A post in which I have a date*

I had planned to go to Hendersonville today with Larry.  I was really looking forward to it, and it turned out to be a beautiful mild sunny day.

He was coming about Noon, so I had time to get up and do stuff.  I made breakfast and changed the sheets.  I had put my beans in to soak for white bean ficken chili and got the crock pot loaded and my beans cooking.  I had time to clean up and watch the end of The Muppets.  I had started watching it yesterday.  It did hearken back to the old days, but it wasn't quite as good to me as the old ones.  Still, there were plenty of celebrity cameos, musical numbers, and breaking the third wall.  I enjoyed it.  My favorite part was the chickens doing Cee Lo Green's "Bock You".  Now that's comedy.

 Larry ran a little late, which was fine because I was too.  I had decided to run on to the flea market to pick up some produce.  I wanted to have everything in the house to finish the chili in the morning.  He arrived at just about the perfect time, and we set off for Hendersonville.  It was a gorgeous day, and that is always a beautiful drive up, even at this time of year, when all the trees are dead sticks.  In the Fall, it's breathtaking.

We got there, and I was excited, cataloguing old haunts and seeing what was no longer there (sadly, the phenomenal Sinbad restaurant was no more).  It was about lunch time, so we started out at Mike's on Main.  I love that place.  It's an old soda fountain that has been re-done for tourists, but they really do have stuff you can't get at the new places:  phosphate sodas, egg creams, malted shakes, you name it.  The sandwiches are pretty expensive ($5 for a freakin sandwich?), but it was a good sandwich, and they had peppermint ice cream with the red and green streaks in it!  That is my absolute favorite ice cream, and it is damn near impossible to find.  So I finished off the meal with a small cone of peppermint ice cream and a chocolate egg cream - YUM.  So the trip, for me, was already a success. 

We strolled around ducking in and out of various shops.  I had a tutorial on gemstone soap from a woman, and we went in Mass General to get some lip balm for Larry.  We went in a modern/mountain furniture store and started picking out furniture for our virtual house.  It was beautiful weather, the people were nice, and it was just a lovely day.  When we went to one of my favorite big antique stores, I noted a vase standing on a pedestal in the middle of a booth.  It caught my attention because I thought it was such a stupid place to display it.  It will be about ten minutes before someone knocks that off, I thought absently before noticing the pattern.  Then I thought that can't be what I think it is.  We went on through the store and on down the street.  I hadn't really planned on buying anything today because the prices in Hendersonville are usually pretty high - that was fine with my budget the way it is.  I did find a flat soup for my Bubble Glass for cheap, and so had picked that up. 

When we got to the car, I checked my book - I had brought it just in case, I mean you never know - and that vase WAS what I thought it might be.  A very unusual find in a beautiful pattern, and at a SUPER price.  I was SO excited.  But it was quarter to 5pm (they roll up the sidewalks in Hendersonville at 5), and we were at least two blocks away.  My feet were protesting.  They had been doing well today, but they were about done.  Nonetheless, I immediately started hobbling as quickly as I could up the street, back into the store, and down to the basement, where I grabbed that vase!! 

Peacock and Wild Rose or 'Nora Bird' 10" vase in green by Paden City Glass, circa 1929-1935

This pattern is one of the most beautiful depression glass patterns, and in the eighteen or so years I have been collecting, I've seen about three pieces.  Two of them I bought, and the third was so expensive, I really couldn't think about it.  This is not a cheap pattern. 

My treasure thus obtained, I was coasting on afterglow.  We stopped and got a coffee to just take a break for a bit before heading back to Greenville.  On the way back, I had to have The Talk with Larry, which I had been dreading, but he took it very well, which just made the day that much better.  On the way back to town we decided to head on for supper.  I took him to Tuk Tuk Thai, and we had a capital meal.  I just love that place.

After supper we headed back to my house just to spend some one-on-one time canoodling.  It was a very nice day and I had a really great time.  I like Larry, but eventually I sent him home.  I was whooped!