6.23.2012

The best laid plans

My husband looking on with the beer in his hand while my nephew repairs the breaks
On the trip north to Elkhorn. This time looking a bit like the Beverly Hillbillys, the breaks on our truck seized. Thank God we were only 15 miles from my sister's place. She was out celebrating her 33rd wedding anniversary.
My nephew helped repair the breaks as I called to relinquish our booth space at the Elkhorn flea.  Oh well. anyone see something in the truck you can't live without? It is still for sale!  Thank God for nephews who are young, love repairing cars, and have not yet gone out to party for the night...And for husbands who know to douse the breaks (and thought to bring the water jug) when you are traveling far from home!
our little camper disconnected and ready for the trip.
We ended up connecting with my sister and brother-in-law for a nice evening, I browsed her garden,  left the flowers I had purchased for the flea market in a vase on her kitchen table...a collection of Red, White and Blue... and then we went for pizza and even stopped by a carnival to take some colorful photos of the nighttime lights.  They shared their 33rd anniversary with us and that must have been what God was intending for us to do in the first place!

. we were packed and ready to go friday night
. husband came home from work at 11 am
. could not find the keys to the truck until 1 pm
. had to stop to visit his dad at the hospital
. back on the road, needing to stop for flowers and supplies... now 5pm
. breaks went out, sheriff and fire battalion Chief came to help
. repair shops all closed for the weekend
. quick thinking to call my nephew
. we picked up water to douse on the tire for the trip to my nephews, stopping every 5 miles along the way 
. Tony was so distraught he left his beer on the Walmart counter... concentrating instead on the little plastic watering can and gallon jugs of water for the hot breaks ( i usually have a crazy galvanized funnel in the display... not this time!)
. called the flea market organizer who said she was just about to let our spot go. ( 6pm)
.  was able to find an open Autozone to pick up parts needed for the repair
.  limped the truck to my sisters house
.  nephew saved the day!
.  toured my sisters garden and put the flowers I had purchased in a vase with a "happy anniversary" note on her table
.  left their home and was on the way to our home,  a few miles away, they called and we met them for pizza and to look at my other nephews "dream home" on the river... he has been trying to work with the bank on now for months.
.  dinner and pizza, touring Wauconda, IL for Wauconda fest.  
.  finally getting home and able to sleep in well into the morning!
       Ah! Priceless!



6.18.2012

Friendship Lasts...

Ever had one of those times in your life, where things are at a low? You are feeling a little sorry for yourself... and then... BAM! REALITY CHECK!  Well, I have and it happened this past week.

Here is the back story in brief.

The Setting:
Barrington, Illinois. St. Paul United Church of Christ Youth Group.  We had such fun, Sunday mornings with our swanky carpet sample laden lounge and boxes of fresh donuts, retreats, softball games, camp outs, trips to Wisconsin, bi-centennial ice cream socials, live nativity ( I was the Virgin Mary) and lots of friendship and fellowship.

When youth group/high school buddies J.P. and Dave turned 16, my girlfriend Tina and I thought to make a special gift.  We painted a little ladder orange, adding to it the likenesses of the boys who were our best friends at the time.  One of them, we used to joke, was a little shorter than the other and so we painted a little made-up saying on the top "Whenever you feel down in size...step right up and measure-ize".  Looking back, the better "play on words" would have been "measure eyes"... but what did a couple of crazy teenagers know.

We had such a fun social group, we were inseparable.    After graduation from high school, making new friends in our new collegate worlds, keeping in touch via letters and phone calls to our land lines, if even keeping in touch at all, after friends moved, got married and found new lives...I would reflect on the wonderful times we shared, filled with laughter and memories of days past.  We all lost touch!

It is difficult when your friends have last names that are so common... Price, Bennett, Smith, Butler, King... It is one of the reasons you kept "Layton" in your email and contact information.  Hoping those folks with the common last names...might someday find YOU.

Well, 15 years after establishing my online identity and nights spent searching for friends who have the same childhood memories...searching via facebook, google, linkedin, classmates.   Not knowing where in the world they were....

Last week happened.

The words we had written on the little orange ladder, were written there...in a post comment...along with the words "where is this written".   A smile immediately came upon my face... I wrote back saying... "There are only 3 people in this world who could possibly be commenting on this" (and I have been in touch with one of them for years...my friend Tina... so there are only 2 people it could be) "and it is written on a little orange ladder... I hope life has been kind to you my friend"   Several days later...
...in the midst of a political rainstorm of feelings with another aspect of my life and while celebrating the successes of family who had been featured on HGTV...Saturday night,  I had a friend request to my business facebook page from "Buck Wheat".  Having long forgotten about that nickname, I just ignored it, until I arrived home to see who it was.  I clicked on the photo and it was a facebook page made up completely for me!  It was my long lost friends, reunited in a photo, and a complete collection of photos of the well used little orange ladder,  It had withstood the test of time and had never made it into a dumpster,  It had moved around the country with Jeff and was finally immortalized in a photo! .. still painted as I had remembered it!
"Friendship Lasts..." was J.P.'s post...That couldn't be more true!
I am so grateful they contacted me.  I feel whole again.  A piece of the puzzle that I call my life... had been found and placed where it should be. Having lost both parents, it is wonderful to reconnect with friends who have the same memories of days gone by!  Thinking of them brings to mind the lyrics of a song called "Everybody's free to wear sunscreen".   If you don't know it, you should!  Google it or better yet, I will link to the lyrics here.
Thank you JP and Dave for finding me again.  I am happy to see your sense of humor never left you both!
You two bring a smile to my face every time I see your photo!

6.16.2012

Views from More on 34

A Bell clear day.  Hundreds of Miles of sales.  Random spots along the roadside.  We opted to avoid the "garage sales", of which there were literally hundreds, and opted instead to hit the barn sales, Church Sales, random roadside tables and warehouses along the way.

Harold, the owner of this set of 4 barns, was quite the salesman.  A self admitted car salesman from days gone by...his farm is beautiful and who would know ( except for those of us who make it our last stop every year) what lies behind the barn doors.  It is a treasuretrove and a bit overpriced.  He has had much of this stored here, row upon row... for years now.  A life times worth of collecting.  Many items have a price and you will be surprised when you get to the counter, he will actually raise them on you.  You have to hold firm, and play the "game" and you may be  surprised at the outcome!

Just beyond the reaches of Harolds Farm!

A Church Sale in Plano, Nothing like old fashioned Lemonade and a slice of pie to keep you on the right track!

These beauties are something I would LOVE to buy from Harold, they are tucked away in a beautiful old document cabinet... deep in the drawer.  Despite the fact that they only measure 3"x 10" he wants $35.00 a piece ( oh Harold!)
But, they conjur up memories for him and those are priceless... I figured a snapped photo from my Iphone might satisfy me for now! ( my grandpa was a ship builder for the navy, perhaps that justifies my fondness for these)

More views of one of Harolds 4 Barns

This is a lovely farm in Mendota... so well groomed and the owners have Peacocks... they had collected the feathers last fall when they molted... I arrived to a milkpail filled with them, I asked how much they were and they said... 
" all the nice ones are gone... they are free"... so I dug in!  There is a photo at the bottom of this post!

Another Barn at Harolds place!

The Livestock buliding overlooks a favorite site along the way... just west of downtown Sandwich!

More pennants tucked inside Harolds document cabinet, I just love the colors!
I want them all but he wants $10 each... Not for me :)
 I'll try again next year!


More of the collection from Harolds Barns

The Peacock feather  "seconds".  Lucky for me!


Some Global finds from along rt 34


Organizing the car!

from Harolds place

a reward for the miles and miles of treking and thrifting with mom!
This sale takes place on Friday and Saturday, Always father's day weekend!
More on 34 is a great trip.  We only traveled a portion of it, but found some amazing things along the way.
Watch for them at future sales or on Etsy.com!

6.11.2012

VestiesTeam and The Vintage Bazaar in Chicago... What could be more perfect?

Tony taking a photo of the Aragon Ballroom sign in with our Vintage items mixed in.
 So fun to get together this weekend with some favorite VestiesTeam Members!
Aubrey in OpendoorStudio's booth at The Vintage Bazaar
 teamed up with her daughters 
and
 to bring some midcentury vibe to their space!  
Thank God for the trees and shade... it was a hot one on the pavement!

Nikki from Jetsetvintage.etsy.com was knocking it out of the lot, 
with her retro refined style 
and 
Gwen at Chloeswindow.etsy.com had some jewelry and great smalls .

Junkindatrunkgirls.etsy.com had a great look as well 
and it was only when we began packing up that I found her!

Sarah with Zouzzi.etsy.com had her great fashion sense throughout her booth. 

More Views of OpendoorStudio
This Great Bar/table and chairs sold early!
Some Etsy "Swag"
Sold the green shades, the ruler box and the cart!
Tony and Martha ... there was plenty of Sunshine and sunburn to go around.
Sold this fun vintage paint can lid art!
photo by Aubrey Smith
 photo by Aubrey Smith
Niki seen Left and Lisa Right
and
teamed up in their booth to bring some great fashion and repurposed accessories to the adoring crowds!
Standing...left Delia and right Barb
AmeliaBedeliaVintage.etsy.com came all the way from California to do the show!
   She and Retrobabs joined in on a booth! 
 Becca, Babs daughter made some darling handmade birds out of Vintage fabric. 
It was Bab's first show... she did a great job!

The wind gusted several times... the map almost acted like a Sail.

Katherine from TVB admired the painted portrait... it became hers!
There were some great food vendors, 
My favorite had to be the little Meatloaf cupcakes topped with potato!  
SO yummy. 
 They always have the best food vendors there!

overlooking TVB
We were all vending outside in the lot at The Vintage Bazaar in Chicago at the 
Aragon Ballroom remote parking lot.




  
Next time , I hope we are able to spend a little more time getting to socialize with one another. 
 At least most of the Vestiesteam members that were there, were able to sign our Team Spirit Award book!

A great time was had by all!