We survived the Silent Auction. Don, the kids and I got home last night about 10:30, got them ready for bed, then sat and talked about how things had gone - positives (things we'd like to do that way again) and negatives (let's try and come up with a better way). On the grand scale, there were WAY more positives than negatives and, while we spent a good bit of time brainstorming the biggest negative, we really didn't see any other way to do things.
The problem we had was that the Lots were not in numeric order. The bidding sheets were scattered across 11 tables with no numeric rhyme or reason. But they had been placed logistically based on the size of the item and for aesthetics. Each table had some physical items to attract attention. The largest items, the ones that wouldn't fit on the tables, were displayed across the front of the gymnasium stage. The bid sheets for those items we placed on the first row of tables on the side opposite the side nearest the stage, so you could walk down the row, read the item name, glance up and be looking RIGHT at the very item. It took a fair amount of work to make it visually interesting and simple to find the items that weren't displayed on the tables and we had to switch items out several times during set-up. Add to that items being delivered to our door, of which we had no prior knowledge, Saturday afternoon one hour before the second auction, and you'll understand that it was extremely difficult to just keep order in a chaotic situation.
Don and I agreed that the only way we could make the numbers on the lots make any sense was to REALLY, FIRMLY cut off donations one week before the auction. But we know that's not realistic and we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot. Some of the best items we received came at the last minute. So this is a negative with which we'll just have to live.
We considered publishing a flier of the items up for bid sometime before the auction (or at least the ones we have at that point) so people have a chance to plan. We may try to do some of that next year. All-in-all, it was a very fun day and fruitful. If all items won are paid for and picked up, we will have made $4,940. Not bad for having started so late in the game.
There was one casualty to the day - Deanna. We pretty much gave her free reign. She was in a protected environment where she knew almost everyone and she's pretty mature. We made sure she checked in with us often and that we always knew where she was, but we let her come and go as she pleased.
Most of her time was spent shopping. There was a huge yardsale - probably the biggest yardsale I've ever seen - and a Country Store that was selling cute crafts and gift items. The big ticket there were tropical-flavored candycanes with reindeer horns and eyes glued on for $.10. How could you pass them up? There also was a bakery with amazing, wonderful stuff. Deanna found some wonderful Christmas presents at the yardsale and at the Store and was VERY pleased with her purchases. Several times throughout the day, she'd run up to where I was talking to a customer asking questions or a worker asking questions and blurt out, "Mama, guess what?" In most situations, I replied that I needed her to show me later because I was very busy. In the afternoon between the two auctions, I took time to look over all her gifts and once or twice at the Festival took the time to look and comment, but not near as often as she wanted to show me. Sitting at the table last night after all was said and done, I realized that she probably had been hurt by my inattentiveness. I apologized for not being very available. She hung her head and I thought I saw a tear. While she really did understand that I was unbelievably busy, it still hurt. I'm her Mama, the closest person in the world to her, and she wanted to share her excitement.
I don't know that I could have done anything differently. This is one of those times where my humanness eats my lunch. I had a job to do and when customers were asking for help, it had to come first. All the same, I've wounded my little girl, the only one I have. Customers come and go, daughters only go.
I plan on spending a good bit of time with my little girl looking over all her Christmas presents today and inventorying all her stuff. Perhaps I can, in some little way, make up to her my loss of interest yesterday.
And pull her close again before she wanders too far afoot.
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