Jumble Sailing

What an unexpected pleasure going to a Car Boot Sale can be! It may require getting up at 6am on a Sunday (thats running late by the way) but if you want to go as a stall holder, the rewards can be great. Not only do you get a fun day with your friends (helped by Sunday's lovely weather) but you also get to shift a load of stuff you no longer need and make some pocket money in process!

Every Sunday there is a Car Boot sale on the new-ish car park at the side of Brighton Station. Like all such events it is dependent on the weather for both people turning up to sell things and people wondering through willing to buy. Last Sunday however was unseasonally warm and therefore in Car Boot terms was a great success.

Sam, Laura and Jackie a little chilly after a sucessful days Car Booting

Our stall (pictured above) which was in a prime location (thanks oddly enough to our late arrival) soon gathered interest. In fact the vultures began to descend as our stuff was being unpacked and before it could be set up. Unaccustomed as we were to Car Boot etiquette we were at one point quite overwhelmed by the early haggling. We soon hit our stride however, except me who was so desperate to rid myself of collections of old coats and jeans that I often haggled down the price. Anyone who has seen Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' will know what I mean;


Harry: No, no. Do it properly.
Brian: What?
Harry: Haggle properly. This isn't worth nineteen.
Brian: You just said it was worth twenty.
Harry: Burt!!
Brian: I'll give you ten.
Harry: That's more like it. (outraged) Ten!? Are you trying to insult me? Me? With a poor dying grandmother...Ten!?!


Well, we got the hang of haggling and managed to clear most of the junk we had arrived with and in the process made between us £350! At the end of the day and with the cold setting in we packed up and took our winnings to the pub for a much needed sunday roast. Clearly not everyone had fun as this fellow Brighton Blogger points out but I think Car Boot sales given the right day and the right people are a joy. It's also a bit of a bug, we all want to go again and are digging around for things to sell.

Given the event and perhaps the deep blue sky on Sunday I had the song 'Jumble Sailing' by Brighton's very own Clearlake constantly running through my mind. I think the words are very fitting, here are some of them...

"we'll go jumble sailing out when the weather is fine
we'll go jumble sailing, you never know what we'll find
we'll be just like two millionaires going out on a spree
we'll know that it won't break the bank 'cause it's only 10p

we'll go jumble sailing out when the weather is fine
we'll go jumble sailing, you never know what we'll find
who knows all the odd little things that will sail into view?
I may find an odd little thing that reminds me of you

I see so many people turn their noses up at all the treasure we find
it's sad they don't know what they're missing
but well, we'll just have to leave them behind

we'll go jumble sailing out when the weather is fine
we'll go jumble sailing, you never know what we'll find
maybe find a small souvenir or a thing we can use
maybe a hat or a scarf or some second-hand shoes
maybe, either way this is one lucky dip we can't lose

when we go jumble sailing off into the blue"

Mission Accomplished!

Blogging by Dan