{Oh, What a Find!} - Brasilia Edition/Addition

Halloween night was wonderful. We were finished trick-or-treating fairly early, but the kids had full pumpkins and a lot of fun. We even stopped at a house that had decorated their whole yard and they got glowing bracelets. It was fun to see them running from house to house as fast as they could and taking turns ringing doorbells. This is what childhood should be like.

I had told Julianna that we were going to stay out until we had some Peanut M&M's, because those are my favorite, but she got some at her grandmother's house for me.

The rest of our Halloween evening was spent with a living room full of teenagers. I love it when they come over to hang out. They watched the Blair Witch Project and ate.

At the end of the night it was time for our Halloween tradition called Pumpkin Smash. We always smash our own pumpkins in the street. It was hilarious this year. When Jenny heaved her pumpkin over her head, the lid came off and hit her skull. I giggled at that, but was waiting for the grand finale. We had Trevor (whom I had not previously met) light a random firework I had found and put it inside Charity's pumpkin. It was fairly anti-climactic, mostly just a fizzle and some smoke. Since it didn't explode, he retrieved it from the road and went to smash it to smithereens. It was still smoking from the firework and when he went to throw it, he released too early and it went zinging towards Emily's head. She had to duck really fast and then it almost hit the window. It was the best ever!! I laughed all night thinking about the smoking gourd's flight and the lid plopping onto Jenny's head.

The other Halloween night excitement was finding a craigslist posting for dining room furniture. I had been looking for a new table for years, since my wild birthday party where we broke the table and fixed it up with some 2x4's. There were times when I felt like just settling for anything else, but I knew exactly which set I dreamt of. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would own it. And there it was. The Brasilia hutch, table, six chairs, and three leaves. $500. In Tremont.

I could not believe it. I interrupted the kids' movie to announce the posting. I started compiling a list of things to sell to get money. I tossed and turned all night. I couldn't wait to call about it, but I was also sick to my stomach about calling.
Finally at 10:30 a.m., I felt like I could manage to call and not sound insane. Voicemail. By my lunch break though, I had a return voicemail. I called back and we set up an appointment for Thursday night to see the furniture.

I went on a craigslist posting frenzy. At my knitting group, I sold YARN! I considered selling plasma.

On Thursday night, we drove to their house. I saw it, bargained, begged C, and set a date for delivery. The next Friday, this past Friday, my furniture came home for $400. They even delivered for us.

The furniture had belonged to an Aunt that had passed away. She lived in a big house that sat on ten acres of land in the middle of Grand Rapids, MI. They believe she got it soon after her wedding. She was well-off and gathered the family for Thanksgiving dinners at this table. They had some of her other furniture available too. All of it was of a vintage, ornate style. She had a grand staircase in this house.
I feel my four walls are not worthy of this set, but I know the next place I live will probably be chosen based on how the Brasilia will look in it.

I was so anxious the whole time it was in transport. Not because my oldest child was riding home with craigslist strangers, but what if something happened to the furniture on the road? (I knew E could handle herself) Emily and I moved in the heavy pieces, we let Matthew handle the chairs. I polished the rest of the night.

The table top will rarely see the light of day. I have the table pad on it, with tablecloths. I figure for fancy dinners we will take the tablecloth off and use runners and placemats. The Canonsburg Temporama set looks amazing in the open portion. I had to rearrange it aobut 6 times to get it exactly how I wanted it.

I am in love. It makes my soul happy to see the straight edges, rich wood, and curved details. Even my Loverface had to admit she was happy the next morning to see it in the rising sun. I am a lucky, lucky girl.