I got to thinkin'.... the other night, when... the craigslist Dude, kinda let me down...
about my 'Journey'... with Old....Cupboards.
: )
I began, looking around the house, as I sat.... and typed.
I do most of my computer work... these days, sitting where John did, while he was on his computer.
{I've moved, from the Kitchen... at the Cutting Board. }
I started thinking, about 'The Journey'... with the Old Cupboards... that have found a spot, in our Home.
To my left... is the Big... Old....Wardrobe, I'd found... while on a Buying Trip... with Friend, Wanda.... July of 2012.
oh my.
: )
We took off, Early....on a Hot, Saturday....Morning.
Headed to a Show...in Bishop Hill, Illinois....then went on to Bloomington, Illinois....
for the Third Sunday Market...
{We shopped both Shows, on Saturday.... {Early Bird buying, in Bloomington }
Stayed the night, got up early...and shopped it, again.... Sunday.
Then, around 9 a.m., after we Loaded....Masses.... in the Fuso....
headed cross country, to visit Peg, and Michael....
{not before... we stopped to get Fuel, in Bloomington..... and I let the Fuso...get a little taste of Gasoline.
: )
{He runs on Diesel : ) }
oh dear.
Thankfully... I caught it... in time, so I didn't have to hunt down a garden hose...
and get a little 'taste' of the
'Mixed Elixor'... myself...
syphoning.
: )
{Called one of my Favorite Mechanics, at Home... and he told me to Drive easy...
and, The Fuso... might run a little 'sluggish'.... until the next 'fill'. }
oh dear.
It was soooo Hot, outside....
The heat doesn't bother me... much, if I have a breeze.
Wanda, prefers Air Conditioning....
: )
which, the Fuso... was never equipped with.
: )
{You know, thinking back.... over the last Many Years, of my Escapades...
'Runnin' Down the Road...
May God.... Bless... Those who Dare... to Ride Shotgun.... 'with'. : )
It's Always... Quite...an Adventure!!!
{Muffler...fallin' off, me...crawling under.... to 'Wire' it all up....
{Shotgun Rider.... cuttin' the Wire... and feeding lengths of it... to me, as Semis... go Flyin' by... : ) }
Clutch Switch, out.... Ford wouldn't start...
so, on another... Hot...Hot....Day, had to Push Him... down a Southern Iowa...
Main Street....
{Crowd gathering.... behind us... : ) }
He fired up... on the second try.
: )
I jumped in, popped the clutch.... he took off!!!
{My Shotgun Rider, who was pushing, from behind...
unfortunately... whom, had never done 'this trick', before....
: )
failed to let go, of The Ford's Tailgate....
oh dear...
Seeing her eyes.... with white Death locked Hands... on either side of her face... on that tailgate...
in the Ford's rear view mirror, will forever be
Burned...in my Brain!!!
{She was fine, a bit Rattled... : ) but, fine. : )
She'll 'know' next time... to 'let Go'... when The Truck... takes off. : ) }
oh dear.
So, back to Bloomington.
: )
Wanda and me.... headed towards Peg's.
We hit several Shops.... and continued to 'Gather'.
{The Fuso... was getting pretty Full. I'd found some Big Pieces... in Bloomington.}
The heat, was getting to Wanda...
oh dear.
She, reminded me... often.... of how...Frickin' Hot....it was. : )
hahahaha.
: )
Riding in The Fuso... is quite a Journey...in itself.
: )
It's a Cab Over...
{Snub Nose}
so, some say.... it's kinda like riding in a Glass Bubble.
Taking it down the curvy....steep hills... of those Missouri... back roads....
to Peg's...
can be a Thrill... if your not 'used' to it. : )
{Wanda said, she was 'Sure'... she heard "Banjo's Playin' "
as we snaked through thick Timber lined...winding...dirt roads.}
: )
hahahaha.
When we got to Peg's... oh my... what an Oasis!
We spent the night, with Peg and Michael.
They fixed us...a Wonderful Meal.
Their Home... was Cool...
and...so....
Beautiful.
We had such a Lovely... Visit. <3
The next morning, we were up, bright and early.
Mike had Coffee made...for us, : ) I headed out to their Deck...
overlooking their Pond.
It was Breathtaking. : )
It was cool... and quiet.
Just... the Birds.... singing.
Peaceful. : )
Wanda came out, and sat down... too.
I said, "Isn't this a Beautiful... Morning...."
she said....
"Yeah, but It's Gonna Get Frickin' Hot!!!"....
I think I spit my Coffee out... Laughing!!!
{That Girl, Cracks me Up!!! }
We said our 'Good Byes'.... to Peg and Michael... and headed cross country....
to Columbia, Missouri.
{We wanted Peg to come... but, she couldn't. : ( }
We hit several shops, including Artichoke Annie's, in Columbia.
I had found some Massive Concrete Swans, at a Mall... just as we arrived in Columbia.
oh dear.
They each weighed... at least...200 pounds. {maybe...more. }
Getting them loaded, and situated...in the July Heat.... in the Packed Fuso...
was a 'Trip'.
but... we Got 'er Done!
The difficult thing, about 'Concrete'... well, there are two, 'difficult things'}
It's Heavy.
It's Fragile.
Bad... Combination.
but, we got 'em in, safe...and...packed...well.
{they survived. }
: )
At our last stop, in Columbia...
we walked through... a Huge...Mall.
We didn't find much, but, as we were heading out of the Hot...Massive... Warehouse...
I spotted a Wardrobe....in a booth.
It was buried, with all sorts of things... in it, and around it.
Beer Lights... mid century... things, Antlers.... old radios...
but,
like a Beacon... it Shined Through. : )
I made my way to it... and read the tag, that was hanging from it.
It said, it was from a home in Hermann, Missouri.
Had a secret door, in the back....
It was thought, this may have been used in the mid 1800's for The Underground Railroad.
It was all, hand made. Hand Grain Painted.
{I believe it was Grain Painted, later, around the 1870's. }
It has hand forged iron hinges....
and, was all hand planed wood.
{I think... it was built, in the earlier 1800's. }
It was so Hot, in the Warehouse... we had a Heck of a time... getting it out.
{I paid an extra 50. for the Cupboard... because a beer light fell... and broke, while we were digging it out.
It was worth it. : )
I felt bad, and insisted... on paying for it... but, I left that there... : ) told them to tell the owner... he could use the parts, maybe... ; )
I had no need...for it. }
I knew, there was No Room... in The Fuso...for such a large piece.
It's over 7 feet tall... and 5 feet wide, or better.
{and... we had 3 Giant Swans... at the back door....roosting. }
yet, there was No Way... I was leaving that Beautiful....Wardrobe.
So, with help, from a Man... who had just arrived, to work... : )
We loaded it on the back of The Fuso. : )
Now, he fought me...on this 'idea'. : )
but...
Bless his Heart....
he helped me lift it... and Wanda held it back...
but, he wanted no part... of strapping it on. : )
I had no worries. : )
{He thought....I was Crazy. but, then... most Folks do.
: )
What they don't understand...
I learned... from 'The Best', growing up. : )
My Dad.
<3
He's Hauled, and Moved More Mountains...
that, 'others'...walked away from....
than, Anyone... I've ever Known.
and... he did it...
'Safely'.
My Biggest Concern...
were the Tail Lights.
Like my Dad... would have...been.
I wanted to make Sure...
should a Deputy...
come knockin' at the Fuso's Back Door....
with the Massive Wardrobe... 'Greeting'...him, or her...
they could see some... 'Color'...from those Tail Lights.
: )
We got 'er done.
and...
Headed North.
Just before we hit he Iowa Line....
we came across another Antique Mall.
: )
I'd been there, years before.... and, it was a Good One.
I Knew... there'd be things there... that Wanda, would Love.
She was concerned... that we wouldn't have room... if she found things.
{We Both... had done a Pretty Good Job... 'Buying'... on this Trip. : ) }
: )
No Worries!
"We'll make it happen... : ) We're Stoppin'."
Sure enough...
Wanda found some Great Stuff!!!
Fireplace Mantles....
Work Bench...
Lot's of Primitive...
'Dibby Dabbies'!
{she kept saying..."Are You Sure... we can get this on....????"
with each, piece she found...}
: )
Yip.
Thankfully... there was a Kind, Man... working.
He helped me pull the Old Wardrobe down... off of it's Perch...
then...
between the three of us....
we got Every Stitch... In.
{Stepping over Swans...Passing Mantles, to each other...Up and Over...
our heads...
like we were in a 'Mosh Pit'....
and were 'Helping The Old Souls'... Closer to 'The Stage'!!!
: ) }
It was a Very...Full... 3 days.
and...
a Very...Full...Fuso.
You should have 'seen' it... like me and Wanda, did....
'In Color'.
: )
oh my.
: )
{Wanda, owns 'Gatherings'...in Anamosa, Iowa.
When you get, her way... ask her.... about our 'Trip'... through Iowa, Illinois...and Missouri.
You'll hear a Lot... of 'Frickin'....
Trust...me. : ) }
Love, to ya...
Barb C.
 |
| The Man... from Columbia, MO. who helped load. : ) {He...had his 'Doubts'... : ) <3 } |
 |
| Peg, Wanda....and Michael. Just...as we pulled in. Peg...knew All About.... 'Colorful Journeys'.... We've shared....Many. |
 |
| Peg, telling me to put my Damned Camera....away. <3 {I'm glad I didn't. Great Image... with Michael... as Always.... reaching out.....for her. <3 } |
 |
| We had Such...a Beautiful.... Visit, be it very brief. It's one, I'll never forget. Wanda... either. Good Times. : ) |
 |
| The Morning... at Peg's. This was overlooking their Pond. It was soooooo Beautiful. and, yes... Wanda was right. It got 'Frickin' Hot.... later in the day. : ) but, 'that' moment.... was Cool... and Relaxing. : ) |
 |
| Wanda isn't fond.... of crossing bridges... in the Fuso. hahahahaha.... : ) |
 |
| The Fuso... sitting in Peg's Paradise. <3 |
 |
| 99.... with the heat index..... it was probably.... around 115. : ) |
 |
| Bought this one... from some Friends, it came from Keystone, Iowa. {My Happy Place' as a Child} About 40 miles, from Home. It was a Beautiful... July Day...when I went to look at this. : ) I bought it... headed towards Home.... and all Hell Broke Loose... from out of No Where. |
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| The World... turned Black I didn't have the Beautiful Old Cupboard...covered, on The Ford. I Knew... we'd have to try and Out Run...This. It seemed to run parallel... to us.... when we turned to head east, then.... it was Running.... right up to us. |
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| The Ford, Grew Wings.... that July day. oh my. The Old Cupboard... was on a Fast Track. {unless it takes a ride, in a 747, some day.... I'd say... the Little Ford.... gave it The Quickest Ride.... of It's Life.... that... Hot... Sticky... July.... afternoon. |
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| When The Ford.... Hit The Drive.... It was still... in Motion... when I bailed out.... Ran, to The Hen House... 20 feet.... Grabbed a Tarp... Through it On....FAST.... just...as it began to Pour. I kept tying it down... and The Rain... Pounded. but... the Old, Keystone....Cupboard.... was Spared. |
 |
| As Sweaty and Stinky.... as I was... That Hot... Sultry...July....afternoon, The Shower.... was a Gift. <3 |
 |
| This old Cupboard... was one I found, when another Friend, and me..... were on a Journey. It sits not far... from the Old Table... John, always sat at. : ) It holds some of my Favorite Memories..... and Favorite...'Vintage Christmas'. We did a show... near the Twin Cities.... 8 years ago...or so. It was quite an event. : ) After the show...we decided to check out some of the Shops...in the area. She had sold....a Big...Beautiful...Massive Cupboard..... there, and I...had sold well...too, so... we had a little money... and...a Lot...of Room in the Fuso. : ) oh dear. : ) |
 |
| We stopped at a Mall, in Buffalo, MN. We found a few things.... {Great Shops... up there. : ) } then, in a Packed Booth... with all sorts of stuff... {New and Old...} was a shelving unit. Packed Full. I don't know what drew me in...to it.... but... something, was very Grand... about that old...'Shelf'. It had a price tag.... of, around 200.00, or 250. as I examined... what I could 'see' of it....I noticed the Cupboard's 'case'... was all hand dovetailed... together. Old...Old...Old. I thought, about buying it, at that point. then, I realized....it wasn't just a shelving unit, It should have had doors. I saw the hinge marks. I thought to myself.... "Wow, I wonder...what you would have looked like, with doors." sad. : ( Then, I turned the tag over... and it read, "Doors, behind cabinet"......... Oh My....Lord. : ) I carefully pulled the doors out. They were all... hand made. Original Glass. Holy Smokes!!! It came Home... with us. : ) John put the Doors back on.... and I found out a little more History, on this piece. It came from the East Coast, and Settled in Minnesota... in the mid to late 1800's. It had been in One Family, until the Dealer, who brought it to the Mall... had recently purchased it. It was created in the early 1800's. : ) It's 100% Original. John Loved it. The glass is cracked, and broken, in places... John and I... agreed, to stabilize the Original Glass.... rather than replace it. Like the Old Wardrobe... at the top... I offered this cupboard, for sale... before we 'Kept' them. Bills to pay. : ) but, somehow... no one... saw their Beauty... like we did, at the time.... so, they found their way...inside. {Once in the door... they are Family. {difficult, to part with. } {Sometimes, I think The Lord, winks... and Blesses us. He Knows... how Many, I've Dearly... Loved.... and Let Go Of... over the years... to keep the 'wheels turning'. } My Friend, who did the Show, in MN. with... was, also....a Trooper. Oh My... we've taken some Rides. I've often thought, I should be a 'Tour Guide'.... : ) Take a few Folks... on some my Excursions. : ) They'd have to sign a 'Waiver' ...of Course. : ) : ) : ) |
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| John, and Grandson...Little Justin. Workin' on 'Old Souls'. <3 <3 <3 John, was an Artist... and Could Master... most Anything... he set his mind to. Little 'J'... is Much like him. John, hand cut... shelves, for the Old Hermann, Missouri... Wardrobe... at the top of this post, so it would be useful...for us. The inside... is Pale Blue. He matched the color... so well... Few, would ever know...where the Original Master...from the early 1800's left off... and The 21st. Century Master... finished. oh dear... I was so Blessed.... to 'See' this All... and So Much....Much.... More, 'In Color'. |
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