by James Glaser
August 26, 2005

Yes, the auction went well and I couldn't have done it without all the help my neighbors gave me. Friday it was raining off and on, and we kept right on putting things on the trailers. We had huge tarps. Saturday morning about 6am we started putting out the furniture and by 10 we were all ready.

The auction went from 10am to 5pm and for about two hours there were two auctioneers working in two different spots. When it was all over, there was about a wheel barrow of stuff left by people. My truck didn't sell. Sunday a guy came over trying to offer a little bit more money, hoping I would sell, because I wouldn't have to pay a sales commission. I told him that he saw the truck at the auction and if I sold to him, I would be obligated to give money to the Auctioneer. Besides that, I was kind of happy to still have the truck.

After everything was over and I was by myself, I realized how hard I had been working and slept hard. It took me a couple of days to get back in the swing of things. Now I am cleaning up the house and workshop. I still have enough for a household, but the place is more spacious and yes, I could dance in the living room again.

Now I am thinking about how I can move around what is left in the house. I need to buy a round kitchen table and chairs. The set I sold was nice, but they were too big for the space. I also need another comfortable chair, and my walls are empty and I hope they stay that way for awhile. No kidding, my house looks much bigger now.

I guess, other than the chair, I could build everything I need, and I might just do that. I have plenty of time to plan everything out, and winter is a good building time.

Somebody snatched several tomatoes during the auction. My fault, I should have locked the greenhouse door. You can trust northern Minnesota people with almost anything, but I guess a few red tomatoes were too much to handle.

This time of year is great. There are no bugs, the temperature is chilly at night, which makes sleeping wonderful, and the days are in the middle 70s. I like the mornings. You need a heavy shirt, and a hot cup of coffee on the deck seems right.

The loons are still here and they have been making a real racket at night, and it is fun to sit on the dock and listen to them. The little ducks are big now and the fawns are filling out. Bear season starts soon and I have seen several black bears on the way to town. Fall is not in the air yet, but it isn't that far off.

For the rest of the year, I am going to work on the outside of the house every chance I get. This can be a real productive time of year, if you get at things. It can be hard to get motivated, because this is the best weather we have all year, and you start to think, why waste this on work. I don't know.