A Day on the Road...{ check out stanleywrobel.com } I miss spelled yesterday!

Mark had bought an old wardrobe, at an auction, and didn't have any way of hauling it, so I ran up north to retrieve it, for him... He always does such nice things for us, it was nice to do something back!{ he sent a huge box of his home made cookies home for us...What a guy!} I almost didn't go to his shop, in Norway, last night, it was sooo foggy... {As I was headed home, and pretty wiped out, from a long day, I was runnin' a little faster than I should have been, only able to see one car length ahead of me, and all of a sudden, I hit the strips, that warn you of a stop sign... If they wouldn't have been there, I would have cruised right through a T, of the major hiway, 151, and been in a farm field! Thank God they were there... My heart was in my throat!!!} Carolyn A. rode shotgun, yesterday afternoon, and we had a nice visit, hit a couple of Antique Shops, { Bob and Vi's, in Manchester, and Antiques of Marion, in Marion... }We were on a schedule, so we didn't have a lot of 'dilly dally', time, but we harvested a few treasures, and ran into some old friends! Stanley and Klarika, {stanleywrobel.com} they are truly the most wonderful couple, he is from Poland, and she is from Slovakia! Stanley is the most amazing artist... Please check out his web site, I have seen his work, first hand, in their beautiful home, and I will tell you, he is truly unbelievable!{ They walked through the door, at the most perfect time! I had just purchased a beautiful, 1800's still life,{with several ears of corn...I love corn paintings...} that had some damage, and Stanley said he would fix it for me! Yea!!!} He does portraits, like no other... And to think, we have that amazing talent, right here, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa... WOW!!!! The weather looks a little iffy, this weekend, but never the less, we are getting a load together, and it will be Great! I was in too much of a hurry, yesterday, to take images... sorry, but I will try and get a few today, of the treasures we are taking with! I will be taking a beautiful 11'7 Oak Store Counter... It is amazing! All panelled front and ends... Very nice... I also am taking a darling Salmon colored step back cupboard... it has the coolest hardware, it dates from the 1860's or 70's! I'll be loading lots of good smalls, and all sorts of sprinkling cans, and garden related stuff! We watched the new show, last night on The History Channel, "Picker's"... with apprehension... I haven't decided if I like it or not... The funny thing is, I knew some of the folks they were dealing with...Small world! I have known Dan Bean, forever, and Love him! { I knew they wouldn't get anything over on Ol' Dan...He is a cool Cat!} Dan Slaughter, tho I have never met him, I have owned a couple pieces of his artwork...I have heard he is really an amazing man! This show concerns me, a bit... I hate the word 'picker', 'gatherer' sounds much better to me... I am a 'Gatherer', and gather for many, but what concerns me, is that I hope they don't take advantage of people... This will hurt all of us... When I buy something from someone, I will tell them what I can pay, and what I am going to ask... { if I know... sometimes I go by my 'gut' instincts, and may sell it for more than I thought, and sometimes, far less, than I thought, after visiting with more knowledgeable folks... But I always try and be as fair as I can be...and for the most part, everyone I personally do business with, works with the same ethics} No one wants to be taken advantage of, and if they do, it will make it hard on all of us... I'll be watching... Well, I'd better get busy! Lots to do! Barb C.