OK, GET OUT your Liberty National fan (the one with the Last Supper on it), bust the piggy bank, borrow some money for gas, and hit the road Thursday.That’s the official start of the World’s Longest Yard Sale, which now stretches 690 miles from (on this end) Noccalula Falls in Gadsden to Addison, Mich.
You will need the above equipment. It’s going to be hot, you’ll need money for other people’s trash, and for salt and pepper shakers made in Taiwan. And gas isn’t exactly cheap.
The big yard sale, now on its 25th season, is a lot of fun if you can handle heat, pain, and maybe bankruptcy. The route basically follows U. S. 127, which before the Interstate, was the main corridor out of the Midwest to the South.
One other thing.
There is, this year, something called the 127 Connect, an extension of the sale. This begins in Alexander City and follows Alabama 22 to New Site, Alabama 49 to Lineville, Alabama 9 to Ashland, Alabama 77 to Gadsden.
The sale ends Sunday afternoon, but don’t look for me out there this year.
I usually make it every fourth year or so because it takes me three years to forget the pain and heat. Another reason is the blonde is in Ohio visiting with her aunt, which means she can’t go this year, which means I don’t HAVE to go.
But y’all have fun, OK?
“Had a good finish,” offered Ken this past week, hustling baskets to customers’ autos. “Had one bunch that really came alive this past week, but one more week will be it for this year.”
Per usual, Ken will be at Regions in Oxford around 6 a.m. If any left, he moves to the Anniston post office at 8.
See you next year.
I’ve known Dr. Sarrell since coming to this town and, in fact, my wife worked for him for a number of years.
Warren Sarrell is flat out one of the really great persons ever in our town. What he has done in our community is simply priceless.
And he had a grin a mile wide when I told him I haven’t had a cigarette in 12 years, finally doing away with a habit he rode me about wherever we met ... in his office, on the street, didn’t matter.
Which reminds me of the last time he did a complete physical on what he considered something of a miracle. And this is a direct quote:
“George Smith, I don’t know anyone who has abused their body any more than you have and you’re disgustingly healthy!”
I had to laugh, he shook his head, and walked out the door . . .
You know that Stabler, one of Alabama’s great quarterbacks who also won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders, lost his job as a Crimson Tide radio commentator a couple of years back.
A DUI arrest (his third) in 2009 cost him the job, even though he was acquitted of the charge.
Now, according to the Press-Register of Mobile, his last bit of property has been sold in order to pay long-due income taxes to Uncle Sam. He still owes $265,000 plus interest.
It is indeed sad . . . and of his own making.
’Til later . . .
George Smith can be reached at 256-239-5286 or e-mail: gsmith731@gmail.com
