Kitschy-Kitschy-Coo - My Sparkling Sister - Part 2

My Sparkling Sister - Part 2

You may read Part One here.

My kid sister Vicki may be gone - but she is never forgotten. Many a time as I hit the "rummage trail", I can almost feel her beside me. Or at least her elbows! She was so good at getting ahead of me, especially if there was the "mother-lode", JEWELRY, there. For jewelry was her "thing."

There was one sale that had a lot of it and she rushed to the table, picking up this and that. I knew it was futile so I went to the far side of the garage.

While there, I bumped my foot into a bag of something and it made a "tinkling" sound. I asked the lady at the check-out table what was in the bag. She told me her sister had opened a Bed & Breakfast near Madison and had taken down all the old lighting and replaced it with new. So I picked up the bag, peaked inside and got excited!

For inside this crinkled, brown, paper bag were prisms; loads and loads of them, in varying shapes and sizes.

Many quite large and distinctive, and appearing to be hand-cut. I asked her what she wanted for them, and she showed me the fixture that went with along with all those prisms. It was brass and in need of some TLC but whole. She asked me if $5.00 seemed right. I am a bit embarassed to say it but I countered with "$4.00 is better" and we struck a deal.

Boy, old rummagers die hard.

She then pulled out another bag with more prisms and strands of glass beads. These go with it she said! I paid and promptly put them into the car. My sister caught up with me and proudly displayed her two rhinestone pins. I complimented her on her find and then asked her if she wanted to see what I had found. She said "yes" and then I showed her. Her mouth fell open, her eyes got wide and a small "ohhhh" escaped. What-did-you-have-to-pay? She asked, just like that, in one word. When I told her she slumped a bit and then like a true sister and friend, gave me a hug.

The chandelier was taken home and my talented husband rewired and restrung it. It hangs proudly in our dining room. Everytime we would have people over, Vicki would tell them the story. It was probably the only time I had some "one-ups-womanship" on her. But it was great!

Another time we were at a flea market in Indiana. She was a row ahead of me - How Did She Do That? She came running back and asked if she could borrow $30. I agreed, gave her the money and then walked with her to the table where the prize was being held. It was a very large, oversized, silver bracelet. Extremely dramatic and with all the signs of the zodiac on it! It was my turn to stand there dumbfounded! This incredible find could have been mine, if only... We teased about it for years, long after she had repaid me. After she passed, it was this bracelet that was marked to be given to me and I wear and embrace it to this day.

I would gladly give it back to her, offer her the beautiful chandelier, any piece of jewelry I own, for one more chance to rummage with her. But that is not to be - but no one can take away those fond memories!

Article by NoEgrets


 Subscribe!
Email address: 


Unsubscribe from the newsletter