By the Red Barn

Annual Open House

Saturday December 6^th, 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!

 

 

Hi All,

 

We are in and heading for difficult, challenging times.  In light of this, I recently read the book, “A Complaint Free World”.

I got the idea to put a sign on my fence that says:

HONK IF

YOU’RE HAPPY

The story goes something like this. (I will paraphrase much of it)

The man had put the sign up more than a year ago.  He was the coach at the local high school. 

His wife and he had enjoyed living near the beach and loved the people and their community.

 “A while back, my wife became ill. 

The doctors said to get her affairs in order and gave her four months to live-

Six months at the outside.”

They began to accept that her life would be ending soon.  They moved a hospital bed into their room.  She lay in the dark, miserable.

One day, the man was sitting out on the deck drowning in despair.  He could hear the cars crossing the causeway to the beach. 

It was along South Carolina’s coast line, 60 miles of beach, one of the top tourist destinations in the US.

He realized many of those people were going on vacation…. A happy time.

“It hit me as I sat there on the deck that, although my wife was dying, happiness didn’t have to die with her. 

In fact, happiness was all around us.  It was in millions of cars that passed just a few hundred feet from our house every day’.

He told his wife about putting up the sign.  She found great comfort in knowing she was not isolated in a dark room, dying.

When people honked: “She was part of the happiness of the world.  It was literally all around her.”

The wife found her life was now as rich as ever before; the blasts of horns, day and night, told her there was happiness in the world.

Although, she did not know the people, she made up stories in her mind about their lives……”Happy, happy lives.”

‘With the support of her loving husband, rather than focusing on what her reality was- this wonderful woman had focused on the good around her.

And in doing so, she had beaten the odds, embraced life, and touched millions of people!”

 

My friend, Gloria, from Washington DC, liked the idea of me putting up the sign: HONK IF YOU’RE HAPPY1

She said this:

“I think your sign is a good one as folks need to take an opportunity to express that, in spite of what's going on, they still have happiness residing within themselves - not dependent upon their current financial situations. Families are learning to spend more time together - doing activities that don't cost a lot of money - so it's actually a "good" time for Americans to reunite with one another.”

 

So, when you go by please:

HONK IF YOU’RE HAPPY

 

 

I JUST DREW THE TICKET…..

The winner of the

PINK PURSE

To honor Cancer Awareness Month is

Sonja Byroick!

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

I had a wonderful birthday month in October.  I told my son, the day I turned 60, that I was wiser!  For some reason I don’t think he bought into it.

I thank all the friends and well wishers for my birthday weeks.  I spent time with friends and family all through the month.

My sis-in-law, Karen, absolutely blew me away.  You have to understand that in my family we don’t exchange gifts on a regular basis.

(Isn’t that an oxymoron for me with a gift shop?)  Anyway, Duke and Karen came by on October 15^th.  Karen had mentioned she had

my favorite Tetley tea from Canada.  It’s cheap yet very flavorful.  (I do go on. ) Anyway, she also gave me a handmade quilt made by her!  I cried. 

That about said it all.  I am touched and moved by such a generous, thoughtful offering.  Karen said, “You only turn 60 once in a lifetime!”

So, now on to my 61^st year!!!!

 

Remember:

By the Red Barn

Is

OPEN for the Fall/Winter Season

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11AM to 5PM

You can always go to:

www.BytheRedBarn.com

for updates, to see what it going on!!!

 

I’ve got another computer tool for you to test and get a coupon!  By the Red Barn is on the Google maps.

Go to Google maps.

Just put in:

By the Red Barn, Kent, WA

The ad will come up.  Go to more information. 

You can get a Coupon for the shop!!!!! 

I will be updating them from time to time!

 

Christmas stuff will be put out through the next weeks.  Please come by for some early shopping!!

We’ve still got wonderful fall and seasonal items in stock. 

The Pashminas with their wonderful colors and patterns are Flying out. 

You can wear them or use them for décor….or both!!!

 

Also, did you know?

WE DO LAYAWAY?

 

Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party

PLEASE VOTE!

History is being made.

 

If you’d like to have some fun, buy some shoes, drink some wine and help others, here

is an event coming up called “Sips and Shoes” See all about it by

clicking here!

 

 

Each and every one of you please know how grateful I am for your support and patronage.

I’m glad when anyone walks through the front door during these trying times!

 

Until next time, I wish you HAPPINESS!  It’s there…..just take a peak.

Candy 

"My friends (and family)have made the story of my life."

~Helen Keller~ and Candy!