Shari's Tea Cart

     Yesterday I drove Wubby’s boat of a truck to work. I think I’ve only driven it twice before. It felt like I was piloting a boat. I noticed that when I was stopped at a light and other cars rushed passed the thing actually rocked. I prefer my lil’ Oldsmobile. It’s less boatish. I had a very special reason for driving Wub’s truck though. I needed it to pick up Shari’s tea cart.

     Shari is one of the most special people on the planet. She was the worship pastor at my church when I first started attending back in 2005. That was how I first met her. We had our first conversation at a Young Adults meeting where her husband was presenting a plethora of wisdom about finances. He’s kind of a wiz at that sort of thing. Shari came along with her husband and we ended up chatting. That day, she casually invited me to interview with her for an open position in her department at the company she worked for. Taking the position would mean a $2 an hour cut in pay which was a big deal back then when you were trying to live on your own with car payments, insurance, a phone and rent do. But the company was one that I looked at and said, “If I could work anywhere, I’d want to work there”. At that point I was realizing how much I disliked any job that involved customer service. I like people but not all day every day. It was difficult and draining for me. She opened a door for me. I interviewed and got the job. Eight years later and I’m still there and so thankful for the position and for my boss. Last year they called us in her office to announce that she was retiring and leaving the company. I started crying right there. Totally lost it…I was the only girl in that meeting and the only one with tears streaming down my face. The other two girls in my department were told separately and they had the same response. We felt like we were losing a mentor and a friend not a boss. She is that type of person. Just super special.

     Since then her husband and her have built their retirement home about three hours away in their favorite vacation spot. They finally sold their Portland home and are in the process of packing up and moving…which leads me to Shari’s Tea Cart. It’s darling and last week she texted me and offered it to me saying she didn’t want to bring it with her. I kind of suspect she is being her generous self again though:

   Of course I wanted it! Look how adorable it is!! Wubby pushed it around in his usual style…

     Before we put it in between our couches…

     Not sure if that’s its final home but that’s where it is for now.

     She also gave me a bunch of magazines:

     Romantic Home, Victoria, Taste of Home, Paula Dean, Cottage Style, Southern Living, Home Companion…Pure Inspiration!! I’ve been thumbing through them all night. Whilst eating a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice-cream with my kitty’s…

     

They didn’t get any and after their disappointment subsided they settled down in their usual spots:

Funny Fury’s.