Live Auction begins at 7pm, Friday Dec 7, 2007
L01	Wall Hanging -Planetary Dreaming				Cindy & Mike Reinke
You've always dreamed of outer space, of traveling across the galaxy.  Even if you never go, this jewel-toned, out-of-this-world wall hanging will give you the planets and moons of your dreams.  Lovingly quilted, this work of fiber art is just the size to fit on any wall.
L02	Winter Soups and Breads				Amy Kaiser and Kitty Frey
What can do more to bring a family comfort, warmth and nourishment in the bleak midwinter than a steaming pot of homemade soup accompanied by warm bread fresh from the oven?  Let Kitty and Amy deliver this very item to you once a week for FOUR weeks to help ease you through the winter doldrums (Monday or Tuesday evening preferred the last two weeks in January and the first two weeks in February).  You choose your FOUR installments from pairings similar to the following: Italian Garden Soup with Hot Herb Ring, Tomato Basil Soup with Crescent Rolls, Mediterranean Lentil Soup with Sesame Ring, Potato Cheese Soup with Whole Wheat Bread, Corn Chowder with Herb and Onion Biscuits, Savory Butternut Squash Soup with Crescent Rolls, and African Peanut Soup with Sweet Potato Rolls.  With a successful bid on this auction item you'll wish winter lasted all year long.
L03	German Toy Merry Go Round				Jean Henderson
Do you miss having little ones around to adorn the Christmas tree and sprinkle red and green sugar onto cut-out cookies?  Bring back the childlike joy of the holidays with this near-mint reproduction of a 1930's German Toy Merry Go Round.  It is 8" tall and 6" wide.  Watch it go around and spin your own stories.
L04	1.5 Hour Thai Massage				Kimberly Sotelo
Are you spiritually aligned to the Far East?  Or perhaps your window into Thai culture opens out onto a platter of Spicy Green Curry when you shop or sight-see in Atlanta.  Either way, you've always craved experiences flavored by the exotic East.  A Thai massage should be your next adventure. Thai Massage (Thai Yoga Therapy) is based on principles of energy balancing and the actual touching or soft tissue manipulation is incidental to, and not the central aim of, the practice. Thai Massage incorporates elements of mindfulness, gentle rocking, deep stretching and rhythmic compression and focus to create a singular healing experience. This work brings fundamental elements and energy into harmony and creates wholeness of mind, body and spirit. Kimberly Sotelo is a Certified Yoga Instructor and is currently working on her Thai Yoga Therapy certification. Yoga Ananda Studio is located at 418 Gay St., just down from Amsterdam Cafe.
L05	Authentic German Dinner for Six				Connie and Ralph Ressler
Can't make it to snowy Berlin for a traditional German Christmas this year?  Well, unpack those lederhosen!  This authentic German feast, offered by Connie and Ralph Ressler, will warm your heart and fill your stomach. You will enjoy German wine served in elegant Rosenthal stemware. Connie will prepare Sauerbraten, a German specialty made by marinating a beef roast in a sour-sweet marinade for 2 to 3 days, browning the roast, and then simmering the meat in the marinade for several hours. Your meal will include German Potato Pancakes, Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, Marinated Celery, Onions and Carrots, and dessert. Connie and Ralph will serve your feast on heirloom German china.  AND, you'll be greeted at the door by Maxwell von Clausen, the Ressler's friendly German Boxer. Aber was den!  (Come on now!) Let the bidding begin!
L06	Computer Tune-up				Shannon Price
Have the precious pages of your great American novel overloaded your computer memory?  Or maybe you've worn out a few pieces of software transferring all of Grandma's recipes from yellowing index cards into Word files for your jump drive.  Shannon Price offers a computer consultation of your choice - computer repair, reload, clean-up, speed-up or even computer tutoring.  All consultations will be delivered with patent-pending combination of patience and empathy.  (Please note: This item does not include materials for hardware updates.)
L07	Color Photograph titled Christmas Castor				Susan Ledbetter
Take home this unusual, close-up view of a Castor plant in bloom.  The photograph was taken in mid-summer, but its colors bear a striking resemblance to Christmas adornment.  The photograph was part of the recent Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center Annual Photography Show.  It is matted and ornately framed.
L08	Hand Knit Baby Item				Jennie Raymond
Your favorite aunt, Edith, loved to knit and you still have fond memories of her nimble fingers looping the yarn over the needles and deftly fashioning skeins of yarn into something cozy and wonderful made just for you. Perhaps we can't match the love for you Aunt Edith put into her knitting but Jennie can knit an item for you with her unmatched skill and talent. She is offering to knit a baby sweater, a baby blanket, or a child's sleeveless vest (up to size 12) for the special little niece or nephew on your list. She will provide up to $30 of worsted weight or larger yarn as well as her suggestions and insights for the type of yarn and the item's design. With a successful bid on this item, you're well on your way to being someone's favorite aunt!
L09	Christmas Cookie Platter				Sharon Roberts
Everyone loves a jolly Christmas elf--especially when she comes bearing cookies!  This is Sharon's 8th year or so of offering the Christmas cookie platter, but don't worry, the cookies are fresh each year, made with real butter and the best local eggs.  She spends the year searching for new cookie recipes and will deliver 5-6 dozen of the very best Christmas cookies to you the 2nd or 3rd week of December.  There's a mix of spice, herb, chocolate, mint and gosh, just a colorful and tasty variety of cookies to flavor the holidays.
L10	Brazilian Seafood Stew for 6				John and Maryann Jensen
Like a samba, Brazilian seafood stew, or moqueca, has a tropical beat and flavors reflecting Brazil's South American, African and European cultural blend. John will serve this deliciously seasoned stew with all the trimmings.  You'll feel as if you've melded with the tropical melting pot that is Brazil.
L11	Electrical Services				Bill Baird
When your wires are frayed, frazzled, or crossed, it's good to know that there's someone dependable you can call on to help solve those electrical mysteries in you home.  Whether it's hanging ceiling fans, adding security lights, repairing lamps, or finding out why that wall switch doesn't work anymore, Bill will provide up to 4 hours of electrical work.   He'll also visit to discuss the problem and estimate the time and materials needed to solve it. Once you and Bill agree on a project, you'll pay for materials and he'll install and safety-check the work.  Even Thomas Edison would be proud.  Bill guarantees his work.  His AUUF auction customers from past years will testify to their satisfaction with his electrical expertise, electrical ability, and electric personality.
L12	Flower Bed Planting with Soft, Lady-Like Style			Samera Baird and Teresa Hawkins
Need a splash of color or a palette of pastels in your front or back yard?  Samera Baird and Teresa Hawkins will plant a flower bed for you.  You'll pay and we'll purchase the materials (soil enrichment, plants, mulch), bring the tools and do approximately 3 hours of labor planting a small flower bed.  If planted in the fall, cool weather plants typically are pretty in the winter and thrive in the spring until the summer heat.  If planted in the spring, hot weather plants typically thrive into the fall.
L13	Philosophy Talk				Ken Walters
Have a discussion about your philosophic topic of choice with our long-standing (sometimes sitting) resident philosopher.  Just you and Ken in comfy chairs, or invite a group for lively discourse, your choice.  Two hours of philosophy.  God, aesthetics, the meaning of life…whatever.
L14	Vegetarian Indian Dinner for 8	Claire and Darrell Crutchley
You'd anticipated this adventure for ages…you planned to take your train-buff Great Uncle Horace across India to ride the extensive rail system as a way of thanking him for all he has done to get your successful business started.  But, you hadn’t expected this snafu…Great Uncle Horace has gotten cantankerous in his old age and he will travel ONLY by rail.  Since plane or steamer across the ocean is now out of the question, this Indian meal will have to suffice.  However, we know that Great Uncle Horace will be delighted to come to Claire and Darrell's house for a night of Indian cooking.  The meal includes Samosas and Chutney, Vegetable Curry, Stuffed Cauliflower with almonds, Zucchini Kofta, Four-Jewel Dahl, Basmati Rice, Breads and Cucumber Raita, and a beer from the subcontinent.
L15	Plumbing Service Call				Michael Klein
The eminent 20th century physicist Albert Einstein once said, "If I had my life to live over again, I'd be a plumber."  Like Einstein, most of us are not lucky enough to have expert plumbing skills, but thankfully, we can rely on Michael Klein. Michael will provide 2 hours of blissful plumbing services (materials not included) to the lucky high bidder on this item.
L16	Breakfast on the Porch for Two		Terry Rodriguez and Ken Walters
Come to Ken and Terry's pleasingly perfect porch to enjoy a late morning breakfast for two. Partake of Ken's Whole Wheat Whole Oat Pancakes with Special Home Blend Syrup, Terry's Cardamom and Pine Nut Sauteed Apples, Nitrate- Free Bacon, Orange Juice, and freshly made Equal Exchange Coffee. Sounds ever so much better than breakfast in bed!
L17	Sarah's New York Style Cheesecake				Sarah Livant
Sarah's New York style cheesecake, huh? Crafted by a cook who, except for the past few months at college, has lived all her life in Alabama? Hmmmmm. Well, she is "Mr. New York's" only child and the (Big) Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Maybe location IS relative and Sarah really DOES have a New York state of mind. Oh, look. The cheesecake comes with a certificate of authenticity. Dis guy, Peter, says he'll testify dat Sarah's cheesecakes are truly New York style...rich, creamy, really great. And he's from New York, so he should know. O.K. I'm sold. Hey, you get TWO of them delivered to your door, either one at a time on separate occasions or both at once, depending on what you need. Sounds like just the right combination of New York style and good ol' Southern hospitality. Because Sarah is now going to college in New York (of all places), she can only make cheesecakes when she's home on summer break. But don't worry, they keep very well in the freezer. Please order at least one week ahead of the desired delivery date so Sarah can fit your cheesecakes into her schedule.
L18	Smoked Ham				Auburn Civitan Club
Make a savory smoked ham the centerpiece of your holiday feast.  The Auburn Civitan Club will deliver one ham directly from the smoker to your house on Thursday, December 20.  Internationally famous (hey, someone carried one to Peru), Civitan hams and turkeys are smoked with pecan wood (or whatever we find lying around) for Thanksgiving and Christmas each year to raise money for Civitan charities and service projects.
L19	Services of a Confidential Listener				Connie Salts
Do you feel like nobody ever listens to you?  Want to tell your boss something, but need an unbiased sounding board first?  Don't quite know how to tell your mother-in-law to back off?  Then you need the services of a confidential listener.  I'll come to your home, meet you for lunch or you can call me on the phone at 6 different times during the next year and I'll actively listen as you talk about your situation. (Active listening involves asking questions for clarification that helps you determine how best to say what you want to say, if that is what you want.  Or, I can appear very interested no matter how boring your story may be.)
L20	Fading Memories - Pottery				Anwar Ahmed
Anwar Ahmed originally conceived this unique pottery piece as a tribute to Myra Provo.  Its shadowed colors, dramatic intertwined lines, and stark geometric figures evoke the emotions and memories of a wise woman with many decades of experience.  Anwar wishes to thank Lu Stand and Natalie Provo for their helpful insight.
L21	Brunch for Four				Bill & Samera Baird
Four adults will gather on Bill and Samera's Auburn deck to enjoy Mimosas, coffee, and Blueberry Pancakes made from Bill's old family recipe and Chip Busch's blueberries. A cheerful waiter will see to your every whim while Samera's Dancing Squirrels and Chubby Chipmunks entertain and delight you with antics performed to a songbird chorus. Take your time as you dine to converse and enjoy the serenity of giant pines on a late Sunday morning in the spring.
L22	Certificate Good for One Visit of Initial Exploration with Acupuncture				Paula Lord, L. Ac.
Those who have visited licensed acupuncturist Paula Lord can attest to the feeling of serenity and pleasure that acupuncture can bring to a weary body.  Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical technique dating back thousands of years.  A type of anti-aging medicine that slows disease progression, acupuncture is based on prevention aimed at healing a physical problem– pain, allergies, stress, digestive disorders, hormone imbalance, headaches, for example– without causing new problems. Acupuncture can address things that Western medicine does not know how to solve.   Paula offers a certificate good for one visit of initial exploration with acupuncture.  Often, 3 to 4 treatments can put the body in balance so that it can heal itself.  Let Paula be your guide to a more healthful life.
L23	Creole Quilt				Tia Gonzalez
This truly vintage log cabin quilt, offered by Tia Gonzalez, was made back when folks quilted out of the necessity.  The quilt is about a 5 foot square.  The patchwork, created from various mid-twentieth-century fabrics, shows signs of loving wear.  It's very soft and cozy.  The back is a floral in autumn coloring.  Imagine the garments that were recycled to give birth to this quilt!  A lot of life force has passed through this bed garment.  Tia is not sure which (or how many) of her great-aunts crafted this quilt.  She suspects Rosalie or Ida, the most domestically inclined of her grandmother's five sisters, all of whom were born and raised in New Orleans.  The sisters were children of the era's European immigrants.  Tia's great-grandmother, "Mama," was from France; "Papa" came from Italy.  Papa was a vendor of fruits & vegetables.  He was famous for the quality and quantity of garlic braids festooning his French Market booths.  If the quilt smells of garlic, Tia hasn't noticed.
L24	Cowland House Pottery Cabbage Leaf Bowl	Tom and Michelle Westmoreland
Add a touch of summer to your wintertime dinner table.  Expert Opelika potter and artiste Tom Westmoreland generously offers a large bowl glazed in Spearmint Green.  This usable work of art is perfect for salads, fruit, chips or simple display.  Bring the charm of Tom and Michelle's cozy Cowland House Cottage to