A Peaceful Day at the Shop...

I spent the day at the Shop... It was a very peaceful time... Had a few, very sweet folks, come to visit, and shop...{ Allyson brought out, yet more goodies!..and Amy brought out some darling Christmas ornaments!...} I was determined to get started on my little memory trees, and sprawled all the parts and pieces, out on the old harvest table... But just as I would get ready to glue, someone would pop in... they were all a welcomed sight, but, I didn't even get one, completed... I'll get a picture of one, done, today... I wasn't going to work in the Store today...but... I have a dear friend who may be coming over, and I don't want to miss her... I have all of my Christmas shopping to do yet! I also have to squeeze a Southern Iowa run, in, either Monday, or Tuesday... If the roads hold up, Peg and I are going to have lunch, somewhere on the Missouri line... I still don't have our tree decorated, I will get it done, probably minutes before Christmas, but it will stay up, thru New Years Day... It's snowing, a gentle, soft snow, and looks like a Grandma Moses painting... it's beautiful... I snapped a few more images of the shop, for my Canadian friend, Bev... No one believes me, but my store is not suited well, for photo's, you simply have to experience it in person...

It was quiet enough yesterday, that I could actually stand back and enjoy the work Peg and I have done... It really is, a pretty cool little Store... I said it, several times, yesterday, what a blessing it has been to us... so many of us...and how? It has sent us, all over the Country, introduced, not just me, but many, to some of the most wonderful people in the world... not to mention, the Angels, that have walked through the door, on a daily basis... oh my, the stories I could tell, about that little Store.

I remember, several years ago, on a cold and snowy evening, a large man came walking in, just as I was closing...{ late, it was after 7:00}All dressed in fur, behind him, followed two of the most stunningly beautiful, black haired women, all dressed in formals, and furs... They spoke with a heavy accent, so I asked them where they hailed from... "Russia"... The man replied.{ in a tone, you would expect, gruff, deep and growly} I was puzzled, what in the world are they doing, in Fairfax, Iowa? In a tiny little antique store? So, I asked, "What brings you here????" " Ah, we are with the Russian Ballet, and are conducting the Ballet, in Cedar Rapids... we went out for a drive, to see what was here, and saw your light on, and stopped." Oh my... I was blown away... We had a wonderful visit, and they found a few small treasures, which I gave them... They wanted to pay, but, I simply could not accept anything... To be able to stand, and visit ,for over an hour, with the Head of the Russian Ballet, and his beautiful Dancers, was more payment than I could ever ask for...

Just after 9-11, I was on my soap box, grumbling, and visiting with my old friends, Julie, and Natalie, at a restaurant in Cedar Rapids, over dinner, and I had said some unkind things, about Iran... The very next day, some folks stopped by the store, they spoke with an accent, so, of course, I asked them where they were from...They replied, Iran...{ in the 5 years I had been open, I had Never had anyone from Iran, through the doors, or have I since...} I know I took a step back... And if you know me, you also know, I visited with them, and raised some of my concerns... We kept talking, and before I knew it, we were in my house, sitting, laughing, and had all of the problems of the world, all worked out...{ we visited for over 4 hours...} Really...We had way more in common, than not... Wonderful people....

During one of my sales, several years ago, the shop was packed, with folks, and cars lined up, on both sides of the road, I was running through the store, en route to the other end of the property, as I was making my way out the door, I saw these two men, come walking in... Big men, tattooed men, tuff looking men...not my normal customer, type men... I asked them if they needed any help, and they said, nope... I asked if they were looking for anything special... ah, nope... they said they had seen all the cars here, and thought they would see what was goin' on... I told them what was goin' on, an Antique Sale... they shrugged their shoulders, and continued into the store... I was on a mission, for something, and then came back to the shop. The guys were still looking around, they both walked towards me, one with something in his hands... He looked at me, as he was turning it around... the beautiful, old framed picture of Christ, on the Cross, and asked me, how much this would be... I looked at him, then at the beautiful image, then again, the mans eyes... I said, it's yours... it looks like it belongs to you... His friend's jaw dropped, the man I was looking at, eyes welled up with tears, never leaving mine, as he was unbuttoning his shirt, to reveal, the exact same image, tattooed on his chest... He said he had never seen this exact image anywhere... We both exchanged hugs, and he thanked me, profusely... I told him, it had been sitting here, just waiting for him...

That little Store, has been a wonderful tutor... It has shown me so much... Put me in my place, a time or two,{ or a hundred} and helped me grow, spiritually... These are only three stories, I could tell you at least one, every day I am in that Store... Really. { I can't hardly write this... too many tears...to see...} Ah memories...Angels, in every shape and size... When you hear, "God works in mysterious ways." Believe it....

Barb C.