Winter

Winter

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Out and About


Boy!! Did we have a spring storm last night! The thunder and lighting was so intense that the doors sounded like someone was breaking in that was how close and loud the thunder was hitting and never stopped like the last part of a fireworks show. Lots of amazing rain though.

Our anniversary is next week. We thought yesterday would be a good day to not work around here and just go shopping and look at things. We went to a nursery that I have driven by but would have never known was there, but Ron did so we wandered around and looked at plants

Aralia Ming

Lemon Scented Geranium
  Finding Bonsai pots for his little trees is a bit of a challenge. The pots are sometimes worth more than the plants that are in them. We found this one which I thought was a pretty color.

Bonsai Pot
One Friday, Megan sent me a phone picture of this Hoosier Cabinet.


All of our married life, I have wanted one. Ron said that we would go look at it in person. It was only three hundred dollars, and I had just sold a rug, I knew it wasn't too far out of my budget. I also knew, I could double my money with just a little work to it.

There is just this one problem. In some cases the biggest problem. Me!!! Here is a secret. I don't do yard sales, I don't really like to go to antique stores nor do I ever go to an estate sale. I can go to one antique store in town, that I don't have a panic attack. I really wanted to see that cabinet so I made myself go.

We pulled up right in front. Great for a easy get away. We are having rain storms at night, but it is warm during the day so the air is humid. We walked to the front door, and the smell hit me, and if Ron hadn't been with me telling me I could do this, think of the cabinet. I would have turned around and got back in the car.

see how full the flowerbeds are this morning.
We walked in and I haven't seen the movie, but I know who the man is from it. Have you ever seen the movie Shawshank Redemption? There is a big guy in it and his eyes do this weird shaking thing. As soon as we walked in, there was a guy that looked just like that standing like a bouncer. It was weird and kinda creepy, but I pressed on toward the cabinet. We passed a older gentleman sitting in a chair, who looked like the bartender from the Shining. I was really starting to feel like I couldn't breathe. I could feel I was getting closer to the cabinet as I was walking past all of the displays. Faster and Faster.

I walked to it and just stared. Every thing in me was repulsed. I knew though, I had to look at it closely so once and for all I could say, I do not want one ever again. We looked it over. Really, it could be fixed up and sold as a really nice example and it has the flour sifter, but that person just can't be me. Anymore.

I kept telling myself, " ignore the feeling, you are in an antique store, you might as well just look around. So Ron and I power walked around that store, glancing around at things, then I saw the basement sign. Why I ask myself, do I do the things I do? Ron and I went down the steps to the even smellier basement. I should back up just a little, in this store the music is that old 40s kind of music and it sounds like it is being played through the store from a old record player. It is really starting to get to me too. Down in the basement, there is music playing, but I can hear voices. ( Is it ever good to admit to hearing voices?)  Ron is behind me some where as I am following the sound. I can't see anyone but I know they are just ahead of me.

I walk through a room, filled with old clothes, and shoes and the smell is worse, of old clothes and just old.
I turn to my right and there is this window, but it has wire over it. I kind of lean in and look and there is a very old movie playing in this room, like an old early talky movie. I sort of lean in a bit, and jump back as there are two old women sitting in rocking chairs watching the movie. One of the old women is holding a box of popcorn. Something doesn't look right to me, and as my eyes adjust, I realize they are manikins. But all I can think in my mind is they look like the Mom in Psycho. I just shiver and move past.

 I walked to the back of the store, there is a gate, with a sign that says "The mine is closed." I lean over and I can see a tunnel. In our downtown area, it is filled with tunnels. Supposedly they were built by the Chinese because this was China town long ago. All of these really old buildings interconnect. I have talked to people who have gone down in them, but had never seen one until yesterday. I think you could go in it if it was open. Not me though!!!

I am about finished. I am beyond hyperventilating. Ron and I are just about as creeped out as we ever have been. We go outside and I stand in front of the store right on 19th street taking deep breaths breathing in nice fresh air.

But since we are out and about, we went driving around looking at other things, but that is a story for another day. We did have a lovely day just being together and talking about these weird adventures we seem to have all of the time.


I hope you have a lovely day. We have some more storms in the forecast. It is so lovely. I realized this morning, I guess I am not really an antique furniture kind of person, I have become a reproduction kind of girl. I like things that look old, just not old. Does that make sense?

Have a lovely day,
~Kim~

“Who shall compass or fathom God's thought profound?
We can but praise, for we may not understand;
But there's no more beautiful riddle the whole world round
Than is hid in this heap of dust I hold in my hand.”
― Celia Thaxter, An Island Garden





11 comments:

GretchenJoanna said...

Ooooh - I understand completely! But I could not have told the story so well. Adventures, yes! This is one you and your husband will always share and laugh about, now that you are back where you can breathe again. And from now on I will probably think of you every time I am in an antique store, creepy or not.

Julia said...

I don't like the smell of antique either...I wonder what kid of past life still clings to those antique things, lol... Weird, I know but I would be creeped out too. I love your descriptions of how it was affecting you.

We celebrated our 50th wedding Anniversary in a very quiet way in late February. Neither one one of us wanted to make a big fuss as we are both very busy. The kids wants to celebrate it in the summer. I hope in a very low key... I don't care for big celebrations, small ones yes...

I think you should write books as you can really set the stage for making us feel like we were right there.
Have a great Sunday.
Hugs,
JB

Susan said...

While I do not get panic attacks I almost always do a fast cruise through antique stores, etc. when I talk myself into going in them. I always think I should like to explore old things, but the reality is I don't. And I am with you on the smell thing, oh my.

We moved (retired) to Tennessee a little over two years ago and unknowingly gave up thunder storms. We just don't get them here in East Tennessee. I guess I shouldn't really complain since we had a 120+ year old oak tree fall on our house during a bad storm about 9 months before we left Ohio. I do miss a good storm though.

Happy Anniversary to you and hubby.

Meg said...

Oh dear... I should have warned you about the basement! I didn't think you would actually go to look at it. The basement creeped me out too, and when I saw the manikins in the theater I almost threw up. I really should have told you not to go downstairs if you went. So you didn't like the cabinet?

TexWisGirl said...

learned something new about you today...

Kerin said...

Well..sounds like you two certainly had a lovely and adventurous day :)

I love antique shops, yard sales, thrift stores, etc.. there's no shame to my thrifting game :)

We ended up with your storms. It rained pretty good last night, but it's just sunny and spring like today.

Smiles :)
~K.

Bonnie K said...

Wow! You really don't like antique stores. The Hoosier looked nice. I would love to have one, but there is no room in our kitchen.

Debbie said...

i feel your pain kim, i am not an antique store kinda' girl either. the cabinet looked nice but i thought you would keep it if you bought it. fix it up for yourself....but i don't think you would ever really enjoy it.

sounds like the day ended with some fun. i love a ride in the car!!

Debbie said...

ooooh and kim, i forgot to say how much i love a good storm!!!!

Debbie said...

Well you certainly told that story REALLY well....I was right there with you. How creepy those manikins must have been. I have not been but two antique stores in my life and they are both in downtown Upland and honestly I didn't notice a smell about them at all if I am remembering them correctly. I thoroughly enjoyed my tours through both of them. Didn't find anything I would even consider buying, but I did enjoy the looking. lol Hope you have a good week. We had rain thursday - sun. It was really nice. But no thunder and lightening

Kessie said...

That is so creepy! Even Ryan said that he's been to lots of antique stores, but he's never seen mannequins watching TV. Soooo creepy!