Whatever Happened to......

I now have over 12,300 images on my Pinterest. I pin just about every single day as I search the internet for gorgeous images. I strongly suggest you go visit and see all the photos as I doubt I'll ever get them all on this blog. With over 9,700 followers, I can assure you that you'll love looking at all the eye candy I have: beautiful rooms, laundry rooms, pastries real and faux, random places around the world, gorgeous couture and handbags, bedrooms, campers and caravans, aprons, fancy bottles, furniture  and lamps I love, china, pillows, kitchens, bathrooms, porches, patios, pretty craft rooms and offices, just lots of stuff to see. I don't earn any money doing this, just the pleasure of seeing them and sharing with others. GO!
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I hate cleaning house. But I like a clean house, especially clean floors as I go barefooted most of the time. If I'm not barefoot I have on socks, but no shoes.

So today it was time to clean the floors. I hate this job but it has to be done and I don't like asking th' hubs to do things I can do as he does so much more than I do anyway. Me? I love to just sit and read or come in here to my office and Pin or blog.

I usually use a Swiffer in addition to my Tyson vacuum.

But today I thought about the old mops and brooms we used to use.

I love the old dust mops and brooms. Where have they all gone? Oh, I'll find one in WM but I rarely ever see them in friends' homes anymore. Have the dust mop and broom gone the way of the dinosaur? I bought a dust mop several months ago in WM and use it once in a while but today I decided to give it a good sweep with the broom. I think I got more stuff in the nooks and crannies than I usually get with the Swiffer. And I KNOW my floors get cleaner with a good old-fashion mopping than the wet Swiffer. I doubt many young homemakers use an old-fashioned dust mop or wet mop anymore. It makes me sad when some of the things I've been so familiar with in my childhood have gone the way of the Edsel.

And then there's cooking and the cook ware we used 70+ years ago. I still use the pots I've had for 45 years and a roasting pot my mother gave me 52 years ago when we got married. I remember her buying it from the Wear-Ever salesman in Texas at a home demonstration. It still cooks better than any of these fancy pots and skillets on the market today. Slow cookers? I have had 2 and I've used them a time or two but I've never cooked a roast in one. I cook my roasts in my mother's old Wear-Ever pot and have for our whole marriage. I've never, ever cooked a roast in the oven. Always cooked them on the top of my electric stove on the lowest heat setting—truly, it's almost OFF when I cook it—and I challenge anyone to have better roasts than I can cook. I put it in frozen, caramel some onions, add Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper and forget it until dinner time.

The other day in Costco I dropped in to just buy a couple of hams for food storage in the freezer. The man in front of me had some pork roasts and proceeded to tell me how to cook them in the slow cooker. I told him I had one but have never ever cooked my "PULLED" pork in it. Always on top of the stove. And I told him I have the best ever "PULLED" pork he's ever tasted. He shut up and didn't talk to me again. (I know, I can be obnoxious sometimes.) But we never ever called it PULLED pork as I was growing up; it was BBQ pork. I have witnesses that can tell you mine is far superior to any they've yet eaten.

About a year ago, a Dickey's BBQ came to our town. Hubby and I went there for their grand opening. There was a very, very long line. As we got up to the ordering spot and they asked us if we like it spicy or regular, hubs and I knew right then it wasn't going to be the best. Now, I know it's supposed to be very popular in the South but neither one of us liked it and won't go back. They sliced the pork right then and there and then put the sauce in a paper cup for us to add! That is NOT how you cook BBQ pork. (And when did it become PULLED pork because to us it was always "pulled" apart as we cooked it in the BBQ sauce.) That's the way to BBQ pork! Not just slopping some sauce on top of the pork. I've even put frozen pork chops in the pot and poured my sauce over it and cooked them all day in the sauce, "pulling" it apart with a wooden spoon during the day so the sauce gets to every single morsel. Does this sound vain or bragging? Well, so what? I doubt you'd not like my cooking. ;-) But cooking is a whole other story! I love eating out. :-)
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A gorgeous living room in the Oriental style. I love those sofas.

Another room I like a lot, with the little private areas sectioned off.

Such a darling vignette for a party.

I've always wondered how they make these little cupcakes. I wish I had the talent but I don't. I'm lucky to even get frosting on them, real frosting!

Is this a hollyhock? If so, it's the most gorgeous one I've ever seen. I know nothing about gardening.

One of my all-time favorites.

This is a kitchen I could love.

A beautiful feather-y pink tulip.

A darling wreath made from scraps of fabric. Looks like it would be easy to make for anyone.

A heart shaped rose.

A beautiful place in another country with gorgeous geraniums.

Wisteria growing on a lovely porch.

I like little cabinets like this. And little enamelware like that Cakes one below.

While it isn't feasible to have a lamp outdoors like this, it is still gorgeous and I love it!

A cute little banner put up by a homeowner who like roses and pink. ;-0

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Linking up with Pink Saturday and Home & Lifestyle Design.

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Jubilee Furniture weekly update post for Friday, October 25, 2013

I have a genuine affection for my donors, customers and volunteers – so this week when a fairly regular donor phoned to say her 52 year old sister had passed away – I was sad and so sorry for her loss.

She didn’t call just to give me this news – but rather she and another sister were sorting through their third sister’s home and had furniture to donate.  Dealing with donors who are dealing with the death of a loved one and contact Jubilee Furniture to donate good, usable furniture from the loved one’s home – is a common occurrence.

As I murmured my sympathies and offered my condolences – I felt a nudge to do more.  The nudge is actually more like a tightening in my stomach that makes me feel a little sick since I know I’m about to reach out in a way that makes me vulnerable and it’s scary.

You see – I’m involved in a ministry at my church called Stephan Ministries whose mission is to equip regular men and women to walk through life’s challenges with hurting people – and people coping with grief definitely fall into this category.

Stephan Ministries’ founder, Dr. Kenneth Haugk, wrote a series of grief booklets after the death of his wife – which have been used for years and been very helpful to individuals dealing with the loss of a loved one.

So, what’s so scary about offering to mail out some booklets? It’s scary because they’re written from a faith perspective.  Faith is a very personal thing.  I had no idea if my donor would be offended.

Gulp.

My belief in God is central to who I am – but I would never want anyone to feel like I was forcing my faith down their throat – be it my donors, my customers or my volunteers.

Warning!  Awkward segue.

If you were a customer this week and stopped in the store today between 1 and 8 or tomorrow between 9 and 4 – the following photos show you SOME of what you’d find in our 30,000 square feet of inventory:

this Rossetto glass top table has a fabulous – heavy – base.  It’s priced only $145 due to several chips in the glass.  Four leather chairs – one is ripped at the corner along the seam – priced $4 each (these chairs retail for $199 each)

Crate & Barrel slip-covered sofa – slip cover needs some spot cleaning – priced $225

white wicker hutch (designed to be put on top of something) priced $20; white wicker bookshelf is $30

showing some wear but overall a very nice leather sofa by Smithe Craft – priced $135

sweet student desk priced $35

there’s something super attractive about this muted floral sofa – priced $135

need some bling in your home?  This metal and glass hall or sofa table delivers!  Priced $60

excellent condition micro-fiber chair – sorta greenish/gray – priced $95

Teresa said this sofa is very comfortable!  Blue curved sofa priced $95

side chairs by Directional priced $50 each; round side table for $10

here’s another piece made by the Italian company, Rossetto – gorgeous credenza, tons of storage (doors slide toward each other and there’s open storage with one shelf; three drawer in the middle of the piece) – perfect media piece – like new except for one small chip on a back edge – priced $325

CR Laine chair and ottoman – some minor wear – priced $95

gorgeous secretary priced $175

fun stackable chairs priced $60 for all four

very attractive media stand priced $125

there are two matching swivel, rocker/recliners – both in excellent condition – priced $75 each

this sofa needs to be professionally cleaned – but there is something very attractive about it (in my humble opinion) priced $40

comfy sofa – needs some adjusting of cushions and such – priced $40

this pine collection by Broyhill is in very good condition – table, 1 leaf and 6 chairs all for $225; matching two piece lighted china cabinet is $175; square end table for $40; square coffee table for $50

gorgeous pedestal table with two leaves – priced $145

oh my – what a fabulous retro chrome and formica top table with one leaf and four chairs (one chair is ripped) – priced $195 for the set

I’m in love with this vintage recliner – it’s super comfortable – admittedly rather masculine looking – priced $95

antique oak chair (looks rather royal doesn’t it?) priced $110; so cool carved nesting tables – priced $65 for the set

we’re selling this as a three piece sectional – but it would make for a mighty l-o-n-g sofa if you put the three pieces together.  It’s more like a sofa w/chaise and an armless loveseat – there are kitty-like pulls along several corners and some minor spot cleaning is needed – but otherwise in good shape – priced $175 for the whole thing!

spot cleaning is also needed on this red micro-suede loveseat but otherwise in good condition – priced $45

fabulous walnut cedar chest with gorgeous carving – priced $195

To finish my story, I did volunteer to mail my donor the grief booklets and she appreciated – and accepted – my offer.  She thought after she’d read them they might be helpful to her parents.  Oh man – suddenly I thought of my 84 year old mother dealing with the loss of one of us “kids” and I wanted to cry.

If this series of booklets provides my donor and her parents one moment of peace and comfort during this devastating journey of grief – it will make my discomfort at offering so worth it – and, actually, seem rather ridiculous that I ever thought to hold back.

Never withhold hope or a hug to a hurting world, dear reader.  Never.  Yes –sometimes you’ll be pushed away but the times you aren’t are so very sweet.

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