Saturday, April 3, 2021

Soulfulness...Always, Always...Find's It's Way to Exactly Where It Belongs. Always.

 So...it begins.

I've done a lot of processing, over the last few days.
As...I wrote, the other day...
it's gonna take me a few days, to write about the Wildly Swinging Pendulum.

Extremes...seem to be the Norm....anymore.
wow.

I've been listening to Santana...'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', a lot.
When I listen to it...I, realize...
The Rabbit Hole, is...my 'Guitar'.
damn it.
damn...it.
: ( : ( : ( 
We've both...been, pretty 'Weepy', thanks...to IDOT District 6, and Fairfax City Hall, 
for far...too long.
I'll be writing...a bit...about that 'Swing' of The Pendulum...later, next week.

I've written about 'Soulfulness'...for decades.
That's where I'll start, with...
'The Good Stuff'.
<3

Tuesday...all heck broke loose...in a Big Hurry.
I'd dealt on an Old...Massive... Church Window, for a couple of months.
We couldn't come to an agreement, on price...but, last Friday, when Dale and I...went up North, the Gal with the Window...texted me, and we made 'The Deal'.
: )

I was trying to juggle pick up times, with Helper, Brandon...and the Owner of the Window.
Also...needed to make arrangements...to pick up, up North.

Out of the Blue...a Friend, 'Judy', from 'Stash In Sumner, IA', called, early Tuesday Morning.
She always has Cool...Stuff.
: )

Judy was on a tight schedule.
I was...too.
So...had to jump, quickly.
 I had appointments, in the afternoon.
Sumner, is about an hour and a half...away from me.
Of all days, Helper...Brandon, was helping someone else, and couldn't ride with.
{I wanted to grab the Window...on the trip to see Judy.}
so...called Pal, Dale...and Gratefully...on very short notice...he cleared his day, to ride Shotgun...with me.
; )

I knew...I could load everything else, no problem.
But...that Window, is nearly 10 feet tall, and has a Massive, Thick...Construction.
No help...where it was located.
I, was so worried about breaking It, or...me, trying to move it...and load it...alone.
Grateful...for Dear....Friend, Dale.
: ) : ) : ) 


The Cab...of The Ford, was Packed Full...from Sumner, Iowa....to Home.
Poor Dale.
; )
{This is why John...was Always so Grateful...that Dale 'Enjoyed'...Riding Shotgun...with Mama.
Dale Saved John Many Times!!! Hahahaha <3 }
I...figured Dale, could learn to play The Old...Cello, on the nearly 2 hour Drive...with it Up Close...and Personal, with him!
Hahahahaha!!!
: )
{Always...an Adventure, Riding Shotgun...with The Mad Hatter!!!}
; ) 



<3 <3 <3 


Dale, rode with, last Friday, too... we had long visits...about 'Old Souls'.
<3
After I found the Tiny...Heart, 'Snuff Box'...I brought up the Amazing...Heart Shaped...
Amana 'Wall Paper Box', Liz found in the Attic, of an 1850's Amana Home, where we were conducting an Estate Sale, back in September,  2014.

The Home...was difficult, to say the least.
It was hot...hot...and we'd totally...flipped the Old...Home, on it's Ear.
Ripped out all of the 1970's carpet, filled dumpsters...scrubbed floors, and walls, then, hauled early...early...Amana Furniture, from the Packed Attics, and Basement....to Stage the Home, like it would've been, back in the 1850's when it was built.

Thankfully, the Family...never threw anything  away.
<3

As Liz, and I were going through boxes, in one of the hot...packed...Attics, 
Liz...opened a box, and said "Mom...look at This.!!" <3
In her hand's she was holding a tiny...Heart Shaped...wallpaper covered box.
It...was Soooooo Old.
Soooo Wonderful.
Soooo Soulful!!!!
<3 <3 <3 
{I'd just lost John...a few month's prior, so...seeing that little...soulful....Heart box, truly...melted my...heart. }

I, have a policy...that, Nobody...can 'buy'...early, at our Sales.
'Public First'.
but...
after all of the work, grueling...work, I...thought I'd ask the Family, if...I could purchase that tiny Heart.
{Heather, and Jon...'The Estate Family', were Such Wonderful...People, I...knew, they'd do anything for me...<3 but, didn't want to short them...in any way. }

I, had no idea...really, what it was worth, so...asked my Pal, Dale...what he thought.
He knows much more...about wallpaper boxes.
Wanted to be 'Fair'.

{Below...is a picture, and post...about the little Amana...Heart, from September 3, 2014.
You can go to that...post, or...click on the image, to enlarge. <3 }



When Dale told me...what price... he thought, my heart...sank.
It was Far...More, than...what I could justify paying, with so many obligations.
He went on...and said, he'd never seen one like it...so, it could bring far...more.

So...decided to be Fair, I'd put it on the Sale...and take 'Sealed Bids', place a bid...myself, and...whatever happened, I knew...it would land in The Hand's...it should.
That's how 'Soulfulness'...works.
<3

A Dear...Lady, who used to work at The Amana Museum, came by...and helped go through the Early Amana artifacts.
She told me...the little box, wasn't covered in 'wallpaper'...
it was actually covered in Early...Early...Amana Bookbinding Paper.
Wow!!!
{The Amana Colonies, are similar to The Shaker's. They lived Communally. Totally Self Sufficient, from their Food, Furniture, Laundry...and, even...made their own Books.
It's quite Amazing History.}

I shared that information...with everyone, so Folk's understood...what they were Truly...Looking At.
Wow.

We opened the Sealed Bid's, the night before the last day....of the Sale.
; )

The little Heart...Box, brought 10 Times...what my Bid...was.
but...
it was 
Fair.
<3
{The High Bid...was under a thousand dollars, but...not much.
Nearly 3 times...what Dale, had predicted. 
That's Why...I call in Experts, at our Sales.
That's Why...I do 'Sealed Bids'...on the 'Rare'...Items.
Fair...is Fair. 
'Family'...First. }

A Dear Friend, bought it for his Beautiful...Wife, who...was battling cancer, like John's...and, I Knew...it had Found...the Hand's, it...belonged...in.
<3 <3 <3 
No Regrets.
<3

I've often...talked about that little Heart Box.
Such...Fond...Memories, of the Moment...Liz unpacked it.
<3 <3 <3 

Two years ago...another, Dear Friend...popped in, and we began talking about that Sale, {He Loves...Early....'Amana'...Stuff}
The Heart Box, was brought up..in our conversation.
He said... "I own it, now."
I...was Floored.
Happy, he had it...but, was Floored.

Sadly, my Friend's Wife...had passed away, and...I suppose, he....needed to make some adjustments.
He sold the Box, to my other... Friend.
<3

As Dale, and I...were talking about it, last Friday...
Dale said... "You know who has it...now?"
I said, Yes....
My 'Friend', from 2 years ago.
He said..."Nope."
???
"I Do."

Dale found it in a Booth, where another...Iowa Dealer, had it, at a Show..in Nashville, TN. last year.
I was Floored!!!
Happy!!!
So Glad...he'd bought it, and it was HOME!!!
'Iowa'!!!

Dale said...he'd sell it to me, for what he'd paid...if I wanted it.
: ) : ) : )
Otherwise, it was going Nowhere.
; )

Again...I, couldn't justify it.
'Obligations'.

Told Dale...maybe, someday, and Thanked Him...for the Opportunity, 
but...just Knowing He Had It, was such a Blessing!!!

I, shared the Long... story...with Daughter, Liz.
She...was also... Happy for Dale....and the Tiny...Heart, too.
<3

Liz...popped over, Tuesday afternoon, {She was my 4:00 appointment}
 I was helping her, gather Estate Sale Items, from last weekend.
She handed me a grocery sack...with a cardboard box...inside.
She said... here, found this for ya...
Adam, and I...thought you might like it.
: )

I opened it up...and, what do ya suppose was nestled...inside?
Oh...my Lord.

I...about fell over.

I...never would've told Liz, about the Heart's 'Journey', had I thought...for a single moment, she'd call Dale, and buy it.
: ( 

Liz said... "If Dad...were here, he would've bought it for you. Just like The Carousel Horse."
<3 
{I was so...nervous, when John won the Bid...on another Sale...where The Carousel...Horse, was...we'd conducted, many years ago. He knew...I loved that Horse....but, 'Family', 'Obligations'...first.
 Always. 
John...'Surprised'..me with It. 
<3
oh dear. }

I wouldn't part with it...for the World, now, or...even...back then.

The Winter... John fell ill, I was loading for Nashville, seemed if anything...could go wrong, it did.
We were struggling, in every way...one could.
I was scrambling for inventory...for Heart of Country.
We Needed a 'Great Show'.
John said...one evening...
"Why don't you take 'The Horse', it'll sell, and you won't be so nervous."

Oh...my Lord.
I turned to John....and said, "That Horse...is Going Nowhere."
<3 <3 <3 
I, knew...how much it meant to John, 'Giving'...me, That Horse, that he knew...I'd never step up to.
Precious...Precious...Gift.
<3 <3 <3 


Priceless.
<3 <3 <3 

Now...the little Amana Heart, really....really, hold's Even More...of a Special...Place, in my heart.
<3 <3 <3 
It...always did, but...Never...like it does...now.
<3
Never...thought I could Love It...'more'.
<3

; )




Liz, had contacted Dale...last weekend, about the little Heart.
So...on Tuesday, when Dale...rode Shotgun...a Million Miles, at a Very Fast Pace...
Dale knew...Liz was going to Surprise me, with it...
but, had to keep it a secret.
; )

When I called Dale, to Thank Him...Wednesday...morning, 
Dale said... "Thank God!!! I was So Worried on Tuesday...you'd bring that Heart...Up, again!!!!
 I was Sooo Nervous....I was going to Slip!!
 Liz talked about saving it for you...until Christmas!!! I was So Afraid....I'd Slip!!!!"

: ) : ) : )
{I KNOW...How Difficult, That Secret...Had to Be...for Dale, to Keep!!! }

Told Liz, and Adam..."No Christmas Gifts...for me, Ever...Again."
{or any Other...Gift's, for Any Reason...Ever. <3 }

Blessings.
Blessings.

yes...
The Soulfulness...truly does Find It's Way.
Always.
<3 <3 <3 
That little Heart, sat in a box...in an attic, for decades, then...traveled Thousands...of Miles, and through...Many....Hands,
then...
Found It's Way....
'Home'.
<3 <3 <3 

Love...to Ya.
Prayers....for All.

Barb C.

{I was up at 1:30 this morning...couldn't go back to sleep.
So...took a hot bath, colored my hair...{looks pretty Black. oh dear.}
Gonna go to the store...then, make Food, for Easter, later.
We're Celebrating Easter, at Justin, and Katie's.
'This'...
Home
is
 No Place...to Celebrate, 
or...have Children, outside...Easter Egg Hunting.
So Incredibly...Sad.
but...
We'll Be Together.
<3 <3 <3 

Happy Easter, to All. 
Hope...it's Filled with Many Blessings.}












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