A Craigslist Adventure

Adam and I have used Craigslist to buy and sell several different things.  We've always had pretty good luck.  The table in our entryway is an old telephone table.  We bought it on Craigslist, repainted it and added new hardware.  It turned out pretty cute and it means more to us because we created it together.  

We've also sold several items on Craigslist.  Most recently, we sold a glass coffee table that didn't sell at our garage sale.  It's a great way to get rid of stuff you don't need and to make a little extra cash.  

I have been scouring Craigslist every day this summer in search of a table and chairs for my new classroom.  I had very specific criteria.  I wanted it to be solid wood so I could easily refinish it.  I wanted it to have four chairs.  I wanted the table to be big enough, but not too big.  And I didn't want to spend more that $40.

I finally found the perfect table and chairs and the owner was only asking $20!  So, Adam and I went to pick it up and it turned into quite the adventure.  We had to drive to Kansas City to pick it up.  Once we got to the neighborhood, we were pleased to see it wasn't too sketchy.  There were, however, lots of cats roaming around the neighborhood.  Lots and lots of cats.  

We found the house and made our way to the door.  The lady next door was feeding, like, 8 cats on her porch.  Yikes.  When the seller opened the door, there were more cats inside.  They welcomed us in and as Adam was walking through the door, one of the cats dashed out the door.  Oops.  The owner didn't seem too concerned.  They said, "Oh, he'll probably come back."  Adam did go back outside to look for the cat, while I stayed inside and made awkward small talk with the owner.  I chatted with them while they took a bunch of crap off the table, which was odd.  Usually when people are planning to sell something, they don't have all their belongings piled on top of it.  

Adam came back, sans cat.  The owner said, "That's okay.  It can just be an outdoor cat."  Well, okay then.  Adam started to take the legs off so it would fit in our car.  We didn't have the right tools, so I suggested we see if it would fit without taking the legs off.  We brought it outside and Adam wiped off all the cat hair.  It didn't quite fit, so he got back to work on the legs.  Adam was able to get the legs off once he was outside because he "could breath now that there was not the overwhelming stench of cats."

Once the table was in the car, Adam started wiping down the chairs.  I guarded the car so none of the neighborhood cats climbed in and came home with us.  I don't think any got inside.  I haven't found any if they did.  

As we were driving home, Adam kept talking about "the woman" we bought the table from.  I had to set Adam straight and let him know we bought the table from a man.  Adam's response: "Either way, they were nice."  Very true.  

The table and chairs are a bit rough around the edges.  It will need to be wiped down with vinegar, sanded and primed with Kilz primer to get rid of any lingering cat smells.  Then, it will just need a coat of navy paint and it will be ready for my classroom.  

We got a table and an adventure out of the deal.