Sticky Situation ~ A Tale from Yesteryear

The Night They Moved The Post Office

Of all the moves made by the Chepachet Post Office, none was more memorable to Robert Steere than the exodus out of our Brown & Hopkins Store to diagonally across the street to the Hawkins' building (now "Post Office Antiques")

Helen Steere Brown wrote
in her book "Looking Back"........

"It was an evening in summer, and Joshua Angell had come up to the village of Chepachet from South Glocester to buy a jug of molasses. Instead of returning right away, he stayed to watch them dismantle the pigeon holes and paraphernalia and move them to the new location. He set his jug of molasses on the floor. It was a hot day and it overflowed.

Bob, who was about 10 years old at the time, stepped into the molasses with his bare feet. Instead of cleaning them off, he walked home down the unpaved road through the village, collecting dust and dirt all the way. Upon arrival, his feet escaped notice, and he went to bed ~still covered with molasses and part of Main Street.

By next morning, both molasses and Main Street had left their mark upon the sheets, and the discovery..................

led to dire consequences which Bob vividly recalled for the rest of his life."

Witchie Poo

Gosh, did this bring back memories...

As a child, I used to watch The Wizard of Oz
every year on television.....
(before the vcr was invented! LOL)

I recall hiding behind the recliner
when the flying monkeys came on the screen!

Halloween is making its appearance with
new items arriving daily at Brown & Hopkins!

Do You Believe In Angels?

I'd like to tell you about our friend, Annie.


Annie is 15 years old, and lives in our town. About 5 years ago she was diagnosed with a rare incurable lung disease and needs a double lung transplant. She is one of a set of triplets, and has had quite a few surgeries in recent years. For the past few years we have helped to raise money for Annies medical bills by selling angel ornaments. Just recently, Annie underwent a dangerous spinal fusion surgery and is now happily home!


Here is a note from Annie's Mom.....Thank you for your well wishes for Annie! She came through her 9 hour spinal surgery amazingly well. They expected her to have trouble getting off of the respirator after the surgery because of her lung disease and 15% lung function. Annie amazed the doctors and nurses by coming off the respirator the day after the surgery and only needed an oxygen mask for about a week. They expected her to need at least 2 weeks in the hospital if everything went perfectly (which it did) and she shocked them once again by being ready for discharge just 8 days after the surgery. She is recovering at home, and will be able to start school with her brothers on Sept 8th. Her incision (and rods) go from her neck to tailbone, so she is still in lots of pain, but that too is getting a little better every day. Her back is so straight, and she has gained a full 4 inches in height ! Thank you to everyone for all the support and constant prayers for Annie, it has made a huge difference. I love the design of the 2008 Annie Angel ornament! It is so pretty! Let me know when they are ready to be tagged. Thank you, Liz, for all of your support and kindness to Annie the past few years, it means the world to us!

Love, Sue Walsh

Here is the photo of the angel ornament
that will be available for Christmas 2008
at Brown & Hopkins.
We sold out last year and were able to donate over $1000 to the Annies Angel Fund...
Thanks to the wonderful support of all of our Brown & Hopkins customers!
As soon as the angels are here, we will let you know!!

In the meantime,
won't you be an angel and please say a little prayer for Annie.

If you would like to send a note to Annie,
you may visit her at

www.caringbridge.org/visit/anniewalsh

Summer Clearance Sales Ends Soon!

Our summer clearance sale ends Sunday at 5pm.......

We have lots of great things left to choose from....
at
40% to 60% off!
Denim Dresses!
Sweaters!

Selected Jewelry!
A few Red Geraniums left....stock up for next year!
Spring Florals!
Manzanita Wreaths!
Curtains!
Bed Skirts!
Some quilts!
And lots more treasures!
Look for the red lines!!

But it all disappears at 5pm on August 24th!

The Best Living Will I've Seen!

This was sent to me this morning, and I found it quite amusing, and true!!!

I, __________________, being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means. Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of pinhead politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it, or lawyers/doctors interested in simply running up the bills. If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:

Glass of wine
Margarita
Martini
Chocolate
Rum & Coke
Pizza
Italian Bread with butter
French Fries
Chocolate
Ice Cream
Clam Cakes
Homemade Apple Pie
Macaroni & Cheese

Mashed Potatoes
Chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate


It should be presumed that I won't ever get better.
When such a determination is reached,
I hereby instruct my appointed person
and attending physicians to
pull the plug, reel in the tubes,
let the 'fat lady sing,' and call it a day!

Ain't that the truth!

Roasted Garlic Onion Jam Pizza

Now, wait just a minute......before you say "Ewwwww!", read on!
This pizza bakes up fast and folks will start calling you Rachael after tasting it!

Roasted Garlic Onion Jam Pizza

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 thin pizza crust (12" Boboli)
3 tablespoons Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Onion Jam
1/2 cup blue cheese (or feta, goat or any cheese)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Spread jam evenly over crust
Sprinkle blue cheese over entire top of the pizza
Bake 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and jam begins to bubble.

Yum!

Feeling Fallish

Fall is in the air at Brown & Hopkins!

It is my most favorite time of year!

These cut sunflowers need no watering!

Come in and experience autumn!

Mmmmmm.....
Maple Pumpkin Butter from Stonewall Kitchen!
Cinnamon Cider Candles!
Light up Pumpkins!
Scarecrows! Black Cats! Skeletons! Oh My!!!

And a new book by Tom D'Agastino.....
"Abandoned Villages and Ghost Towns of New England"

Don't forget to try a sample of
Maple Walnut Fudge!!!!!!

We Aren't Going Anywhere, just Crazy!!!!

Starting on
Friday, 08/08/08
we are having a
CRAZY 8'S SALE!!!!!
Yup, we are going crazy!
Take $8.88 off any purchase over $40!
Stock up on Gift Certificates for the holidays!
All $100 Gift Certificates are just $88.88
All Wax Tarts are now just 88 cents!
Plus be sure to check out our Summer Clearance items!
Look for the red lines
on great summer items such as geraniums,
garden whimsy, wreaths, and more!!!!
Take 40% off all red lined items!
The Crazy 8's Sale lasts all weekend
and ends Monday, August 11th at 5pm!!!!
*Antiques, consignment items, and clearance items are excluded from the Crazy 8's Sale.
Gift certificates purchased at a discount may be used after 8/11/08.
Wax Tarts that are on sale are regularly priced at 99 cents.
Sorry, Key Tags may not be used during this wacky sale...

Oh, but if you mention the magic words
(crazy lady)
at check out,
you will receive a free $10 punch on your key tag.

Jill M's Quaint Home in Foster

We are like the paparazzi!

We shot another home last week!

You are going to love the clever attention to detail in every nook and cranny.

Lots of natural light,
great woodwork by a local craftsman,

and Jill's attention to detail in her decorating, keeping things simple, yet sophisticated made this a fantastic home shoot!

We hope our home shoots help give you ideas on how to decorate your own home.

Enjoy the show! Click the link below!

Please leave a comment and let us know how you liked it!

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Ba4FM7Uw

P.S. It took me two days to produce the show, as the website was having technical difficulties. Please keep trying if you also experience the same and please let me know if you have trouble. Thanks!

My Summer Vacation

Well, it's not officially my vacation........
and actually I don't even like to say "vacation",
because as many of you know, the last time I went on "vacation" (July 2, 2007) I was left hospitalized for a month and out of work for about 6 months......

Not to be a downer or anything, but I recall saying to Bruce last year, "I missed the whole month of July!", and his response was, "You're lucky you even saw the month of July!" Once again, he's right....LOL

And so this year I vowed to myself to enjoy every moment possible. You really do see life in a whole new light when faced with difficult moments.
I have been stealing days here and there, in between working at the shop,

So here is a glimpse of what I have been doing on my summer "vacation".....

Tea Party with friends where we got to dress up and act silly!

Cookouts with friends!!!!

I actually got to see the 4th of July parade this year!!!!
Here is a link to a photoshow I made
of the parade, just in case you missed it!

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/CT9tU9ZR
Bruce and I hanging out at Waterman Lake.......good food, great company, sunsets and water!
I looooooooovvvvvvvve sunsets!

My great niece Clare is one year old
and she visited from California recently!
She is coming into that fun age....
I don't know what it is about rocks, but I find them interesting subjects for photography......
I have been taking my camera almost everywhere!
Be sure to stay tuned, because we have another photoshow coming up this week of a recent home photo shoot!
And I still like horses, from a distance that is......
This one grazes on the edge of our property, so it's like having one without all the maintenance.

So, how is your summer going?