Locked Out Of Knott's Berry Farm

Someone recently posted on Facebook, asking if anyone around here had childhood memories of school field trips. This brought back memories of me being locked out of Knott's Berry Farm when I was about ten years old.

 In 5th grade my teacher organized a field trip for our class.  It was about 15-20 children and 3-4 adults, including her. The parents volunteers drove their own cars and we all squeezed in.  When we got there there was two (or three) carloads that arrived but we were still waiting on the last group of people.  We were allowed to explore the outside-the-park gift shops while we waited and kept checking back in with our teacher.  About 30-45 minutes passed and they still hadn't arrived.

Next time I try to check with teacher I realized everyone is gone. Completely.  I spend HOURS wandering from the gift shops to the front gate, to the parking lot (to check and see if the cars are still there) and back to the front again.  I had the park call for my teacher over and over on the intercom and she never replied.  They told her later that the inside-the-park intercom system is separate from the outside-the-park intercom system so they never heard the calls.

I'm not sure why I didn't call my parents.  We were not close to home.  Knott's Berry Farm is about 1 1/2 hours away but I was locked out side for about 10 hours. None of the park employees did anything to help not called a manager, police, my parents.  I just kept wandering around and making sure the cars were still there.  I don't even think I had any food this whole time.

This was about 30 years ago, so pre-pagers and cell phones.  I could have called home on a payphone but never did.

About 10pm my teacher and all of the other children came walking out of the entrance.  I was trying not to cry and started choking on my gum.  My teacher yelled at me for crying, saying it was uncalled for, and said she'd assumed I was with another parent, in the split-up groups, the whole time and she never knew I was missing.  Now, as an adult, I can't imagine what was going on in her head.  Maybe she yelled at me for crying to cover up her mess-up and all that could have gone wrong.  Not one adult knew I was missing the entire time.

We all got into the cars and went home.  It was never mentioned at school.  I'm not sure my parents ever knew.  She never gave me a refund for my ticket.

The next time I remember going to Knott's Berry Farm was in 2011, with my children.  And, yes, I kept a very close eye on them the entire time.


  

From Garage Sale to eBay

Okay, I haven't been garage sale-ing in ages!  It has been way overdue but with the kids in baseball and track out weekends have been crazy.  So, I mapped out about 20 on Friday night in about 5 cities to go to on Saturday.  This included one city about 25 minutes away that had a '40 military family neighborhood garage sale.'  But, come Saturday I woke-up late and was not motivated to get my tush in gear.  So, by the time I was showered, dressed and had the kids dressed it was 10:30 and too late to go far.  I noticed something new (or new to me) in all of the garage sale ads.  The sales started about 7-8 am but most ended 11, 12 or 1pm.  I thought garage sales usually ran until 2-3pm.  Not sure if this is a new trend or it has just been too long since I've mapped out garage sales.  So, I ended up picking three in my city and mapped them on www.mapquest.com.  Mapquest lets me 'up arrow' or 'down arrow' the garage sales changing point A and point D, etc. so that I can get all the sales in a way that I am saving time and spending less gas.  I can also put in about 7 places to go from point-to-point-to point and it will total the mileage for all of it (great for tax write-offs).

So, the first garage sale was awesome.  It was 3 blocks away from me and the woman had a TON of stuff.  For $22 I bought:

A medium size suitcase in like-new condition.
A small designer purse (for my daughter).  Also like-new.
A Kokopelli doll-themed bathroom set including a large towel, medium towel, wash cloth, mat, soap dish, two night lights, shower curtain, a large cloth pad to hang on a wall and two figurines.  (this whole group was $12).  It was all used in the woman's guest bathroom for decorations.  My mom loves Kachina dolls and so I bought this set for her but kept the two figurines to try to sell on eBay.  Both have a soapstone base and look very unique.
A old push-lawnmower.  I bought this for $5 to resell on eBay.  Last time I sold one on eBay it sold for about $50 (plus the buyer paying shipping). Downside is it is HARD to build or find a box the right size to ship it.
An Undercover Sunshade.  It goes on top of most beach chairs to add overhead shade (brand new).

So, at the first one I spent $22 and my mom gave me $12 for the Kokopelli items I bought for her, so I was out $10 of my own money.

At the second garage sale everyone was packed up and gone.  Only the signs leading to the house were out.  The same with the third house.  This was very disappointing since it was about 11:30-11:45 and one said their sale ended at 12 and the other at 1pm.

I stopped by two in the same area but did a slow-drive-by and didn't see enough to warrant a stop.

I decided it was noon and to call it quits and head home since it seemed most were ended.  On the turn-in street right before mine I saw signs and on a whim decided to follow them.  The signs lead me down about three streets until I found the sale and I was glad I hadn't given up.

I have been looking for a patio table and found a great one.  The height is on the low-side but I still love it.

 I had the man having the garage sale help me load it into my car and it sat there for about 6 hours until my dad stopped by and was able to help me unload it (yes, it is that heavy).

 Picture in my backyard (dark because my cell doesn't have a flash.

Someone painted the sides orange so I hope it doesn't flake or peel.  The legs are a solid metal and look like cast iron.

Also, not pictured, my daughter found a wallet.  The man wanted $15 for the table.  I asked if he'd take $10 and he countered $12.  I asked if he'd throw in the wallet for $12 and he said 'deal.'  :-)

I've been trying to get my backyard more 'company friendly' for summer barbecues.  This table was a great add.  I got eight chairs (three shown) from someone on Freecyle.  I need to buy new cushions since these ones are faded but they are okay for now.

Finally, I bought this from someone in a 'Good Exchange' closed group on Facebook.  It has about 700 people in it that are local and people can list items for sell or that they are in search of (ISO) and post photos.  It is similar to Craig's List but since it is a closed group by invite only (these must be growing because I currently know of five of them locally) there is zero spam.

It is a like-new Roomba in original box and barely used.  I bought it for $45 and am hoping it sells on eBay for $90 (based on current completed auctions).  You can see my auction here:  Roomba.

I lost the charge for my digital camera and stuck using my cell for pictures right now so I have to wait to list the Kokopelli figurines.  I'm hoping to save up money and buy an iPhone 4.  I'd love to have one with a flash on it and my current cell phone keeps freezing when I take pictures.

For now I can either take pics with my cell and have them grainy or wait until the charger comes in the mail (should be next week). I think for the detailed items I need to wait.

All in all it was a good day for garage sale-ing.  I didn't find much to sell on eBay but the sale of the Roomba, figurines and push mower should pay for the table and all the other shopping I did and maybe I'll come out ahead.  That is the plan anyways.

Sign Up To Be On The National Consumer Panel

 For a limited time National Consumer Panel is accepting new household registration entries.  once you apply it takes a few weeks for them to accept you.  Click on the link to join:  National Consumer Panel.


I started doing this about three months ago.  It is easy to do and I get points by shopping and scanning my items or doing occasional surveys.  Points add up.  You can trade in for items in their points catalog.  They have occasional sweepstakes too.


A friend doing this told me the points start slow but increase greatly over time.  It took her about a year but she saved points and bought a tv.  I'm not sure what I'm saving for yet.  Nothing definite, just want to earn points and then figure it out.


Don't have time?  Get kid-power.  My kids help me and fight over who gets to do it.  When we go grocery shopping we scan the items as we unload and get it done all at the same time.  It is quick and easy.

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