Monday, July 21, 2025
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing... Baby.
Many years ago... a Dear... mutual Friend, of mine, and John's...
{and Dads : )}
'Jack', gave us three pieces of Vintage Mosaic Concrete.
A Garden Bench, a Small, Round... Table, and... the Massive Urn, kind of pictured, above.
Jack gave them to us, about the time we were building on to the house.
{late 1990's, early 2000's.}
About DIED when I saw them.
<3
Knew they'd be Perfect for the 'new' Bathroom.
<3
The Tall... Urn, would sit perfectly under the mid 1800's Church Windows, John 'built in'
that divides the Bathroom, from the Shower Room.
We placed the Lovely... Bench inside the Shower Room.
It's been very handy... and Beautiful... over the years.
: )
Keep a rolled up towel, or two... on the bench,
at the end, nearest the shower door, tiered candles at the other end.
The Small Table, sits in the corner of the Shower Room,
that's where we set soaps, shampoo... etc.
: )
So Grateful... Jack thought of us when he was moving.
He said... they'd been sitting for decades, had nearly forgotten about them, and... he kinda thought, after seeing the kind of 'Stuff'... I was always Draggin' Home, that... I might like 'em.
: )
<3 <3 <3
Jack was a 'Car Man'.
better yet...
a
'Mustang Man'!!
: )
Jack had Hundreds of Them.
{That's a Fact.}
John knew Jack, from the early 1960's. Dad, too.
When it was difficult for Jack to get around, he... started visiting John's Shop, almost daily.
: )
He'd help out, where he could... or, just keep the Coffee Goin'... and Swap Stories
with the other Car Dudes, that always came around on a Daily Basis!!
Hahahahahahaha!!!
; )
Miss Him!!
Loved Hearing His Stories!!
Think of Jack, every time I look at that Beautiful Concrete.
: )
{I always felt it was such an Honor... to John, that Jack 'Chose'... to 'Hang Out', here...
with John, and his Crew.
; )
Jack... was 'Known' and Respected... throughout The Car World, {around here}
yet...
Jack 'Chose'... to come every single day he could,
and spend the day.... pretty much, up to his very last.}
<3
Tried planting in the Huge Urn, but... it doesn't get enough light.
Was at Dear Friend, Patti's... Store, {Fern Hill, South Amana, Iowa }
way back... then,
ran across the Large...
Lovely... Vintage Terracotta Round Plaque.
<3
It has a Goddess surrounded by Many, Many....
Darling... Putti.
<3
Thought it might work for a cover for the Urn.
Didn't bother to measure... it,
it's so Beautiful...
figured if it didn't fit, I'd surely find another place for it.
; )
It... fits perfectly.
<3
Below are today's...
FB Memories from a few years ago.
; )
Some 'Things'...
Never
Change.
<3
That's a Fact.
; )
; )
Walked away from Stogies...
Cold Turkey,
one year ago.
Miss Them.
{especially when I write.}
{no... I don't 'vape'.
Ain't Nothin' Like 'The Real Thing', to me... Baby. ; )}
; )
<3
Busy, Busy... Week, ahead.
oh...dear.
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Grateful.
Been feelin' like I haven't been getting much 'done'... lately,
felt a little guilty about that, again, today.
Then... got over it, quickly.
; )
I'm working on a couple of 'Projects'...
Difficult 'Projects', that have little to do with what used to be my life.
I've gotta stay focused, so... what doesn't get done, won't...
for a bit.
; )
Indeed... Indeed... Indeed.
That... was quite a 'Birthday Present' for John.
: (
Often wonder... had John been 'Here', through this mess, thus far...
what he might have said... or, thought.
???
I... sadly, sadly....
believe 'this'.... All of 'this'
IDOT/Fairfax 'Bullshit'
would've killed John,
and...
taken much longer to do it, than the cancer did.
I remember the day John captured the above, and below... images.
It was in late May, 2011, I believe....
We were getting ready to go visit the Cemeteries.
We used to go visit Friends, and Family...
'Loved Ones'... at several different Cemeteries,
after The Memorial Day Weekend Sale, here... at Home.
I forget what I was doing... that morning, but... was inside the house, hurrying, John...
was waiting.... patiently. He... grabbed my camera, and took several images of Flowers... Trees, his Beloved...
Nicky,
{Shepherd <3}
while he waited on me.
: )
{Above is the center of a Beautiful Poppy, that one of his Dear Friends, had given John... many years before. It's gone now, as are many, many... of the Trees John,
and The Kids planted,
IDOT Took Them... for... Fairfax's Bike Trail 'Accommodations.}
: (
John drove... Miss. Sally, that day.
That may have been the only time, he ever drove her.
John preferred to have me drive.
: )
Grateful he did.... because I'll never forget capturing that image by
The Lake,
of
John...
It's Priceless.
; )
Happy Heavenly Birthday... John.
<3
July 19, 1946 -
May 25, 2014
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
{I'm thinking that packet that came by mail... wasn't 'Condemnation' papers. They, I believe...
were... the 'offer' to purchase our land,
{taking land up to 12 feet from our Home.}
: (
which I knew, would turn into 'Condemnation', after 'dealing' with IDOT in the 1990's,
and... seeing what they had in mind, this time.
: (
The Linn County Deputy Sheriff 'Served' me, here... at the house, with Condemnation papers, in
September of 2018...
just as I was leaving for Santa Fe, with Allyson, to visit Pal, Jan.
It was in Santa Fe, that I reached out to Lawyer Meardon.
{Beyond Grateful... for him.}
'This'...
Has
Been
A
Nightmare
Crazy
Train...
that
Never
should've
been.
but...
It Is.
so...
All Aboard.}
Friday, July 18, 2025
One Day... at a Time.
A FB Friend... posted the above, today.
I burst out laughing...
; )
tho, there's nothing
'funny'
about it.
It... just struck me... sideways.
; )
Somehow...
it
Seemed
Fittin'!!
not, just for me...
I'm thinkin',
most likely...
Many, 'these' days.
<3
I, most always use one, of two lines... when someone asks how I'm doin'...
1. {process for a moment... then respond}
"I... haven't decided yet."
??
: ) : ) : )
2. "Livin' The DREAM... Baby!!"
; ) ; ) ; )
both...
will usually bring Folks... a grin.
: )
We 'need' Smiles, more than Anything, in my humble opinion...
'these'
days.
<3
Lit a few candles...
again...
this Evening.
There's something so incredibly soothing about a candle's glow.
: )
Didn't get much done today.
Load's of things I should've been doing, but...
sometimes, Ya simply need a Day.
; )
Received a text from a Friend who is struggling so, this Evening.
She's been going through so much.
: (
So many... are.
: (
Wouldn't it be nice if we could wave a
Magic Wand,
and make
Everything Right in the World??
Guess all we can do, without a
'Wand'...
is, be there...
for one another.
<3
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
The Rabbit Hole will be Open Soon, with regular 'set' hours...
other than just... 'by appointment', as it has been.
As Always, I can be there... most anytime,
{before, and after hours}
'by appointment'. }
Have to work around Show, and Estate Sale... schedules.
Those will be posted.
Stay Tuned.
<3
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Merry Christmas.... Baby. ; )
Guess what I worked on... today,
July 17.
???
: )
Christmas!!
; )
Most don't know this... but I haven't taken 'Christmas' down...
inside, this year.
Didn't plan to.
Never really got it 'done'... last year.
To say the least, with Everything goin' on around 'Home',
pretty much lost my 'Passion'... for 'Christmas'.
Didn't put 'The Tree' up at all, the year before.
First time since I moved away from Home, at 15... I didn't have a Christmas Tree.
Did... break down and buy one at Goodwill, just before... Christmas,
along with everything needed to trim it.
Didn't have the heart... to look at any 'memories'.
Last Christmas, decided 'That' wasn't gonna 'happen' again.
; )
and...
decided...
since The Tree... and Memories where 'left out', the prior....
Christmas...
It Was Gonna Stand Tall....
All Year!
<3 <3 <3
Love... Love... Love...
Christmas.
The Magic.
<3
I keep The Tree Lit, 24/7.
: )
{Using LED bulbs... {about 2500} that cost very little to keep glowing.}
Warms my heart... every time I look at it.
; )
<3
Added more ornaments to The Tree, and The Gnarly Wreath, today.
: ) : ) : )
For Some of Us...
Antiquers...
We've never 'lived' in 'This' Time.
; )
Like It.
Brought The Beautiful Angels in, today...
that Pal, Mark... Gifted me.
<3
It was a Trick... getting them inside, and Up High.
At first put one on a ledge... where the lamps are.
Didn't trust the 'ledge'. Those Angel's have some Weight to them.
I'll post a few images when I git 'er All.... done.
: )
Bought the Cool... Vintage {made in Poland} Candelabra, from Pal, Bill....
a while back.
Cleaned it up today, it's headed to The Rabbit Hole, then...
on to Gold Rush, should it not sell at Home.
LOVE IT!!
; )
Indeed.
<3
That Rhonda... always posts the best stuff.
<3
Another Pal, posted the above today.
: )
Yeah... Boy!!
; )
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
{What Is It About Elvis... 'Christmas'????
Oh My Gosh!!
: )
When I 'work'...
putting up
'Christmas', it's...
'Merry Christmas Baby', or... 'It's Christmas Time... Pretty Baby',
over, and over... and....
over.
???
My Groove!!!
: )
I... listen to a Lot of Classic Christmas Music, when I work...
at
'Christmas'...
but,
Make The Biggest Strides...
listening to
'The King'.
; )
Hahahahahahahaha!!!}
Restless.
It was a Pretty Day... for a Drive, yesterday.
Opted to take Highway 6 to Newton, rather than I-80.
Bill really liked that route, too.
I-80 has become such a crazy mess, it's like a racetrack, and a pretty boring ride, in my opinion.
It took us about 15 minutes longer, but... what a Great Trade!!
The Iowa Countryside.... is So Incredibly Beautiful.
<3
Love going through the small towns, and seeing the Cool Houses, Farms... Fields... Rolling Hills, Livestock... and even a Crop Duster, or two.
; )
This Beautiful Home... is in Newton, Iowa.
There were So Many Cool Houses, in Newton, and... throughout the drive.
Oh my.
<3
While doing the 'Walk Through' at the Newton, Estate...
we were all standing in the kitchen... I looked out the door glass, and there was a DARLING...
little
Ground Hog!!
<3
The Lady who used to live there, her Daughter... said,
'Always fed Every Critter around. Many were very tame.'
<3
The above little Guy, sure wasn't very fearful of us.
; )
There's Ton's of Gnarly Statuary... and Garden Items.
LOVED Those Cats!!
Much of the Vintage Garden has Gnarly... Moss, and Lichen growing on it.
Their Surface's are INSANE!!
<3
We're trying to figure out the best way to help these Folks.
The Home is very full.
The Garage... is very full.
We've got our Thinking Caps... On.
: )
Captured this image at Home... yesterday.
There were about a dozen of them... in a little patch.
<3
Writing pretty late... another 'restless night' it seems.
Love to Ya...
Prayers for All.
Barb C.
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