Thank you & The Spring Junk Ranch 2021

 I wanted to pop in say thankyou for the nice words about my sweet Mom.  I miss her more than I can tell you. I always thought I would just curl up in a ball on the floor and cease to function when I lost her.  But, I have been so calm through it.  I feel her hand on my shoulder.  I know how incredibly lucky I was to have her my whole life.  I just feel blessed to have had her and her never ending love.  I have received cards and gifts from you sweet blog readers and IG friends.  More than I did from my own family.  Isn't that interesting to think that people that feel like they know you are compelled to send you a card, but people that actually DO know you and are related don't?  It's weird.  But, I thank all of you so much.  

The Junk Ranch was last week.  I thought about not doing it, but I really needed something to focus on.  So, I did it.  I swear to you, I do not remember really doing it.  I mean, I remember it, but I guess I was on autopilot, because it just flew by and wasn't the big deal setting up and tearing down like I usually think it is.  I guess everything else has been so hard, that is seemed easy.  I don't know how to explain it.

My patriotic/Americana area 

I took Christmas.  In June.  It sold!  

I like to make displays front back and side to side.

I have service for 86 of this beautiful vintage dinnerware.  I sold TWO PLATES.  And I only did that to make one persistent lady happy.

I sold a lot off this display and ended up donating the pink hutch.  It's currently at Goodwill for twice what I had it priced!

.

I bought that bench for $20 and thought it would sell.  It's made of landscape timbers and is heavy as hell.  It didn't sell, so I brought it home and put it in the yard.  I've never been good with selling big stuff.  I don't know why I try!  I should just stick to the smalls.

The dishes are amazing.  And SO HEAVY.

It was a good show and the weather cooperated.  The week before it poured rain and this week it was almost 100 degrees and SO humid.  

Thanks for stoppin in!

My Mumsie

 

I lost my Mom on May 9th. She was fine April 28th, but then she wasn’t herself. An ambulance was called. She had a UTI. It went sepsis. Her kidneys shut down and her lungs stopped working. She was moved the hospice House on May 6. I was able to stay with her 24 hours a day. She was asleep the entire time until she suddenly woke up on Wednesday. She saw me and her face lit up. “There’s my girl. My beautiful girl!”  I was able to get her on video telling me that she loved me and to never forget that she loved me. and then, she was out again. It was the saddest and happiest few minutes of my life. 

My Mother and I were absolute best friends. Losing her means losing half of myself. I am broken and sad. But I am also very calm. I believe she’s walking me through the pain. It happened so quick and out of nowhere. But she didn’t suffer. She was taken care of at the hospital and at Hospice. I was able to be with her. She didn’t look like herself at the end and she didn’t speak, except for those few minutes, in almost two weeks. It was just her shell there. When she took her last breath, it was very deep. My stepfather, who rarely hears anything, heard it and said, “That’s it.”  It was almost a relief at that point. 

She was funny and giving to a fault  she loved me more than anyone could love a person.  She thought I was beautiful, the smartest, the most creative and the best person in the world  I am none of those things but she told me every day that I was those things.

I miss her so much!

Hello? Is it me you're looking for?

 I seem to start these posts off the very exact same way  every time, but I honestly can't believe that I haven't been on here since October.  It's such a weird time - it feels like time is standing still but also zooming by.  How can that be???  Also, it is March 2021 and it was JUST March 2020 a few days ago, right? 

My stepfather got both of his Covid vaccines, but no one else int he family has been able to get it.  My Mom and my Dad are eligible, but there aren't enough to go around right now.  My mom isn't concerned - she stays home all the time for real.  Like she has been out of her house maybe four times in the last year?  She is a homebody and hates going anywhere, so this is really like the best thing ever to her.  My stepfather is careful so that he doesn't bring it home to her.  He only goes to the grocery store and thru a drive thru every once in awhile.  Living with my Mom has made him a serious homebody too.  

The Breadman had an appointment for the vaccine, but then the state back stepped and pulled grocery workers off the list.  So, he's waiting again.  He wears a mask, gloves, disinfectants everything and changes as soon as he gets home.  I am careful too and do the same things.  I go grocery shopping in the afternoon on a weekday when it's less crowded.  I still go thrifting - mostly to the Bins.  I can keep my distance in my mask and gloves and have a grand old time.  I tried hitting all the thrifts one day and I had little luck finding anything to buy and I encountered new people at each thrift.  I decided it was safer to make one weekly stop at the bins where I can only encounter a few people and I do stay way more than six feet away from them.

Here are some bin finds from this year.

Fun old cookbooks and a wonderful old chippy paddle.

I love old cookbooks with character.  There are people there scanning books and they toss the beautiful old books off to the side and I POUNCE on them.  The cow is celluloid and the little clock is just sweet as can be.

My friend offered the little chairs to me just as I found the old Bert and Ernie.  Aren't they fun?

This old wicker doll bed rocker was a good find.  The rockers had come off of it, so everyone tossed it away.  I fixed it in about three seconds with the drill.  You have to look for the potential in things at the bins and be prepared to work on somethings.  

This lovely old doll head was just rolling around in the bottom of a bin.  She was headed to the landfill, so I am happy to have saved her.  

This was a big framed portrait - some one pulled the photo out of the frame and I grabbed her.  I cut her out to make it look like she's really there.  She's about two feet tall.  I named her Penny because that's what she cost!  

I grabbed an old Fisher Price barn and found all these guys in the hayloft.  So many!

This old puzzle is just lovely and I ADORE the graphics on the box.

I don't deal in clothes, but I will grab vintage when I find it.  This is a Kenny Rogers Western shirt.  Someone will LOVE it, I think.  

I'm always amazed when I pull a vintage tablecloth out of the linen bins.  

I have bought about 15 quilts this year - most are really great picnic blankets and that is how I will sell them.  But this one seems to date from the Civil War.  I'm going to take it to the local Civil War museum and see if they know more about it. 

I am supposed to be working on taxes, but updating this old blog of mine seemed more important today.

Drop me a comment so I know you're still out there!