Home...

If You Want to Feel Rich....

Just... Count The Things....

You Have...

that...

Money Can't Buy.

there are.... Many....

At Home....
she's never more... than a few feet.... away. : )

oh my....

When the old truck.... and I... pulled in, last night....

Home....

it felt so good.... and....

so...empty... all at the same time.

It was difficult to stay awake... most of the way Home...

Liz was following.... in the Ford...

she was about as whipped...as I was.

I couldn't have done this show without her...

oh my...

I brought the Prime Rib... from Michael's {the best}

as I always have... after Gold Rush....

for Polly...

and John...

They'd be awake...no matter the time... and enjoy the food... as they heard all of the 'details'...from the show.

Michael's is my 'happy place' in Rochester.....

I didn't go... there in May....

wasn't going to go there, this trip...

but... Sarah and Kelsey {Mark's Beautiful Girls...} wanted to go... and... I knew Liz did too...

We have been going there... for over a decade.... during Gold Rush.... as a Special Treat... for our hard work... : )

This Gold Rush... was tuff....

We sold... well....

but... it was another...

'First'

So many Loving...Caring.... Friends.... {Gold Rush Family... Customers, and fellow...Dealers...}

throughout the four days....

inquired... how John was doing.....

hadn't seen them, since early May.... when we were Fighting such an ugly battle...

over... and...over...and over... again.....

I walked down that path.....

oh my....

Many... also inquired...about Our Peg...

oh my...

: )

Several... this Summer.... are also facing their own Battles...

that we didn't have a clue about... in May...

seems... so many 'Worlds' have been turned upside down.......

all I can say.....

"keep stomping those flames.... and... keep looking...Up.

 Live... for today... it may be... all we have."

{I'm tryin'... : ) but... the 'yesterdays'... are so.... powerful....and....  'tomorrows'... are always trying to worm their way...under my skin....}

I spent more time... pulled back... outside the door... on the bumper... of the Big Truck.... than I did...in the booth... {it became... my rabbit hole... away from the rabbit hole... }

The show was good.... {surprising.... as I really didn't do the best....

 but... it was the 'best'... I could do.... it truly was.}

Liz... was my Rock... I don't know how...I could have gotten it all done...without her.

She helped me.... so much.... as well as a friend... who had been in an accident, just before the show...

yet... The Show.... must go on...for all of us.... Liz made it happen.

I'm so Thankful...to Nick and Katie... who took care of my Polly.....

I worried about her....so....

She was Thrilled... when I walked in... with her 'treat'... from Michael's....

Liz and I...took two trucks.... to Gold Rush...

The Ford...was loaded light.... but we found some Great treasures...in Racine, MN.

{I Love Linda.... she always... has 'something'... that makes me smile.....}

I haven't been excited about much.... these days....

but found two... wonderful pieces... that really made my heart jump.....{along with many other treasures... Liz bought a Bicycle Built for Two... she, and other folks... climbed on it....and rode it all weekend... : ) }

One... that brought me back....was a Gnarly...Folk Art... Horned Piece.... the other was a Victorian Bisque... or Pottery Deer Mount... with Roses... it looked like a Black Forest Carved piece... Linda told me... it had hung... in 'my Happy Place'  Michael's...

{I have so many... wonderful memories... from Michael's.... }

oh my....

I thought.... if I have a good show... I'm keeping those...for the House.

John would have Loved...the Deer.... it wasn't a real mount...

{we don't like the real ones..... at all...}

they were the very first things... that sold...

This man.... bought the Horns....
I tried...and Tried... to talk him out of them....
as I saw I was losing the battle.... I picked up my camera...to get an image of them.... before they left...
as I captured this.....
he was saying.....
"I'm Sorry... but...
I Just Have to Have These..."....
I already knew.... that.
{Throughout my life... no matter how Much... I would Love...to keep something... I always... give it  a chance to sell....
{unless... there is a MAJOR Memory.... attached }
We...have Bills to pay.... many...
this is my job....
If... it sells.... I wasn't meant to have it....
oh my.

oh my....

Sold a lot...on Friday...to the point, I had to buy some pieces, to hold 'littles'....

It was so crazy... on Friday... we didn't get the smalls out until Saturday morning....

Load out... was long.... Liz helped our friend... that had mountains of furniture... then they helped me... it was late..... getting on the road... Liz...was Beat....so... was I....

It seemed like we drove 12 hours... instead of 3 and a half....

But...we made it.

I feel so very Blessed... to have such Wonderful....Souls... around me...

Lynn and Lea... Barb... Bruce and Nancy...Cindy B. {All of the Gold Rush... 'Family' )

Polly Ann.... Bob... My Wisconsin Girls... : ) The Little Canadian...Girl... : )... Janet... Lori and Janice... Doug and Rhonda...Sarah and Mark... Raynard....Tom and Cindy....Miccia...Walt and Nancy... Dale... Mark... Kelsey... Sarah... Steven...

Marlene... : )

Kay and Richard....

Jim and Jan...Gayle...

Laura and Andy....

Dan and Jo... Colleen and Daryl....

Beth... oh my... she is such a Little Gift.

I could go on...and on....

My Little MN. Angel...
Barb. : )
She Busted her Butt.... helping Liz and I...get things arranged Friday Morn.....
My right arm... is still down.... Barb was a Blessing... : )
Just... showed up... and dug in....
yes... I...
am
 Blessed.
{Sweet Little Shannon... : ) a Friend and Customer...popped in... she is a PT. I asked her to tell me what to do... about my arm....
she said.....
"Get a Brace on It.... and No Lifting!"
seriously....
: )
I'll get a brace. : )
{the 'no lifting'... takes care of itself.... oh my.... 20 pounds.... is about my best.... and No Twisting! }
Zing!

I know... I have such Beautiful...People...... surrounding me.... and am so...

Very... Blessed....

but... I have never... ever...felt more alone... in my life.

I took a few images... very few....

Gold Rush...was Bigger... than I have ever seen it... and there were Crowds... : )

we came Home... with a much lighter load....

I'm getting back on the Amana Estate Sale..... {Sept. 11 through 14th. }

Then... The Fall Harvest Sale.... in October...

{either the first or second weekend in October..... }

Love to You...

and Thank You... to All... who came by.....

Barb C.

Liz and I... had a Load.... by the time we got to Gold Rush....
Linda's Store... is one of my Favorite Stops.... : )