“There’s a whole world out there, right outside your window. You’d be a fool to miss it.” -Charlotte Eriksson
Growing up, I used to have a weekly tradition with my dad, “Saturday morning chores.” I’d accompany him to the dry cleaners, the dump, a bakery where I’d get a cinnamon roll and finally we’d go to an antiques store or two. My favorite spot was always Upton House Antiques, which a quick Google search made me thrilled to see is still in operation. When Ken started collecting antiques my quick-witted and hilarious friend Mary said “How Freudian, you turned him into your dad.” This past weekend we explored some local Antiques shops in search of a vintage typewriter. Antiquing has always been a part of my life. I love all types, but especially the chaotic, crowded stores that overwhelm your visual field. It can feel like a treasure hunt to dig through what looks like a lot of junk. Back in Massachusetts with my dad, we’d explore the dump for broken chairs that my dad would turn new legs for, weave a new seat onto and give a new life to. Some Saturdays we’d go from the dump to a high end antiques store and I’d watch him hem and haw about a pricey beauty that he’d end up justifying himself to buy. Our weekly tradition is one of my favorite childhood memories. My dad reminded me that one time we spent so much time on our chores that he missed a flight to LA for work. This past weekend turned out to be a pretty similar experience. Work, life, work travel – these are real things that have prevented Ken and I from getting back to the AT, but that’s not to say we aren’t still enjoying other adventures!
Most of the time when I go to an antiques store for something specific, I never find it, but the hunt is often enjoyable, and finding some other treasures along the way become little artifacts from the day. Ken and I started our journey at the farthest spot from the house and worked our way back home, beginning at Oak Creek Sales in Royal Oak, MD. This store is packed to the brim with antiques, bric-a-brac, frames, lamps, etc. Mixed in are nicer pieces. Walking through the rooms, I kept my arms folded to ensure I didn’t knock anything over. Outside there are several sets of outdoor furniture sets in all states, from new-ish to very shabby, more chachis and I found a cute garden frog to bring home. The owner does not negotiate, and it is cash only. The prices are higher than I would expect, but I still came home with the lawn frog and a gold mirror for my new website.
From there, we headed into Easton to check out a store my mom recommended. On the way we stopped into a high end antiques store, and unfortunately I didn’t note the name and can’t find it now. Walking in, I immediately resigned myself to not being able to afford anything. Even entering those stores, I still appreciate the presentation, the cleanliness, the style. In my head, I try to figure out what of mine looks similar, and how to change where it is in my house to emulate what I like in the store. So after a quick run through there, we made our way over to our final destination. There are many other antiques stores in Easton, it is worth a full day exploring. The Market at Dover Station is inside a beautiful old brick warehouse. I am a little tired of white with black trim, but there’s something about white painted brick that I love. The large space inside is divvied up by local artists, artisans, and antiques collectors. It was fun to go from space to space to see all the different types of items for sale – paintings, flower arrangements, photography, clothing, chocolate. When we first walked in I spotted this stunning, green and gold mirror that reminded me of France. From the textured green paint, to the gold painted carvings that give it just the right amount of femininity, I wanted this mirror. It was less expensive than we thought it would be, but still pricey. Very much like my dad back in the day, we eventually justified its purchase and brought it home.
“Connection: The energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” – Brene Brown
My last blog post was written when I was having a lot of feelings and ruminations about my relationship. Writing has always served me, particularly in times of sadness and emotional distress. At the tail end of my marriage I wrote a poem about how my needs weren’t being met and a line that sums it all up from that is, “I am starving, and you are feeding me broth.” I recognize how harsh that would have been to read, had my ex ever cared to read anything I wrote. Luckily for me, I now have a partner who keeps my website open on a tab in his phone. Unluckily for him, I held none of my feelings back in the last blog post. We are a team, and to use the metaphor from that last blog post, we have withstood another flood. We are two like-minded growers. I saw the opening Brene Brown quote today and immediately thought about Ken. Even if sometimes we don’t see eye-to-eye, we can (eventually) communicate and our connection deepens. We also have created a home where the things we bring into it have meaning and value. Just as I love antiques and there’s something comforting and nostalgic about them, Ken grew up with cats. When his older cat Peter died in January, my younger cat died a week later unexpectedly, and from we expect to have been heartbreak over losing Peter. Although I had a cat, I have never been a “cat person,” but I really did bond with those two furry friends. We ended up adopting not one, not two, but three cats in one day. Originally we had thought about kittens, but there are so many cats in need of a good home, so I got talked into one more than I was comfortable with, and thus, how Freudian, I am crazy cat lady now.
“So are you actually going to admit to the world that you own three cats?” – Ken
In the end I didn’t find an antique typewriter that day. The internet and Ebay were new back when I first started to appreciate antiques, so it was all about the thrill of the hunt, making something work, or buying a bunch of other stuff than what we were looking for. I ended up using Etsy to get my vintage, Underwood typewriter. So “my house” continues to transform to “our home,” by bringing in pieces of art, mirrors, antiques and yes, cats and blankets and we see the value in what others might not. In truth, it makes traveling and leaving home harder to do. My Moby Dick is a writing desk, similar to this one. So dear readers, if you know of anyone selling one like this, please let me know!
-Liz