Friendly Estates

You know that person who you just love spending time with? A friend with whom conversations occasionally don't even need to be spoken because you're always on the same page; a person who shares so many of your same interests, that you can hang out all day and never get bored; the one who you call up after time has gone by and it feels like you talked just yesterday.

I am blessed to have several of those friends in my life!

Recently, I spent an evening, night and morning with one of 'em. My friend, Lisa Hunter, and I have been pals since we met randomly at Texas State University as college kids on the hunt for a roommate. We hit it off right away and have been good friends ever since. Many of our low-key week nights in school were spent cooking dinners then sharing a package of Swiss Cake rolls while watching Sex & the City. And of course she's been to countless Roger Creager concerts with me, one of our still-favorite things to do!

Sheryl Crow concert

Friday night we headed up to the Woodlands Pavilion to see Sheryl Crow, thanks to a free pair of tix from a mutual friend of ours. Unfortunately, I have to say that I wasn't already the biggest SC fan and I'm even less so after that show. It wasn't very full and she seemed pretty "lackluster" the whole time, mumping around stage and doing some wierd arm dance most of the night. But we weren't too bothered, since the weather was perfect with a cool breeze wafting over the crowd with our ice cold margaritas in hand.

Lisa & I post-concert

We ended the night with a Blockbuster run for some candy, popcorn and The Hangover. I could watch a movie every day - I love being cuddled under a blanket on the couch with a Diet Coke and a huge bowl of salted popcorn with a cat or two of mine curled at my feet. :)

The next morning (after a taquito run through Whataburger, of course) Lisa took me to my first estate sales. It was so much fun! Both she and her husband hit up the sales on the occasional weekend, finding killer bargains on dishes, furniture and home decor. You truly never know what you're going to find. It's interesting, and a bit sobering, to walk through someone's house with all the cupboards and closets opened and on display, everything priced to sell. I was so proud of myself for haggling down the prices on everything I purchased, go me!

Here's what I got:

A red, white and blue metal candle holder. Perfect for breaking out on the 4th!

My husband warns me not to put too much "antique-y" stuff in our house. 
But I do like to decorate at Christmas with a small dose of patriotic country pride!

Old-school cognac glasses from the State Line of Nevada. 
At 25 cents each, these can be used on more casual nights 
when I don't wanna break out the crystal!

Patriotic dip and chip dish. Notice a theme yet!?

I loved these old-school card boxes. Real wood, holds two decks each and 
features some pretty cool engraving work, if you ask me.

An old checkbook from Maryland.

A vintage American cookbook from the 1960s.

I love the cookbook's dedication. Thank goodness for all those faithful eaters!

A wooden flag tray, marked down to $1! At that price, 
I had to have it for summer parties or a festive centerpiece.

Now I just need a house to put it all in!

But house or not, I'm pretty glad for the friendships I had waiting on me when I returned from Scotland. Like the saying goes...

"Make new friends,

But keep the old.

One is silver, 

The other gold."