Skip to the Loo and Tea Time Too!!

So if you are incredibly lucky, like me, you might have an adorable Commonwealthian for a friend.  If this is the case, one day your dear friend might, and I am making no promises here, but might invite you for a day of antique shopping and tea!! I know it does sound a bit like a fairy tale.

And if you go to tea, with your fair Commonwealthian friend, you will likely need to make a visit to the ladies room, especially if they bring you a whole pot of hot water to make your own tea!! But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself telling my tale from the middle.

So to start over, I will say, I brought along a pot of flowers which you can see in the picture above and left, on the bench of Stacy's porch. You might also notice the package ready to fly away to its new home.  Stacy has a marvelously romantic web site and sells treasures to people all over the world. http://stacysshabbyshoppe.com/

Next it was off to a large antique mall in Salt Lake called Capitol City Antiques.  I love, love, love and adore the people who work there, especially Linda, they are always so helpful!!  The pearl head lady sat on a shelf staring at us with her huge bug eyes ... sort of creepy but oh so funny!! http://www.capitalcityantiquemall.com/

 Of course after a couple of hours of searching for treasures, and laughing, and feeling stalked by the pearl head lady we were in need of a break, so we were off to the main event, tea at Elizabeth's across the street East of Trolley Square. http://elizabethsteashop.com/ 

As always, when finding one's self somewhere new, its great to run into an old friend, so finding a cute Nettie's Gnome Witch nestled into a cupboard, I felt right at home. (Several of her sisters live at my house!)

Of course a cute server with a lovely Commonwealthian accent also helps.  In this case that accent was formed in Liverpool, and he was an excellent server as well!

 Of course one must shop at the London Market following any successful afternoon tea and luncheon.  I was delighted to find lemon-lime marmalade.... and it was as yummy as it sounds.  I just wish I had bought two jars, and now when I go  back I will have to find their new location.  I guess its good they have a website. http://www.thelondonmarket.com/

Naturally since Stacy was sharing her favorite places I thought she would enjoy a trip to Hip and Humble.  I have been a fan since the days they resided in Sugarhouse. She thought the store was adorable, which really is the only thing one CAN think about this store.  I was particularly tickled by the display in the vintage fridge. The Popsicle recipe book in the back made me smile. http://www.hipandhumble.com/

And who wouldn't love to trip out in these sweet vintage red shoes ... If they had been pink I am sure that Stacy would not have been able to resist, especially with the London label!  Wouldn't that have been the perfect way to finish up our British appreciation day??!!

Just so you know, I adore my Commonwealthian friend of Pinkness.  Thanks Stacy for a fabulous day in 'Britland'.  I even found out how to pronounce Pasty (A yummy savory pastry shell full of any sort of delicious filling) , just so you know it 'past-ee', (as in it rhymes with nasty) so now I can stop embarrassing myself, and Bob's your uncle!



1 WeEKenD + 4 ParTiEs = PerFecTiOn

 As Mr. Elton says ... A party is a party, but ...four parties on a late spring weekend .... OK, he didn't exactly say that, but I am sure his intent was similar.

So Party One:  Above we find revelers at my friend Bruce's 50th birthday celebration, to the left I join Rose and Julie, to the right Bruce and Judy!! It was great fun to celebrate Bruce's 'coming of age', as only the director of a nursing home can. I am not sure I have ever met anyone as universally liked as our Bruce, which was attested to by the standing room only crowd ... driven indoors by our crazy Utah weather!!  Happy Birthday Old Man!!

Party Two: Then back home where house guests from Idaho await game night fun!!  James is my son-in-law Sam's brother, Kristen is his friend from school at BYU-I.  The game turned out to be the longest in history, with the maximum 6 players coupled with EVERYONE'S general lack of luck the game went on and on ...

                  But we still managed to have a good time, the company being what it was!!

 Party three: On Sunday it was time for our bi-weekly family dinner.  We all enjoyed Dad's great homemade root beer, his potato salad and his fine barbecuing skills.  The only thing we enjoyed more than Dad/Grandpa's skills was the entertainment provided by several generations of Perkins.  Trevor and Davin took turns 'body surfing' the kids on the their feet.  It didn't go as smoothly with adult siblings however.  Then there was the fun baby eating contest.  You can see the finalists below.  Fine entertainment such as this kept us all laughing.
 
 "Hey, when you are done, can I have a taste?"

As brutal as the baby eating contest appears, we see above the happy survivor of being the main course, having fun with his Aunt Darby!

And then, if all other entertainment fails, there is always Uncle Sam's apartment size zoological gardens in the basement.

We got this cute picture, compliments of Nell, after the other two babies took their parents home.

Party Four: The culminating party of the weekend was cousin Megan's wedding to Robert.  I mean one can never really have enough Roberts in a high quality extended family, right?

 This picture shows Becca with three of her cousins, Mary, Kristen and Jill, all daughter's of my brother Clark.

 Here we see the mother of the bride, Shirley, my brother Doug's wife, with my nephew Ryan who is an articulate deep thinker.  He is my brother Bruce's son. http://www.delvingdeeperwithryan.blogspot.com/

To the left are Ryan's parents, Dianne and Bruce with my husband Scott. to the right is the bride's sister Beth with her daughter Sagen, enjoying the moment.

And just in case you can't tell, Arlene, shown above with her daughter Hanna, is Shirley's sister.  Arlene holds the less enviable position of having been my best friend in college at the U of U ... and I still enjoy her just as much, though I don't get to see her as often.  Thank heaven we are somewhat related!!

 More mingling with those Larsen cousins, Nell and Trevor visit with Bruce's son Jon, while Becca joins forces with Alicia, the official wedding photographer http://www.aliciaarlene.com/ , my brother Ross' youngest and Megan,the bride herself!!

 I like this picture of Aunt Darby with her sister Britt's oldest, Kai, and her sister Becca's baby Titan.  (Remember him?  He survived the baby eating incident the day before!!)

And last of all half of my darling daughters, Britt(2nd child), Darby (4th child) and Becca (9th child)

I had a wonderful weekend, and Scott even had a chance to have his fill of socializing with all the people he loves!!  After all, I am really just his cruise director, here to make sure he is having a good time, all the time!! 

GoTta LoVe wEekeNds LikE tHis!! I CeRtainLy dO!!



Fleaologists Travel to Discover and Record Amazing Findings!! Not to be missed!!

A few weeks ago we got a message from a new friend, Brenda, who is interested in joining us for our flea.o.logy sales in the future.  After checking out her website for her store we were utterly charmed.  Then Brenda came by and introduced herself to Cathie and me at the Acorn Show.

We made plans to make a pilgrimage to check out her wonderful store, and this is what we discovered after a morning of estate sales in Salt Lake and before having lunch in Ogden at Jenn's Uncles diner, Hug-Hes!  What a great day for the fleaologists!!

So here we arrive at the store in Farmington, with the help of our remote navigator Fred.  Of course, if you know me, Brenda's store had me with the black and white polka dots and black and white stripes!!

The store front is inviting and beyond charming.  Evidently we are not the only ones who think so.  As we browsed the store we had lots of company, and Brenda was busy ringing sales through out our entire visit.

This is a sweet bird motif bottle that was another winner for me!!

I thought these 'pregnancy necklaces' were a lot of fun, reading, 'due in May', 'due in September', 'made with prayer', comments on the adorability of the coming offspring, etc, what a fun baby shower gift, but if you give it to a newly pregnant woman she will get more use and of course, more smiles and sharing of the miracle!!

 I loved all of the bird motif items, this wonderful work of art sits on a folded book, and what makes us feel more snug and at home than a bird on its nest.

More black and white and polka dots, and Laura's charming display caught my eye again.  I love the rolls of ribbon in the glass mug, sitting on a sweet metal and crystal pedestal.

I was also tempted by the yummy looking pretzels dipped first in carmel and then in chocolate.  And if that is not enough Brenda told us about a wonderful mom and pop bakery that is open only on Friday.   I bet she will share that info with you too!!

And last of all it was fun to see Brenda wrap up our purchases with flair.  I smiled at the use of the old scratched record which definitely makes a statement paired with lots of ribbon and a Just a Bed of Roses Boutique bag.

It was a lovely venture complete with everything that makes a day wonderful, friends, junquing, eye candy and a yummy lunch.  Does it get better than this?  I think not, thanks fellow fleaologists!