As It Was.

I've written this post... a few times, over the last couple days.

Shortened it up... quite a bit.

When Chicago Ray... called the other day, he was preparing his load... for Nashville.

Tho... Heart of Country, at The Opryland is no more,

there's still some wonderful Antique Shows... in Nashville, that continued on, after 'Heart'.

Ray said...

"Baby... Nashville isn't the same without you!!

 Seeing you pull in to Nashville, with that 'Beverly Hillbillies'.. Truck!!!"

{Ray... sure likes to 

Pick on our Old Trucks. ; ) }

Daughter, Liz... drove The Ford, that last 'Heart', 10 years ago.

Loaded Heavy.

: )

What a Wonderful... Crazy... Stressful... Grueling.... 

Event, 

'Heart' was.

<3

It was always a Gamble... getting there.

One year... the alternator went out of the Ford, I was driving.

John... loved that Truck.

He bought it to replace The Great White Hope, {Ton Ford}

to pull the trailer.

: (

I... never liked that Truck.

: (

Never Trusted it... like The Great White Hope.

Needless to say, wasn't happy.... when I called John, from a payphone,

we'd crippled the Ford to, in Bloomington, Illinois...

standing in below zero windchill.

Daughter, Liz... was riding with me, as was her Best Friend, Kristi.

They were 15, or so.

: )

Show Partner... Julie, was following in her car.

{I... was so Concerned... about that Ford, thought it would be good, if Julie followed.

With All of John's reassurance... on How Great that Ford was, I... was never convinced.

Bad Feeling.}

When the Ford died... we were passing a Semi, on the interstate.

I backed the Ford down... and onto the interstate's shoulder.

Battery was Deader than Dead. We had Nothing.

Julie... pulled up behind the Trailer, told her to do a u-turn, pull nose to nose... with the Ford and I'd give it a jump.

Julie... said...

"You do it."

  : )

So...

got the Ford started,

 turned Everything off...

and crippled it to the first service station, in Bloomington.

The guy working there...was of little help.

He did put a full charge on the battery for us, and we figured out it was the alternator.

but...

he wouldn't work on the Ford, it was late afternoon...and said he didn't like working on "Old Stuff."

{after that comment, wouldn't have Allowed him to work on anything of ours. Bless his heart. ; ) }

I asked him... where the closest 'Parts' store was, in Bloomington.

{Figured I could buy an alternator... and a handful of tools, pull the Ford... into a car wash bay,

out of that Frickin'...Wind, and change it.}

Told Julie... we'd pull the rugs out of the Trailer, stuff them in her car...

she could go on, to Nashville, with the Girls,

 they could get everything in order, at the Show...

and... I'd be there as quick as I could.

Julie... would Have No Part of That.

She wouldn't leave me.

: )

{I was so mad... Dang It!! We were on a Schedule!!}

Turned out, beside the 'Parts' store... where I bought the alternator, was a Service Station.

When the Man at the Parts store found out what I was planning, he told me to walk next door, and see if the Man, who owned the Station, might be able to help us.

It was closing time.

He, his Wife... and Family, were just locking up... and heading for Supper.

but...

he said,

"Why don't ya... unhook your trailer, and pull the Truck, inside. : ) "

He changed that alternator for us... in No Time.

<3 <3 <3 

{The Man... reminded me of someone else, I knew.

A 'Couple'... of Men, in my life

<3

How many Times, have I watched Them... help Folks, when we had to be other places.}

<3 <3 <3 

We were ALL.... So Incredibly Grateful.

<3

One year... the FUSO's exhaust pipe came apart... just as we crossed into Missouri.

Thank God... for Always Having 'Wire'... Handy!!

; )

{That's a Marion Conner Sr's 'Thing'. <3  He taught me well <3 }

Got us to Nashville.

; )

Wanda, was with that year. Peg, too.

<3

One year.... Blew the driver's drive tire... again... just across the Missouri line.

oh my.

Had Many Pals with... on That Trip.

<3

Oh... The Adventures!!! : )

We Always Managed to Get There!!!

<3

and...

Home!!!

<3

We LOVED That Opryland Hotel.

<3

The Cascades... Area.

<3 <3 <3 

Always booked a room in The Cascades Area.

It was So Beautiful.... had The Best Food, and.... a Revolving Bar!!

<3

{until the Flood in Nashville. : ( }

The Bad part... of the Cascades, it was the Furthest away from The Heart Show's Convention Center.

Oh my...Gosh.

: )

Pal, Steph... and I were talking about it, this morning.

; )

Steph and I shared a Booth, twice, at Heart.

That LONG Walk Back... to The Cascades, after working 16 hour days.

How MANY Times... did I walk barefooted down these paths, carrying my shoes, because my feet were KILLING Me!!!

Hahahahaha!!!

Oh dear. 

Normally... after the Show, every evening... we'd all go out. 

: )

Kick Up Our Heels!!

; )

Pal, Linda... was meeting with Friends, Daughter...Liz, was meeting with Friends.

I... could've joined them, or.... many Friends, in Nashville, but... not that night.

Impending doom... is what I felt, that night, at 'Heart'.

Made my excuses... wished Everyone a Fun Evening, but...  thought I'd better Sit This One Out!!!

: ) : ) : ) 

Captured the above image, when I got to our room... because... I, somehow...

wanted to mark that moment...in time.

Had No Idea... what was coming, but... knew one thing, at that very moment.

Life... would never, ever... be the same, again... after leaving Nashville.

That would be the 'Last' Heart of Country.

We didn't know that, then.

It was actually... the only 'Heart' booth, that I was completely satisfied with.

Up until then... had always thought.... 'if I had just a little more time.'

but...

that 2014 Heart Booth, was... 'Done'. 

It was 'Good'.

<3

: )

Looking back... oh my, even that horrible, sick... sinking feeling, 'premonition'... that made my body freeze, and tremble... couldn't begin to 'prepare' for what was waiting for us All... at 'Home', in Iowa.

These last 10 years... since, have been interesting, to say the very least, for Many.

So Grateful.... for All of The Heart of Country 'Adventures'. 

<3

The 'Last One'... well, it's 'One'... I'll never forget.

; )

Still... livin' it.

{Fairfax, and IDOT...  have been quite 'interesting' 'dancing partners' over the years, since John left... in 2014.}

Bless... their hearts.

Love to Ya...

Prayers for All.

Barb C.

Friend's have asked me to join them, in Nashville... over the last several years...

for the Antique Shows. <3 

Grateful... for Their Kind Invitations, but... want to remember 'Nashville', as It Was.

; )