You know my passion for estate sales. Well, last weekend one of the estate sale entrepreneurs had a second sale at a house where they had previously held one a month before. I labeled the first one as the home of our city's most creative/productive citizen(s). One whole wall had been constructed to show off rooms and homes done as miniatures (just like a miniature museum). It even included a miniature greenhouse. Each was sold separately, but I didn't buy one. There were other miniature rooms done in large wooden cubes, half-clay pots, small boxes, including an Egyptian one in other rooms. They were wonderful. There was decoupaged furniture---chairs, tables, and a piano. I know this may sound really yukky, but I promise you they were really beautiful. (Ask Jaz.) There was a room of tools that had so many built in shelving units one had to move sideways through it. Every inch in that house was used/decorated including the bathrooms. There was also a lean-to greenhouse at the back with a fireplace. Did I love that? You betcha. I didn't buy anything at the first sale.
Usually this dealer has a half-of-half sale on Sun. afternoon if they have too much stuff left on Sat. afternoon. However, at the first sale none of the bedrooms was included in the sale. Therefore, they had a second sale one month later. The "museum wall" had been removed; the shelving units were gone from the tool room, and this time the bedrooms and bathrooms were included. One of the bathrooms which had probably been added on was the size of my two bedrooms and bath, though with turns and curves. Very impressive.
At the second sale I fell in love with a frame I wanted to use for a poster (?) I bought in Toledo, Spain, five yrs. ago. I had to come home and get the poster to take it back to see if it would fit. Well, of course, it didn't exactly, but I figured I could make it work. And here's the big surprise---the first! I have completed this project in three days.
This photo doesn't do it justice because the poster has glimmers of gold which don't show up, but it's the best I could do with my camera. Anyway, I love it!
14 comments:
That is beautiful! Where is it hanging?
Also, I thought you would end your email with the purchase of some miniature version of a greenhouse or classy-ladies' parlor (read bathroom).
Thank you very much. It's in the office next to the door that goes to the living room. My original intent was to put it in the guest room, but there just wasn't a suitable space. Did you take a look at the guest room changes a couple of blogs back?
Glad the frame worked out. Too bad the greenhouse lean-to couldn't be moved to either of our houses. Don't you think I could do something like that with the back patio?
Yes, Jaz, that would be a wonderful thing to do with the patio, but only if the roof could be insulated/padded to negate the sound of the barrage of acorns. Otherwise, you, Beatrice, and the whole family would be looking for another place to sleep. Somehow that padding idea might negate the sunroom effect. Hmmm! Quite a challenge for the green technology folks.
I guess another problem with the greenhouse idea would be the broken glass from the myriad falling acorns.
You know, Jaz, I think we've now discovered the reason the gigantic trees from the front and back yards were terminated. They must have been oaks which drove the owners to frenzy. I was almost shell shocked after only a few minutes in the storage shed. Should you ever plant trees there may I recommend quiet trees like my globe willows; lots of trimming, but, oh, so quiet.
Yeah! I'm so glad you finally got that piece framed and that it's hanging in your home. I remember when we bought those prints at the Museo Sefardi on what seemed like the worst day of sightseeing EVER. Still, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Goo, may I quibble just a bit? WORST sight seeing day ever?
Of course, I realize that the train we took didn't quite make it to Toledo, and the last 17 miles/kilometers (whatever) had to be by bus. Every street we walked on, regardless of direction, was uphill at about a 70 degree angle, and was, likewise, into a straight line wind of about 40+ mi. per hr.
And to find the paintings by El Greco we followed directions (all up hill) which kept bringing us back to the same place. I mean they could have just said, "Come in."
So I forgot to pack a knife in our frugal lunch which we had brought with us. Would we ever have developed the term "cheese gouger" if we hadn't broken into the just purchased gift for Chill and instead of the steak knives found it was the matching forks? It worked; and was a respite from the wind in a sunny little plaza.
Best of all, that was a day we didn't get drenched by rain. Comfortable day, no. But the most vivid memories seem to come from some sort of discomfort; and they're still great memories. I'd love to do it again too.
Don't ask me to pick the worst day because I can't. There was so much living in all those days that I loved them all. In fact, I think that's my new motto: LIVE TODAY, COME WHAT MAY!
You could relive a lot of those memories for less money in San Francisco. Lots of walking uphill. Lots of wind. And the train won't get you all the way to Hamburger Mary's. You'll need to take the bus for the last several block.s Just choose the rainy season.
Thanks for the money saving tip, Jaz. I don't really want to relive the rainy season as it was da____ cold. The great saving money wise was carrying our food in our pockets or mochillas. We probably couldn't afford Hamburger Mary's. So, why would we go there?
Or is that a destination that a trip to San Francisco demands? Should we start saving up? Just asking.
I can't say how proud I am that all the language lessons sank in and that lo these many years later "mochilla" is still in your working vocabulary.
Hamburger Mary's is a landmark in San Francisco. I wouldn't want to go there and miss it. And it is not too expensive. Just a wonderful hamburger dive.
San Francisco is never really cold. Not even during the rain. Chilly after dark sometimes, though. Take a sweatshirt.
Goo, still got my mini-mochilla in the closet in case of another big trip. It makes so much sense and keeps one from developing severe muscle strain. I knew you'd be surprised to see that I could still pull that word up.
Jaz, I'll pack a couple of sweatshirts next to my mochilla and one inside it.
Goo, I just realized you and I have the same avatar--just rendered by different artists!y
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