1949 TR2000 Triumph story

You know how much I love a good story. And the older I get, the more aware I am that there are stories to be told in the most unlikely places. So I take those opportunities, to bend my ear, ask the questions... and then listen.
And that's what happened a few weeks ago while waiting in line at Goodwill. Oh, and you can bet that if you get in line behind me, it's going to be a slow line, with price-checks, tape changes, etc. But I'm learning to take notice of those opportunities, those chance encounters, to connect with a stranger that maybe has a story or two to tell.
So this dear, sweet elderly lady behind me asked about the license plate I was about to buy for 99 cents. Oh and if you know me, you know I love to tell a good story too. So I told her that I moved from Wisconsin to Phoenix in 1977 and love anything vintage, with dates & historical significance to hang in my home or backyard. She asked if I liked old cars and I said yes! ~ when my husband & I married in 1979 he was driving a '69 Dodge Charger and I was driving a '62 Chevy Impala. Dang right I love old cars!

1949 TR2000 Triumph Roadstar ~ similar to the one in the story

Well, she proceeds to tell me an amazing story! It seems that a couple years ago her husband told her she needed to sell her 1949 TR2000 Triumph Roadster that she bought from a friend 30 years ago, that her friend found in an old barn in the state of Washington. Her husband hated that car and wanted it out of the garage. He told her ~ "lets clean it up and get a couple thousand for it". But they needed to get it registered. Well, you can imagine the spectacle they made when they arrived at the motor vehicle place. The guy in charge even called Britain to verify the rarity of such a car. It seems there were only 11 that were "hand built" in 1949 and this was one of them! In fact the Triumph was the first post WWII car from Britain's Triumph Motor Company, but it fizzled out by the time the 1949 model came out.

All to say, they told her it's worth a whole lot more than a couple thousand! And when I asked if her husband still hated the car, she laughed and said "not anymore!" ha!

This dear, sweet lady had a story to tell and not only did I enjoy it, but so did everyone else in line ~ even the cashier. A simple reminder that we all long to be known, to be noticed, to be heard, to feel validated in this journey of life. Maybe today you will see an opportunity to hear a story, to show compassion, to connect with someone in need of connecting. And maybe we'll never know the impact we make. But maybe we can be an extension of God's love to a world that doesn't even know what they don't know yet ~ that they matter to Someone bigger than anything they're facing at the moment. That they are not alone.

Thanks to my friend Marshall for blogging about his wife Cathy's 'chance' meeting at a car wash a few days before my Goodwill encounter. You can read Cathy's story here ~ so inspiring! 

And if you had a 'chance' meeting with a stranger recently, do tell. I love a good story.

Jonah & Nathan ~ 3 months

Jonah & Nathan are 3 months old!

And they are doing just great. So thankful they're healthy, happy and thriving.

They happen to have the best Mommy & Daddy ever ~

and two big sisters that simply adore them.

100 days till Aaron & Miranda's wedding!!!

Saturday, November 3rd!!!

Little Elsie Lane is just about the most entertaining little kid ever.

But then her Daddy is probably the funniest human being alive.

And this Mimi is blessed beyond her wildest imagination. So thankful!

a lost buried treasure

My husband can build a bonfire like no other. And he did not disappoint while camping this past weekend. And quite frankly, Emolyn loves a big bonfire too and could have sat there for hours staring into those flames had it not been for the strong winds that came out of nowhere. Thankfully Randy grabbed the camp shovel he brought along and quickly began digging shovels full of sand and dirt to douse the fire. We were relieved when the fire was finally extinguished.

But amidst all the digging and shoveling and strong winds a-blowing, Randy noticed a gold chain dangling from the shovel and hollered for me to pull it off. It was dusk and I couldn't see all too well without my glasses, so I hastily unwound the chain and then saw that something was attached to the chain ~ this beautiful Amethyst Cross with a tiny diamond. Once I got it cleaned up I was pretty blown away by its color and clarity... but also sad for whomever lost it. How long had it been buried in that campsite? 

Emolyn was quick to tell me she loved it and that her favorite color is purple ~ oh, and get this, her birthstone is Amethyst! So I'm thinking, when the time is right, maybe when she turns 13... I will give it to her and remind her of that camping trip when she was 4 years old ~ when her Pop Pop uncovered a lost buried treasure. And she will totally remember... and cherish it all the more. Pretty sweet:)

cozy camping with Emolyn

This was not only our first camping trip with our granddaughter Emolyn, but the first time taking our cozy cottage on wheels (travel trailer) to an actual paid campground. And let me tell you what ~ amazing! Totally impressed with Lynx Lake. Seriously, who doesn't appreciate clean toilets, water spigots and dumpsters close by, and the luxury of leveling our travel trailer on asphalt! And so private, peaceful, quiet and woodsy. As in, no quads or cycles allowed. Yes!

  

I'll be honest with you, I was a little nervous about being in a campground, and leaving on a Saturday morning. And sure enough, when we arrived, the campground was FULL. But we persevered and drove up to the hilltop campgrounds at Lynx Lake and just as an RV pulled out, we pulled into their perfect site. Thank you Lord for answered prayer!

And we had no sooner than unloaded when the thunder started rumbling all around us. But Emolyn & I came prepared. But no rains till later that night, while we were sleeping. Btw, later that day, my favorite pen sort of exploded on that outfit... it was quickly deposited in that handy dandy dumpster near our campsite. Both pen & cute outfit. 

Randy & I enjoyed reading several books to Emolyn, one of which we adored titled "Don't Forget To Write" ~ about a girl that travels to her Grandpa's farm to stay with her Grandpa & Aunt Mabel. Such a sweet story. Emolyn even liked us calling her Old Ginger Nut, just like Rosie's Grandpa called Rosie. 

So like I said, Lynx Lake is quiet and peaceful and woodsy... and 3 miles from Costco! I know! So we hopped in the van, drove to Costco, got Emolyn a warm Churro ~ literally the length of one of her newborn twin brothers ~ and spent the evening at the Lake.

So beautiful. So enchanting and mesmerizing ~ both Emolyn and the lake.

The clouds swirled and changed moment by moment.

This was Emolyn's favorite photo. She had so much fun playing with the other kids that were also splashing around on the concrete boat ramp.

Randy and Koda sat so still, just taking in the beauty surrounding them.

We ended the night with a bonfire till the winds picked up and a storm moved in.

Emolyn could have sat in her pink camping chair staring into the fire for hours.

Randy ended up sleeping on a mattress in the van while Emolyn & I had the king-size bed in the travel trailer. When my cell phone rang at 5:30 Sunday morning ~ I was already awake. It was Randy telling me to look outside my window at the sunrise. 

Oh. My. Word. Simply breathtaking!

Needless to say, Emolyn woke up too ~ and what an early morning happy camper!

Of course her and Koda knew what morning meant ~ BACON!!!

My little Happy Camper ~

I found that t-shirt at a yard sale in the dead of winter for 50 cents. I could hardly wait for Emolyn to wear it on her first cozy camping trip with her Mimi & Pop Pop! And yes, Emolyn now calls our travel trailer Cozy. It's the cutest thing.

I've been using these old Tupperware trays for years, but wised up last year when I realized those Dollar Store square plates fill perfectly inside the tray. More functional and makes for easy clean-up.

And that vintage thermo mug is filled with some pretty darn good coffee ~ Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Christmas Blend. I got the 8-packet after Christmas at Target ~ 90% off ~ for 69 cents. I'm not a fan of Starbucks, but this was the perfect cup of coffee for camping in our cozy cottage.

We had fun teaching Emolyn old camping folk songs ~

"I've Been Working on the Railroad" being her favorite. At one point we were unsure of a few words, so Randy googled the lyrics and low & behold we found out there's more to this beloved folk song. Umm, let's just say, rather risque. Another words, we didn't teach Emolyn that last verse.

But did she ever love belting out the "someone's in the kitchen with Dina" part ~ and most likely she's finishing up with the "strummin' on the old banjo" line. ha!

Her favorite part of camping ~ going for walks on the hiking trails. Her Pop Pop had to carry her home after our last hike. She was plumb tuckered out.

All in all, a very good trip. Not sure what we would have done had we not gotten that last spot, so we will know to come prepared with a plan B on our next trip, or leave on a Friday after work for a better chance of getting a site. Emolyn was so fun and easy and appreciative. She never whines or complains. Such a delight.

And as always when I get away, I am powerfully reminded of God's faithfulness, His provision, His deep love for me. I don't always see it when I am in it, but when I'm removed from my circumstances, I can see His hand in the day to day of life. So I will choose to trust Him... no matter what.

Oh and you gotta check out the lost buried treasure that Randy uncovered while dousing the fire.
Click HERE for the story and pics.

cozy cottage on wheels

That's right folks ~ we're taking our cozy cottage on wheels ON THE ROAD!

That means we're loading up our travel trailer in 110 degree heat. But that also means our granddaughter Emolyn and our dog Koda are coming along. I can hardly wait!

And get this ~ they both love bacon. So when Emolyn gives you that puppy dog look 

and says ~ "But Mimi, we're going to need LOTS of bacon!"...

... then I'll give them LOTS of bacon!

Cuz seriously, she could ask for a pony about now and I would consider.

Feel free to enlarge and check out her 'baby basils' ~ yes, she calls her eye color basil :)

Last weekend on our way home from Tim & Lynn's cabin, we decided to check out Lynx Lake near Prescott. We don't feel comfortable going back to our old stompin' grounds because of the bear attacks near the Mogollon Rim. But we sure liked what we saw at Lynx Lake. 

And yes, we drove back into that storm ~ the most blinding rain storm ever, from Prescott Valley to I-17. Pretty scary.

And guess what ~ the forecast is looking similar for this weekend. Fine with me.

Cuz really, there is nothing better than sleeping in our cozy cottage with rain pouring down on the aluminum roof ~ sounds like hail. Emolyn will be as snug-as-a-bug all safe & warm between her Pop Pop & I ~ and our Koda will be cozy warm beneath our bed.

Stay tuned ~ posts and pics to come!

mason jar w/ salt spout

How many of you spend hours pinning on Pinterest, but truth-be-told, spend very little time actually cranking out those projects you've pinned? Well me neither. But that all changed yesterday.
While cleaning out my new pantry I discovered I had 2 containers of salt, so I emptied the remains of one in my salt shakers and tossed it in the recycle. A few minutes later I remembered something I had pinned on my helpful hints board and retrieved it, and then proceeded to slice off the top with a serrated knife.

You could either trace using the top of your jar or the lid from the Mason jar (or Kerr jar) cover as your guide. You want to be sure you trace using the entire portion below the spout.

Then you can pop it in the lid cover. I am forever finding these colorful lid covers at thrift stores or yard sales. In fact the other day I found a darling red-checkered one that came with a jar. I need another jar like I need a hole in my head. But I wanted that cover! Anyway, while unlocking my front door I dropped the jar, and while it broke in a million pieces, the red-checkered lid was just fine thank you very much. ha!

And there you have it! Is that not the cutest or what! 

I have yet to fill it. In fact, give me some more ideas other than just sugar or salt.

And feel free to pin this project on your Pinterest board, or better yet ~ just do it!

EDITED ~ Thanks to your awesome ideas, I replaced the pint jar with a vintage quart jar and filled it with Epsom Salts. And then I applied one of the vinyl chalk stickers that my daughter-in-law Nicole gave me as a gift. It was too large so I used a scrapbook scissors to scallop the edges and make it fit. Love the results!

weekend @ the cabin

Life really is better on a deck.... 

... especially Tim & Lynn's cabin deck in the beautiful mountains near Prescott, Arizona. 

... and when it rains 3 1/2 inches out on that deck.

... and when the rains break long enough for us to grill out on that deck.

... and especially when shared with dear friends.

Thanks Tim & Lynn!

life's better on a deck

Or in our case ~ on a deck at our friend's cabin up north.

My handsome hard-working husband is in desperate need of a road trip, along with some serious relaxing out on a deck in the woods.

I'm looking forward to...

a road trip

catching up with dear friends
cooler weather
thunder, lightening and rain
photographing stuff
relaxing
starting a new project
starting a new book
grilled steaks & chicken kabobs
talking weddings
sipping aerated wine
returning home refreshed

Hope your weekend is refreshing too!