Just Plain & Simple Me

It's nice to finally have a chance to log in to my blog. Haven't even had much time to catch up on what everyone else is doing, but the weather's going to be changing, and the blogging season will pick up, at least for me.
Like everyone else, summer went way to quickly, but our fall has been gorgeous so far, and we've been having some wonderfully sunny days here in the Pacific Northwest. It's always hard to plan things around the weather, so you have to take what you get. We ( my daughter, Kristin, and I) joined Lisa and Sally's Anniversary celebration at The Uncovered Ruby in September. It had been awhile since we'd seen a lot of those girls, and it was great getting to spend time with them. Also, met some new friends, which is how it is with flea markets, etc. For us, we love getting to visit. And laugh. And laugh.
When we went up to Battleground the night before the sale, to set up, it looked like it may drizzle a bit. It downpoured. Our tent was at the 3 foot high stage, we found that we were missing parts to it, my husband and boys had taken off and left us to go to some Sci-Fi toy store to look at Star Wars stuff, and there we were, alone, stuck in the downpour and couldn't get the tent up.
They showed up pretty soon, Randy got the duct tape out, and they managed to get the tent up. Meanwhile, we're looking at the downpour, and at other people's tents getting hit pretty hard, so Randy and Kristin are running around trying to save everyone else's tents lol. Needless to say, we were drenched, everything we had, we couldn't set out-as in displaying, but had to put everything in the center of the tent, go home for the night, and hope for the best.
We got back bright and early the next morning to actually a pretty nice day! Had to replace some tags, had to hurry and set up our little shop, get all ready for the sale, but finally got everything in a semblance of order, and the fun started. Thanks Sally and Lisa for all the work you do to put on a sale, we had a great time! BTW, if you haven't visited The Uncovered Ruby, in Battleground, WA, you're missing a good thing! Great finds are waiting, with good prices, and friendly faces.
The next weekend, we were back at Battleground, this time for the Vintage Gathering's fall flea. The day turned out gorgeous, in fact, the night before, when we went to set up, was beautiful. After we got all done, and were driving down the street, the sunset was so beautiful.
I know, this is a town setting, the photo isn't great, I was clicking as quick as I could, while laughing from Kristin teasing me that I'd lose my iphone out the window. But you see, the sunsets we get are different. I do have some beautiful sunsets, I live on a hill, facing the coast 36 miles away, down the Columbia, so yes, I can come up with a pretty sunset from my own yard. But I'm a country girl, and not that Battleground is considered "city" to those who live there, but town sunsets are pretty to see, too. Just wish I would have been more set up to take a better photo!
This time, we didn't go home for the night and come back early the next morning. Our sweet friends, Natalie and Lynn, offered their home to us for the night. Oh. My. Beautiful! For everyone who knows Natalie (Sparrow), b/c a LOT of people know and love her, they know what a knack she has for decorating. But, gosh, when you go to someone's house and they are this creative, (I have another friend, Faye, who is like this), you want to say, can we just not talk? Can I just look? No, I wouldn't do that, b/c we just HAVE to talk, and laugh. Natalie had the Barnhouse sale the next day, she was tired from working up there all week, she'd made THEM dinner, and had a yummy dinner waiting for us, and we still stayed up late and visited. Natalie is one of those people you feel like you've known all your life! And her family is great! The kids switched their sleeping arrangements around to accommodate us. I had told Kristin I was planning on sleeping very well, b/c I NEVER sleep the first night somewhere new. Even going camping in our trailer, it takes me 2 or 3 nights to sleep well. Let me tell you, we both slept! Loved those feathers and sheets, Natalie lol!
We could have photographed their house forever, but didn't want to be rude. Next time, we'll be rude! I tried explaining their house to my eldest son, who is more into modern, but does appreciate old things, too, how creative she is. I finally said, "You'd just have to see it, I can't do it justice!"
Getting set up for the Vintage Gathering sale was so easy, this time. The weekend before, Natalie and Lynn took our bigger stuff to their house, then brought it up to the Gathering for us, on their way to Barnhouse. See what I mean? Dear, sweet people!
The Vintage Gathering girls are really a nice group of girls to spend time with, too! The pictures above, will show you some of what was there, but you can't hear the laughter so you'll have to add that to it. I don't know if it's that I'm a stay-at-home Mom, homeschooler, and basically sheltered, but when I get around good friends, life is full of laughter! And it makes some great memories! Do you ever find yourself recalling a situation with a friend, you're lost in thought, with a smile on your face, then realize how funny it must look? I get those situations a LOT!
Well, don't want to bore you, but it's been awhile, so indulge me. 2 weeks later, we invited our church and lots of friends over to our home for our cider-pressing party. We worked all week getting ready for company, trying to be prepared for possible rain, since we having a cider party. We had a tent set up, our gazebo was ready, our wood shed was ready, our porch. All places for people to get in out of the rain. Never happened. It was gorgeous! All my kids showed up, too! Sometimes we do this, and since Kristin and I are basically friends besides mom/daughter, she normally will do this kind of stuff. But my eldest son, it isn't usually his "thing". He, his son, and girlfriend stayed the whole day, he showed her all his old stomping grounds, etc. It was nice having all my kids together with friends.
We hadn't closed the pool up, but haven't had the solar heaters on, since the nights are too cold anyway. So basically, our pool was running, but probably 60 degrees or less. The little kids came and asked if they could swim?? What will you wear, I asked. They brought bathing suits! Well, sure, but it's COLD! Did they care? NO! They swam, then the teens swam. THEN they discovered the hot tub! There were kids and adults everywhere! Riding the horses, playing in the fort, jumping on the trampoline, sitting around the fire. More laughter. So much laughter that I wondered if I had somehow gotten carried away, which I have a tendency to do. But you know, it is times like that, that I could literally cry. I feel so blessed. If you saw my home, you'd see it's nothing special, in terms of fancy. My husband builds NICE homes and we don't have one. But I feel so blessed when people tell us they are comfortable in our home. It's where we live, you know? That night, when everyone left, we talked about what a good time we had. People are still telling us what a fun time they had. I think I'm rich! I live in a humble home, in the country. I have wonderful friends, we have good times like this, yep, I'm rich!