Most people would say that having a garage sale in 104 degree weather is a bad idea.

I would be in that vast majority. EXCEPT for the things that happened today that made every sweaty moment of it worth it.

Like meeting people from all over my neighborhood and beyond who actually have names!  Imagine that!  Being welcomed  to the neighborhood, being given their names and numbers, and being asked to go to coffee, exchange decorating ideas, shop or grab appetizers.  All of that happened through garage sale browsers today.

Once again, the “strangers” of Pleasanton have not failed to amaze me.

Like Miranda, the newly single mom of two who wants me to help her decorate her house.

Or Greg from the City Planning Council who came looking for a table for his last child who is going back to college (didn’t have one) but ended up staying for a half hour chatting about the neighborhood.

Like Lori and Laurie who are friends that live on two surrounding streets, one of whom has an organizing business and one who has a specialized card company, both of whom offered to take me to coffee.

Or Kathy who is a court shorthand recorder and a happy-go-lucky free spirit.  She, like me, is a thrift shop junkie in her mid-fifties that wants to take me and show me a whole new thrift shop world.

Or what about John who is a local painter and artist who was so full of life and joy that you couldn’t help but smile the whole time he was around.  He took a lot of things off our hands and said that if we come by his gallery, he will give us a “deep discount”.

Then there’s Kim and Rob and Ann and Mindy and Emily, all neighbors that we already know that just came by for moral support and to buy a little something “just because”.

Oh, and don’t forget Carol, who came by and introduced me to people  while she was there, telling them – “These are good people and we need to take care of them!”

There are more names that slip my mind right now.  We probably saw around 50 different people today, most of them taking the time to get to know us and welcome us to Pleasanton.

We (Blake helped me put it all together, put up signs and run it!  Such a helper!) made around $400.00, monetarily speaking.  But what we received once again from this community today was priceless.  Open-armed acceptance and celebration at our arrival to their beloved town.

I share all of this only because I still cannot believe how wonderful this place is.  I also share it to entice you to come and experience it for yourself.  We’ve got a room all set up for you.

I guarantee once you’re here, you’ll never want to leave….and I’m totally okay with that 🙂