Last weekend the paper had a list of antique shops and there was a new one in town. For me, that's a good thing.

Years ago this same house had been the "China House" and it had hundreds of pieces of dinnerware and China. We went every so often and it was fun looking at all the different dishes. I can't say we ever bought anything, but it was always fun to look. The lady retired and as far as we know, it has been vacant. However, apparently there's a new owner and he has opened. Well, sort of.

His hours are every day and go from about 9 until 4 or 4:30. We get there after 12:30. We notice there are bars on every window and there's bars over the backdoor. Yet, the ones on the back door do have a hinge, but it is closed.

It was a comedy of errors...we get there and it is locked up. The back door has bars over it and I look in and it looks like a store room. We figured maybe you had to walk in the front door and walk around to the street side...there are no steps to the porch to the front door. Hey, I'm all for adventure, but I'm not hopping on the front porch as a pole vaulter!

So, I whip out the cell phone, OK, maybe not whip it out because I, of course, didn't have it on, like usual. So I got it out, waited for it to come on and called the number. Whipping it out certainly has more of a ring to it, doesn't it? I guess I could stretch the truth since it is MY story.

The owner wasn't there. He was off eating lunch but would be back in 20 minutes. We go do something and come back. He's at the door waiting (back door). He had the bar thingy open this time. Good thing because I'm still not pole vaulting. We could barely get in because he doesn't have it organized. There are boxes everywhere. There is a small path, but even it is an obstacle course! What a hoot! He said his helper was in jail. I didn't even ask! I wanted to, but refrained. I can only imagine THAT story.

We talked for a bit and left. I wonder if he will be ready in a month. I will say one thing...I did save money because I couldn't find anything to buy!