The Illinois Trip... a 300 mile afternoon!

Had a wonderful day on the road... The road does more for my mind, than any Therapist could begin to do... I drove the little Ford, { the flat bed was being fitted with a new drive shaft} It was like old times, with me and the Little Ford...That little guy really 'sings'! It was like Christmas, on the dash... 'check engine', red 'brakes' warning light, 'abs' light... the speedometer, bouncing from 75 to 90...who knows how fast...who cares... muffler, or whats left of it, roaring! I LOVE THAT TRUCK! It fits the 'driver' to a tee! I went to the place Sharon [Sweet Repose} would have to kill me, if I ever breathed a word, of it's location... The funny thing is, I have run into everyone I know there... sorry Sharon, the secret is out! I found some cool treasures, lots of Christmas 'stuff', visited with Lori, Sharon's partner in crime... She said they might stop by, my store, Wednesday! { wear your grubbies, gals!} I also met a gal there, who has a shop in Bishop Hill, Eileen, she called her friend and shop partner, Sue, and she opened up the store for me! What a treat! Sweet Annies....{309-927-3037} It is owned by Chery Campbell, and is in her home. Wow! It is a wonderful, huge, stone house, that was a communal home...60 people once lived in this giant! If you have never been to Bishop Hill, you must... Sue was a delight, and I found some wonderful, early treasures there... I even met up with one of my dearest of old friends... An early Iowa Farm Cupboard, that I swore I would never sell....and did, 15 years ago, to a friend, that swore he would sell it back to me, when he was ready to sell it.... and didn't... I saw it several years ago, in a friends shop, I asked her about it, where it came from, and she told me quite a story, that she had been told... Ya know, when I buy something, I always ask about the history... if the person doesn't know, then they don't know. I try and figure out what region, it came from, and woods, construction, hardware.... and give my best opinion. I DO NOT MAKE UP A STORY!!! After she was done, relaying the story, she had been told, I was boiling, and then shared with her, the REAL history....{ that is still with it today...I asked...} This cupboard was being unloaded off a truck, on the 3rd of July, 1990, when I spotted it, it had come from an old cabin/farmstead, was filthy, coon poop and all... It was love at first sight! I recognize it, always, by the tiny brass star, that is fitted into the wood, that divides the 2 top plank doors.... It had a dry, red, ox blood surface, that is now shiny, { I was very sad to see this, when the man I sold it to, had put some sort of something on it...} Chery is keeping it... and I know I couldn't afford it anyway... The friend, I filled in the history for, had it for sale, and it was way beyond my capabilities... {25 times more than I paid, coon poop and all...} It's in a very wonderful home, much nicer than mine... but she won't love it more than me... that's not possible... I had the wonderful gift, of rescuing it, bathing it, and bringing it back to a happy home, and life. And appreciated it, for what I could see, shinning through, immediately...Coon Poop and all...

Barb C.

{I am headed for Anamosa today, have 2 cupboards on hold...we'll see!}