Do you ever go to estate sales? The mister and I love to go and peruse from room to room and look at all the treasures. If I'm being honest, I don't go just to find a treasure to buy. I go to walk thru all the rooms and try to imagine what life was like in that house when it was full of life. My favorites are the houses with decor still lost to the 60's or 70's. I walk thru the rec room and I picture the evenings where the families must have gathered with friends and snacks while they played pool and board games and cards. I make my way to the kitchen where you know meals were planned and cooked and then served and enjoyed. I love to think about the living room where there may or may not have been a second tv (in addition to the one in the rec room). Upstairs there is always at least one bedroom with a twin bed and matching dresser. If it's not on the wall anymore, I can usually picture where the bulletin board was. Maybe there even some posters from Teen Beat on the wall close to the bulletin board. From the items for sale its easy to imagine what kind of life the owners lived. The last sale we went to there was so much sporting equipment, for both summer and winter sports it was obvious this family was active. The kitchen was so well stocked with cookbooks and all the best cooking equipment, many a good meal must have been enjoyed there. The office was fully stocked with all the proper office supplies including a dictionary and the good old set of encyclopedias. The dining room left nothing to wonder about how pretty a proper dinner would have looked like there. Upstairs there were many treasures in the room that was obviously the master bedroom. The lady of the house had quite the wardrobe. Everything from proper 2 piece suiting to beautiful coats to casual wear, she was well dressed. I know the idea of the sale is for people to come in and make purchases and buy all the stuff so the house is then empty and ready for sale. I can't help but feel a little sad when we leave.
This time I did find this treasure though. Again, I find myself imagining where this purse was carried and how she wore it. I hope to enjoy it for as long as it's last owner did.
Do yourself a favor, visit an estate sale. But, take your time. Walk thru all the rooms, imagine the lives well lived there. Hopefully on the way out you will find a treasure too. If you do, I'd love to hear about it.