Lord...tonight... I need... a Friend.

Lord... 

It's been a long day....

Raced around this morning...trying to get things straightened up....

been home, only long enough to sleep... for days.

I took a bath...this Morning... for the first time... in several days....

{God Bless Those.... who were around me... }

Liz and Miss. Scarlett came out... helped unload the Ford...

then...take the tent to Amana...where the Estate Sale will be... in September...

Then... had to pick up a Cupboard... from my Friends...Dave and Shelly...

: )

I, Liz...and Lynn... had noticed my left rear tire, on the Ford was low....at What Cheer...

{it seems to lose air.... on a regular basis....
Just after I bought the tires... I ran a nail in that one...and had it plugged... }

I thought... we'd better check it today...

it had 20 pounds of air... 

it should have 60.

Liz and I checked them all... then... pumped up the low rear one...

Liz heard it Hissing...

{it was leaking around the 'plug'... }

oh my...

It's Sunday....

Who... will fix a tire... on a Sunday. ?

We have Hundreds of Miles.... to cover...

Folks were waiting on us...
 Everywhere.

I had Liz... call Theisens...{Farm Store...} as we were heading North...
 and God Bless 'em....

they squeezed... the Ford in...

We were running late.... but.... we were Running.

After we loaded the Beautiful Primitive...Cupboard....

60 miles from home....

we cut across country... 90 miles... to another destination...near Dubuque...

had another appointment there....

Then....

went on to Anamosa....

where the Big Beautiful Cupboard.... came to rest... with Wanda....

Then...

Back... another 70 miles... before the Ford and I...
found...

Home.

 Delivered...Miss. Scarlett..... to her door.

Stopped at the store....

Was out of things...
 Things... today....we simply can't be without....

As I approached Fairfax....

Home... in my sight....

I 'Melted'.........
completely...
broke down...

and wept.

The only thing...I could think of.... were the words...

"Lord...tonight... I need a Friend"

I knew...in the back of my mind.... they were lyrics...to a song....

but... those few words... were the only part of it... I could pull up....

  I couldn't remember the title of....it....
or...any more... of it.
But... they... fit.

{they are the lyrics... to
 Help Me Make It Through the Night....
by Sammi Smith....
one of my All Time Favorites... 

I have sung that song... hundreds of times... in the band....

 I know it... by heart...

but... for the Life...of me... I couldn't pull it up...
 until...I got Home. }

oh my....

I carried in the cat food... T.P., Paper Towels.... and a Bottle of UV....

then... I saw....

waiting at my door... a Beautiful... Bouquet of Flowers...

from my Little... Friend, Nick.

: )

My Jehovah's Witness.... friend...
 : )

He and I... respect... and understand... each other....

: )

What a Gift... he has been... and has Always... Kept us in his Prayers.... : )

God Bless Him.

: )

Then... as I let Polly out....

I saw a Big China Cupboard... next to our door....

Someone... had left it there....

I stood in the dark.... and stared at it.....
I, over the years... have had Folks... drop off... Gnarly Things....
they Knew...
I could find the Perfect Home for.....
but...
Never... Next to the House....
always.... near the rabbit hole.
I...was.... baffled....

Then.... It Struck Me....... 

I was supposed to meet with Gene,

 Alma and Larry's Son... today...

My Heart.... Sank.

I Knew... it had come from there....

{Don't ask me how, I knew.... but... I knew... it was theirs....}

Alma... just passed away.....She was like a Third Grandma... to our Kids....

 Larry...passed away... many years ago... at John's Shop... they were Best Friends....

I..had never seen that cupboard... before in my life... 

yet... 

I Knew... exactly... who had brought it... }

I called Gene...Immediately...

 Apologizing... All Over Myself......

He was So... Understanding.

I had Completely Forgotten... about our... appointment....

He called while I was at What Cheer..... and I was... frazzled....

said we'd get together...and visit... today.....

He never mentioned.... anything like this.....

oh my....

He wants...us to have his Mom's Old Cupboard....it was from Alma's Parents Home....
it has writing on the back... he said... that it was shipped to South Amana....
{it was too dark for me to see... anything but the form... of the Old Cupboard... when I got Home... }
Alma was born and raised... near the Amana Colonies...
 {it will go to Liz... }

Bless His Heart.... 

He is giving some of his Folk's things...to those... he knows....will Love and Appreciate them... : )
I said....
"You are a Better Man than me... : )
When my Sister...wanted to remove a plastic jar... that seemed so Out Of Place....
{to her...}
by our door...
I Nearly Took Her Head Off!!!"
I said...
"Don't You Touch That!!!!! John feeds his Outside Cats... using That Plastic Jar...
Leave It... Exactly... Where He Placed It!!!"
{she rolled her eyes.... and...
 'Lived'.
: ) : ) : )
I can't begin... to share.... any hair... dust....or...old plastic jar.... with anyone.....
I want Everything.... to be left....
UNTOUCHED.... "

I twisted the cap... on the UV.... after I scrubbed some of  the floors....tonight....

they were in need....

 I see little free time.... in the next many weeks...to get much done... here.
I'll take advantage... of any... spare moment.

Gold Rush....Amana Estate Sale.... Fall Harvest Sale....

Back to Back... to Back.

Friends... from out of State... that were to arrive... on Tuesday....

pulled in... this afternoon....

oh my...

: )

Can't wait to see them.....

: )

Love to ya... 

and...

Thanks...

for being my

 'Friend'....

tonight...

{Keep Those Wings... Flappin' ! }

Barb C.
{I have to be in Dubuque.... early in the Morn.... for another...
 'Pick Up'....
: )
yeah....
 I'm gonna let The Ford...rest.....
He Needs It...
and his Bumper...Welded....
Jethro and I... will have to make...
that run... : ) }