Everyone's looking for something else.

So I have to rely on my little black book today.

And the first entry in my notes to myself?

Everyone's looking for something else.

Mary, who owns Linda's Boutique, is a true thrifting pioneer; a beautiful, elegant element on my way up the learning curve.

Linda's Boutique was once the premiere place to purchase wigs when wigs were the bomb.

Mary and Linda worked together. Linda eventually died. Mary's taken on the mantle of Linda's Boutique, whose primary focus in present day is to create wigs for people who are going through chemo.

I unfortunately have a friend who had a wig that was created by Mary. My friend is, thankfully, in remission. But I went to my friend's appointment with Mary, and Mary created a wig that was beautiful. My friend passed through her period with cancer looking very sassy.

In addition to wigs, Mary seasons her shop with items she sells that she's found at thrift stores and other thrifty places.

Mary and I did some thrifting together a bit ago. It's been a while, but Mary's education has remained, regardless of where I am. I'm at a thrift store, estate sale or specialty sale, and I invariably recall Mary's advice.

Everyone's looking for something else.

Mary initially invited me to a sale that her friend Suzy throws every so often.

Suzy's sales are notorious. She's developed not only an eye for what's beautiful, but a client list that's envious. Suzy attracts antique buyers, collectors, and even a national audience. Suzy's presentation of the items she finds makes thrifting so above all that - so appealing. One of the sales I attended was photographed for a major national magazine.

I personally purchased my mailbox and my cool bedside lamp from a Suzy sale.

The thing about Suzy sales is that people line up. They line up for no less than a day before the sale, just to get a number. The number gets them into the sale, based on the low number they've earned.

So Mary and I were late to a sale.

And Mary told me, when we were running late, "Everyone's looking for something else."

And it's so true.

I find some of the best stuff on Day Three of a 3-day estate sale. I've found great things when the garage sale has been cranking since Friday at 8 am, and I show up on Saturday at 3 pm.

It's a thing that's hard to understand, really. But I'm not questioning it.

It's a very good lesson, and it takes the pressure off for those of us who have a proclivity to get everywhere 10 minutes early.

Everyone's looking for something else.