Antiques

Bear with me... I am testing to see if I can post like I have been using an
iPhone. It might be an off and an all day write...

Not easy to edit this on the iPhone. Must write it in code...

Went to the Expo Center to see the antique and collectibles show. I spent six or seven hours there.

I plugged the iPod in and went up and down the aisles (Music: Bach > BB King > Cream > Bob Marley > Joe Cocker > Paul Simon > Tom Petty). Funky sequence of music, the soundtrack, for a funky afternoon.

I didn't used to like going places alone. On a business trip to Florida, other trips...

But this was good. People watching and weird stuff. An elderly woman and I debated for quite a while about what the item in this photo is:



A strange silver and semi precious jewels in the shape of a monkey's head. The top of its head is hinged. A thin depression was embossed to look like a brain.

The dealer (after finishing up with another customer) told us it is from Tibet, around 1900. They come in various forms, but a person would write a prayer on a slip of paper and put it in, hoping the spirit of the monkey would grant it. This one was never meant to be used, it was created for the tourist trade.

In one booth a flat screen TV was showing It's a Wonderful Life. There were many photos from the movie on the table, and a book entitled Zuzu's Wonderful Life in Hollywood. The actress who played the little girl was selling the book and signing photographs.

We chatted about Jimmy Stewart.


The boys and Brenda were spending the day together and I was wandering.



I picked it up, turning it over... Someone had carefully stitched together snake skins over a straw hat.

"Now that's pretty weird!" I laughed, getting out my camera.

"Hey, put it on top of the cowboy boots! It'll look cool there."

The guy running the booth was grinning.

"Wanna Hear a cool story about the hat?"

I nodded.

"Well I saw that hat here at this show eight years ago. It was for sale for $350. It seemed too much so I passed, and then changed my mind. I went back for it but it had been sold.

"I was setting up here this morning, and in walks a guy carrying the same hat! I asked him where he got it, and he said here, eight years ago, did I want it?

"He sold it to me for what he paid for it."



The point is... I went out, had a great time.