I'm "Miss Organization." I have lists for my lists. So when we set out on a Monday night for the Fair Oaks Auction Service I was eagerly anticipating the evening, sure of the date and time. It was a new auction for me, which made it even better.

It took us a while to find the place. Up and down 17m we went, like tin bears in a shooting gallery. We had to stop twice to get directions and when we finally drove up to the big brown building we found it dark and locked. Oops! Wrong night. Hubby took it well considering it was raining and miserable and we had been driving for well over an hour.

We were supposed to meet friends Holly and Barry at Fair Oaks. When they discovered the mistake they did the smart thing-went to the movies. We went home and I ended up in the garage sorting through all the stuff for our annual yard sale.

Every year I say it's my last yard sale. Every year I am persuaded to drag out all the junk for one more go at it. Our garage sale is always the second weekend in July to coincide with the River Road Fair in Barryville. I started setting up the tables and unloading the dozens of boxes at 7:30 a.m. An hour later the lawn was swarming with people looking for that special something before the rest of the crowd showed up. Unfortunately I was only half unpacked, so into the boxes went the crowd, pulling things out, shouting "how much?" into the morning air.

Whew! By 10:00 a.m. I was frazzled. No wonder I like auctions. When you get there everything has already been set up by unseen hands, who have to clean up, too! I know I sold lots of stuff because I had a pocket of money to show for it. We unloaded a desk chair, picture frames (one fancy one from an auction that I realized I would never use; of course, I lost money on that one.) Years ago my neighbor had given me a twin size iron bed that I loved but had no place for and after three years of setting it out someone bought it for a song at $30. The old horse collar went (finally) for $15.

I'm always surprised by what doesn't sell. Last year I unloaded lots of old sheet sets and towels. This year they went begging. I had a set of eight cereal bowls, loads of books, which always sell but didn't this time, and practically new roller blades and ice-skates which didn't get a nibble. My neighbors left for Florida recently and asked me to sell a quilt and a hearthrug with an eagle on it. The quilt was sold almost immediately. No one even looked at the rug.

The usual suspects were there: Mom, who was selling silver jewelry; and Holly, who had some interesting stuff including a one-slice toaster! So even if I was crabby about all the work the day entailed at least I wasn't alone. My one and only husband was his usual charming self as he gently persuaded potential buyers to part with their money.

The four-year-old Macintosh computer got a lot of looks but no takers, although we sold the Zip drive to a teenager who lived down the road. And the grape press, bought at an auction in a surge of enthusiasm, was the talk of the day. And that's all it brought-talk.

When it was time to pack up, instead of putting everything back into the garage, we divided it up with most being donated to the local church garage sale. The rest is going to an auction house to sell on consignment.

With nothing left to sell next year I can do one of two things-sleep late on the second weekend in July or start collecting all over again. I'm tempted to do the first, but a box lot auction beckons! As for the money we made, it bought us dinner Saturday night after our labors plus a magnum of champagne for our 24th anniversary. I also loaded up on groceries and had some ready cash for this and that during the week.

OK, so it wasn't so bad. Mark your calendars now for next July!