Hellooooooooo Out There???!!!

Well, can you believe it?? I'm still here!! Thanks to all ya'll who have asked about me and where I've been. Yep, I'm fine. Just completely STRETCHED out. The store, Country Girls Thrift, is doing GREAT. Praise God!! We've been looking for a bigger place for the past month, but nothing has worked out. Soooooo.....guess God wants to keep us where we are for a while.

All the grandkids are playing baseball. Keeps everybody hopping. I think they all have two more games, then they'll be done with the season.

My hubby's band, Ambush, has been booking like crazy. They've been in the studio for the past couple of weeks working on the CD. I really think it's gonna turn out good.

Been going thru the biggest trial of my life since Jan 31st. Just can't bring myself to share right now, but maybe someday I'll feel comfortable to do so. Keep me in ya'll's prayers.

Well, that's about all the time I have right now. Gotta finish my coffee and head down to the shop.

Love all ya'll,
Vic

We Got (a little) Snow!!!

Believe it or not, we DID get a little bit of snow the other day. What a treat!! It wasn't a lot, but just enough to have a cozy fire and make everything look pretty.

Now I know some of ya'll are probably laughin', sayin' "That ain't snow!!" But, here, it was a big deal. The schools were closed, businesses were either closed or opening late....we even closed the shop so the kids could get out and play in it. It was just a perfect day for us!!

Love ya'll,
Vic

My "New" Porch

I know a lot of ya'll have been hit with terrible weather lately, but here, it's been almost like spring. So, that inspired me to piddle around outside and re-do my porch. As most of ya'll know, my favorite aunt Evelyn went to an assisted living facility a few months ago, and I was fortunate enough to get some of her things. One being this great set of furniture that sat on her front porch as long as I can remember. When I brought it home, we put it in the barn until we could find the perfect place for it. And I think we did.

Our friend Wendy also gave us a little night stand that was her grandmother's. I painted it black and distressed it some, and it looks perfect with Evelyn's furniture.

The little angel picture and the "feed the birds" picture was from Michelle for Christmas. Thanks hon!! Love 'em....and, here again, they look perfect!!

The little lab and duck wind chimes were made by me when I had my little wildlife craft business, Retriever Ridge. This is probably the only thing I have left of that little craft business which I did 20 years ago to supplement my income as a single mom.

The "candlelier" was given to me by Michelle. She found it and said it looked like me!! She knows me so well.

The "antiques" sign was a Christmas gift last year from my brother Randy and wife Elsie. How perfect is that??!!

All the other "stuff" is just things friends and relatives have given me and I just love 'em all. It gives me such peace to sit out here and just look at all my stuff and remember the great friends and family that thought enough of me to give me things that remind them of me. I am soooo blessed!!

We've taken a week off from the shop....whew....much needed, and I surely have enjoyed this time to do things around the house and catch up on my blogging. After New Year's....it'll be on again. Speaking of New Years....ya'll have a happy one!!

Love ya'll,
Vic

What a Great Christmas

Hey ya'll. Hope all ya'll had a great Christmas. We sure did. Not just because we received such great gifts, but because we realized this year what great friends we have, and we have so much to be thankful for.

We received this great antique tobacco humidor from our friend Dee Dee. What a great, loving gal. Dee Dee.....you just shouldn't have done this. We truly love you!!

And doesn't it just look great with the pineapple light box my hubby got me!! And his mom's old tobacco jar?? Perfect!!

May God truly bless you, Dee Dee, and be with you in all that you do. And....we'll be there for you too!!

Love all ya'll,

Vic

HO HO HO

Merry Christmas ya'll!! Thought I'd jump on here a second before everyone woke up and I got busy.

Guess what Santa brought? A great noodle board stove cover!! I'd seen these on some of ya'lls pics, and...yeah...I hate to admit...coveted it. I mentioned it to hubby, and he mentioned it to our friend Ronnie. And guess what? Yesterday, Ronnie brought it by. He made it!! How cool is that??!! Course, he can make anything. It's made from 100 year old pieces of wood he took out of a house a while back and saved...not knowing exactly what to do with it, but he said when Jackie told him what I wanted, he knew this would be perfect.

Thanks Ronnie....love ya man.



And my little "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree that I got from the shop that nobody else wanted looked great after I stuck some gingham ribbons and cookie cutters on it. It found a home on this great noodle board.





Hope all ya'll have a glorious day!! MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!

Love ya'll,
Vic

I Won.......Yay......Yum

Hey ya'll. I won my first giveaway ever......and boy oh boy is it great!! I came home from the shop yesterday and guess what was waiting for me? This great prim cone filled with lots of Christmas goodies from Deb's Primitive Country Kitchen. It's already found a home next to a window in my bedroom. AND.....she included some great homemade candy that.....uhhhh....I was FORCED to share. Sorry...I was all caught up in the moment and got kinda greedy. But, she was sooo generous, there was plenty to go around.

Deb......thank you sooooo much for such wonderful things. My first winning is sooo exciting. I'll think of you every time I look and smell the great cinnamon coming from the cone. And......everytime I have a piece of candy........yummo!!

Hope all ya'll have a great Christmas!!

Love ya'll,

Vic

Love My New Floor

Hey ya'll. Lots of ya'll have been asking for pics for my new floor. We have a bit to go. Son Rob is gonna do the hall while he's on his Christmas vacation (what a dear!!). And we haven't put the baseboard and molding down yet. Friend Randy has some cedar left over from his gorgeous house that he's graciously given us to rip and use. It'll look sooo good. Many many thanks to Randy and Tim and Rob for helping us. We couldn't have done any of it without ya'll. What great friends!! And what a great son!! Love all ya'll!!