Ava Gardner Museum, Smithfield, North Carolina

This time my road trip was a success!  My friends & I had a great time.  The Ava Gardner Museum is in Smithfield, NC.  I normally have problems when I go to North Carolina.  The drivers are terrible and there is always one person that yells at me for bizarre reasons.  I even got a free milkshake at a 50's diner style McDonald's even though it came with obsessive staring. 

 

 

It was ridiculously hot down there.  Temperatures were in the 80s.  Gross. 

 

 

The museum is really nice.  It seems small at first, but there is a lot of stuff packed in.  We watched a 20 minute video before we looked around.  The woman working there gave us a little bit of info before the video, but seemed too busy to chat.  The video room has three paintings by a fan of Ava's, but there are more in the library.  There is also an original chalk/pastel piece from The Barefoot Contessa film.  The portraits are very well done.  The woman told us that the artist (Bert Pfeiffer) was a bit crazy, but we read he suffered from Porphyria.  That will make you crazy. 

 

 

They have a nice selection of movie posters, personal items & clothing from various movies.  The highlight for us was the Bert Pfeiffer paintings.  

 

 

The costumes are nice too, but you end up jealous of her 18" waist.  We stood in front of the black dress from The Great Sinner trying to figure out when our waists were even close to 18". 

 

 

We picked up a few things in the gift shop.  They have a nice selection there, too.  Sweatshirts are $20 & they come in different colors.  I liked the design on the sweatshirts better than the t-shirts, but they didn't have the color I wanted in my size, so I got the t-shirt.  They don't have women's cut, so I'm going to alter it.  I wanted to pick up a poster for my room, but couldn't decide.  They sell most posters framed for a few dollars more (in store, not online).  I might be going back in a few months when my cousin is in town, so I can get one then.  

 

The weird thing they sell is moonshine jelly.  We bought a jar, but were a little afraid of it.  We haven't tried it yet.

 

We dropped our purchases off at the car & decided to walk around Smithfield.  We were thirsty, but the diner and bistro were closed.  There was a coffee shop, but that seemed like it was closed as well.  We did see the movie theater that Ava and her mother used to go to and found a second-hand clothing store.  We didn't have any luck there, but we weren't looking very hard because we wanted something to drink. 

 

 

For some reason, Smithfield has 5 law offices and 3 bail bond offices.  The town is 3 blocks long (the downtown area).  We found 2 hat stores, too.  There are outlets and chain restaurants right next to I-95, but we were hoping for some antique stores & cafes. 

 

The cemetery where Ava and her family are buried is right outside of the town, so we went to visit. 

 

 

One of my friends is a huge fan of outlets, so we headed there next.  The layout of the outlets makes it hard to shop, at least for those of us that can't walk very far.  We went into a few, but left empty handed.  Outlets used to have great deals, but those days are long gone. 

 

After dinner, we headed back to Virginia.  We had a great time & I recommend the Ava Gardner Museum even if you're just a casual fan.  It's right off I-95 & you can always use a break from driving. 

eBay purchases

My "vintage" gingham shirt showed up the other day.  It's in great shape, but I don't really think it's "vintage."  I probably overpaid, but nothing to be done about that now.  It fits really well & it's comfortable.  My friend saw it when we went out to dinner & loved it. 

 

 

I did win the tie on eBay for $1.  The seller had it dated as 1880, which it was not, the company was founded in the 1880's.  I was feeling bad yesterday, so I decided to figure out the date of the tie as a distraction. 

 

  

The design & width reminded me of the 40's.  I've seen similar ties in old family photos.  I knew it wasn't that old because of the tag & it seemed like it was too long. 

 

 

After a tiny bit of digging, I found out that this is probably from the 60's & during that time, they reused several designs from the 30's - 50's.  I did find some online vintage shops selling ties labeled as 40's ties that were the same length & width, but the tag is definitely newer than that.  I couldn't find any info on the Gainsborough line by Superba.  It's still a cute tie & it will work for the outfit I want it for.  Now I just have to figure out how to tie it properly.  I can never get ties knotted correctly. 

My hats...

I collect vintage hats.  I have several more, but they've gone missing.  I'm worried that my ex threw them out.  One belonged to my great aunt & I have a photo of her wearing it.  I'm hoping I find them when I finish going through our store room boxes. 

 

I'm not sure of the dates on most of these.  Most of them are black.  I've been on the lookout for a nice green or blue hat.  The stand they're on was made by my father.  He was going to make me more, but never got around to it. 

 

I picked this one up in Northern VA.  There used to be a flea market/boot sale that was set up in a parking deck one Saturday a month.  This hat is Navy blue, but looks black in most light.  It's a small beret style with a ribbon bow.  Sometimes I put the bow in the front, but I mostly wear it in the back.  I don't wear this one often because it doesn't stay on well & I don't really have any Navy. 



$4

This is the cloche I picked up at Target last year.  The first time I saw it, I passed on it.  I went in a few weeks later & they still had it, so I tried it on and it was cute.  I didn't get to wear it for months because I got it at the beginning of Summer and it's way too hot here for most hats (90+ degrees every day).  

$10

This was an eBay purchase from earlier this year.  The seller said it was from the 50's, but that doesn't seem right to me.  I've only worn it a few times because it seems a little dressier & I rarely get the chance to dress up. 


$10

Another recent eBay purchase.  No date was given on this one, but I think this is definitely a 50's hat.  It came from Lazarus department stores in Ohio.  The netting on this was in bad shape, so I took it off.  I'm not a fan of netting anyway.  This is my current favorite.  

$8

This was a gift.  I've never worn it.  I'm pretty sure it came from Hot Topic since the construction is pretty bad & the rest of the crap I got from this person was from there (it really was crap).  I've been looking for something to add to it to make it wearable.


Gift

I've had this hat since high school.  The netting was destroyed by one of my pups and I haven't taken it off yet because I rarely wear this hat.  It just doesn't look right on me, but I've had it for so long, I can't get rid of it.  It used to have a tag, but it fell off long ago.  The union tag is still attached though. 


$2

Once I find the rest of my hats, I will post them.  Two of the ones I used to wear constantly are missing and I'm determined to find them.

The Hopwood Motel

I've been meaning to post a review about the Hopwood Motel in Uniontown, PA.  This is where I stayed when I tried to go home last month. 

 

 

I was going to stay at the Lincoln Motor Court in Manns Choice, PA, but it ended up being too far out of the way.  The Hopwood was much closer to the places I planned on visiting & they had wifi.  They also have smoking rooms, which is becoming a rarity anymore. 

 

When I made the reservation, I originally wanted to stay there for 2 nights.  The woman I spoke with was very nice & asked what time I would arrive.  The office closes at 9, so she told me she'd leave the key under the mat & I could register the next morning.  The friend that rode with me thought this was hilarious and swore I'd be sleeping in my car that night.  I tried to explain the small town quality of the Pittsburgh area, but he didn't get it (the city we live in is not a nice place and this is unheard of here).  The key was there & my name was spelled correctly on the envelope.  I dropped the friend off & came back. 

 

I had a smoking room, which doesn't bother me since I have the occasional cigarette.  It was pretty smokey though.  The small window in the bathroom had been left open, but it didn't air it out very much.  Since I was going to a family event the next day, I worried about smelling like smoke.  I opened the front window a bit and the door & it aired out quickly.



Table & TV.  The vanity/dresser is between the TV & door.

The motel is located just outside of downtown Uniontown and the area was blissfully quiet.  The wifi worked better than I expected so I was able to check my email.  The rooms have a small TV, table & chairs, dresser with vanity mirror, queen sized bed, microwave & a mini fridge.  The mattress was decent, but not great though my back was fine on it.  Everything was clean, but definitely older.  I think the fact that it's a bit older & I had a smoking room made it feel a tad dingy, but I didn't mind.  I was surprised that the room was much bigger than I imagined.  

 

The bed.  Microwave & mini fridge are next to it by the bathroom.

The only noise I had to deal with was the housekeeping crew going into the shed, which was right behind my room.  I left the bathroom window open overnight & it sounded like someone was trying to get in at first.  My phone was going off at the same time and I think waking up like that was a tad confusing for me.  The staff wasn't really loud by any means.



The tiny bathroom window.

I hadn't been to Uniontown in many years & forgot about their little downtown area.  It hasn't changed much.  I was hoping to do a quick walking tour of it on Saturday, then check out the flea market on the way to my family event, but a few hours after I fell asleep, I got the call from the Mr. saying he was in the hospital.  I showered and spent an hour trying to get a hold of the friend that rode up with me while packing.  I rarely unpack at a hotel, but I spread out most of my train case contents on the vanity/dresser.
  

Another bathroom shot.  The shower stall (on the right) is not tile.

While waiting for the friend to meet me, I checked out.  I was worried that I'd have to pay an extra fee for cancelling, but the woman was very nice and I was only charged for the one night I was there ($68 including tax). 


Accredited sanitation!  This was on the bathroom door.

The next time I go home, I will definitely try to stay there again.  The Mr. is a hotel snob, so I don't know if he'd stay there or not.  I loved how quiet it was and that my room was a nice size.  It was also a really good price.  Chain hotels around Pittsburgh are usually $100+ a night & if you're on a tight budget, it's worth the extra drive to save the money. 

***If you're wondering why the photos seem a little dark, it's because I took them at night.  I didn't get the chance to retake them in the morning.

New outfit to try...

I spend most of the day watching TCM.  I love old comedies and noir films.  I can't stand most modern comedies, they're just not funny.  The last few I've seen have been mostly potty humor & how many times we can drop the f-bomb.  I'm a notorious potty mouth, so I'm not offended, but it always seems so forced & out of place in some of these movies. 

 

Today is Marie Dressler day.  Her 1931 film, Politics was on this afternoon, though I missed a chunk thanks to the Emergency Broadcast message.  Instead of the EBS tone, I got a bad pop song, then the tone, then another bad pop song.  

 

I don't really have the body to pull off 20's & early 30's clothes, but I saw one outfit I could probably get away with. 



The one on the far left

I do have a cloche hat that I picked up a Target last year for $9 or $10. 

  

With this skirt (it's loose on me & I should alter it).



This is supposed to be the olive green.  I have it in black.

I just found a cute tie on eBay & put a bid on it (it's at $1).  I thought I had a jacket, but I don't, so I'll call my fellow vintage loving friend and we can search for one next weekend.   

 

I've seen this outfit before and loved it.  I have an hourglass shape & ruled it out, but seeing it again, I'm going to give it a shot. 

Medical Update

First off, I have followers now!  Hello!  :D

 

Taking care of my Mr for 3-4 weeks really took it's toll on my broken body.  If you've ever had an extended stay at a hospital, you know that they're understaffed & the nurses work their asses off.  I stayed at the hospital the entire time he was there to help out.  I did leave a few times to run errands, but I wasn't gone long. 

 

The nurses were impressed with my abilities & kept trying to convince me to go to nursing school.  They were nice enough to bring me ice packs & tried to find a bed for me to sleep on instead of the chair.  One nurse panicked when she saw my bendy body slumped in the chair.  I woke up to her trying to prop my head up with some pillows.  They were also nice enough to get my shoulder back into place when it dislocated. 

 

I had a doctors appointment the day after he was released and they said I was in terrible shape.  I have higher doses of medication for a few months until things settle down.  So far the list of damage is:

 

Torn Achilles tendon

Torn plantar fascia (tendon on the bottom of the foot)

Almost herniated another disc (saved by 24 hour Walgreens having a back brace)

Severe ankle swelling that still hasn't gone down

Dislocated shoulder (it was put back in, but it still sore and keeps slipping out)

Subluxed both hips

Four dislocated ribs

Both knees are shot (esp. the one that was just fixed)

Neck is now is worse shape

 

I've had to do so much more than I should.  The Mr is on a super healthy diet, so I have to cook until he's recovered enough to do it himself.  Since I'm cooking more, there are more dishes to clean.  I have a stool I can sit on in the kitchen, but it's a bit short & it's hard to move around.  I've tried to find one with wheels, but haven't had much luck. 

 

The thing that is giving me the most trouble is food shopping.  I usually just have to pick up a few things at the store.  Now I have to get everything (on my limited income), get it in the car, into the house & put away.  Once I get that taken care of, I pass out on the couch. 

 

I'm exhausted.  I feel terrible & I haven't done the dishes in a few days.  The Mr has gotten so used to being waited on & keeps asking me to get him things that he's capable of getting himself.  He's not ready to clean or help out, but he can get his own drinks.  He needs to move around anyway. 

 

He's going back to work this week, so I'm hoping I'll recover faster since I won't have to cook 3 meals for him.  I really need rest.  It's good for me to move about, but this has been too much.  I feel like I could sleep for a month.

 

I do have something fun planned for next week.  Two of my friends are taking me on a road trip.  I know it's going to wear me out, but I need to do something fun.  We planned to go months ago, but postponed it.  Now that it's cool outside, I think it will be a more enjoyable trip.  We'll be going to the Ava Gardner Museum & I will post a full report when we get back.  I haven't been to the "new" location, so I'm excited.

"Vintage" for the gimpy

When you're limited by a handicap, it effects everything, including what you wear.  You really have to think about what you're going to be doing that day & what you might need. 

 

Do I need a wheelchair or can I just use the cane?

(wheelchairs & underskirts or gloves are a no-no)

 

What kind of floors do they have?

 

How long will this take?

 

How bad am I feeling?

 

Can I get everything done on my list?

 

I have to wear several braces (wrists, knees, ankles & back).  Because the braces use hook & loop straps, they snag things like tights/stockings, crinolines & light materials.  They also stick to each other & I'm always getting my wrist braces stuck to my knee braces, providing endless amusement to my friends.

  

I do the sweater girl thing. Usually with a pencil/tulip skirt, capris or jeans.  It's fast, easy & comfortable.   Vintage sweaters are hard to find, so I try to find modern ones that are similar, then I add appliques or modify them a bit.  Target usually has pretty good, plain sweaters.  Bettie Page Clothing has just released some cute sweaters, but sadly, they're out of my price range right now.  I rarely have any luck at the local thrift stores.  They tend to be more expensive than Target, NY & Co, JC Penny or Walmart.

 

When I shop for vintage items, I have to make sure I'm not getting something with tiny buttons or zippers that I can't work.  If it has one of those things, can I do anything to change it without destroying it?  How easy is it to get on & off?  I do have a zipper pull & button tool, but it doesn't always work with vintage items.  I wear a lot of reproduction items or new items that I've altered.  I can't really say I'm a hardcore vintage girl, though I used to be & still try to be. 

 

A few years ago, one of my friends worked for a large thrift store & would give me a heads up when the good stuff showed up.  She wasn't allowed to hold anything, but I could sneak over on my lunch break.  Unfortunately, due to my injuries & inactivity, I've outgrown almost everything I bought then. 

 

A huge problem I have is I have very long legs and a very short torso (my waist is really high up).  It's common with Ehlers Danlos & Hypermobility.  I can't really buy dresses because they don't fit well.  If I do, I have to alter them, but larger vintage sizes are hard enough to find.  It's a lot of work when you already have limited energy.  I did manage to alter one of my dresses last night.  It has been in the "alterations" pile for months.  One of my "things to do" while unemployed was to get through that pile.  I've altered a whopping three items since March.  Sad.  Just sad.  Why not take them to be altered?  I've had terrible luck with that & it costs money.  The last time I had something altered, the woman couldn't wrap her head around my height and made my skirt 4" too short. 

 

This is what I tend to wear on a fairly regular basis:

 

 

The braces should be in pairs (except for the back brace, obviously).  I don't have the striped top, but I do have that skirt.  It has a cute pleat on the back that makes it a little more interesting than a plain one.  The wedges aren't really retro, but they are comfortable & I have them in that plaid & black.  I have to wear a slight heel when my Achilles tendon is acting up.  I also have a few pairs of Iron Fist flats since I have a psychobilly tendency at times (when I'm feeling more punky). 

 

Vintage shoes are hard for me to wear.  I'm supposed to wear corrective shoes, but rarely do.  I have to add heel cups & arch supports & they don't always fit well.  The bones in my feet dislocate on a regular basis, so I have to be careful about the shoes I buy.  Swing shoes are great if you get the resoled.  They are pricey though (especially with resoling).  High heels are a huge no-no.  My ankles dislocated in any heel over 3". 

 

Money is always an issue.  I spend most of it on doctors, so I rarely have anything leftover for clothes.  My wardrobe has gotten rather sad in the last few years.  If I can lose weight, I'll be able to fit into most of my vintage clothes again. 

 

Hair usually ends up in some sort of pony tail or bandanna.  I can't spend much time on hair because my arms dislocate.  This is where hats come in, though sometimes I'll skip the hat if I don't want to attract too much attention. 

 

Since this has gotten way too long, here's one more "typical outfit" picture:

 

 

Stressed Polska...

Well, my trip home didn't pan out.  I got a call a few hours after I got to my hotel, "You're husband is in the hospital & it doesn't look good."  He's fine now, but I'm exhausted & in bad physical shape.  It's hard taking care of someone when you're sick.  

 

I had be so good about watching my spending, but being under so much stress caused me to go on a small spending spree:

 

2 (one blue, one yellow) $15 each Etsy seller Suzy from the CRAVE yard



Secrets in Lace Vibrant Bullet Bra $20.40



Cherry hair clip from My Baby Jo $6 (I also got pads for the bra)



Mode Merr peasant top in black gingham $33 before coupon

 

Blue Topaz (Dec. birthstone) ring for $4 on eBay



Figgjo Mirror from IKEA $20

 I also have one auction going on eBay, so it might be another $25 & I ordered $40 worth of medical supplies.  I've also had to spend more on food & cooking supplies since the Mr is on a special diet because he almost died (not exaggerating at ALL).

 

While lamenting my irresponsibility at the doctor's office the other day, one of the nurses had a good point.  I spent 3 weeks at wits end, dressed in pajamas to try to stay comfortable while cleaning up someone else's blood & phlegm.  (Ew, I know, sorry!)  I need to feel cute again. Plus there's the ever present issue of my horrible self-esteem.  I'm still getting unemployment and have gone with out a lot of things for a long time.  I didn't really spend THAT much. 

 

Should I have spent that much money with a huge hospital bill coming up?  Probably not. 

 

Was it a help to my terrible self-esteem?  Yes.  I've gotten a ton of compliments on the top & my hair.  The bra is sooo comfortable that as soon as I have more funds, I will order another one.