* TEA CUPS, TEA POTS, & CHICKENS...OH MY *

 "Bookie" commented on my Nostalgic Sunday post of March 20th, that she...and probably others...would like to see photos of the tea room area where I work. So, here are a few I took before I left work yesterday. I have many others that I've taken at various times, but they are mostly of the Home Décor part of the store and I will share them sometime soon.  

 

Tea cups, mini teapots, and sideboard

Part of the tea room
(Please excuse the glare. It was sunny!)

Private room in the tea room

Part of hallway between Home Décor and Tea Room (See the steps and hand railing on the right? That leads to more gorgeous items to purchase, the custom design room, the owner's office and my office!) P.S. I just LOVE those ceramic chickens! I bought two smaller ones (not shown) for myself and one of these larger ones for a friend's birthday.

* After reading Lisa's comment about the ceramic chickens, I realized they really aren't ceramic....they are more like concrete! But not too heavy! Just wanted to verify that. AND, the Imogene's website is getting ready to be updated asap, although every single item won't be able to be listed. Just ask me what kinds of things you like, and I'll let you know what we have!

~~~

 

As I've stated before, I love my job! I'm surrounded by beautiful things, friendly and caring people, and yummy food! What more could a gal ask for? If you live anywhere near Wildwood, Missouri or will be vacationing in the St. Louis area, do stop in at Imogene's! If you're going to have lunch, make reservations, even if it's only for two!

 

 

♪ Tea for two, and two for tea... ♪

 

 

 



* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday!

I don't think I mentioned I've been working a LOT of hours lately. I still love my new job, at Imogene's, and honestly enjoy being there, even though my "schedule" started out being two days a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. The word schedule is in parenthesis because I've actually never had a consistent schedule! But that's okay, too. (One of the words that describes me is Flexible! As long as I don't have any other mandatory activities, and I'm needed...I'm there for ya!) So, I worked this past Thursday, Friday and yesterday, mostly on the sales floor...so mostly on my feet...for our Spring Fling...and in between did some of my office work, too. The shop and tea room is closed on Sundays...thank goodness, so today I'm home recuperating. I go back again tomorrow, Tuesday, and Wednesday because one of the employees' last day is Wednesday and she has things to still go over with me...She is moving to Kansas City, and I'll be taking over some of her duties and I'll get my own office. 

So, what does that have to do with Nostalgic Sunday? Nothing, really! Except that because of my job, I attended a three-Saturdays-in-a-row QuickBooks class at our local community college....and that experience, my friends was the one and only college course I've ever taken! (If you've read my memoir, you are aware of the fact that I never was able to go to college, even though I desperately wanted to. And I dreamed about going someday....being a 40-year-old freshman, etc. But, as the quotes at the top of my blog reveal....sometimes, we become the person we never knew we could/should be!)

In honor of the occasion, my sweet husband surprised me with one of the college T-shirts. He said he thought it was something I should have. Now, that's why he's a "keeper" even when he thinks I say "polka dots" when I really say "tiny squares!"

Our Wedding Day - February 1983

 

Awww...so young...!



* TWO BOOKS I MUST PURCHASE! *

I just discovered recently that two of my favorite authors have been writing away, creating wonderful fictional stories about characters I already know and love! How fabulous is that?

(I thought I was already "Following" both of them on Amazon and would be notified about upcoming books and other news, but that hasn't happened.)

Anyway, here's what's happening:

1) Judith Ryan Hendricks' new book, Baker's Blues came out July 2015. It's the third book in her bakery trilogy, known as (The Bread Alone Series). I cannot wait to read this! I read the first two, Bread Alone, (2002) and The Baker's Apprentice, (2006). (In fact, I have both of them in hardcover, and I may have to skim through them again since it's been quite a few years since I read either.

Judi has been an amazing mentor and friend to me and I am sure that without her kindness and encouragement, I would've never completed and published my memoir. She wrote a wonderful book blurb for the back cover of my memoir, as well!

Also, here's the link to an interview with Judi on my blog from March 2010 http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2010/03/much-anticipated-interview-with-judith.html
(Wow...SIX years ago)

"The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight." --M.F.K. Fisher

~~~

2) Fannie Flagg also has a new book coming out later this year... November 1, 2016. The title is The Whole Town's Talking: A Novel. It's about those wacky citizens of small town Elmwood Springs, Missouri. I first met them in Welcome to the World, Baby Girl. Nobody writes like Fannie!

Side note: In my memoir, I write about a funny and embarrassing incident in Barnes & Noble that had to do with a Fannie Flagg book I wanted to buy! I emailed Fannie about it, hoping she'd reply and say she'd LOVE to read my book...but alas, that didn't happen. Oh well... Life goes on!

 

"The nice part about living in a small town; when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does." - Unknown

* * AND THE WINNER IS........* *

Hi Everyone! As promised, today is the day to announce the winner of the Barnes & Noble $10.00 gift card. I've decided to have giveaways much more often now because:

                                             1) I think they're fun!
                                             2) Hey, it's spring!
                                             3) To give is better than to receive!

Thanks to everyone who left comments on my March 10th post. Your names were all thrown into a hat, and voila'.....the winner is......

Linda O'Connell!

Linda, please let me know if you'd like to meet for coffee or lunch and get your card.



"The Bookshop has a thousand books,
All colors, hues, and tinges,
And every cover is a door
That turns on magic hinges."
- Nancy Byrd Turner

* HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THIS?! *

Ron and I enjoyed the lovely weather today, sitting on our patio. It was quite a bit cooler than yesterday, when we had a record high temp of 80+ degrees! But it was beautiful and I was comfy with a lightweight jacket.

 

I've always loved "sky-watching," being awed by clouds, jet contrails, birds in flight, sunrises, sunsets, the moon, and stars, etc. 

 

 

Looking almost straight up at one point, I spotted a section of a rainbow curving over the top of a huge cloud! I haven't searched for any information about this yet, but all I could think at the time was that cloud must have a lot of moisture inside it!

 

I honestly didn't think my little cell phone camera would capture it, but I'm thrilled that it did! (If you click on the photo, you can see a much larger view of it.)

 

Have you ever seen a rainbow like this?!

 

 

 

“Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends.”  ― Aberjhani, Journey through the Power of the Rainbow: Quotations from a Life Made Out of Poetry    

* BARNES & NOBLE GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY *

Don't forget that tomorrow, Wednesday March 16, is the deadline to leave a comment on my blog post of March 10, in order to be in the drawing for the gift card.

 

Again, I know that a $10 card won't buy much of anything at B&N,

but at least it can help a little! It can be used in a store or online.

I'll announce the winner on Thursday, March 17.

 

 

~~~~

This is me laughing, and having a great time at B&N

soon after my memoir came out in November 2013.

 

~~~~

This is me looking drunk at B&N

soon after my memoir came out in November 2013.

(I have no idea what I was doing or talking about.

Probably just acting goofy!)

 

~~~~

 

 

* Note: My memoir can be purchased at BN.com, but they don't carry it in their stores.

If people ask for it, they'll say they can order it. That was so disappointing at first because when I worked there, I dreamed about seeing my memoir on their shelves. I imagined it being right next to Colin Powell in the biography/memoir area. J

 

 

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." -- Les Brown

* HOW DOES MY BLOG LOOK NOW? *

It's been years since I  had columns on both sides of my blog, and I'm glad I thought to try it again because I like the way it looks. My only negative thought is that the middle part - the most important part where my New Posts are - is a bit narrow.

What are your thoughts?

 

Also, how do you see the lettering in the date header and the gadget header?

 

               They're supposed to be kind of "goofy." The font is 

                                             

Sometimes when I'm working on it, those headings are correct, but at other times they aren't. It's a bit aggravating!

 

 

*BLOG UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PLEASE EXCUSE THE MESS*

I'm playing around with the columns, etc....so will hopefully have this "fixed" to my liking soon!