Our 3rd year of business continues to overwhelm me. As you can see by the picture, we have bought a large, beautiful older home in West Virginia. We are originally from this area. We were told the house was built just after the civil war ended and was a stagecoach stop and a hotel. The house has beautiful wood trim and floors in it. It is going to cost a lot of money to update the electrical, plumbing, strip wallpaper and repaper and/or paint. But we have until we die to finish it and if it doesn't get finished I guess we won't be around to worry about it!
     My husband was laid off from his job in St Louis, MO after 14 years and decided, as he will be 55 in March, he wanted to move back home to West Virginia. He found a job the first week of September 2008 and moved in with his brother, temporarily. I stayed in Illinois, put our beautiful mini ranch up for sale, and worked like crazy on quilts trying to get as many done as possible before the move.
     The funny thing about living on the mini ranch for 14 years is all the STUFF we accumulated that we didn't want to part with. We sorted, threw away a few things and put what we didn't want to move into the garage. We had 2 trailers available to haul these things to an auction. I couldn't believe, when we started loading there was just enough for a very light load on one trailer. And there was just a little larger load of yard sale items. We worked about a week sorting out what we could part with of our antiques in the yard, shed and barn. It was such a waste of time because we had just enough to make $53.00. Alfred sadly said "that is that much we don't have to move 600 miles."
     So the move began on Thanksgiving weekend 2008. A 17 foot u-haul truck, 2 pick-up trucks, 1 - 18 foot trailer, and 1 - 20 foot trailer were loaded to the maximum. Two weeks later Alfred returned with a pick-up truck and both trailers. He loaded the pick-up truck and 1 - 20 foot trailer out of his garage. It was unbelievable only 1 box of pots and pans, one small chair, and 1 box of bed linens was all that was moved out of the house and the quilt shop!!!!!!!!!
     Everything moved so far had been put in storage, which means it will have to be moved again. Such fun!
     We found a house to buy the next weekend (my 3rd trip to WV in 3 months). Everything was worked out for a closing of January 9, 2009. Alfred, being quite a spoiled husband, as most are, was ready for his furniture and personal items and his chief-cook/clothes-washer by his side. He and his brother (who was ready to get rid of him after 5 months) came to Illinois that week and we packed boxes, then packed a 26 foot U-Haul, 1 pick-up and 2 - 20 foot trailers out of the house and quilt shop. This still left one small load to go back and get when we sell the house and sign the papers.
     The saga is finally over except we are still unpacking and looking for things, but Al got the quilting machine up and ready to run (if I can find all the parts to the computer). SOOOOOOOO, as of March 1, 2009 I am ready for your orders.
     Thanks for listening, feel free to send me an e-mail and let me know where you are and your excitement of getting there. Also let me know what quilts you are working on and if you belong to a guild!

Owner,
Darlene Cooper