Ah, Craigslist...My Ball and Chain

I often loose myself in the world of Criagslist. I love yard sales and can "attend" them any time of day or night, in any season, even in my pajamas. There is a serious Love/Hate relationship going on with us. If I actually had money and lots more room it would be no problem, but, alas, that is not the case and I have been warned (kinda like the "no more animals until one passes away" deal).

It was agreed, last week, that Saturday we would finally get the garage cleaned up. It has been full to the rafters with camping gear, holiday stuff, furniture projects and other great, used finds. The bathroom remodel that was started months ago has been put on hold due to lack of access to workspace and tools.

So, Friday night I found a box of beautiful blue tiles that I really need on craigslist. See, there is a bathtub I bought 3 years ago on Craigslist that I need to mosaic and use as a pool for the fountain (Penelope) I bought 2 years ago on Criagslist (500lbs and only $20!). Are you getting the sad picture here? Lots of great plans, but....

Turns out that these tiles were only 2 blocks away and the guy that answered the door was an old customer of mine at the camera shop. We got to talking about the history of the neighborhood, as he grew up here, and then his wife invited me to see their garden.

Her tomato's were flourishing and mine had not. I'd had no problems until this year. She gave me all of her secrets and we continued our varied conversations back out front. As I was leaving, Robert asked if I needed a compressor. My honey had asked me earlier in the week to look for one on Criaglist, so, I called him up and it is now sitting in our newly clean and organized garage.

On the way home I stopped at a yard sale on our street that looked really interesting. They had a lot of vintage items and books. I bought a Diane Arbus book and a beautiful vase that had been made by the mans late wife. As I was admiring the plethora of plants in the yard, Henry pulled out a wild ginger for me. The flower's smell was amazing, something like a cross between honeysuckle and tuber rose.

He brought me into his backyard and pulled off an aloe and dug out some Tropicana's for me. The yard was filled with fruit trees, ornamental plants and a beautiful vegetable garden as well as lovely artistic touches of rock work and ceramics his late wife had made. Earlier, I'd mentioned the tile I'd picked up and my intentions for it, later, he rummaged thru a shed and brought out a couple of boxes of glass, mosaic tile and gave them to me.

Two hours later, I arrived home with much more than a box of blue tile. I'd come back with a bunch of goodies, some great advise and wonderful conversations with neighbors.

We spent hours cleaning up the mess in the garage. A lot of the time was spent with me up in the "loft" above the garage (whose stairs had finally disintegrated last summer while friends were staying there) and the honey handing me things from below. So, from now on, we will grab pieces as needed to work on. One day, perhaps, the loft will be the guest house I have envisioned with new stairs and a balcony and a bathroom and skylights and insulation and the french doors we bought 3 years ago or at least, paint the backside of the garage!