Ronald McDonald House Sale IN MAY!?

Yeah.  That's right.  The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester have decided to make their annual sale a bi-annual event!  BOOM!  Shit just got real, son.  We got out for this thing en masse.  We donate to the sale, get the golden ticket (which lets you and a friend in a day earlier than the general public) and then go to dinner at an awesome German brew pub down the street after the sale.

Being that this was the first time the sale was held in May instead of October, I thought that perhaps not many people would have caught on.  I honestly expected it to be low key and much less attended.  Wrong.  Check out the line. 

See that white building waaay in the distance?  Yeah.  Neither do I.  Not that I was complaining, because this was a rare gorgeous day in Rochester and I wanted to be outside feeling the sun on my skin anyway.

Generally I go into this sale with a plan.  Hit Christmas first and then head over to housewares.  But, the last RMD sale was a game changer. I went directly to toys, bypassing the boxes of enormous, free reusable shopping bags, practically running full tilt.  I was rewarded for my effort.  Not as much as last time perhaps, but I was still smiling.

The Kermit is an official, really nice Disney resort/store version.  He only has a scarf on, but I feel like there was more to his outfit/accessories at some point.  It is crucial to note that his mouth is closed.  There are very few Kermit dolls made with a closed mouth.  The blue mouse is Tutter, from Bear in the Big Blue House.  Kermit: $3.50, Tutter: 75 cents.

After scoring in the toy section I headed for brick-a-brack, a much overlooked catchall area.  I find amazing things in this section every single year.  Mostly it's because it's the "what the crap even is this?" section.  Witness exhibit A: $1 adorable antique wooden shelf.  Sometimes I think about what the sale volunteers who price things were thinking or the conversations they had about the things I chose.  

Volunteer A: What is this?

Volunteer B: It's a shelf I guess.

Volunteer A: Looks like it's seen better days.  And that color!  Ugh! Nobody is going to want this thing.

Volunteer B: Just stick $1 on it.  Some schmuck will pay a buck for it.  It's for the kids, after all.

Volunteer A: I'll be you that $1 that this thing is still here, even after the half price day.

Me: OMG! Can you believe they only want a dollar for this?!  Yoink!

Statistics show that if something is green there is a least a 78% chance that I will buy it.  If that thing is also a Scottie dog that number soars to 99.9%  You might think that this is a cutting board.  I thought it might be, too.  But the top layer is made of laminate and you aren't supposed to cut on laminate.  But there are shallow cut marks in it, nonetheless.  After looking it over a few times I found that this little dude had actually been cut from a counter.  Probably some sentimental person in the 50's was getting a new counter and thought they'd keep a little piece of the old one.  $1.00 for a weird counter Scottie dog thing that you can't use as a cutting board?  Yeah, I'll take that.

The lantern ornament was from the holiday section, 75 cents.  I'm also very partial to lanterns, and if they are green, by George, double the pleasure, double the fun. 

I also got a bag full of wooden bunnies.  $2.50 for the bag. God, I just love weird little guys like this.

My friend Kara joined me at the sale and scored big right out of the gate.  A working receiver and speakers. I feel like she told me they were $25 together, but I could be making that up.  She also got a crockpot that has a timer.  I didn't even know they made those.

Kara is a dancer. She's an Irish dancer to be exact.  And she's awesome.  She bought the awesome vintage dance pictures for her studio.  Yes, they are ballet dancers.  No, she isn't.  We're moving past it.  A French press is always a great find.  The butterfly shadow boxes have real butterflies in them!  As Kara says, "Science!" (She's also a chemistry teacher)  Please don't miss the "Notice do not tamper with cook's buns" vintage mirror for her kitchen.

So, In Summary:

I Get To Do This Twice A Year!

Go Green? Don't Mind If I Do

My Friend Is An Irish Dancing Chemist. Jealous?