For as long as I can remember, our family has been visiting Rice Lake, Canada for summer vacations. While we have not made the trek every year, we’ve definitely made the journey dozens of times.
I used to visit and go on these fishing trips as a little girl. I now go as an adult and Brian and I have our own children to pack up and bring along with us. We visit the same cabins that I went to those many years ago.
It was on one of these trips, about 10 years or so before Mom passed away, where she went a little crazy with her purchases at a local auction house near the cabins where we were staying.
Hastings Riverside Auction Hall
Hastings Riverside Auction Hall is a small, family owned auction place that catered to mainly locals looking for good deals on estate sale items, antiques, etc… They closed down a couple of years ago, but you can still visit their Facebook page here.
I don’t remember how we initially heard about the Auction hall, but attending the weekly event became a ‘must do’ on our Canada trip list for probably the last 10 annual visits or so.
Mom loved the auction. She wasn’t much of a fisherman, and the Rice Lake vacation mainly centered around the lake with fishing, boating, swimming, etc… Attending the Tuesday night auction was a highlight for her right after that first year when we found it.
The auction hall itself had an inviting, laid back atmosphere, filled with a family undertone. There were lines of old church pews facing the main stage where Al, the auctioneer, would stand at a makeshift podium.
The family dog would wind his way around the customers, taking a nap near your feet or scouting the area for any dropped food items.
A center aisle was typically lined with tables heaving with anything from antique China teacups, jewelry display cabinets containing old pocket watches and coins, to antique gas cans, homemade rugs, and whimsical lamps.
The outside walls of the hall were crammed with larger furniture pieces and outdoor items, such as fishing poles, tools, dressers, etc…
Everything was for sale.
A Love for Bidding
Mom absolutely loved to bid. She would really get into it. Mom was the type of person that would bid on something just so she could raise her number in the air and be a part of the excitement.
The specific year that I am thinking about was no exception.
We began the night with three vehicles at the auction. Brian and I and the kids were there, Dad and Mom, my sister, Bobbie, and her daughter and husband were there, along with my brother and his family.
As the auction went on, many of my family members left, leaving Mom, Bobbie, and myself with the truck.
This was probably a mistake.
As they packed up kids and left, I remember Dad saying something snarky like, “Don’t buy the whole place out.”
Mom smiled back and replied, “no worries.”
We probably should have listened to him.
Closing the Place Down
If you’ve ever been to one of these shindigs, you know that as the night goes on, and the place clears out with potential buyers leaving to go home, the auctioneer becomes more generous with some of his opening offers.
They basically give the stuff away at the end.
“I have a lot box here of linens. Nice linens here. Who will give $2?” the auctioneer said.
Mom shrugged her shoulder and raised her paddle.
“Sold!” he bellowed, as he moved onto the next box.
“Next we have a couple of boxes of mismatched China cups and saucers.” The auctioneer pointed to a couple of rather large boxes under an empty table. “They need a home folks. How about $5 for both?” He scanned the room and then looked at Mom, and raised his eyebrows in a question.
Mom put her paddle up.
This is how the night ended with people shuffling around, gathering their purchases, while Bobbie and I watched Mom pretty much clear the place out.
The last item that Al was getting rid of was an old, sturdy dresser that no one had initially bid on when he previously tried to sell it.
“I’ll give it to you, Marlene, if you’re willing to take it.” (They were on a first name basis at this point.)
“Why not,” Mom said, smiling over at my sister and I.
I smiled back because I already knew it was going back to the cabins with us. I also was looking forward to Dad’s face when we arrived with our purchases.
Arriving Back at Rice Lake
With our purchases paid for, and our treasures crammed into the bed of the truck, we headed back to the lake.
I could tell as we closed the gap between Hastings and the cabins, that Mom was starting to wonder what our reception was going to be like.
“Well, at least you got some great deals, Mom,” I said, grinning at her.
“Yes I did,” she replied. “I mean, we couldn’t pass all of those treasures up, now could we?”
“Nope. I’m sure Dad will like the dresser, and the two twenty foot area rugs, and the curio cabinet, the lamps, gas cans, all of it!” I smiled and winked at her.
“Smart Ass,” she said, smiling as we pulled into the cabin area.
As soon as we pulled the truck in, family started pouring out into the driveway to see what we had. (I may have texted Brian to give him a heads-up).
Dad immediately went to the back of the truck to check everything out.
“What did you do?” he asked incredulously, looking at Mom.
“I didn’t spend that much at all,” Mom assured him. “They were practically giving it away.”
“Because no one wants it,” Dad answered back. He saw Mom’s smile begin to waiver and immediately changed his tone. “The dresser will be useful,” he said. “How are we going to get t his stuff home though? The truck was full with our luggage, bedding, coolers and all of that when we came here on Saturday. We go back to Michigan in a few days.”
“Brian and I can fit some boxes with us in our vehicle, Dad,” I replied. “I’m sure we can take the stuff from the back seat.”
“Back seat!” Dad’s head whipped over to Mom again. “There’s more INSIDE the truck too?”
“No much at all. We’ll handle it,” I answered. Mom glared at me behind Dad’s head. She knew I was trying to stir the pot a little.
At this time, Brian and my brother David were snickering with each other as they peered into the back windows of the truck.
“I guess it’s a good thing we have the pontoon with us.” Dad scratched his head as he circled the truck again. “We can fit the rugs in there, along with some of the smaller things and maybe the suitcases.”
“There’s the spirit!” I answered. “Now let’s go in and eat some ice cream.”
With that, we all headed into the crammed cabin to sit, play Euchre, and eat ice cream.
Heading Home to the USA
A few days later, in the early hours of the morning, our caravan of vehicles and boats left the cabins and headed for the United States.
Needless to say, we were all packed to the brim with our typical vacation/fishing gear, along with antiques and treasures from Hastings Riverside Auction Hall.
With zero issues at the border, we made it home safely in around 8 hours or so.
It was an eventful trip, filled with laughs, love, and memories. (Did I mention we found a ‘naughty’ magazine in one of the dresser drawers after we returned home?)
Mom had the time of her life. It was a trip that we talked about for many years after.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
Goals for Today:
- Clean for an Hour
- Cook Spaghetti for Dinner (I know this shouldn’t be a goal, but somedays I tell them to eat cereal).
- Work on March Is Reading Month Decorations for School