August at Experienced Goods
By Jennie Reichman ~ Almost all of my vacations over the past 10 years or so have been stay-cations. I love my home, my garden, the stretch of days filled with everything and nothing. The pleasure comes from knowing I don’t have to keep to a schedule or be anywhere in particular, that I can work on projects or not, that I can spend time with friends that isn’t squeezed into the end of the workday when I am tired and inarticulate. That said, I just got back from a week in Nebraska visiting my friend Rebecca whom I haven’t seen in 25 years. We were very close when we both lived in Boulder, Colorado, had fallen out of touch for a time and have reconnected over the past 3 years via phone and text. She and her husband now own a 7-acre alfalfa farm in the Nebraska panhandle, and she is living with MS, which she has managed incredibly well for 20 years.
What can I say about the deeply joyful reunion of two dear friends? The laughter and easy conversation seemed to just pick up where it left off, we worked together in their garden, cooked food, sat in their living room drinking coffee and talking in the morning and again sipping wine on the porch in the evening. I played with their two lovely German shepherd dogs and 18 year-old cat, she took me on a tour of the organic seed farm she is on the board of and does administrative work for, we visited the Scott’s Bluff National Monument, Carhenge (Stonehenge with old cars instead of standing stones) and a beautiful museum that details the history and geography of the area. I was awed by the vast expanse of sky and land that is the Nebraska prairie, roads scrolling into the distance for endless straight miles, buttes and promontories that bring to mind John Wayne movies. We endured crazy heat (116 degrees!) and no measurable rain. I got to know her husband better and now count him among my good friends, and am so pleased that he and Rebecca are such a comfortable, loving team.
But what would a visit to a new place be without a tour of the local thrift stores? Thrifting is one of the many things Rebecca and I have in common, so naturally I was eager to experience second-hand stores in the wild west. The verdict? They are both the same and different than our New England shops. I have a bit of a thing for Wrangler jeans and western shirts, and I found them in abundance. Cowboys and ranchers are a real thing in Nebraska, and Wrangler is the working person’s brand. Sadly I didn’t find any that fit me, but it was fun to see so much iconic western wear being sold. There were lots of western-style boots, jean jackets, overalls and sturdy canvas work clothing. Housewares were the same as housewares everywhere: kitchen goods, electronics, toys, furniture, tchotchkes and books. Prices were on par with Experienced Goods, with the exception of one amazing store where everything was a dollar or less, but it required a good deal of patience to wade through the lack of organization. We had fun, I bought a couple of small things I could cram into my suitcase, and I can now count western Nebraska as one of my thrifting adventures.
As I write this, I haven’t been back to work for 10 days, so I have no idea what has happened at Experienced Goods in my absence. There is a long tradition at the shop of messing, in a good-natured way, with the vacationing person’s work station; I wonder what will be rearranged or screwy about my space! It's a little early to start putting out fall clothing, but who knows? Will I see sweaters on the racks? Fall colors infiltrating the brights and pastels? I am so lucky to have a job I look forward to returning to and that I enjoy seeing my co-workers again. Vacations are fantastic and necessary for rejuvenation and perspective; visiting Rebecca was profound and uplifting, and I feel relaxed and revitalized. My garden is producing lots of tomatoes and there is still a good deal of summer left. What could be better?