Jaci Dawn

It was a dark and stormy day…

Okey dokey, this is not a novel by Snoopy, but it *was* a dark and gloomy day here in the Pacific Northwest today.

I posted my sentiments on Facebook and my cousin’s wife shot back: “Come to see us, bring shorts, swimsuit. We have sunblock.” She only lives in Texas.

I thought briefly about jumping in my private SST and zipping over to take her up on her offer, but one thing – well, two things – prevented me from doing that.

Primarily, today was the date of the Oregon City Antique Fair.

Secondarily… I don’t have a private SST, so that wasn’t really a viable option in the first place. Minor details.

I had planned on the Antique Fair. In fact, when I got up this morning, I headed down there first thing. There was absolutely no parking and I decided it was simply not meant to be. I came home, told Harvey that I was going to save money and work in the garden and on some Hallowe’en crafts.

Then the rains started. Dark and gloomy. I put away all the deck chairs, cleaned up my craft mess (which was outside), and stared out at the darkness and gloominess.

Rain. Why, I bet a bunch of parking spaces just opened up at the antique fair!

So I put Harvey in his kennel and headed out a second time.

I like antique fairs because I get a glimpse into what half my house is worth. Take for example: vintage and collectible medicin bottles and blue Ball jars. At approximately $3/item, I have a considerable fortune in my possession. Vintage spurs – $15/pair with straps. I have 2 pair. Old books, vintage opera glasses, half a hames – wow, the stock in my possession just keeps racking up. Who knew half a hames was worth anything?

If you are unfamiliar with what a hames is, it is a horse or mule collar, generally the wood-and-iron part.

I was alone because my husband was off camping all of last week, so I could peruse at my own speed. The only hindrances today were umbrellas (Oregonians do use umbrellas, contrary to the myth) and vendors who are not from Oregon and who were packing up to leave already. Oregonians just shrug and say comforting things like, “It’ll change” or “I think it’s slowing down now” or “it’s Oregon. It rains.”

Then they hit you in the nose with their umbrella as they try to fold it down. They are carrying an umbrella because they didn’t grab a rain jacket when they left home and the umbrella is always in the car.

I had a hat and a jacket and I left my umbrella in the car.

I saw a lot of over-priced items, pretty glassware, collectible miscellany, watch and clock parts (apparently antique fairs are a great place to sell to the Steampunk crowd), horse tack, and heavy old furniture (nothing of outstanding antique quality). I was hoping to find some old painting frames to display some vintage doilies my husband inherited, but nothing jumped out and tripped me.

In the end, I purchased one item for more than it is worth, but for less than the vendor was asking.

The vendor wanted $10. I figured it wasn’t worth more than $5. I paid $8 for it and am reasonably happy even though it was not much of a steal and certainly not a real bargain.

It remained a dark and gloomy day, I didn’t fly down to Texas to hang out in the swim pool with my cousin’s wife, but I did get to wander around the antique fair. And considering that I spent $8 but I calculated how much money we’re sitting on in terms of junk collectibles, I feel rich.

And I think I’m a tad better writer than Snoopy.