They provide you with things you need, but never knew you wanted.
They are a great opportunity to look inside other people's houses and, sometimes, a bittersweet look into a person's life. Among my best finds from past years are a copper cupola for our pool house, and an 18th century dovetailed tiger maple Queen Anne chest of drawers. The latter I found sitting in someone's driveway one Saturday morning. They had been clearing out their summer house near Lake George and that had been among the items that needed to go. To them, it was just an extra dresser. To me it was so beautiful I never thought it could be real, but it was only $15.00 so I bought it anyway and sure enough....My father used to brag about this to his friends in the antique world as a sign of my tag-saleing prowess.
Sometimes you walk into a house and think: "What in the world has happened here?" It's as if the family just woke up one morning, got dressed, walked out the door and never looked back. Leaving everything behind. Sometimes, though, you know exactly what happened -- an elderly person stubbornly stayed in the home they loved, and had now died. Those can be the saddest, most interesting sales of all. Not for the "stuff" you might find, but for the glimpse into the person who had once lived there.
That was the case one recent weekend. It was a small antique house I had often driven by and wondered about. The windows always held a collection of sparkling, multi-colored bits of glass. As soon as I walked inside I knew. It was a house someone had once loved, but had long stopped being able to care for. Paint was peeling off the ceilings and walls. There was a walker in the corner of the bedroom, and that smell.
But there were also clues about the life that had been before. First clue: A woman’s business card advertising furniture “stripping by hand.” And lots of books about antique American homes. Second clue: A note from a daughter enclosing pictures of her grandson. So her daughter must not have lived near or visited often. And why did she write, rather than call? Were they not close? And then the third clue: A card announcing the opening of her psychology office in Baltimore, Maryland. So, she started life as a psychologist, had at least one child and, at some point, moved to Stamford where she established another business, based on her love of antiques, refinishing furniture.
There was so much more I wanted to know. Where had she gone to school? Did she have a husband? Did he bring her to Connecticut? Did she work because she wanted to, or had to? What did she look like?
But I felt I had overstayed my welcome into her life and so I left, noticing as I went out through the kitchen door that she also had a fondness for loose tea.
Kind (Self) Regards,
Vicki
Vicki Wray lives in North Stamford, and until recently spent most of her waking hours in New York City as a corporate communications executive. Working for companies like Pfizer, Revlon and AOL Time Warner has allowed her to meet wonderful colleagues and a slew of interesting personalities including the president of the United States, supermodels and star athletes, famous artists and a Justice of the Supreme Court. She is a natural observer, type A personality, and a life-long "spa junkie". Vicki firmly believes in the health benefits of being kind to oneself; taking a moment to breath, relax and finding simple joy in our every day existence.
Her column, Kind (self) Regards, will be a regular feature of the Aetheria Spa blog. If you enjoy her point of view, or would like to share your ideas, please contact her at vicki@aetheriaspa.com.
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