On The Road, Again...

Won't be open, today... Have to run up north, to gather... Dale will be riding 'shotgun', and it will be a fun trip... We always argue, in fun, and when people hear us, they think we are related! He always warns, new customers, at my store... "be sure and leave 'bread crumbs', so you can find your way out!", "oh, don't bother, the mice will think Barb is feeding them, again"... This usually winds up, with me glaring at him, and putting a sock in his mouth! He's like a older brother... MUCH OLDER!!! Dale has been a dear friend, over the years, and I'll never forget, I had sold an enormous cupboard, unexpectedly, to a couple from Texas... They decided, to purchase it, the morning they were headed home... They were on a tight schedule, and we needed to hustle... I couldn't locate John, or Justin, or anyone, close, to lend a hand... This cupboard was 9 feet wide, and almost 8 feet tall... One piece... So, I called Dale... He was out and about, he said, { I was under the impression, by our conversation, he wasn't too far away...} Dale said he'd be here, in about 30 to 40 minutes... It wasn't til after we had the cupboard loaded, did he tell me, he was on his way to Des Moines, and about 60 miles away, and turned his car around, to come help.... What a dear soul... I was shocked, and scolded him... I really felt bad... That's Dale.... He is so kind, and helpful, to everyone.... He is a very genuine person... What you see, is what you get... This wasn't the first or last time, he has come to the rescue... I could name many, many times... Concrete bird baths, cupboards, limestone columns, stone farm sinks... oh yeah, the list could go on and on... He is truly an Angel... I remember, one time, I had 'Paul Bunion', { an enormous cupboard, 10 feet tall} at a show, and needed to put some stuff, on top...{ I don't 'do' heights!} Poor Dale,just happened to be walking by.... { we laugh at his timing... he always seems to be there, at the right time, for me, not so much, him!}He climbed up the ladder, and kept moving the stuff around, 'til I said it was perfect... A customer, walked by and said, " I know that can't be your husband... a husband would never do that..." We all laughed! { Nope, but a dear friend would!} Cindy B., found a hat for me, but, it's not quite right... She was so kind to help out, but we're still lookin', for the right hat! I went down to the shop, last night to meet with her, and showed her my 'Major Award', and her reply was, with jaw dropped... "what the......" She thought it was pretty cool! As I was turning off all the lights, I noticed some buttons, on the floor, and a darling little child's, 1880's sugar bowl, on the floor... It had dropped, 5 feet, broken an ironstone dish, filled with buttons, on it's journey, to the concrete floor... and finally hit the floor... Don't know how, it happened... I was so sad... I love this little sugar bowl... I bent down to pick it up, and all of the pieces, that I was sure, were resting beneath it... to find... it was perfect... It is a survivor... I stuck it in my pocket, and it is now, a part of my collection... I love 'survivors'... The treasures, that, against all odds, somehow, endure... They are the 'keepers', in life... They have 'Muchness'... HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!! Barb C.