The Big Weekend is Almost Here

I have two shows this weekend - a three day show at Grandy's and a two day show at Clarkston. I only have to work one day at the Grandy Farm which is at 12750 Frost Road in Hemlock, Michigan - so I will be there on Friday.

On Saturday and Sunday I will be in Clarkston at the High School on 6093 Flemings Lake Road. I'll be in booth 11 down the hallway this year.

We'll see how having two shows in one weekend works! YIKES! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can......

Catching up with friends

Pat and I went to the Outback for dinner - remember when the bar was first come first serve? Well, it's not! I found a booth and slipped right in - then Pat went back to give our notifier thingy to the hostess and when he did - he found our friends Pat and Bill from Midland. We haven't seen them in ages. So he invited them back to "our" booth!

Then the manager came over and told us we couldn't just take a booth - I protested enough to let us stay (can you imagine that?) So then we proceeded to have a wonderful night.

Our kids had gone together to Blessed Sacrament when they were in elementary school. Lynn and Sarah came over to our house to play and they were with them at their house a lot, too. It was so fun to hear all about the family and what they are doing and of course they wanted to hear all about Caroline and Joanna, too.

Oh my - good friends are a blessing - when you see them - even after years of being apart it is like you never were apart at all. Isn't friendship wonderful?

Estate Sale Where I Didn't Care if I Got Anything!

OH MY GOODNESS, on our way home from the Waterford Craft Show we were looking for an estate sale sign I saw on our way to the show. Sure enough it was still up - so we followed it. It was a $2.5 Million home!!!! The entrance was grand - we parked up at the top of a hill, took beautiful stone steps down to a magnificent leaded glass door.

When we entered there was a circular teak staircase and rooms off the entry. We were instructed to put on surgical booties - the floors were marble. Then we walked around - I am sure with my mouth hanging open.

There were Remington sculptures, a Picasso, a Matisse, and many more artists. The cut glass bowls were fabulous. I told the man I just wanted to cook in the kitchen! He laughed and told me the stove was awful to try to keep clean - HAH - you can't fool me - he didn't do any cleaning on that stove!!!

There was a pool out back overlooking the lake with a beautiful portico all around the back. Oh my goodness, it was just so much fun walking through the mansion. I wish I could have gone upstairs!

So - even though I didn't find anything to buy - I certainly enjoyed the estate sale!

Ann Arbor Quick Trip

So we made a quick trip to Ann Arbor to buy plates. We found some really cute ones. Then we stopped for a sandwich at Zingermans. Now we are on our way home to wrap more knives.

I am loving this Galaxy Tablet. So far the navigation is great. It took us around some wierd curves today without a hitch.

mad dash for more dishes

It seems as if I spend all my free time looking for more dishes. I found 15 this afternoon. I will have to go on a road trip after the Waterford show this weekend.

I do love finding just the right beads to match the dishes.

I took a little catnap after dinner and now I am wide awake. I already wrapped 30 knives more than enough for the night.

Great Day

We had a great day in Mt. Pleasant. This was the best one day show yet. It really is amazing that most of our sales happen before Noon then hardly anymore. So for 3 hours we never sit down. I am not complaining it just seems funny that it happens at every show.

We sold so much that I have been wrapping knives since 3 am. I can see the rest of the week wrap wrap wrap wrap.

new toy

Well matt at best buy sold me on the galaxy tablet and i got it last night. I have been going back and forth trying to decide what to buy and this is so much fun. It is just the right size and the keyboard is just right for my finger. When i told him i wanted to be able to blog he said hands down this is what to buy.

IT WAS FUN HAVING HIM SET IT UP. They just got these in yesterday and he had been researching it and he was so having fun that i was too.

It also has a great camera and i cannot wait to start using it.

Today is the mt. Pleasant show. Hope to see you there.

Fun Day Off

We stopped to see our friends, Noreen and Tom, yesterday – we have been invited to visit their home in Florida this winter and so we started planning our trip. We had such a relaxing fun visit. They have a lovely home on the Rifle River – we watched the birds at the feeders, the chipmunks under the feeders – the kayakers going down the river – it was a very nice day.



When we left there we decided to drive to Tawas and go home that way – of course – part of the way home I mentioned we could stop in Standish to gamble a bit. So we did. That was fun too. And for once we won! I played the Wizard of Oz penny slots and turned my 20 into 70, then on to the Gate one next to Zeus which I can never remember the name of – went down to 50. Then on to the Hot Hot Penny and went up to 103; cashed that one out. Then on to Blackjack with Pat, played that for awhile and then we decided to leave – we couldn’t find a cashout machine that was working so I took the lowest slip, for 2.65 and started playing a random machine I don’t think I could find again and pretty soon I was up to 28.00. We decided to get out of Dodge while the going was good! We haven’t left there a winner in a long time – so that was really fun.

Veteran's Day

Saying thank you just doesn't seem to be enough - serving our country - making our lives safe - going into the desert under harsh conditions - leaving your home and your family and loved ones - for us - it is too much to even imagine. Thank you.

To the Veteran's of old - thank you for all you did for us - going off to fight was such a patriotic thing to do - you were supported for all you did by all Americans. Thank you.

I remember when my best friend, Janet and I were volunteers at the Red Cross - we were on the youth board - and one of the things that we were asked to do was to say goodbye to the draftees at the bus station. It was a very difficult thing to do - this was 1969 - a different war - a different time. Some of the young men knew that serving their country was an honor - others didn't feel that way.

But no matter how they felt - I know that our being there comforted all of them as they began their travels to training then on to war. I always felt nervous going to the bus station - but coming home - I knew I had made a difference.

On this Veteran's Day - I want to thank those men that were drafted - they didn't have a choice but they went on to serve our country anyway - and then they came home to the same country that did not appreciate what they had done. I pray that they are at peace with that now - that they forgive the citizens that thought they were doing what was right but who gravely hurt them.

On this day - remember that you were chosen and that you are appreciated by many -thank you.

New Show

Visit my booth and 80 others, this Saturday, at the Keepsake Collection Folk Art& Craft Show, Mt. Pleasant West Intermediate, 440 S. Bradley St.
Show hours are 9:00-3:30. You'll love it!

I added another show - Waterford High School on November 20 and 21. I have found so many great Christmas plates that I have enough for one more show - I am so happy to be going to different cities to sell my plates.

Come to the shows and say HI - I love meeting my blog readers!

Burning Leaves and a Bright Day with Friends

We had our annual trek up to our friends house in AuGres - every Fall we rake and burn leaves. Since you can no longer burn leaves in the city this is our one opportunity to satisfy that burning (pun intended) desire to see the leaves turn into a pile of ash.

I have to say this was the fastest one ever - the leaves were very dry and after just an hour or so the only things left smoldering were the acorns. Those squirrels must have had a great time eating roasted acorns all night!

The best part of the day is spending time talking with friends. Oh and a close second is the wonderful dinner - lasagna, garlic bread, zucchini a delicious dry red wine, salad and for dessert peach and cherry pie - yumola!

I slept most of the way home! It was a beautiful Fall Michigan day - we watched a ship slip by on Lake Huron and the sun even came out for a relaxing wonderful visit.

Paco is Home

Pat was in the U.P. without me all week - it was a miserable week without him - I am so glad he is home. He worked on a house for a friend and he had to drive over 75 miles to get parts! There aren't many home building stores around Manistique - he had to go to Escanaba.

It sure is nice having him home again.

I looked into buying a few months of my retirement time (even though I would have had to fight tooth and nail to get it and I probably would have lost anyway.) I don't think it is worth it - it would take me over 15 years to make it up and I would only get $50 more a month out of it - I crunched the numbers and it looks as if I keep it in my deferred comp for those 15 years I will come out ahead.

Career Builder had an article "10 Signs Its Time to Quit" - 8 out of 10 were reasons I am leaving work!!!!! Such validation!

We miss you guys!

AAAWWW - this was so unexpected - what a great time at the ballpark for all of you - We really miss you guys - this was so much fun going through your pictures on facebook. Love ya - Aunt ME

Fun with Ayva Schmayva

Ayva and Caroline came over to go to the Junction for dinner with me - Ayva ate mostly popcorn! We sure had fun counting the popcorn in English and Spanish - looking out the windows - dancing in our seats - we had a nice time - of course Caroline has to go home and feed her something good for her!

Long day at work today - It was a struggle to not lose my temper - but I did it - and I'm glad Heather was working and answered her phone when I really needed her help - thank you Heather.

One of My Favorite Things!

I LOVE the new Dove commercial with Lea Michele and clips from the movie Sound of Music.



I remember going down to the Franklin Theater in downtown Saginaw waiting in the longest line I had ever been in for anything to see Sound of Music - it was worth the wait. I still love the movie and when I saw this commercial on Oprah the other day when the whole cast was reunited I fell in love with it, too.