Bridge...

Went to a Funeral.... yesterday.

A Dear Friend's Loving Husband....

passed away...

Linda and I...go way back...

She is also... a Lover of...Old...

that's how we met... at one of my first Garage Sales...

long before I had the Rabbit Hole...

She, and her husband, Dick... were Over the Road Truckers...
We didn't see much, of each other, over the years... with them...putting...Millions of Miles... on the road... but... Linda... is one of those Friends... that, tho...you don't see, often... when you do...it's like...it was just yesterday, we last visited... : )

Dick was a Dear...Man.... and...Loved Linda... so.
They...were a Perfect...
'Team'... : )

At Dick's Funeral...

I sat... in the back row....

thankfully... next to a box of tissue...
and...across... from...the most... Soulful... Seeing Eye... Golden Lab.
: )
{They Know...
 Dogs...are such a Gift...
I'm sure the owner... never knew... what Comfort... his Best Friend... was... to the 'Puddle'... across the isle... : ) }

{I always... think... I can keep it together.. but... never do...}

A couple, came and sat next to me....

I knew them...also... from the Antique World....past.

They have always known me... through the shop...

and am sure... were surprised... how easily... the Old Hatter....

can be melted... into a puddle...

They asked me, how long I've known, Dick and Linda...

I started thinking... oh my....

it's been nearly 20 years... now...

I couldn't believe it....

I helped Linda... a year and a half ago... pull a Sale together...at their home... when Dick found out he was sick...

Then... last Summer... visited them... again...

during another Sale...

It broke my Heart... last Fall... when they sold... their Beloved... Truck...

I knew... I knew... then... it would be a hard... Winter.

When I got home....yesterday afternoon

I was drained....

I had sat with Linda... for about an hour... and...tried... so hard... to find the words... to comfort her...

but...

sometimes... they simply... don't exist ...

Love...and Time... are the best... healers...

I told her... I'd be calling her... daily... and bugging...over the next week or two... : )

I remember... when Dad...went 'Home'...and after the Funeral... when everyone, left....

 Mom was here...with me...

 The week after... was... rough...

It was quiet... so...quiet...

I had never felt... so lost, and alone....

I couldn't understand... why, the World... kept turning... and the days...were bright, and sunny....

it...almost made me... mad.

They shouldn't be...

like the Skeeter Davis Song...goes....

to me...

It was... the end of the World...
didn't it.... know that...?

 there should only be
 Darkness... Stillness... Silence...

anything else... was like a slap in the face...
a Betrayal...from the World...

When I sat... with Linda... yesterday...

She kept asking...how the Show went, in Anamosa... and what was next... on my agenda...

I said...

"Heart of Country... and... my Happy Place..."

: )

then...

I offered her... a seat, riding Shot Gun...
: )

On my way home... I thought... that was not, a good thing... to offer... but... I felt... like... it's the one thing... in the dead...of Winter... that helps me... get through... and I thought, it might be good... for her... too...

We just talked...moments ago... and she said...

"If you are serious, about me jumpin' in the Truck... I'd sure like to go...!!!"

I am... thrilled.

I can't put my finger on it...why... or how... The Beautiful... Heart of Country... always puts me... in such a 'Happy Place'... but..it does....

{I WARNED her...it's Grueling Work...

 and a Long...Journey...

{on many levels...}

many times... riding with The Hatter...

 a 'Twisted' one..

 at best....

She was...still... Ready...to Go...: )
{She... knows me... and the Drill... She used to do these events, too... : )
but she's never seen... This...One... : )}

I think...it must be, for many....their Happy Place...too.... 

This will be good... for Linda... I enjoy her company, so.... always have... she is a Gentle Spirit... and like myself... has a Passion... for Old, Well Loved... Things...

yes...

The Love...of Old... always...always... soothes... the Spirit.

I just got off the phone, with the Promoter, of Heart.... Susan.

She says... she can't wait to see us... and Welcomes...Us...

with Open Arms...

: )

{She always does...: ) {she is a Gift...an...Angel...} as does the Entire, Heart of Country...Family... : ) }

I sit here... now... in the Kitchen... the wind is howling... and the snow... is blowing so hard... I can't see further than... 50 feet...

yes...

I'm ready to head South...

Nashville...

and bask... in the Beauty... of The Opryland Hotel...
{if..only...for a moment...here and there... }

and see... Old Friends... once, again...

along with the most... Amazing... Pieces...of 'Old Soulfulness'....

: )

Love to ya...

Barb C.
{The Heart of Country... opens this year... as it has many times... over the years... on the Anniversary... of Dad's Passing...
February 13th...
His song... was 'Somewhere My Love'
I had it played... over and over... at his Funeral...
The First year... I did this show...
It Played....
Over...and Over... during the show...
: )
{This is a Country Music City... and to hear... that....{not... country...}
 well...
It was... a Big Wink...
from...Dad... : )}