A Two-Susan Day

Today was a Two-Susans-Day.  It started with a memorial service.

The first Susan was Susan T  and it was her memorial service I attended.  I spent a great deal of time around her back in the 80's.  There was a group of us who hung out at The Elks Club pool practically every day one or two summers.   Looking back we were an unlikely group.  We had quite an age range and we certainly had a lot of different personalities.  I'm really not sure how much we all had in common, but somehow we formed a close connection that remained over the years even though many of us seldom see the others.  Susan was a very important part of that group.  So was Ruth Adamek, who passed away a few years ago.  Those two ladies knew how to be happy.

Happy people know connecting with friends and family is the most important thing and if you can do it with a sense of fun and joy and love, then you'll truly have a wonderful life, no matter what comes your way.  Susan and Ruth were so full of joy... always.  Wherever they were was sure to be a happy place.  The Elks Club pool was an incredibly happy place to be back then.

Late this afternoon I kept thinking about how Susan T lived and suddenly sitting at home relaxing by myself seemed completely wrong. I am incredibly lucky to have a bunch of great friends.  I'm thinking I'd like to start seeing them more often. Ordinarily, I like to do my playing and running around during the day, but even though it was late in the day, I picked up the phone and called Susan H. She's my YES Friend.  If she has spare time, she will always say yes to a friend.  She's always ready for fun.  It was perfect timing. She had time to spare and was close by. We were able to fit in a fabulous ride in her new paddle boat, a thrown together dinner and a fun movie.

Sometimes hanging out with a good friend is the most important thing you can do.  Susan T would agree.

Saying Goodbye to Uncle Clyne

Clyne Veal died today.  He was one of the most influential people in Rudy's life.

Clyne and Lorene

I began hearing about Clyne (and his sweet wife, Lorene) soon after Rudy and I started dating.  Rudy's family is quite large, but it became obvious that Clyne was a VIP in the family.  Over the years, he justified that high regard over and over.

The Veal clan - that's Clyne in the Navy uniform
I told you it was a large family!

Clyne was a humble man and lived simply.  He didn't have to.  He could have bought anything he wanted.  He was soft spoken. He had all sorts of things to brag about if he'd been that type of person, but that wasn't in his nature.  Thinking about those sentences, I can't help feeling they are inadequate.  The thing is, his nature is what was so admirable.  It's what made him so loved.  He didn't need to be loud and out-going.  He didn't need to bring attention to himself.  People were drawn to him. No one wanted to disappoint him.  They wanted to make him proud.  Interestingly, if someone did do something "disappointing", most often Clyne seemed to see it as a lesson.

Clyne was a World War II vet.  His war experiences were like something you might see in a movie.  He served on the USS Emmons.  The Emmons was attacked by five kamikaze planes and sunk in April of 1945.  Clyne was the second from the last to get off the ship.  He saved the captain's life.  The captain was in such bad shape (from burns I think) that for years Clyne assumed he hadn't lived.  But he did.  Clyne was interviewed by a number of newspapers for his 90th birthday.  You can see more about that HERE.  

Clyne in his USS Emmons hat

Rudy came up with the wonderful idea to give Clyne a cap with the USS Emmons emblem on it.  Of all the gift giving I've seen over the years, I do believe that was the all time best.  There was no doubt it was appreciated.  He hardly left home without it for the next 5 years.  Many times Lorene and Clyne would be out eating and a stranger would see that cap and secretly pay for their meal to thank him for his service.  I remember hearing about it the first time it happened.  They were so amazed and absolutely delighted!

Clyne liked keeping things simple.  He was Rudy's biggest mentor when it came to the simple life, though Rudy was never able to come even close to Clyne's simple style.  He was frugal and careful.  There was nothing fancy about Clyne Veal!

He gardened up until a few years ago.  Most of those years, he plowed using a mule.  A mule was far better than a tiller!  Clyne's mules and horses were always fun to see when visiting.  I imagine those mules were more than happy to do whatever Clyne wanted them to do.  Even Clyne's animals seemed to be enchanted with him.

One thing I always thought significant about Clyne's gardening was that he didn't believe in planting the summer crops till after Mother's Day.  Many people are in such a rush to plant.  Clyne wanted to be certain frost would not undo his work.  He was an incredibly patient man.  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Clyne was a hard and diligent worker.  For a number of years he raised chickens.  Lots and lots and LOTS of chickens.  His barn was huge.  Rudy and his brother Jimmy used to spend summers with Clyne and Lorene.  Rudy helped some with the chickens and was awed by how much work that involved.  He'd ask Clyne about how he could continue to work that hard day after day.  I don't know the exact answer, but the takeaway was that you just focused on what you were doing at the moment and you kept going.  Rudy said Clyne was never in a big hurry, but he was incredibly steady and long lasting.  The long lasting part is certainly true in more ways than one.  He lived to be 95.

A number of generations learned things from Clyne - including how to make whistles from a branch.

Staying with Lorene and Clyne was a memory Rudy treasured.  Other cousins in the family stayed with them, too.  The female cousins always wondered why the boys were so lucky.  The girls weren't left out actually.  They had fun at the same time with other aunts and uncles.  Clyne knew how to keep boys out of mischief and teach them a lot at the same time.

Rudy used to go hunting with Clyne.  They'd start the day quite early with a huge breakfast from Lorene.  Lorene's biscuits were also a memory Rudy treasured.  Rudy would stick a few extra in his pockets and off they'd go.  Anyone who knows Rudy knows that he was NOT a hunter.  He couldn't kill a thing unless it was threatening someone he loved.  Clyne went pretty light on hunts with Rudy.  Mostly, they just went out and ran the dogs and let them chase some things.

Rudy was with Clyne when he bought THE truck.  The 65 Ford pick up.

Clyne sold the truck to Rudy in 1998.  Rudy was so proud to have it.  After Rudy died, the truck went to Daniel.  I hardly thought it was possible anyone could love the truck more than Rudy, but I believe Daniel has proved that wrong.  The truck is really wonderful, but more than that, it's a piece of family history.  No amount of money would have persuaded me to sell this truck outside of the family, though many offered to "take it off my hands".  

By the way, I still have the wagon Clyne built and later gave to Rudy. Rudy had helped him build it... or rather Clyne let him think he was helping. Actually, I think Rudy paid more attention to Clyne's building skills than anyone realized. The chassis had been an Army ammunition carrier that was pulled by a jeep.  It's wonderful.  It, too, is something I hope will stay in the family.  If any of you Veal's are interested, let me know!  It's a beauty and is still in GREAT shape.  You have to promise to keep it and cherish it!  You can read more about the wagon HERE.

Clyne's wagon

Clyne was quiet spoken.  I loved to watch him at family reunions.  He was usually back from the crowd just a tad, but watching him was like watching a beloved king holding court.  Everyone made sure to go talk to Clyne.  He could be funny, too.  And astute.  I often would hear him say things that I considered profound.  Usually just a short sentence that spoke volumes.

Clyne and Vicki, 2006 reunion

Clyne and Lorene were married for 67 years.  They were hardly apart during that time, right up to the end.  Clyne waited till Lorene was back in the room to take his last breaths.  Their anniversary was last Saturday.  Just before they got together, Clyne had been dating another girl.  Lorene explained to Clyne why that girl wasn't right for him and the rest is history.  If you know Lorene, get her to tell you the story.  It's really funny!

Lorene

Another reason Rudy loved being around Clyne and Lorene is because they were so happy with each other.  Rudy loved watching Clyne tease Lorene.  He loved how they stayed totally smitten with each other over the years.  Clyne loved Lorene with all his heart til the day he died.  No.  That's probably wrong.  I'm sure even in Heaven, he loves her still and will be watching over her.  He'll expect his whole family to show her the love he no longer can.  And we will.  She's so sweet and fun.  It's not hard to love Lorene.

Some would say that Clyne and Lorene didn't have any children of their own.  Ancestry.com would certainly say that.  But it wouldn't be true.  They had dozens.  He was sort of the father of the family.  It's hard to explain the truth of that, but if you know any of the cousins in the Veal clan, you've probably heard them try to explain the Clyne mystique.  It's just impossible to come up with the right words for how loved he is and how connected we all feel to him.

If it's true that your loved ones greet you when you go to heaven (and I believe it is), then Clyne was greeted by a huge crowd.  HUGE.  He was loved by so many and a good many of those are no longer here with us.  I know Rudy and Jimmy were there as well as too many others in the family.  I started counting who all would be there to greet him, but I ran out of fingers and toes.  I'm certain it's an amazing reunion.  But here on Earth, we're going to miss him so much.

A Visit With Aunt Lou

Linda, Nancy and I took off yesterday to visit Aunt Lou, who is in the hospital with pneumonia.  She was in terrible shape over the weekend but she's doing SOOOOO much better now.  She looked great.  She sounded great.  She was surprisingly energetic.  OMG, we love her - she's always such a fun person.  She's one of those people that if you are around her, you know you'll be do a lot of laughing... even in a hospital!

We stayed far too long, but she was so perky and we were all having so much fun that we just stayed and stayed.  By the end, I was getting concerned.  I kept thinking about Rudy and how when people visited, he looked great, but then once everyone was gone, he'd feel terrible.  Once I got that thought into my head, I kept trying to herd everyone out.  I hope Lou didn't think I didn't want to stay for any other reason.  I want to see her well so we can all get together for the lunch we're starting to plan with more of the family.  We call these lunches mini-reunions.

On a funnier note, anytime Nancy, Linda and I are together, there will be some craziness.  For those who don't know, Nancy and Linda are my sisters-in-law.  Now, Nancy and Linda would prefer that I keep our latest adventure on the QT because their daughters, Denise and Carly, will raz them a bit, but that's not stopping me.  I know that when it's our time, our eulogies will contain references to the many times we've messed up.  Some of the stories are legendary in the family.  I am no longer embarrassed.  I found that once I accepted being nuts, I was able to relax and enjoy the adventure.

So, we got in Nancy's truck and headed North.  That's how many of the adventures begin.  Our destination was Gwinett Medical Center, which I'll refer to as GMC from here on).  Mike had given us good directions.  We made it there just fine and were please to be there.

We went in, marched over to the reception desk to state our business and verify the room number.  We were at the wrong hospital.  It was within the same system - see that little heart-like design on the building?  We'll see that symbol a couple more times.  So the ladies at the desk gave us directions to GMC.

I don't know why I decided to capture the parking lot scene, but I had a feeling there was a story in it.

So, back on the road again.

Luckily our destination was supposed to be close.  We'd been told to stay on hwy 120.  We couldn't miss it.

We stayed on 120.  I confirmed every step with Google Maps, which told me we were at GMC at our next stop.  We weren't.  We were at their rehab center.

We knew this wasn't right.  Linda and I marched in.  There was no reception desk, so we went to the first place we saw - a nurses station and I said (a little too strongly), "HELP!"  That probably isn't the best thing to say when walking into a medical facility when you only need directions.

Turns out we were close.  We needed to make a little turn and continue on a mile or two.

Back on the road again.  As I clicked this time, Linda and Nancy became more suspicious of my intent.

I'm happy to say, we finally made our destination and all was well from this point on, until...

On the way home, we hit a good bit of traffic.  There were lots of fender benders along the way.  We called the hero guys to help a motorist who was trying to push his car in the center lane of the expressway.  We played dodge car a bit, especially trying to get out of the HOV lane for passing emergency vehicles.  One of the funniest moments, which I'll leave to your imagination, involved the question, "Is this a lane?"

So here's the my take on this day.  To many, the whole arriving and departing craziness would be dreadful and exhausting and negative.  I disagree.  It's a big part of the adventure.  I had a wonderful time!

One more little thing... once I got back to Linda's, she showed me a family photo our cousin, Darlene, had given her.  Margaret Mitchell is in the photo!!!  MM was writing a story about the family.  MM is the one in dark clothes with a big black hat.  She's at the left end of the second standing row from the bottom.  There's a girl in mostly white standing right in front of her.  The photo is framed and behind glass, so my photo isn't great.  I think Linda said the photo is from the 1920's.  I'll put this photo on Facebook and hopefully, Linda and Darlene and anyone who knows will tag people they can identify.

OH MY! Lorene sent me THIS LINK.
It's a great excerpt from the article Margaret Mitchell wrote about this event (celebrating Virginia Elizabeth Veal's 102nd birthday). What a treasure!!!

A Tablecloth From Shirley's Grandmother

I've been playing around lately with pretty tablescapes.  I'd like to start inviting people over for lunch now and then.  Since cooking is not my strong suit, I decided to focus on making the table look fun.

My friend, Shirley, knew about my quest for tableware. While she was cleaning out for an upcoming move, she came across several old tablecloths that had belonged to her grandmother in Canada and she gave me one!  It's a vintage cutwork piece with pretty embroidery.  I couldn't wait to get it home and see how it looked with sunflowers.

It came with a set of napkins and I have others I can mix and match as well.

As Shirley and I were talking on the phone, two cats decided to investigate.  They like to do that when I bring in something new. Cindy jumped down before I could get a camera ready, but Sissy was happy to pose.  I'll definitely be doing some laundering before using this with company!  I know nobody wants a side of cat hair!

Pretty, isn't it?

Fancia Herling Ivanier - Shirley's Grandmother

Thank you, Shirley!

My Grandmother's Side Table Gets a Re-Do

I adored my grandmother.  We were really close.  She's gone now, but to tell the truth, it feels like shes still with me.  I generally know what she'd say about things, but I have no idea what she'd say about seeing her side table painted.  She took a paintbrush to many of her things over the years, so hopefully she'd like it.

The table was one that she had in her den as long as I can remember.  I used to love to dust at her house and this table was a fun spot for that.  Thinking back, I don't actually remember anything being dusty.  I just loved moved her treasures around and hearing her talk about them.  Unfortunately, that love of dusting didn't last into my adult years.

Anyway, back to the table.  It had seen better days.  I am in a phase where I'm looking at everything I own and thinking, "Use it or lose it".  This table was not being used.  I was NOT letting it go.  In order to keep it, I needed to make it pretty and put it in a spot where it would make sense.  I'm proud to say, I did just that.

I love color and thought about all sorts of colors I could use.  In the end, I went with white.  It just seemed right for this table.  When my grandmother had this table, the bottom shelves were always filled with books and magazines.  At our house, they are holding the sofa pillows.  Hubby always tosses them off to give our dogs more room on the couch.  That's the sad situation at our house.  Dogs trump wife.  I put the pillows back on.  Now, they are stored on this table and I can access them when I want.

I put a piece of glass on top of the table.  This was a piece that I had in the attic.  It almost fit.  Hubby got a new piece for me that fits perfectly.  I don't have a photo of that and I'm just too lazy to take another.

This project was completed a couple of months ago.  I have been really bad about posting lately.  I'm playing catchup.  Looking at this photo reminds me of things that have changed and are changing.  My current project is making a slipcover for the loveseat.  The worst of that is finished.  I just need to finish the cushion covers.  I need a day where energy and motivation combine.  :-D

Linda's Green Thumb

My sister-in-law, Linda, has a green thumb.  She hasn't always been a gardener.  This remarkable skill seems to have "blossomed" in the last 10 years.   She has turned her yard into a place that everyone wants to visit.  These photos of her back yard were actually taken in mid-June. (What can I say?  I am way behind on my blogging!)  I only had my camera phone at the time, so the photos are so-so.  Plus, they were taken mid-day, when the light is harsh and unforgiving.

The magic begins the minute you step onto her deck.  She has pots of flowers on the deck and hanging from her deck.  I love those hangers.  There are also fun little details tucked here and there - like the funny little snail.  You need to know that Linda loves kids.  LOVES kids.  Is ga-ga over them. If there's a room full of people and one kid, guess where she'll be!  She has grandchildren and loads of other young visitors who come to her house.  Those little details are, no doubt, for her pint sized friends, but I have to tell you, their magic worked on me, too.

There are lots of spots in her yard which are in deep shade.  Linda definitely has worked out how to make those look their best.  That's a special talent, for sure.

Other areas are in full sun - especially in the center of the yard.  It has been turned into an island with pretty flowering bushes and plants.  Keep in mind that all this is growing despite the fact that all sorts of wild critters roam through her yard daily - especially deer, raccoon, and armadillos (which Linda despises with a passion!)

Some of her plants were purchased.  Some were from friends and have sentimental value.  Others, like these ferns, were volunteers which fit happily into the landscape.  By the way, this is an under-the-house deep shade/scorching sun, poor soil next to the house, hard-to-grow spot, yet these fern, as you can see, are thriving.  I suspect Linda talks to them or something.

I could waste energy by being jealous of this garden... or Linda's house, which is always eat-off-the floor, spotlessly clean.  Nope.  Instead, it feels like a safe haven.  If I can't take my messy house and ill-tended garden another minute, I know there's a place I can visit that will take me away better than a Calgon bath!

Beautiful Flower from a Friend - Clivia

My neighbor, Pat, gave me this beautiful plant two years ago.  It blooms every spring --- around mid-May.

I had forgotten the name of it and had to really do some serious Googling before find it.

It's called Clivia.

Pat told me to keep it indoors when it gets cold.  When it's warm outside, Clivia is very happy outside, but must be kept out of direct sunlight.  My north-facing front porch is perfect.

This photo is from 2 or 3 weeks ago (which should be a clue on how seriously behind I am on EVERYTHING in my life).   Isn't it a beauty?  I wish I had picked off that little dead bit.  I never seem to notice the flaws til I view my photos. 

Martie and Bob go to the Opera Ball

Martie is my booth-mate at Rockin' B.  This past weekend she and her husband, Bob, went to the Opera Ball in Washington DC.  Martie emailed a few links about the ball and her daughter found Martie and Bob in one of the photos.  They are famous!!! 

Don't you just love the scarf that Martie is wearing?  That's how her daughter was able to spot her.

I circled Martie and Bob.  Click here for more photos of the ball.  This photo was the last one on page 2.

Cynthia Moves to a New Booth

My new friend (who feels like a friend I've known for ages), Cynthia, moved to a new booth.  The new booth is about a foot or so wider and that foot makes all the difference in the world!  The new booth is also at the end of an intersection of aisles, which gives it greater visibility and the light is really nice.  This move has given her a much needed lift.  

What really amazes me is how fast she was able to move everything from one spot to another and come up with a completely different, beautiful arrangement.  It took her less than two hours I think.  Gee, maybe it took one.  I don't know for sure, but it was fast.  This girl is good! 

Her booth has a bit of a European flair - French and English.  She has a blog, too, which is always beautiful - A Love of the Past.  You'll love it, I know.

There are a few more things you may need to know about Cynthia before you look through these photos.  One - she is a breast cancer survivor, with two years of being cancer free.  Two - She just lost her husband and love of her life.  Less than a month ago.  She's still reeling from that loss.  She is just beginning to move about in the world and hasn't quite found her footing yet, but this new booth is, maybe,  a glimmer of light in her life.

Here are some photos of her booth.  Enjoy!  And when you're done, if you have a moment to spare, visit her blog and leave her a comment!

 

When I admired these eggs, Cynthia tried to give me some.  I couldn't take them.  I nearly bought the bird and eggs, but couldn't do that either.  They looked so pretty in her booth.  If they're still there in a week or so, I'll probably give in, but for now, they are there to make her booth a special place.  I'm not much of a business woman, am I?

Pink Booth at Rockin' B

I had fun yesterday, pulling together some quick looks for the feature booths at Rockin' B.  Jacque and Barbara were my partners in crime.  It came together pretty quickly once the idea took hold.  The plan was to do a garden room with a cream and pink armoire as a starting point.  After we had our plan mapped out, I found out that pink is the new hot color for 2011!

The area really is cheerful.  It's not quite complete - accessories will be fine tuned over the next few days.  Plus, as things sell, the booth will continue to change.  It's fun to watch how different it looks from beginning to end. The first change I hope to make is to put the lamp on the table inside the armoire.

Brunch, anyone?

We ran out of steam before we could accessorize this pretty hall tree properly.  The quilt and tablecloth will likely be used in another spot in the booth.

The pink shutter is from Cynthia's booth.  She has a wonderful decorating flair with a definite French / English touch.  Please say a prayer for Cynthia and her family.  Her husband of 27 years is in intensive care fighting for his life right now.  My heart is breaking for them all.

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster,  
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!   

This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!  

I'm linking this post with  -

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl 

The Best Chicken Noodle Soup EVER!!!!

My sister-in-law, Linda, passed this recipe along to me.  It is a keeper... in fact, this one is going to be a favorite! I have tried to make homemade chicken noodle soups before.  The last time, it seemed a bit bland - much more trouble than it was worth.  But not this one!  OH. MY. GOSH! 

Linda cooked it a few days ago for her son, Daniel, and (almost) daughter-in-law, Denise (we have 3 Denise's in the family - none related by blood).   The almost DIL was under the weather and Linda made it for her.  Linda said she got the recipe from her friend and previous co-worker, Gwen.  Gwen got it from the magazine, Taste of Home.  I looked on the Taste of Home site and saw several recipes for Chicken Noodle Soup. None were like this one.  Most looked similar to the one I had that was so bland. I looked on other recipe sites with no luck - this one doesn't seem to be out there.  And this one is surely the best of all!


Linda says this is a "recipe that can be adjusted without fear of failure".  I did do some adjusting according to what I had on hand.  So did Linda.  My modifications and comments are in red.


1-2 TBS butter/margarine
1 large onion,chopped - I omitted this
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
3  14 1/2 oz cans chicken broth - I used one container of Imagine organic broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup,undiluted - I used Pacific organic cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup,undiluted - I used Pacific organic cream of chicken soup
8 ounce pkg spaghetti broken into 1" pieces - I started with approx 8 oz, but added more later in the cooking at my hubby's request.  I ended up using the whole pkg - 14oz, which was probably a little too much.  If you add too much, you'll need to add more liquid!
7 celery ribs, diced
6 med carrots, diced - I used a pkg of shredded carrots
2 cups milk  - From Linda: I think any milk you have on hand would be fine. I happened to have a can of evaporated milk and used that with a little of my regular milk added to bring it up to 2 cups. - I used 1 cup of almond milk and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream left over from a Christmas recipe 

STOVETOP METHOD:
Melt butter over medium heat, add onion and saute until tender.  Stir in chicken and the rest of ingredients. Simmer. It's done when celery and noodles are ready.

CROCKPOT METHOD: 
Linda cooked hers in the crock pot and I did, too.  I love putting something on in the morning when I have plenty of energy. 
Melt butter over medium heat,add onion and saute until tender.  Put everything in the crockpot.  Cook on low. It's done when carrots, celery, and noodles are ready. I had mine ready in about 4 hours. I cooked it part of the time on high and most of the time on low.  The carrots were the last thing to get done.

As you can see, there are lots of things you can change to suit your tastes.  

One thing is a must - use some kind of milk.  The recipes that use only water are too bland.  If you have an issue with dairy, use a milk substitute - I cook with Almond milk all the time and it always tastes great.  Having the whipping cream on hand was a fluke.  I buy that maybe once a year.  I was happy to be able to use up what I had left.


The noodles could easily be changed to suit you, as well.  You might prefer thicker noodles.  And you decide how much to use based on whether you like your soups thick or thin.  While I was searching for similar recipes, I saw several that included homemade noodles.  That would be fun to try  - one day when there's not so much on my To-Do list. 

I didn't think to take photos til after everything was done and we had finished eating.  My pictures just don't do it justice. In fact, they are so bad that my computer crashed while trying to upload them.  So be warned.

 Truly, the recipe is soupier than this looks, even though I did use too many noodles.

I hope these unappetizing pictures don't keep you from trying this recipe.  It really is divine!  Oh, and I almost forgot - after it's been cooking a little while, it smells wonderful.  

Check out my RECIPES page for more of my favorites!

Be sure to check out   the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster,     
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!   

This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!  

I'm linking this post with  -

• Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple 
• Show Off Your Stuff at Fireflies and Jelly Beans
• Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things
• Fab Friday at Frugal and Fabulous Design
• It's a HodgePodge Friday at It's a HodgePodge Life 
• What I Made This Week... or This Month... or Last Month at Simply Designing   
• I'm Lovin' It Fridays at Tidy Mom 
• Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
• Inspiration Friday at  Southern in My Heart
• Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
• Favorite Things Saturday at Bargain Hunting with Laurie   
• Homemaker Monday at 11th Heaven  
• Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
• Creative Share Wednesday at Trendy Treehouse

An Evening at Bennett's Auction

Last night, I went to Bennett's Auction in Tyrone for the first time.  They were selling the contents of an 1840's farmhouse.  Oh my goodness.  They sold some fabulous pieces.

First, let me tell you about the owner/auctioneer.  He was wonderful.  He was there all day yesterday, talking to everyone as they came to preview the items.  He knew his stuff.  He was friendly and seemed to know everyone.  And he had a delicious sense of humor!  He was jolly and had a twinkle in his eye - just like Santa, except Mr. Bennett is slimmer and younger than Santa.  I love him!  Not that way - he's happily married.  In fact, everyone cracked up at one point in the auction when his wife bid on an eight and a half foot hall tree to go in their house which, as he pointed out to her, has eight foot ceilings.  They were really cute!  Don't you love seeing married people in love and having fun after many years together?  

Obviously, you can tell I must have drank from the Bennett's kool-aide - I'm addicted and will definitely go back.  They are selling lots of stuff from the barn of the 1840's farm at the next auction, so I feel sure my darling hubby (who I am mad in love with and also has a delicious sense of humor) will be there with me, too.  He loves old tools and anything barn-y.

Now, I'll talk about my crushing blow last night.  ...the item I didn't win that haunts me.  ...the thing I thought about and looked at lovingly and planned where I would put it at my house as I waited for it to come up for auction. The old farm bell. Sob.  I forget what it went for - I think 185 or was it 215.  Whatever. It was worth more than that I'm sure.  All I know is that my hand was down for good after about 125 (too low for such a fabulous piece), which by the way was more than I had promised myself I should spend on it, when I was rationally talking to myself as I waited.  At auctions, the key is to know what you are willing to spend and don't get caught up in the heat of the moment.  Ha. I was caught up in the heat of the moment, and was quickly rationalizing things in my  head as I went over and over my planned limit - it's priceless, I'll never find another like it, it would be perfect at our house, it could be my Christmas present, dangit, cuss, cuss, cuss!  But I saw my opponents (two of them) were determined and had more money to back their determination.  After the auction, the girl who won was right behind me in line to pay up.  I told her I hated her, but we quickly struck up a fun conversation and I guess the bell is going to a good home.  Sob. Wail!

photo from Bennett's Auction

Here's what I did win.  I feel sure that I won it because I was bidding with an open, loving  heart. I was buying it for someone else.  I won a yarn winder.  

When I saw it in the photos, I immediately knew I would try to win it to give to Judy.  Judy and I have been friends since high school.  We went to college together.  We've been through thick and thin together.  She's a city gal, living in a cool part of Atlanta - not the slick, socialite type of city gal.  She's the quirky kind of city gal who is into natural and creative things.  She's smart and funny and everyone who meets her falls in love.  That is not an exaggeration.  I adore her, but since I terrified of driving through the interstates of Atlanta, where you must do at least 105 mph to blend in with Nascar drivers on their cell phones, I don't see her much.  She moved into a new house ages ago and I haven't seen it yet.  I've had her on my mind a lot lately. I need to see her!!!

Judy is always giving me something.  She is a master knitter and I mean master.  She writes articles for knitting magazines and teaches classes in her spare time. She spins her yarn and dyes her wool.  She has made lots of socks for me (you can see my favorite pair here) and a hat for my hubby, which he wears constantly in cold weather.  Now, finally, I have something for her.  If she wants it.  

I often feel uncertain about my gifts and this is no exception.  So -  Judy, if you already have one or if you don't have room for it or whatever, no problem.    I know that even if you don't want/need it or can't use it, you will appreciate the gesture and feel all warm and fuzzy about the love behind it.  I won't be offended to have it turned down.  It would look cute as can be in my booth.  But, if you DO want it - it's yours, with love and kisses!!!!

The approximate size is 42.5 inches tall by 24 inches wide.  Yeah, it's big.  Oh mercy, I'm a lousy gift giver.  I broke a cardinal rule about getting someone a big awkward piece that will be hard to find a spot for. 

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster,
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose,  and of course, we love to RE-lax! 

This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives! 

RE- Party #4 and Something About Kathy

It's time for another RE- Party!  Join in with any post featuring something some you RE-did, RE-organized, RE-pairs, RE-furbished, or RE-purposed.  It can also be a RE-laxing or RE-membering post.  Or maybe you RE-charged or RE-examined.  You get the idea.  Join in with something you think others could benefit from in some way!  This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!

Meanwhile, I'm going to RE-peat a post that I wrote early this morning for Rockin' B Antiques.  It was titled, Something You May Not Know About Kathy.

Kathy has a booth a few spaces down from my booth.  She began renting a month or so after me, so she, too, is a "newbie".    I admired her booth from the day she set it up.  She definitely knows what she's doing (or she's talented enough to fake it really well!)  

 I have only begun to get to know her.  She's quiet.  I found out a great deal about her when a friend of hers came to the store.  What I found out is very inspiring.

Kathy and her family lost their home and all their worldly possessions four years ago in a fire.  Luckily, no one was hurt.  The home was built in 1847.  It burned down the day after Thanksgiving, 2006.

This is the Christmas card she and her family sent out that year.  The words are so true!

The photo on the card shows what was left of their home.  If that card doesn't make you stop and think, then ... well, I don't know how to finish that sentence, but it must be something terrible!

Her friend told me that our local magazine - The Newnan-Coweta Magazine -  had done an article on her in the latest issue. You can click here to see the full article online.  It starts on page 13.  We had a celebrity in our midst and didn't even know it.  In fact, I don't think anyone at the store knew.

But the article was not one of sorrow.  It was a story of coming back from zero.  Guess how she furnished her new home?  Totally from yard sales!  Oh, yes!   And her house is so pretty it should be in a magazine.  Well, actually, it is. :-)

Here are some photos of her house from the article:

 

This Thanksgiving, 

may we all remember what's really important!

On a lighter note, join the party! 

 

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Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.  

I'm linking this post with them!

• Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper
• Themed Linkups at Funky Junk Interiors 
• Inspiration Friday at  Southern in My Heart