An Auction Item That Spoke to me

Today my husband and I went to an auction.  It was a nice fall morning, crisp and cool and sunny.   Most of the stuff there was junk but one item sort of "spoke" to me.   Now, those of you who like to go to thrift shops, rummage sales, garage sales, antique shops, auctions and estate sales know exactly what I mean when something "speaks" to you!   Those of us who like old things and vintage/retro items can spot something that just seems interesting, and suddenly it becomes a must-have item.   I guess that's the joy of going to garage sales and antique stores and auctions - it's the quest for just that certain something.
     Anyway, most of the items at this auction started at a dollar, so when the auctioneer started the bid for this item, I thought he was starting at a buck.  Well, he was speaking really fast and was hard to understand, and apparently he started the bidding for this item at FIVE dollars!   Oops!  Well, I would have gone as high as five dollars anyway, so I had to end up paying 5 bucks for this:

Isn't this little guy cute?  He is sitting in a wicker sleigh.  Since I had to give 5 bucks for him, I am calling this bear "Lincoln".  He's about 15 inches tall, and the sleigh is about 18 inches long and 10 inches wide.   I will make a nice Christmas vest for him and fill the wicker sleigh with pine trimmings and he will be a porch decoration for Christmas, along with some other things.   The rest of the year, he will be a decorative item in the guest bedroom.

 I know Lincoln the bear isn't valuable or rare, but he made me smile.  Lately the world has been so crazy and hateful, especially with our elections and all the nasty stuff we read about every day.   A little cheer goes a long way to bringing me a bit of sanity!  I don't know about you, but I've just about "had it up to here" with the news anymore!   My little teddy bear Lincoln will remind me of a happy day spent with my husband, on a nice fall day in the country, at an auction.   Sometimes simple joys are what life is all about!