pops of yellow. Accessories. Like a yellow handkerchief, yellow buttons or a yellow tie.”
Me: “You guys are really good at this. Here’s 50 more cents. Can you just give us some general advice?”
Girl: “Of course. Never give up. Just keep on trying. If life knocks you down, get right back up, dust yourself off, and try a different approach. If you don’t give up, sooner or later you’ll reach your goal. Here. Have a cookie.”
We asked them how they came up with the idea to set up an advice booth in a sea of lemonade stands. Turns out they got it from Peanuts. It’s modelled after Lucy’s 5-cent Psychiatric Help booth.
They charge more than Lucy, but their advice is better and it comes with a free cookie. I took their picture and told them that if I ever had grandchildren I hoped they’d be just like them.
I didn’t get there early, so I decided I’d wait until mid-afternoon so I could pick through the remnants left on the curbside. Picked up some great swap-box fodder (have you seen the new one at Nepean and O’Connor?).
Those kids sound pretty awesome. I’d let them hang out on my lawn.
– RG>
I haven’t seen it – but I’ll definitely take a look – I actually work very close to there. Thanks for the heads up!
Turns out I can actually see it from my office window if I stand up and lean to one side!
Swap boxes also on foster, sims and rose mount – rip elmaks!
Excellent, I’m going to check them out. Thanks for the heads up! Elmaks lives on. (I still think of him every day, as I have one of his swap boxes prominently displayed in my home. It’s the one I rescued from the demolished building at Bank and Somerset.)
Also, amazing advice…
Those are awesome kids. Thanks for sharing.
I have another idea re: grandkids if you’re interested. What about finding substitute grandkids to mentor? With nuclear families often being far from extended family, I’m sure there are lots of families in need.
Awesome kids is right. I forgot to mention that their future plans are to be 1) a policewoman, 2) a politician, and 3) undecided. As for substitute grandchildren, we’ve actually considered that, and we might do it if Plan A fails. But where do you find random grandchildren? People might think it’s kind of creepy if you just go around looking for them, you know what I mean?
I really wanted to hit the garage sale this year, but unfortunately I had to be out of town. Next year for sure. Those kids are AWESOME – considering trading in my own. Such snap! Such confidence! Such sassiness! I don’t think I have those qualities even now.
I have often thought of setting up a grandparent match system for Ottawa. We have no relatives in town and have long envied others with grandparents who are willing to babysit or take the kids on outings or just come along to the park to chat while the kids play. Sounds like I should look into it!
I don’t know how to go about finding substitute grandchildren… I’m interested in finding substitute grandparents for my kids. They have grandparents of their own, of course, but they are either far away, v. busy or to mentally ill to be very involved. You could put an ad on kijiji — parents would be reading the childcare section but I don’t know if that’s where you’d want to put it.
Some of the elder facilities (community centers, homes) here have a system to allow elders to interact with unrelated children. Can you visit community centers in your area? It’s entirely possible they’d have some mentoring work for willing adults.
I love the idea of substitute grandparenting. Our school community is so small and close knit it’s been great for my kids to get substitute grandparents in. Its less one on one and committed than a general feeling and things like grandparental types knowing every child in the school and doting on them all, a great mix of older faculty and young faculty (I don’t see many teachers still in teaching in their mi 50’s and 60’s in the public system like we have) and the kids who need it? They don’t get labelled as bad kids they’re recognized as in need of more people in their lives. I wonder where you could find something like that? After school community drop in centre, through a local spiritual group like UU or something?