Looking for Antiques/Collectibles? — please click on Samtiques to the right.

Fall 2007 — Samtiques booth at Cole’s Antique Show in Warrenton, TX — September 27 to October 7:

Terry and I are enjoying our “new” check-out counter — a 1950-60’s bar. No drinks served here, however.

This was our 4th show at Cole’s Antiques in Warrenton, TX. We consider ourselves “charter members” of the Cole Antique Show, even though we had to miss their first show in October 2005 due to family illness. That show was sparsely attended by shoppers, as well as dealers, because of Hurricane Katrina.

During these past four shows, we have met some really nice people as they shopped with us, and many very nice dealers who also set up booths in the building. Folks like:

Joan and Richard have beautiful pottery (my favorite, McCoy):

“Miss Dee” — a real sweetheart in the Cole business, and makes great sweets, too!

Friends like Betty and Rita don’t come by often — we love them!

And Dennis and Peg have offered much help in getting our booth decor JUST RIGHT!

Penny and Word offer beautiful refinished oak furniture in their booth:

Can’t see the “sparkles” (except in Cathy’s eyes), but these folks have some gorgeous jewelry in their booth!

And Kathy and Wayne have a wonderful selection of Depression glass — they also were very generous to make and hang aisleway signs for the entire building. (Samtiques is located on “Cole’s Avenue.”) They also shared a scrumptious meal with us one evening.

Sy, Jewelry Lady, with her Sugar on top of the jewelry case — what an attention getter!

I missed a photo “op” with our other next-door neighbor, Frances Bones — author of two books — The Standard Encyclopedia of American Silverplate (Hardcover) and Fostoria Glassware, 1887-1982: Identification & Values (Hardcover). She can answer just about any question you send her way regarding these two subjects (and more) — and shares her knowledge graciously.

We look forward to the Spring 2008 show —

NEWS — Our Spring 2008 show will open a day earlier than usual — THURSDAY, March 27. We will also close a day earlier — Saturday, April 5. So, come early and shop with us

in an air conditioned building, park free, pay nothing to shop, and use REAL restrooms with running water.

“Heck” — sometimes we even give out free flowers (whether you buy from us or not — gratis Dennis Bell).

Looking for Antiques/Collectibles? — please click on Samtiques to the right.

Gown Queens First Annual Tour — New York City, October 16 – 20, 2007. What a trip! Six of us retired business teachers hit the town on a Tuesday night and made sure every minute spent there was memorable. All but one of us were new to the City and quickly learned about the hustle and bustle, hailing cabs and limit of 4 riders, Broadway stage doors, Central Park, $1 million apartments, $3 sodas, Today Show rail people, 8 hours on a Tour Bus, Trump everywhere, no coffee pot in Grand Hyatt rooms, and being kicked out of a knock-off store shop space.

Got home with many tales and the desire to return — with more time, more money, and more people to enjoy the trip with us.

By the way — our Gown Queen organizatiion has openings for more members. Our bylaws read like this:

The members in this respected group of retired professionals is limited to females, or any males who wish to wear gowns to bed.
The official name of the organization will be “Gown Queens” but for certain printed material may be shortened to “GQ.”

The members will refrain from bragging to non-retirees about our activities (or inactivity).
The most important (and only) rule of this organization is that Gown Queens cannot allow themselves to feel quilty or to let anyone else in their household place ANY guilt upon them for staying in their gown as long as is deemed necessary by that GQ.
It is highly recommended that should any Gown Queen feel it necessary to get out of their gown before noon on more than 4 days of any week, rehabilitation be requested by the more experienced GQ’s as soon as possible.
The days that the GQ meet for lunch are exempt from the above “day count.”
Gown Queens are encouraged to report their gown activity to each other at various events, with discretion, of course.
Should a smoke alarm or fire alarm go off while you are in GQ mode, it is advised that you throw on a robe before going outside to escape harm.

As many of you know, our pets become like family to us over the years. Of course, that was our situation with our dogs, Hooper and Beau Beau.

Hooper was actually rescued from a shelter in Colorado by Randy and Melissa. He was in the family before the children arrived and made all of the moves with them from Evergreen to Waco, Palestine, and finally Austin.

Once at our home, he stayed because there was a big, shady yard for him to enjoy (and he had an eye condition that was made worse by the sun). We grew to love him as much as Randy, Melissa, Keegan, McKenna, and Brielle. Even though we are not sure how old Hooper was when he was rescued, a vet said probably about two years old. So, this year he would have been about 15. On February 27, he left us due to a coronary problem. Terry and Randy buried him on the back of our property, and all of the family miss him very much. He was loved very much by all of us.

Beau Beau grabbed my heart the first time I saw him as a puppy. He was a half-brother to the poodle that Jennifer Guentzel chose as her gift in May 1990. Even though we weren’t looking for a pet at that time, I HAD TO HAVE that precious little black poodle with brown color highlights echoing each half of his body. He was our “house” dog, and we were never alone.

Beau wanted to be with us at all times, even brought his dog food from the dish to where we were sitting before he would eat. His last couple of years were tough — lost his eyesite, his hearing, and had several bad seizures. In August, Beau left us and Melissa buried him in a grave that Terry prepared next to Hooper. Beau was a special little dog who will always have a special place in my heart, and I miss him very much, too.

Looking for Antiques/Collectibles? — please click on Samtiques to the right.

Just because nothing has been posted since August doesn’t mean I’m dead! The only explanation is “I’m retired.”

It’s a FACT — retirement means that you will find yourself busier than ever and wonder how you ever had time to work! Of course, the neat thing about this time “problem” is . . . you do whatever you WANT to do, for the most part . . . or at least do it on your own schedule. For example, I will not allow a receptionist to schedule a dr. appt. for me until after 9:30, preferably 10:00. If it’s across town, add an hour!

So what’s up for the last few months? Well, of course, there was this “little” show we set up at in Warrenton for ten days in September-October. Our location at Cole’s Antiques Show is very good — getting more traffic as folks hear about how us. We hear compliments often — how wonderful all of the booths are and they are going to come to this building FIRST next time. Not only are the items for sale of high quality, the building is A/C and we have indoor bathrooms, with running water. Can’t beat all of that — and all for FREE! So much for the advertisement. . . . We did have a very good show (and our booth looked great thanks to help from Kelby, Betty and Karen). Met some neat people and striked up a new friendship with Rita and Jon across the aisle from us. They reside in South Dakota, but she’s a “Louisiana Girl” without doubt, great fun.

After two weeks at Warrenton, we came home to unpack and catch our breath. Then headed out about five days later for a visit with family in Iowa. The trip was extra special because Kelby joined us. Holly’s new job hasn’t allowed her to take vacation days yet. Along the way we stopped at a really nice auction in Cedar Falls, Iowa — a suggestion from Rita and Jon. They were there also, but learned that Rita had been hospitalized the day they arrived. She was released a couple of days later and happy about that.

Our visit with Terry’s mom and family was great, as always. The Amana Colonies nearby offers a great choice of German restaurants and shopping. We always plan a breakfast trip there and as usual, left with FULL tummies — delicious thin pancakes, sausage and bacon, pan fried potatoes, eggs pan fried, fruit, juice, coffee, and surely something else. All so good.

We also shopped for goodies to bring home for our booths — and filled the truck doing that! Almost had to leave our luggage at the Metzger’s house — no room.

Arrived home the end of October, and we turned around again a few days later for a short trip to the Bugh’s. Betty and I went to the International Quilt Show in Houston one day — the guys let us out at the front door of the convention center and headed out for “guy” shops. It was my first time to any quilt show, and my what a show! Not sure how many vendors were in the 20 LONG rows — but it took us several hours to go down 15 of them. The quilt exhibit was another couple of hours — and what magnificent quiltwork and artwork! Saw the $10,000 winner and couldn’t believe it was only her third quilt. Wow!

Thanksgiving was at our house — Randy and family joined us; Kelby and Holly went to some of her family in Houston. We didn’t eat until late afternoon, but enjoyed it all very much. Need to note that the new dressing recipe I used makes enough for several families!

Forgot to mention that we have had an empty rent house since October and have been spending quite a bit of time there fixing it up to sell. Hoping that the Open House scheduled for this Sunday will attract THE buyer!

Also in September our Keegan turned 12! It’s just hard to believe that little boy is growing up so fast. Then a few days later, McKenna celebrated her 7th — and sadly we were not at home for either celebration. Brielle had a celebration in November — no, not a birthday — her braces were removed. What a beautiful smile she has — a beautiful girl.

Now, here it is the end of November and some folks have already decorated their house and yard for Christmas. Well, Terry and I are still thinking about that — and remembering that the year we couldn’t get to our Christmas decorations at the back of the shed, we had as good a Christmas as any other (put lights on a 6′ artificial plant). Maybe we will put up something this year though.