Saturday was a wet day. I spent all morning at a memorial service for my hiking friend Bill who passed away a little over three years after he fell on ice and hit his head. I didn't get to the auction until after 1:30 pm. The auction had started at 10 am.
The rain had stopped by the time I arrived. It didn't matter as they were selling stuff inside the large shop building. A good crowd was there and it seemed as if most stuff was selling for reasonable prices. I spotted a few things I didn't need but I was interested in and settled in for a wait.
It took much longer than I anticipated to get to what I was interested in, which was among the last stuff sold.
When the shop stuff was all sold the auction moved back outside and within minutes it began to rain lightly. Figures. When they moved to a small old building and sold pitchforks and other similar tools they had to squeeze everyone inside the small building because it began to rain hard. When it looked like the rain let up they took a break to go outside to sell a horse and a saddle. Of course once they started the bidding it began to rain hard again even though the sun was shining now
The rain quit for good by the time they finally got to what I was interested in.
My problem with stuff that I like but did not need is that I wasn't willing to pay much for them.
My interests:
- A wooden two wheel cart. Great for hauling bulky stuff that would be awkward in a wheelbarrow. My "bad" as I spaced it out and lost out on the bidding when one of the women suddenly dropped out. The winning bid was $15 and the woman took both carts. The carts needed minor work but certainly worth more than $15. A woman with Don (see more about him later) bought the carts.
- small 2-piece heavy duty round metal feeder. I have a large 3-piece metal feeder even though I mainly feed my cattle from my two wooden feeders. But if the price was right I would buy this small metal one. It was kind of cute. My limit was less than $50 - though if I did not have a metal feeder already I would have paid more for it. Wouldn't you know it the winning bid by someone else was $35 as I would have had to bid $50 as the next bid. Oh well, I already have a feeder.
- a small metal water trough. I already have two water troughs. This one was a little smaller and would be easier to move. It was old, held water and had some rust. Again my limit was less than $50. I started the bidding at $10. Another guy bid $20. I bid $30. He bid $40. I would have had to bid $50 and I passed. Darn. But old well, I already have two of them.
- Lastly I was interested in a 4 ft and a 6 ft gate. They were very heavy duty gates. They had an 8 ft gate but I think I have enough of that size. Bidding was for choice of gates. Two other guys bid and the winning bidder got choice at $50. A deal. He chose only the 8 ft gate. Perfect because I wasn't interested in that one.
The 4 ft and 6 ft gates were sold as a pair. I started the bidding at $25. The guy who bought the 8 ft gate bid $35. Now it is my fault as I bid $40 instead of the asking bid of $50. Usually I ether accept or reject the asking bid, but I was still in the mindset of "less than $50" even though it was two gates and not one gate of which I had set my limit. The auctioneer was annoyed but he took my bid. The other guy then bid $50. The auctioneer then made a smart-ass comment along the lines of my $40 bid was a waste of time as he got his asking $50. I didn't take this well and wouldn't bid $60 and the other bidder got both gates for $50.
Even though I didn't need these two smaller gates and couldn't immediately think of a place to use them, they were worth more than $50 each new and they were in great condition. I know it is obvious, but I should have remembered it was for both gates, and I shouldn't have gotten mad.
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