Secondhand shopping is often a lesson in patience--and conversely providence. Sometimes, you are gifted with something you didn't even know you needed (desired!), while other times you have a specific need and you have to wait almost forever to fulfill it.
Moving from Indiana, several treasured items were jettisoned. It wasn't that I loved them less, but simply that their appropriateness for life as it is now being lived no longer matched. My faux bamboo china cabinet and bar were amazing, but so large and heavy it seemed better to find a new local home for them. Likewise, the bedroom set originally purchased in Kansas (tall boy, long dresser and nightstand) were still in alright condition, but it was quite possible their delicate legs wouldn't make another move. So again, a local happy home was located. But, I have been living dresser-less--for almost a year--waiting to find that next perfect one. Luckily, my closet it large and well-organized, with lots of shelves and places to put small baskets for socks, etc. That is all behind me now, as the new dresser has been found! With a single matching nightstand. Both have clean and classic mid-century lines and are from Drexel, so you know they are well made. They have white porcelain pulls which, with the simple design, are like pearls with a simple black dress: just the right about of pop.
Of course, this wonderful (life-changing!) find only made me hungry for more! After meeting some friends for brunch, I popped into Dress Up's to see what they might have. It was warm. Very warm since they have no HVAC! But, breezing through the store quickly yielded a couple of treasures at deep discounts:
A lovely little white and gold dish from Georges Briard. It looks perfect on the new dresser.
Three, black lotus bowls. Now reader, you know how I am about my little lotus bowls! I can pass up a white one faster than you can say 'fried rice,' but I cannot resist a colored one. I just won't make myself. With another little yellow one picked up by M a month or so ago, I think that brings the total to twenty-five. I think. It's sad, because most of my lovelies are still packed away. There is some room in the cupboards, but without a giant china cabinet or other display, it's easier just to leave them in boxes. Likewise, I'm still searching for a bar to show off (and use!) all of my fantastic bar ware. Don't worry, when I'm missing them I get a box of tissue out and scroll through some old post on MTSS.
As a bonus, I found a note behind the drawer of the nightstand, a dream written quickly and ripped from a spiral notebook:
"I dreamed Allen came back to Midland and came over. We talked for a few minutes and then he took my hand and said something like, 'come on, let's go--I wanna catch up on what I have been missing.' I said, 'Allen, I haven't done anything like that since you left.' He said, 'I know (in that weird voice.)' I asked somebody--Nancy probably, what she thought about it. She said I shouldn't put with it--I should tell him to go to hell. By the way, he looked just like he used to."
Spooooky...
