Happy Places....of yesterday.

This image... and the four... below....

are of...

Happier....Days.

at.... my...

'Happy....Place'.

'Michael's'... 

Rochester, MN.

These are a Thimble... full..... of

 'The Days'

There are Hundreds.... More.

Times... I nearly fell off  my Chair... Laughing.

Once....after being... asked to please... 'quiet down'.....

 {oh dear... } 

I Stormed Out!

{We had started... having a Really 'Happy Time'...Long.... before we made it to Michael's...

that night....

 oh... Dear.... 

and...I...was... dedicating.... that Evening....to Amy Winehouse.....

she..had just... passed away. 

oh... my. oh...my.... 

Had my Make Up... and Hair... Stacked....High! 

We.... were All... having... quite...a... 'time'... : ) }

I worried about my behavior... at my Happy Place.... all Winter.

{One of our friends... at the Table...that night... Assured me... 

They'd Never Let Me Back...In! }

oh dear....

oh...dear......

Praying... Michael.... would find it... in his Heart... to Forgive... me... in the Spring.

{After all... What would I...Do... if I was Barred... from My Happy Place????!}

I found my way... to Michael's... 

Saw Michael... Graciously....Greeting his.... 'Sane' Guests....

one.... by.... one....

then...

there I stood.... 

dirty.... tired.....

a Mess.

: (

{my Stomach... was Churning.... so... afraid... he'd put me on the Run... }

I.... slowly walked up... to him.....  and asked him....very... sheepishly.....

"So... are you going to feed me...tonight? : ) "

He looked at me... smiled....

and said...

"Why Wouldn't I? : ) "

I said.... "well..... I was pretty Naughty.... last Fall.... "

: ) : ( : ) 

He smiled.... leaned over.... and whispered in my ear....

"Girls... just want to have.... Fun. : ) : ) : ) "....

: ) : ) : ) 

yes.... those.... were The Days. 

and...

Yes... we....all....

simply.....

want to have....

Fun. 

We... thrive... for those... 'moments'.

<3

: (

oh my....
Last Thursday....early....early.....
Jethro... and I... took a little trip.

I received a call.... last week, from my Friend, Michael Pappas.

The Owner, of Michael's Restaurant... in Rochester, MN.

Also known.... as....

my....'Happy Place'.....in Minnesota. 

He... floored me... when he said, 'Michael's'.... had served it's last meal....

New Year's Eve.... and... they were having an Auction.... on the 12th.

oh my....

{I...had to sit.... down. }

He... didn't want me...to miss it, knowing... how very much.... I enjoyed... 'visiting' there.

oh my.

The Ford... is down.... The Rear End.... is toast.

Liz's car... is on the blink....

She has Sally...

The Fuso... is Loaded.

I... don't drive Jethro... in the Winter....

but...

I... couldn't miss.... this Auction.

and....a chance... to say.... 'Good Bye'.... to yet.... another.... 

'Happy Place'....

Nashville.... The Opryland.... Heart of Country....

now....

Michael's.

oh my....

The Times.... we shared, at all of those....

Wonderful....

Happy...

Places.

The Grandeur.... The Beauty....

Nothing.... 

No Place.... could ever buffer... what we go through,

setting up.... at The Shows....

like... the above.

They.... were... the 

'light'.... at the end of the tunnel.

When....anyone would ask.... where I liked to eat... in Rochester...

I always said...

"There is only one Restaurant in Rochester,
 and that's 'Michael's'.... "

always will be, for me. 

Guess.... I'll have to pack my own food... from now on. 

It's 180 miles.... to Rochester, from Home.

Jethro...and I.... made it... in quick time.

We pulled in.... before 9 a.m. 

I thought.... if I got a lot bought... I'd just have to make a trip back.

I... honestly.... just wanted... 'something'... to remember my Happy Place....

and...wasn't concerned... about a 'load'.

I stayed... until 10 that night.... and...got little bought.

I tried... but... things were bringing three times... what I expected them to.

Good...for Michael, and his family.

: )

I... bought a few little things, for Liz...

 {She and Kristi... have been helping me... since they were 8 years old....at Gold Rush...

 : ) 

and... have also... Enjoyed... Many...Wonderful Meals.... next to Mama..... at Michael's.... }

I filled Jethro.... up....with what I had managed...to gather...

 then... when I got ready to go Home....

Jethro... said... "No"....

I thought it was his battery....

{Thought I'd left the lights on....and it...was well...below...zero, outside.

 I now know... it was the starter.

 Some nice Minnesota Men.... and Friend, Dan.... helped me... get him....rollin'..... : ) }

I was soooooo Wiped Out.... Tired.... when I headed South.

As I was leaving Rochester.... I hit, something, in the road... a 'metal'....something....

Thought it had torn up the front end.....

but.... thankfully.....

when I found a station.... and examined him.... there were no injuries.... to the tire.... or body.

Then... as I was approaching Cedar Rapids.... about 1...a.m. I ran across a Huge... Doe....

that had been killed.

: ( : ( : ( 

She was in the middle of the highway.... on the Interstate....

I was so.... afraid... someone... would come along, and hit her...again.... I called 911.....

then... waited and worried.... until... I was sure....everything... would be o.k.

oh my.

What a day.

I... just found out, yesterday.... we lost a Dear.... Sweet Friend.... that day.

Part of Our Antique.... Family.

My Heart...Aches.

Prayers... are sent... and have...been... sent.... every day.....for a long....long....time....

 for my Friend... and Family....

along... with All.... who Suffer.... every.... day.

There.... are Many..... Too.....Many. 

I just visited with Mary Sellon.... who wanted me to...

 Thank You....All... 

for 

Your Continued Prayers....

Mary, is Home.

Praise.... The Lord.

They don't know... yet, what is going on.... but....

She's.... Home.

A Miracle.... 

I stood outside...... remembering..... all the Good Times.... we had... walking through those Big Bronze.... Doors.
I... could almost... almost.... hear our....ghostly.... laughter.
The doors sold for... 3000.00
hmmmm.... : )
evidently... they never understood....
the meaning... of....
'Priceless'...
most... never will.

This image...doesn't show it....
but...
it was Wall to Wall... Bidders.
and... over 17000 lots.
Big....Auction.

I was fascinated...by the 'Behind The Scenes' of Michael's Restaurant.....
The Kitchens... and Bakeries... where...HUGE...  Big Business.
WOW!!!
This image... is a tiny portion... of the 'Behind the Scenes'.... of this Magnificent Restaurant....
wow.
They Sold...Everything.... down to the fixtures....
Sounds like... this prime location.... will be part of the Mayo Clinic.
Sad.... sad....sad.............

The Massive Water Pitcher... was something I had admired....
from our first visit.... nearly two decades ago....
I... meant to own it.
I...refrained.... from buying other things.... so, I could Hit This Hard.....
I did.
It...didn't happen.
I...went as high...as I dare.
I...was the back bidder.
That tells me, with the Crowd they had... I did... a pretty good job.
Just... not... quite.... good.... enough.
it...was my best....
and...that's all... I can do. : )

My Friend....
: )
Michael Pappas.
Owner... of  'Michaels'
{Michael's and his Family's Business.... since 1951....}
oh my....
: )
I smiled... and laughed... when I first saw him....as our eyes met....
: )
had to....
 : )
 he...looked so...sad.
: ( : ( : ( .........
 I had... to...somehow.... 'lighten up' our... last meeting.
 : )
I 'Smiled'....at him....
'Grinned'.... ; )
  and said...as he stood with his 'Buddies'....
 "Why...Micheal... : )  I didn't recognize you... with your clothes on!!! : ) "
{They... all got a Big....Laugh... out of that...
 then... I clarified. : )
: ) : ) : )
I... owed Michael... that.... Laugh.  : )
After all... of the Smiles...
laughter....
 happiness...
He and...His Staff......
had Allowed us...to have....
enjoy...
over the Years... : )
oh my. }
Michael's Restaurant is... very Formal.
Enchanting....
Beautiful....
: )
Every time.... we visited.... Michael's....
Michael.... Personally... Greeted us... in a Suit.
and... always... always... Remembered... us.
: )
It... never mattered, how...I was dressed.... Michael, and his...Wonderful Staff... treated us...
like Queens. : )
{sometimes.... I was a Mess... after working.. hard,
 Grubby......
after  unloading...and setting up.... at the Show. }
: )
{there were Girls.... in Gowns... at Michaels.... sitting with us Girls... in Flannel.... and Bibs. }
: )
It was Such a Gift.... to walk through the doors.... and be...
'Taken Care'.... of. : )
Enjoy.... Amazing... Food....and The Best... Margaritas... on Earth.
and....
Doting... Service.
yes....
my.... 'happy'.... place. : )


The Gold.... Coin... at the top...of the page.....
has a Story.
My Memory..... of the Day.
As I waited, throughout the day..... for items, I was interested in...to sell......
I sat.... alone....kicked back.... on one of the Settees... in The Entry.
Reliving... The Good...Times.... : )
 The Ringmen......
{there were Many.... with Three Auctioneers Going. }
would... come, and sit across from... me..... and visit.
They were from all over the Country.... each had... interesting Stories.... to share....from where they were from.
One by one.... they asked me... 'Mine'....
I shared with them.... my Story.... from 'Michael's'....
As.... I was leaving.... one...of the Ringmen....ran up to me....
and placed the Gold...Coin.... in my hand.
He, said... he'd found it.... on the floor.... and... he didn't think... there was one... other person... there....
that, would... Appreciate...it More.
: )
He... was right.
 : )
He was from Kentucky....a True.... Southern Boy. : )
I.... looked at him... and said...
"Thank's... for being so kind.... to an old... Yankee....Girl. : ) "
Love.... to ya...
Barb C.
{Thanks.... so Much.... to my...Sweet Northern Iowa... Friends.... for helping me... Unload... Jethro.... in The Cold. : )
Love Ya. <3 }