Today only has one listing for cookbooks and it’s an old house. In fact the ad listed “old cookbooks” so I’m really hoping that I’ll find some fantastic ones. I’m really looking forward to this one and I’ve even got an empty box in the car! It’s at 8am and I’m hoping to get there a little early.
Note to people listing garage sales on Craigslist, I make my list of sales on Friday night. When you hold off on listing your sale until Saturday morning, there’s a 100% chance that I won’t see it. So do me a favor and list your sale earlier! I’m not keen on altering my list.
I’m there at 7:30 am and so far, I’m the only one in sight. Literally. There’s no car parked in the driveway. The house is dark and I don’t see/hear any movement from inside. The yard is filled with old, crunchy leaves. Is this the right address? I take my box and put it in front of the door. I stand there for a minute and then realize that I’ve got another half hour ahead of me. I sit down on the top steps and have the familiar cold brick sensation run straight through my body. Just keep thinking about the piles of cookbooks!
About ten minutes later, a gentleman in a truck parks nearby and takes his place in line behind me. Then a familiar face is the next to arrive. Remember the young guy who bought all the leftover items from Bell’s shed? Then I found the Shake Weight at his garage sale? Come to think of it, this sale had old dolls listed, so I guess that’s why he’s here. Anyway, he rolls up next followed by another older gentleman who usually buys estate sale jewelry.
So we’ve got a nice little line waiting to get in. Keep in mind, there’s still no one here to run the sale. The driveway is empty.
7:54am. 7:55am. Now, we’re getting a little concerned.
8:05am and still nobody is here. The older gentleman in line are getting antsy and start talking about leaving. I’m thinking it too, but it would be just my luck that the door would open up as my car turns onto the next street. One of them says, “I don’t think this one is happening,” and he turns to leave. The other gentleman agrees and they both leave. Now it’s just me and the young guy. I really should ask his name next time I see him.
At 8:15, I’m thinking that I’ve spent enough time and maybe I should head home. Just then, a car pulls into the driveway! She’s here!! And, she’s pulling out keys to open the front door. Yeah! She apologizes for being late, but she had to drive up from Ft. Mill, SC.
As the door opens, I ask which direction to the cookbooks. She says that some are in the kitchen and some are in the back bedroom. Okay….I’ll hit the kitchen first.
There are three stacks on the stove but no light in the house. I can see that these are a bunch of magazines. At the very bottom is a Betty Crocker cookbook. The spine is a little worn, but if this is it—I may as well grab something.
There are stacks of Southern Living magazines in the next room but I keep moving on to the back bedroom. I duck into one bedroom and see no cookbooks—but this catches my eye.

It’s a Cuthbertson Christmas Tree candle holder! Do you know how rare it is to find this Christmas china pattern? Everyone seems to collect the similar Spode pattern, but the Cuthbertson Christmas Tree pattern was something my hubby had growing up. When we got married, I liked the idea of using that pattern for our Christmas as well. I like it over the Spode because it has a star at the top of the tree. It’s since been discontinued and brought back (maybe?)—but it’s amazing to run across a piece.
I then head across the hallway to the other bedroom. I see stacks and stacks of books up against one wall and behind a sewing machine. A few plastic spiral spines are sticking out, but it’s more magazines and spiritual books. I do find a nice handful of cookbooks and a big Southern Living coffee table book, so I head back to the front of the house to check out.
I overhear that she doesn’t have change…so it’s back to the bedroom for more digging! I go through the stacks of magazines and actually find a few more good cookbooks. Glad I came back for a second look!
After I check out, the house is empty and I sit down to talk. Jane is having this sale to empty out her mother’s house. It’s been empty for a few years but her mother, Margaret, just passed away earlier this year and it’s finally been sold.
I tell Jane that I had noticed a ton of Southern Living magazines and ask if her mother liked to cook. She said that she did and that her cornbread dressing was the very best.
“My sister and I were just talking about that at Thanksgiving. That recipe was in her head and I never asked her how she made it. We still can’t get it right!”
I told her that I was hoping to come across a Betty Feezor or two. Jane’s eye’s lit up and she said, “Those are with me! I used to watch Betty Feezor with her at noon on Channel 3. She was always made up with her hair so perfect, well they all did back then—but yes, she had a couple of those and I have them with me.”
Well, at least my instincts were correct! Some Betty’s were in there at one time. I need to fix my Betty radar…to find them when they’re still in the house! LOL!
Here’s what I found amongst the stacks:

At Home with Southern Living (Edited by Katherine Pearson), Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, What’s Been Cookin’ At Pleasant Grove for the Past 100 Years (Pleasant Grove UMC, Charlotte, NC) and Calvary’s Hospitality (Woman’s Missionary Union, Calvary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC).

The Breaks of Cooking (Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital, Charlotte, NC), Pass the Plate (University City UMC, Charlotte, NC), Classic Holiday Cooking andFavorite Recipes (Ladies Auxiliary, Stallings Volunteer Fire Department, Stallings, NC).
Chapel Grove Sampler II (Chapel Grove Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC), Alice’s Brady Bunch Cookbook (Ann B. Davis with Ron Newcomer and Diane Smolen),First Lady Cookbook 1979: Dinner at My Place (American Cancer Society, South Carolina Division), Heavenly Dishes (St. Paul UMC, Charlotte, NC) and Fascinating Foods from the Deep South (Alline P. Van Duzor).
Well, it’s just 9 am. If memory serves, Julia’s Coffee, the used bookstore attached to a local Habitat ReStore is nearby. I’ll head over there and check out their cookbook section.
A few minutes later, I’m sitting on the concrete floor while going through the bookshelf. They cut a deal if you buy three with the same color-coded sticker. I’m in luck and find three red stickers and three green ones. Check them out:

The Mystic Seaport Cookbook (Lillian Langseth-Christensen), Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia (Buddy Valastro) and The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life (Pat Conroy with Suzanne Williamson Pollak).
And guess what....

The Pat Conroy Cookbook is autographed!

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant Cookbook (Chef William King), Party Potpourri (Junior League of Memphis, Memphis, TN) and Lithuanian Cookery(compiled by Izabele Sinkeviciute).
Now, I can safely call it a morning. No more sitting on cold brick steps…I’ve got the seat warmers on and I’m heading home.