Pacific City Extravaganza!

It's become a Miller Family tradition over the past several years to spend Memorial Day Weekend at the Oregon Coast. We rented a beautiful house right on the beach. Our house was right next to my sister-in-law Ronda and her fiance Dave's house.

Down the road is a Thousand Trails campground where the rest of the bunch stayed. Grandma & Grandpa, Rick & Debbie and all of their grown kids and their kids. We had quite a group!

Playing on the beach with the kids and the dogs is really great, but it pales (just fades away...what kids...what beach...what husband...what dogs...???)when it comes to the annual garage and rummage sales the town has every Memorial weekend! There's something about the hunt, the anticipation of the treasures waiting to be found... This year I have a story...

We set off early Saturday morning in search of garage sale treasures. We made several stops finding great stuff along the way. Ronda scored on some great trunks and really cool old, handmade toys. Chelsea found some cool old albums (Van Halen & Simon & Garfunkel), I found cool stuff. Dave found a cool propane tank for $1. That's all great, but here's the real story...

Isn't it amazing how the decision to turn left or right can make or break history? (Okay, a little dramatic, but still...) Well, we turned left went up the road, parked, got out. I look up and my eyes go directly to some interesting looking quilt tops hanging on an old ladder. I am a quilter and I love vintage fabric and anything handmade. These quilt tops fit all three categories. They were beautiful. Treasures. I reverently touch the red and white hand appliqued quilt top first. Looked at the price tag $35. Then the next one,a yellow striped patchwork beauty, $45. And the third, a patchwork used as a table cloth $15. It had the greatest vintage fabrics. Chelsea helps me unfold the red and white quilt top. There are a few stains but it wouldn't be a deal breaker. Still, I'm just not sure. The lady who's garage sale we were at comes up and tells me these were her grandmother's. I listen, fold it up and hang it back telling her I'll have to think about it. Then she tells me she would take $25 for it. hmmm...

While I'm thinking about it Chelsea finds a gorgeous vintage dress. The grandmother also made this and she was a fine seamstress! She made it to go dancing in!

So we're getting ready to wrap things up and I decide to ask her if she would take $50 for all three. To my great happiness and surprise she said yes! Then she threw in three more quilt tops!

For me, this was a holy moment. I felt transported! Awestruck! Giddy! Wow!

Clutching my quilts, I floated back to the truck. I could hardly speak, I was teary eyed (get ahold of yourself girl). After driving away, I told Gary that we should turn around and go back so I could give that lady another hug. I think she knew what a treasure the quilts would be to me and they would be going to a good home.

Oh, and Chelsea got the dress...

Later that evening we had a potluck at our house and then a bonfire on the beach. It was a great weekend spent with a great family.

The best thing I heard all day was from my great neice Lily. I asked her if she wanted to go to the bonfire and make s'mores. That's when she very matter of factly said, "that's what fires are for"...

Now that's a happy girl!