Lorraine holds up a large wire storage basket on wheels. I've got four hundred full bottles of beer in my house. The bidding comes to an abrupt halt. Wait a minute. But soon it's back to business.
Some items sell for less than a dollar, and it's rare that anything goes for more than five.
Providing good value was one of the reasons Lorraine started the auction when she moved to Parksville in 1991. Another was personal. She had begun a similar event in Langley when her children were young, and figured starting one in Parksville would be a good way to meet people in a new town. The first gathering was held in the basement of a neighbour's house, and since then the auction has generated quite a colourful history. A favourite story has to do with the time a mouse climbed out of a box on the auction table, sending everyone screaming and jumping up on the chairs, much like in the old cartoons.