The auction

There was an auction yesterday.... at my neighbors house.  Maxine had been my neighbor.  She went to live in the Care Center last winter, and passed away early in the spring.  She and her sister Julia were living in their house 20 years ago, when we moved here.  Neither had ever been married.  Maxine worked in a city for a number of years, but when she retired, she moved in with her sister.  Julia was retired from the post office.  She had been the post master for a number of years. This had also been their parents' house, and both of them were born there.  Here is the house, from my back yard.

I was only in the house once, several years ago when Julia passed away, I went to offer my sympathy to Maxine.  She invited me in and we had a nice visit.  

Other than that, she seemed to prefer to keep to herself.

Her estate auction was yesterday.  They started with the house.  Old house, built in the early 1900's.  Not much updating.  The floors had really old linoleum nailed over hardwood.  Nice woodwork.  Not sure of the age of the furnace.  Would need electrical updates.  It went low.  Dirt cheap.  $2500.  For a 3 bedroom house!  It does need some work, but you could actually live in it that way it is.  Maxine did.  For a long time.

Julie and I served lunch out of the garage.  My dh and I own the grocery store.  The auctioneer had asked dh if we would like to serve food.  You know, things like hot dogs, donuts, coffee, bars, pop and water.  We went through a lot of pop and water.  It was hot and humid!  The garage is not pictured here.  It doesn't have electricity.  We ran an extension cord from my garage for the roaster to keep the hot dogs warm.  

Needless to say, the house selling so low was not a precedent of the way things were going to go.  I was interested in the car.  It was a 1990 Ford Crown Victoria.  Julie's husband, Tractor Joe, had agreed to bid for me.  Well, my top bid turned out to be the starting bid....

I convinced myself it was best if I just stayed in the garage and worked.  I told myself I didn't need anything.

Julie was out looking around.... she came back into the garage and said, " you really should go look at that stuff up near the front of the house.  There are some quilts and other stuff you might like."  So, I went.  and I bid on a quilt...... and I got it....

It is tied..... not with yarn, but it looks like a Pearl cotton.  I didn't see the back until after I took it back into the garage.  The back was made from old sugar sacks.

Crystal Sugar........ this one was turned inside out.

Love the directions on this one, telling how to open the bag.

I am thrilled to have won the quilt.

I got a box of other goodies too, I will show you those another day!