The Vintage Dresser: Day Trip

Yesterday (Saturday) was a day Tania and I had been anticipating for several weeks. The day we drove up to Spokane to the Farm Girls antique show. It was held at the fairgrounds, in a huge building and was cram packed with treasures!

But, before we get into that, we have to backtrack a little. Spokane is about a 2 hour drive from Tania’s house. And another 45 minute drive from my house to hers. In order for me to meet her early enough to get to our destination close to when they opened, I had to get up before dawn! So, I arrived at her house at 7:30 and soon we were on our way.

We took Tania’s truck and were motoring along when suddenly the road seemed to get really bumpy. No sooner had Tania mentioned that, than bam---a blowout! We managed to get off the road and sure enough---the right front tire was shredded! Crap! Now what?! Being the tire changing gurus that we are, the first dilemma was figuring out where in the heck the spare tire even WAS. OK, it’s tucked up under the bed of the truck----how the heck do you get it out???? Time for a quick call to Tania’s hubby to report our tale of woe and see what sage advise he has for us. “There are instructions”, he says. Huh! Instructions, you say?! Novel idea. “But you’ll never be able to change that tire”, he says, “you aren’t strong enough”. Now, does that sound like a challenge to you, or what?!

He’s (grudgingly) going to come to where we are and change the tire (Hah! we'll see about that!)and then switch vehicles with us.

So we get the manual out and start reading. We found out how to get the danged tire out from under the truck and got that accomplished, dug the jack out from under the back seat, unbolted the lug wrench/jack handle from under the front seat and proceeded to remove lug nuts. Now, when they put lug nuts on wheels, they use some kind of machine that permenantly attaches them! Evidently they presume you are NEVER going to remove that wheel from the vehicle! We pushed and pulled and leaned and stood on the lug wrench trying to get those danged nuts loose. FINALLY, one by one we were able to loosen all but two. So we tried a different lug wrench we found hidden in a bag under the seat. Still no luck---back to the other wrench. Eventually they also gave up and came loose---free at last!

We got the jack under the truck where the manual said to put it, jacked it up as far as it would go and pried the wheel off the truck. Success! Now it’s time to put the spare on. The jack’s all the way up as far as it goes and the tire doesn’t want to go on. The ruined tire came off pretty easy because there was basically no tire, just the wheel! But to get the the spare on, the truck needs to be a little higher in the air. Well, that ain’t gonna happen, so we get a bar out that’s part of the jack handle, I guess, and dig a little trench under the tire so we can slide it onto the bolts. Success again! Now all that’s left is to put the nuts on and we’re done!

All this time, cars and trucks are whizzing by, not a single one stopping or even slowing down. Some didn’t even get over into the other lane! What a bunch of jerks!! As we were putting the tools and jack away, a car stops! "Thanks for stopping", we say, "but we just got done". Right after he pulls away, Tania’s hubby pulls up behind us! A good hour after this fiasco started!

He’s not happy with the condition of his wheel, not to mention the tire. So he gripes and groans for a while, but finally he grudgingly admits there wasn’t anything else we could have done to prevent the damage, tossed the casualties in the back of the truck, we trade keys and off we go. Him to limp home in a truck with one tire significantly smaller than the other three, and us to continue toward our holy grail, the antique show of all antique shows!

Photos follow, to prove that! There were so many people it was hard to get clear shots of booths and products, but I got a few decent ones. We had thought we might get done in time to hit a couple of thrift shops, but we didn’t finish till 4:30 or so, so we just headed for home, arriving about 7:00 P.M., tired but happy with our few purchases.

Lots of really cool painted chairs!

Piano (and lots of other things) decoupaged with sheet music.

We saw lots of vendors, and shoppers as well, dressed in some really interesting garb!

Neat jars and bottles all gussied up.

See those shoe heels used for hooks?!Adorable fairies and assemblages.This was too funny! She's wearing a tiara and earrings and has red lips! We overheard a couple of ladies conspiring to dress up one of their husband's trophies!