simply iowa: Off The Rails. oh....my.

Tackling The Hen House.

Making sense of it...for The Fall Harvest Sale.

{October 7 thru 10}

Haven't touched it...in years.

No Sales... why...bother.

Of course, it's been used for storage.

Helper, Brandon...and me, gutted it, yesterday.

It was Packed Full.

Full.

oh...my.

I worked on repairing windows, in it as well.

A Storm, that blew through...recently, broke two.

A Critter had gotten inside.

It was a Mess.

Mess.

I began cleaning, and going through long forgotten totes.

It was difficult.

Not...the work, well...that wasn't easy, but...

the memories, hit me harder than I could've imagined.

I remember the year we flipped it all around.

Told Peg, Maurina, and I had started to work on it.

Peg...

had a FIT!!

She said...

"Nobody Touches That Hen House But ME!! IT'S MINE!!!"

{Yikes!!}

Peg, lived in Missouri, and would come up...and stay...for a couple of weeks, before the Sales, and help me.

Miss Her....So.

As Brandon, and I...were working, the phone rang.

It was Pal, Dale.

One of his Best Friend's, sadly passed away.

It was expected.

His Friend, was in very poor health.

He had battled MS, for many, many...years.

So...Sad.

: (

After we hung up...I got to thinking about my Sister, Chery.

She, too....battled MS.

: (

The last few years of Chery's life...were very difficult.

She developed facial neuralgia.

Chery...had a very high tolerance to pain.

She could walk up to an electric fence, grab a hold of it...to see if it was working, without flinching.

That...Always...Amazed Me!!

That facial...neuralgia, hit...Chery, with a vengeance.

While shopping at a store, for a dress, for her Son, Jimmy's Wedding, it hit her so sharp...with pain, Chery...dropped to her knees.

: (.......

When Chery...was in her mid 20's...just after their only child, Jimmy...was born, Chery noticed she'd often stick her fingers with the diaper pins, and didn't feel it.

Then...she said...she felt like she had bugs crawling in her hair, all of the time.

The Doctor's, back then...{late 1960's} told Chery...

"It's just a 'Woman Thing'...nothing to be concerned about."

: (

Chery got herself an appointment at The Mayo Clinic, where they diagnosed her...with MS.

Chery...took MS, on...like she did Everything.

; )

Chery...Was Determined...to stay out of a wheelchair.

I took a couple of months off work, in 2003, to stay with Chery...during the day...so her husband could keep working, after Chery was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

I'll never forget the day...a visiting nurse brought in a 'surprise'...for Chery, to make her life a little easier.

It was a Wheelchair.

Chery...was so tiny.

Always.

a pinch...

over 5 feet tall.

I don't believe Chery ever broke the 100 pound mark, in her life.

Sweet as Pie.

until...

she wasn't.

Which...wasn't often.

oh...Dear.

; )

{I've only seen Chery angry, three times, in all of the wonderful years we shared.}

When that nurse rolled that wheelchair through the door, was one of 'em.

Holy Smokes!!

FIRE!!!

Chery...said to the nurse...

"Get That THING OUT OF MY HOME!!

I've spent...Most of My Life, Praying...I could KEEP Out...of one of Those!!!

Get It OUT!!!"

As weak, as Chery...was, to this day...I Believe, She...Could've 'Taken' Me, The Nurse...

and...

Every Neighbor, within' a 5 Mile Radius of her Farm, with the Rage...she had, against that wheelchair.

<3 <3 <3

Chery...never had to be confined to one.

Never.

Praise God.

Chery...was 21 years older than me.

She, and Dad...were the ones who started my Love Affair, with Antiques.

I remember...visiting Chery's Home...when I was little.

I, always felt So Good...when I visited.

Chery had The Love of Old.

Her Home...was Nothing...but 'Antiques'.

It always felt safe...and warm, wherever Chery lived.

She...was Amazing.

Peg, reminded me So...of Chery.

They...would've been 'Sisters'...too.

: )

Spent this day...

going through Hen House...'Treasures'.

: )

It was difficult.

I...was pretty hung over, this morning.

Went off the rails, last night.

: (

This IDOT...BS, is...driving me Mad.

While working...I, remember...how everything used to be,

Before....

Their, and Fairfax's...

Wrongful...

Shenanigans.

Haven't heard back from The Senator, or The Reporter, yet.

It was a long weekend.

This...is a short week.

I'll give them a little more time...before I start knocking on doors.

; )

It's difficult, wondering...when my phone rings...if I'm going to have to Shift Gears, again.

Last night...

Harpo, Bonnie's Son, called me.

{The Crawfordsville, Iowa...Sale.}

Harpo...just wanted to thank me, for posting about their Sale, and...said what a SUCCESS It Was!!!

<3 <3 <3

That Made Me SO HAPPY!!!

but, totally went Off The Rails.

I...burst into Tears.

Poor...Harpo.

Tried to explain...what a Blessing, it was...to See Bonnie, and Him!!

I've been nearly Shut Down, for 6 years, but...for the last 3, because of IDOT, and Fairfax, I've...become quite a recluse.

: (

I've Missed...Bonnie, Harpo...Charlie, Linda {Iris City}....

Everyone.

3 years.

Near, and Far....

It's like...fighting this Wrongful Battle, has Truly...taken me down a 'Rabbit Hole'.

Not...a good one.

I've...Missed Them All, So.

If I helped them, somehow...in any way, well...Great!!

I'd Do Anything...for Them.

<3 <3 <3

They've Sure...Been Good, to me, over the years.

Told Harpo...I'd pass on His, and Bonnie's Gratitude, to Those...who Truly Deserve It.

The Folks Who saw my posts...

and Shopped With Them!!!

THANK YOU...

to All...Who Attended Charlie's Barn Sale, Bonnie's Sale, and The Beautiful Garden Walk Sale...in Crawfordsville, and Iris City, in Mt. Pleasant.

My Favorite...

Haunts.

; )

This 1960's Handmade Sign, for 'Red Devil' Paint....

was in the Hen House.

; )

It belongs to a Dear...Friend.

Tom V.

Took it to a Show, many moons ago.

Years...ago.

It's been stored in The Hen House, since.

When I saw it...yesterday,

thought, I should...maybe...purchase it.

; )

Put it beside Fairfax's 'Home, Sweet Home' Sign.

; )

Ya see...when Folks ask me,

"Where are you from?"...

I, answer...

"I'm from Fairfax, Iowa.

A.K.A.

'Hell'."

Picked Brandon up...at his Home, in Lisbon, Iowa...when I finally...found my feet, today.

His Chevy, broke down...Blew Up...on his way Home, from here...last night.

: (

Loaned him Sally, to drive...until he can get his Chevy...on his feet...again.

{Motor # 4}

That Kid...needs to buy a Ford.

; )

Love to Ya...

Prayers, for All.

Barb C.

{I remember...the moment...when Chery called me, and asked me, to come...visit, with her, and Jim, her husband.

I'd just gotten Home, from Heart of Country, in Nashville.

While doing the Show...at The Opryland Hotel, there was also a Psychiatry Convention...going on, there.

After working long, long...days, there...

I'd find my way to The Cascades.

My 'Happy Place'.

; )

Just sit...watch the Waterfalls

: )

A man, plopped down...at my table, uninvited.

We began chatting.

; )

He, was very nice.

: )

He asked me...what I did for a Living.

I, told him.

Then, he asked me...

"What do you do...for Fun?"

: )

Told him, "My Job.

I'm...kind of a workaholic, Love My Job."

; )

He, said...

"That's not 'Fun'. That's Work."

He was a Psychiatrist.

He went on, and said...

"I...hope, you'll find some time to spend having Fun,...and Enjoy...Your Friends, and Family. They...are what Truly Matter."

; )

Thanked him, for his advise...and went to my room.

No more, than got settled in, and the phone rang, in my room.

It was the Psychiatrist.

How he got my room number, I'll never know.

He...wanted to know, if I was o.k.

I assured him, I was.

; )

Couldn't get that conversation...off of my mind, all the way Home.

I...was determined...after that conversation...to Spend More Time, with Those...I Love.

then...

I got 'The Call', when I got Home, from Chery.

I Loved My Sister, but...had my mind not been Set, to Sit Still...I couldn't have been The Sister, I Needed to Be, for Chery.

That Man...I, believe...was an Angel.

When Chery...asked me, to come...be with her, I agreed, on one condition.

Told Chery...I'll stay with you, and help you Live.

If....you're asking me to come, and watch you die, I can't do that.

We 'Lived'...Every Day, until...there were no more, for Chery.

The IDOT...took Chery's Memorial, John...So Lovingly Created, and The Beautiful..Flowering Crab Tree, he'd planted, for Chery, back...in 2004, for Fairfax's Wrongful...Suicide Trail.}