By the Red Barn
Annual Open House
Saturday December 6th, 2008
HoNk, HOnk, HONK!!!!!!
The cider pot is on with our own special blend of Mulling Spices…
Joy
Cavanaugh will be here with “Dreamy Garlic” spread! Scrumptious!
Once you taste it and smell it, you’ll want a tub! (The fragrance of an Italian restaurant!)
Come by for a sample and a tub for your holiday giving and eating pleasure. In my book, there’s never too much garlic.
By the Red Barn is filled with winter wonder. Lot’s of snowmen, ornaments, figures, bottle holders, Green trees,
New Nativity figures, gifts for family, friends and work folk.
We just got MORE of your favorite Pashminas.
Several people have said “They’re prettier than ever!”
Use them for decoration or as a shawl or both.
New rusty signs: Count your blessings, Kindness Matters, Celebrate Life; Kiss me good
morning, too, to name a few.
More “Heart Notes” plates with easels And “Life is a Circle” mini plates, boxed with easel.
Say “Thanks”, Dream, Hope or Inspire” as a heartfelt gift.
(By advice and suggestion)
To make shopping more convenient during this busy time
NEW WINTER HOURS:
By the Red Barn
Open Everyday until Christmas (except Monday)
10:30 to 4:30PM
Sundays Noon to 4PM
Look on the website for updates! www.bytheredbarn.com
Come by to have your picture taken!
You can be on the web!
Goofiness…..a sign of the times!
Over the last couple of months, I have dialed my cell phone without putting on my reading glasses.
(You’ve probably already guessed!)
Instead of Theresa, I would dial Thea! The good thing about it is that I get to catch
up with Thea a bit!
She tells me it makes her feel more human when I do this!
I will not use names to protect the not so innocent!
A friend told me she put a big “C” for conditioner and “S” for shampoo on the containers in
the shower
because she has “washed” her hair with conditioner. (I’ve been there, done that!)
My favorite is: a friend that washed her face with toothpaste thinking it was her face wash
tube!
(I mentioned it must have stung. “Yes” she replied. I said “But you smelled great!!”)
A story sent by a friend
Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary
and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would
help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary or Jim
would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky
always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.
It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die
of this disease ....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.
She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to
go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her ...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old
dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand
that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.
The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized
for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted
she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky
stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.
When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and
hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every
treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved
mistress all his favorite things in life.
He had covered her with his love.
Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further
together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them
in his toy box
but Mary remains his greatest treasure.
Remember.... live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget....
the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.
They are the ones that care for us.
If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours! Live simply. Love seriously.
Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.
Not so goofy!
I often mention to you all how much your friendship and support mean to me. I have mentioned
to folks that I wish I would have written all the stories down (without using names) to share those experiences with others.
I have been reading the book “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama.
His experience in Chicago doing
community organizing summed up my feelings about the shop and you guys. Here’s an excerpt:
“Then they’d offer a story to match or confound mine, a knot to bind our experiences together—a lost father, an adolescent brush with crime, a
wondering heart, a moment of simple grace. As time pass, I found that these stories, taken together, had helped me bind my world together, that they gave me the sense of place and purpose I’d been looking for.
Marty (his boss) was right: There was always community there if you dug deep enough. There was poetry as well—a luminous world always present beneath the surface,
a world that people might offer up as a gift to me, if I only remembered
to ask.”
I thank you once again for giving me the sense of community, knowing you. That is what
I have never been able put into words:
Now which were so eloquently written by Mr. Obama to portray my own feelings.
Good-bye
I would like to end with a poignant note of the passing of a special young man named Alex Capperauld.
Alex was 20, a few years younger than my son, Bryce.
My fondest memory of Alex was at Pine Tree Elementary School.
He held a place of quiet humor in my mind.
Everyone knew who Alex was. He was a special needs kid (although he thought
he could do anything)
One of his greatest gifts was unconditional love.
There was always room for a hug or a smile for everyone.
All people were Alex’s friend!
My favorite recollection was the yearly talent show.
Alex loved to be on stage singing.
He literally had to be pulled off with a hook
to stop his routine! (We’d all still be there listening
if he had his way!)
I was up at Top Foods in the last year. Ahead of me in line was a young adult, jumping
up and down with the excitement of a child.
His patient mother was telling him something. All of a sudden, I realized it was Alex. He gave me a smile. (Some things never change)
My heart goes out to Vicky, his mom. She gave him a long, wonderful life with her love,
compassion and humor. Alex will be missed by many.
His life keeps going with the donation his organs.
The love that Alex had will continue to live in many others.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
In the meantime, keep HONKING!
Candy
"My friends (and family)have made the story of my life."
~Helen Keller~ and Candy!
