The...Vortex...

This... was the Cab...of The Ford...
last Wednesday Morn....
Friend... Barry....
had to meet me...early ...  so I could gather the windows...and Dibby Dabbies....I had purchased from him...
at a Dead Run...before heading to the Nursing Home...and lay out my 'away' plans...with the Nurse...
Barry needed to show me how to enter his Hi Rise...Parking Ramp...and...met me outside...
he...mistakenly thought... he'd bail in the Ford...
: )
Not So Much!
{I have stuff rolling around...from the last few weeks gathering...that I was either too tired to unload...or..stopped only long enough to...jump into another Vehicle... to get to the Hospital.... between Loads...
I carry a Million Packing Blankets...Ratchet Straps... Gator Ade...crackers... etc. etc. etc|}
I told him...he'd have to ride in the back...: )
He Swung Up..and rode down First Ave...Cedar Rapids....on the Bed... : )
{Cool...Cat...}
We snaked the Ford... Up...Up...Up....
Barry hollering directions... from the Back of The Ford...
{yikes... me...nor the Ford... like heights...much...Narrow... spaces...low...roof... it was like driving in a Cave... Yikes!
This was a BIG...Rabbit Hole!}

Last week...

was Pure... Insanity...

Kind of like...the Interior...of The Ford...

I would guess... if one...could see inside my Brain...it would look...a lot..like....

This..Image...

When Barry called...last week...about his Beautiful Stained Glass Windows...... Lights... and other treasures...

Mom...was Struggling...

my Sister... had just arrived...from Washington State...

{oh dear....}

Peg's husband, Mike... was at the Mayo Clinic....

another Dear Friend...and her Husband... were heading there as well...

They...All... were Heavy...on my Heart...

I was Gathering...for the Show...and visiting Mom...several times...daily....

and... going round and round... with Dr.'s  the Hospital... and Nursing Home...

my cell phone...was on...FIRE!!!!

it was 'Insane'....

My Funds... were evaporating....

as was my mind...body...and spirit...

My Sweet Friend...

Barry...

 is moving...'Now'...and really needed to find a Home...for these Massive Beauties...

{He...hated to... He's had them...for 15 years... with every move... he said...he just couldn't move them...again... : ( }

so...I explained to him...I'd Love to buy them...

but...

I'd have to write him a really...bad...check....to do it...

it would be Good... this week...

That...we agreed upon... before I purchased anything...

He was fine...holding my check....

'til after the Show...

{I have done this..for Friends...in the Business... and thankfully...Friends...do it for me...

occasionally...

In this Business... it's Feast or Famine... we all know it...

and.. Trust...one another...

There is One Thing...in this Business... you Never do...

Write a Bad Check... without... making...arrangements...

Ever...

and leave someone...holding the bag...}

{I told my Sister... at the Nursing Home...with the Windows... resting on the Bed...of the Ford...

 I had just written a Really Bad Check...for the Windows...

and other treasures...

{I think...she thinks... I'm 'Loaded'....

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!}

She...Not...knowing...my life... said...

{nor...Never...having to Dance... on the Edge.. of a Razor Blade...

Bless her Heart... : )}

with Horror on her face...

"Did the Man Know...you were writing him a Bad Check?!!! "

"Of Course!!"...I said...

 " I'd NEVER...write a Bad Check...to Anyone...without Telling Them First!!!"

: )

 Everything...coming due... plus... Booth Rent...Food...Lodging...Fuel...

I  was Dancing...on The Sharp Edge...of a Razor Blade...

{Peg..knows that's why...my Feet are Tuff as Shoe Leather...}

{I'm sure Barry would have just let me take the stuff... without a check... and pay him...when I got home... but...if...'Something'...should happen...to me... with him...having a check...in hand... he could easily collect...what is owed to him... I wouldn't do it any other way...}

and...

I was...Confident...Gold Rush... was going to be... Over the Top....: )

It was...All...Good....

: )

I had No...Idea...how I was going to get the Light...{I took...only one... the other needs repair... I had bought them...sight unseen...from Barry... he and his friend, Scott...had to drive 120 miles to get them...in a HURRY so I could have one...for Gold Rush... to sell... John still had to wire plug ins...

 the Clock...was ticking... }

and..the Windows...on 'One' ...already...Loaded Truck....

{Lord...I didn't want to Unload...the Entire Truck...to...Re Load!!!}

Then...Peg called... said she was coming my way...wouldn't take 'no' for an answer...and would drive the Big Truck!!!

Oh My Lord!

ANGEL!!!

{I think...as Insane... as 'The Vortex' I create...is... she loves it...

We Work...Hard...

but...

we Laugh... and Laugh...

somehow...

The Journey...all makes...sense...and.. in a Crazy Way... is...therapeutic....to us...both... }

John found an Old Tire... we cradled the Huge Fixture....on the tire...

it rode on the flatbed Ford...then...Liz and I filled the Ford... UP!

and strapped the Windows...on the Outside... of the back door... of the FUSO...

Holy Smokes!

 away...we went...

 

This...is Barry...
God...Thank You..for Blessing Me... with The Coolest...People...
Angels...
always... willing to reach out...and pull the Old...Hatter...back up...on 'er feet.... : )

Scott, Barry...and I wrestled... these Big Daddys... out of the Condo... through the hall...into the elevator...
{Tight...Tight...Tight...}
then...out to the Parking Ramp...
at a Fast..Pace... {Tic Toc!}
Rested them...on the Bed...of the Ford... pulled out...loose glass... that I repaired...when I got them home....
{that was...a trick...oh my... : ) }

 

Peg and I...were running late...Thursday ... had to get to Gold Rush...by 5...to unload....

I called... Gold Rush Neighbor, Dan...{Jo-Dan's} en route...asked if he'd PLEASE hold us our spot...at our door...

{sometimes...new people pull in...in front of our booth...and leave...and I can't unload...it wouldn't be bad...but we haul...such...MONSTERS... and sometimes..it's only me... unloading...}

we were running late... but we were running Hard...

He was Great!... He and Neighbor, Bruce... put us in...

 'The Rockin' Chair'...

: )

Lynn and Lea...met us there...and we all Busted Fanny...Unloading...

it was a Long...Day...

When the Show Opened...Friday....

It was weird...

a little slower...for me...

Things weren't selling...like usual....

something was up...

As Folks... would stop in...to shop....and say Hi....

they all seemed to have the same...story...

they had bought early...at Oronoco... and were either out of Money... or...Space...

or...Both...

I was happy...for the Oronoco Dealers...

so many times...they have been rained out....

it was Their Turn... : )

but...

I saw...Trouble....

Kept thinking about Barry...and all of the bills...stacking up...

from the trip...

oh my...

Things were selling... but not... at the typical...

August Gold Rush...pace...

Peg and I talked about it...

 I said...

It will be...what it will be...

I never lost Faith...

{I had...'Moments...when the old...evil one...would have liked me...to...and he'd...plant...little seeds... of doubt...}

knew... if I had to...

I'd be selling things...fast when I got home... from the House...

or...talk to Barry...ask him...for another...week...

but...even at that... things...could be...ruff....

This Show... is a Must... for our Family....

Saturday...again...was slower...

not...good...

Sunday Mornin'...

I had to go...and pick up... a Cupboard...Harvest Table.... and Bird Bath...

I had bought...Friday...when I was confident...of a Great Show...

I dropped Peg off...at the Booth...

{knew...it would be quiet...Sunday Mornings..always...are..}

a nice couple...was looking at the Big Light....

They liked it...but...like all of the others...who admired it's Beauty...said... they had no place for it...

so...I headed out... down the middle...of the field...to Gather...

I ran in to...Sweet...Lois...{Love Her...and Daughter...Chery... We have had many Laughs...over the years...with Mary... they all set up...at Gold Rush...too.. : ) }

 she was walking...I asked...if she'd like a ride to her Booth...

she said...no...{she was doin' a little shoppin'...I think..: ) }

 {I even had the cab...empty..: ) }

I asked Lois...how her show...was going...

she said..'Great!'...

I said...Good!

She asked...how mine was...

I rolled my eyes...

smiled...

and said...

"Pray...for me..."... : )

as I was pulling away...she Shouted...

"I Will!"...

it was just a moment...later.... 

I felt...her Prayer...

I Truly...Did....

: )

The Man...I went to see... and gather from...wasn't at his booth....

so...I turned the Ford around...and headed back...

I ran into Lois...again...

She yelled...

"Barb...I Prayed For You!!!!"

I stopped...and said...

"Lois... I Already Knew...You Did... I Felt It... Thank You!"....

: )

I kept going...

I spoke out loud...to The Lord...

I said.." Lord... I know... what ever happens here... is what You... know is right....

If...the window...and light...come home...and...I don't sell...one more thing....

 I know...someone...is waiting for them....there...

or..maybe...Lord... you think... they should go...to Nashville...

I Trust...in You...and am Content... with what ever... you send my way..."

just then...

I saw the folks...walking...that had been in my booth...looking at the Light...

I yelled...

"I don't see a Big Chandelier...on your Arm!!!"

{They looked at me...like I was Crazy! I thought...Dear Lord...these aren't the same people! : ) }

When I got back...to my booth...

There They Were.... Standing...in my Booth!

{They Were...the same people... a Darling Couple...from Northern MN. }

{How they beat me there...walking...I'll Never Know!}

I asked if they were going to take the light....

Nope...

"We want the Window...if...it will fit...in the Trailer"...

I said...

"It'll fit"... "trust me"... : )

Then...in less than an hour...

the Chandelier...SOLD.....to a Dear Friend...who I didn't even know...was coming to Gold Rush!!!!

and...a PILE...of Other Things...!

All of the Purchasers...had JUST... gotten to the Show....for the first time that weekend!!!

My Sales...More...than Doubled....

for the Entire Weekend...

on a Sunday Morning....

My neighbors... were...

Stunned...to say the Very Least...

and...

as I shared the story... of Lois...

and my Heart to Heart... with The Lord...

with them...

they saw...a different person...then they thought...they knew..

Yes... I'm a pistol... drink..too much...sometimes....

been known...to drop...the 'F' Bomb... now...and again...

but...

I do... have Faith...

and tho...I don't belong to an Organized Religion...

I Visit...with The Lord...Freely...and Know... He Loves me...

{He Loves...All...of His Children...}

I understand......Everything... Happens..for a Reason...

I forget that...

sometimes....

but...over the last few years...

I have learned...

I can swallow... a lot of...Bitterness....

knowing...

The Lord... has a Much...Better Plan....

Just seeing Peg.... sitting there...Giggling...and Laughing with me....

{and..At Me...: ) }

was the Biggest Gift....

I could have asked for...

wow...

The Moral... of this story...

: )

Never...Lose....Faith...

Except... things... as they come your way...

Hand it Over...to The Lord...

and...

Thank God...Every Day...for The Angels...He Sends....

We All... Have Them...

Love to ya...

Barb C.

{I'll have to post images..of the House... tomorrow...

Just got a call...from a Dear Friend... who has an Old Store Counter.... I bought...sight unseen...

and have to get...NOW...: ) }

I'm posting the lyrics...to 'If You're Going Through Hell'

they...pretty much... say it all...

: )

 

"Well you know there's times when ya feel like there's a Sign there, on your your back...

"I don't mind if ya kick me...seems like Everybody has..."

 Things...Go from Bad to Worse...ya think...they Can't get Worse...than That...

and then..they do....

: )

You Step off the Straight and Narrow...

and You don't Know Where You Are...

Use the needle of your Compass...to Sew Up...Your Broken Heart...

Ask Directions from a Genie...in a Bottle of Jim Beam...

and She Lies...to You!

That's when you Learn the Truth!

If You're Goin' Through Hell...Keep On Goin'...

Don't Slow Down...If Your Scared...

Don't Show It!!!!

You Might Get Out...Before the devil even knows...your there!

Well...I've been Deep Down in That Darkness...

I've been Down to my Last Match....

Felt a Hundred Different Demons...

Breathing Fire...Down My Back....

I Knew that if I Stumbled...I'd Fall Right Into The

TRAP...that They Were Layin'...

Yeah...

But the Good News...

Is

There's ANGELS...

Everywhere...out on the Street...

{Lois....and...Soooo Many Others....}

Holding out a Hand...to Pull You Back Up...on Your Feet!!!!

The Ones...that you've been Draggin' for So Long...

Your on Your Knees...

You Might as well...be Prayin'....

Guess what I'm sayin'...

If...Your Going Through Hell...

Keep on Movin'...face that Fire...

Walk Right Through It...

Ya Might Get Out...

Before the devil even knows...your there....

Whew....

 

{It's...True... so...very... True...}

{Prayers...to those... I didn't...see...at Gold Rush...

Linda...and Janet....

Missed You...: )

Prayers...to Seth...Lynn and Lea's Son....

and..to All...

who are Facing...the Fire...today...

Keep On Moving!

Don't Slow Down....

and...

My Friends...

Keep...

Looking...

UP!!!

Love You...}