Auctions

I was hanging out with my long time friend last weekend and found out something surprising. She had never been to an auction. I find it surprising because she grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan. 

My father loved to go to auctions. I can remember as a kid if we were in the car somewhere and a sign on the side of the road advertised an auction we had to check it out. Dad loved to bid on mystery boxes, stuff you bid on sight unseen. I recall one box of stuff he bid on and got it for two dollars. Inside was a complete set of sad irons, old sheep shears, a bayonet in a leather scabbard (that years later I traced to about WW I vintage) and a few other treasures. 

One auction that he and I were at he unexpectedly started bidding on a boat with a flying bridge. He had the last bid at eleven thousand five hundred dollars. The auctioneer pulled it and would not let it sell at that price. We went home without a boat, which was probably fortunate since mom would not have been too pleased. 

I have been to all kinds of auctions from livestock, coins, farm, vehicles, to charity fundraisers. I rarely buy anything, I just like to go. If it is an irresistible deal then I might cave, however I refuse to overpay for stuff. I rarely buy as I just never got into the habit of owning a lot of stuff, never mind things I do not need. I am a bit of a minimalist by nature. Getting back to the topic at hand I find going to auctions entertaining. There is always the possibility that the one item that is on your personal wishlist just might show up at a price you cannot walk away from. 

So there is a community fundraiser later this month at a small town just north of me that is auctioning off some farm stuff and then donated items to raise money for the community. I asked my friend if she would like to join me. It looks like we are good to go.