My Mr. and Me Day - Antiquing - YES!

Hi ya all! Hope you're all doing well! I just have to share the day my Mr. and I had last Saturday after saying our goodbyes to the last of the family members at the Tampa Airport that were here for my oldest grandson's graduation. I had an agenda on my mind as long as we where already out which for us isn't too often since my Mr.'s stroke two years ago last May 9th. Most of our outings now are to the doctors and occasionally to my daughter's home about an hour away.

Before his stroke even though my Mr. worked 15 to 16 hours a day 7 days a week, you would find us as often as I could put the work brake on antiquing, junking, looking for that little hole in the wall place, you know the ones that are always full of treasures. We also spent time at the beach at one of our favorite spots in Sarasota. It's Lido Beach and a hop skip, and jump away is the best place ever, St. Armand's Circle. St. Armand's is full of the most delightful shops, and amazing restaurants! I pray my heart out that, that oil doesn't reach our paradise here!

Many times my Mr. and I would get in the car around 7:00PM in the evening and do the drive to St.Armand's which is about 45 minuets to an hour away just to have dinner at one of our favorite dinner places there. We most always eat outside on the sidewalk cafe of the place because by the time we would get there, it was much cooler if you can call it that lol. They always have an older gentleman there that plays beautiful soft music on this gorgeous big black grand piano that sits outside where the diners are if you can believe it. The canopy over the out door cafe area was that dark green and white wide stripe fabric with the scallopy edging over the sides, and there are these beautiful hanging baskets filled with luscious flowers and greenery streaming down the side of the pots hanging all around us. This restaurant looks and reminds me of someplace you might find in France or Italy maybe. It's beautiful, relaxing and the food is to die for delicious! After our meal we would stroll down to the beach and curl up together on a lounge chair and watch the sunset. There were a few times we would both fall asleep for a little bit only to wake up with the moon shining over as our only light. It was so relaxing and it just seemed to wash away all the stress in our lives making us as limp as wet wig. I have no idea where that came from lol.

Anyway after the sun had set or we woke up, we would then stroll back to St. Armand's for ice cream at Ben & Jerry's and sit on a sidewalk bench a couple of doors down eating our ice cream and watching them make fudge, candies, caramel apples, or pulling taffy at this awesome candy shop. After the ice cream was finished, we'd stroll around the circle window shopping sometimes buying too, and work our way back to the car and head on home!

Well since the stroke we have done that once which was a year ago last summer, that was just for dinner though. We can't get the wheelchair on the beach and although he is able to walk a short distance with his cane and my help, he can't walk on uneven ground or through the sand. So this day I decided we are taking our life back even if it's just for a short moment! And we did! It was the best day for both of us! It seemed to both of us as we talked on the way home, it had been a lifetime since we had enjoyed ourselves this much together again. We didn't even realize until that day how much our lives have truly changed since that day in May two years ago, and how much our lives have been robbed of, thanks to the sorry hospital and doctors that we were supposed to have trusted for his care and life. We will never make that mistake again! We are so lucky and blessed he is still with us at all, although we are still fighting to get him back on his feet every minute of every day. We have battled one challenge after another month after month, with life still seemingly trying to tear our life apart because of that awful day.

But, my Mr. and I are one, and no matter how tragic, or overwhelming, sad and lonely, or stressful life has become for us, we are strong with each other and we still continue falling in love more everyday. We were very lucky, both of us, to find each other when we did several years ago. My Mr. is one of the strongest, most positive persons I have ever met in my life. When he was so near death at one point, he was still trying to make me laugh! If anybody can survive what he is living and get back to what he was, he can. And as my Mr. says, we are soul mates and I believe we both can survive it all no matter what anybody or thing tries to do to us.

A happier day right before life slapped us :(

Anyway.....my agenda for the day was for one visit to a place in Sarasota. It was a place that I found on the internet a while back. A website that I just loved. I loved everything that they carried and was always so inspired when I visited their online boutique. I had just last week found an article about them in my Victoria Bliss magazine and just about fell on the floor when I saw where they were located! Just 45 minutes away! Maybe you have heard of them or know of them. Their boutique is called "Posh on Palm" formally know as the "Cats Meow Inc." It's a Shabby Chic Heaven! But before we got there we made a stop to an old antique store we used to go to and hadn't been for two years or so. I need some vintage hankies for some orders I have and I was dying to see what they might have I couldn't live without.

So let me introduce you to this cute little shop called "Sharalyn's Faded Rose Antiques". It's on one of the main drags from 75 to St. Armand's. The building as you can see holds three separate shops, all painted the brightest colors outside, pretty beachy looking I think and all filled with antiques. We just went to Sharalyn's because I was dying to find the boutique I originally had come there for. I found the hankies that would be perfect for my orders, and also found a ring that I had seen the last time we were there still there so of course I knew it was met for me and bought it. I also found a darling set of vintage pillowcases that I couldn't resist and got those too. I wish I had a bunch of money to blow, because there was just tons and tons of things I would have liked to take home with me. Maybe one day but it wasn't today. Here are some photos that I took at the shop. One note, the lady that owns the shop had recently had a stroke also, so her husband was working the shop that day. We were there a good hour or so and had a pleasant time visiting with him and listening to his story about his love. A very nice gentleman he was and I hope and pray that she too will overcome this stroke so they too can have their life back and I know she so misses her little shop. It is really a very charming place. Here are some of the things I saw and then later we will get to " Posh on Palm "!  If you ever get down to Sarasota you must visit Sharalyn's. Good people and tons and tons of beautiful antiques and vintage everything!

Beachy Colors huh!?

I cracked up on reading this sign! It's right behind the register left of the front door!

All vintage hankies and some linen hand towels. There are more vintage linens around the store. That's my Mr.sitting in the chair deep in conversation with the shop owner. I cut off his head! He justs let me go and enjoy myself and patiently waits till I'm done having my fun! He is just the sweetest, but he did have fun too. It was so nice to be amoung the human race again!

Look at all these vintage pillowcases!? I'm in heaven! And..all the aprons on the far end!

A sample of some of the vintage lace and crocheted doilies

This is a tiny little girls vintage straw hat. Shoulda bought it!

Old music sheets and music books!

LOVE These! I shoulda bought these too!

Vintage rolling pins and more linens on that there shelf

A vintage lace bow. I shoulda bought this too!

Sweet angel pictures and see that vintage wedding gown behind it!?

A better shot of it

Beautiful!

Look at all those pill boxes...and jewelry tons of it!

Lovely vintage gloves

Love the cameo's too!

Beaded purses and rhinestones could be found in many places through out the store!

Neat old fans and look at the Christmas Pins

Tons of sterling silver!

More beaded handbags and isn't the children's blocks cute spelling out the owners name!

This is to die for, an antique vintage handmade little girls lace cape. Oh how I wanted that!

This was a beautiful pink baby crocheted vintage coat..and see the vintage baby brush and all the baby jewelry? There was even the bracelet newborns used to get in the hospital, those beaded ones.

LOVE THIS!

And both the lamp and hall coat rack!

This is just a small sample of what could be found. Oh my you should have seen the aprons, quilts, lace tablecloths, antique baby dresses, I could just go on and on! It was so much fun here, and I can't wait to go back! Wasn't this just too fun!? 

Hope you enjoyed the adventure! Thanks for spending time with me!

Next up .......POSH ON PALM.......Get a cup of tea, java, lemonade, or ice water and sit back and relax for this one. I have tons of pics here for that boutique...Shabby heaven here we come! YOU DON'T WANT to MISS ThIS, I promise!