June 24, 2010 Flea Market Find In Tegucigalpa

Today I did something I rarely do, I took the day  off to do nothing.  That is correct, I got out of bed, studied, bought a bagel and cream cheese instead of fixing breakfast and I did errands for me.  I looked for special paper to make cards... then I went to a couple of used clothing stores to buy old blue jeans and fun fabrics for CHEAP prices and then I went looking for old wooden chairs, tables and other wood furniture.  


What I didn't expect was to find a chandelier.  That was the last thing on my list of things to look for, but I saw it hanging half out of a black plastic trash bag on top of an old suitcase, behind an old dryer.  It was obvious that the man in "charge" of the sales had not a clue what he had stuffed away.


It was one of those TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE things, where you know it was MEANT TO BE. I calmly, as nonchalantly as possible asked how much it was.  He told me it was 50 Lempira.  I bought it and didn't even fight with him for a lower price.  (50 Lempira is $2.50 yes, you read it correctly, that is two dollars and fifty cents.)  My mom would fuss at me for not driving a harder bargain.  Even reading this she will be sure I could have bought it for $1.25 if I had just bargained.  


It was a dusty mess, the CRYSTAL prisms were hanging at wrong angles, several were missing, a couple were broken and all in all it was a disaster...  but it, like many sinners' lives was salvageable.  It just took some vision to see what it could become.  


I forced Jose to hold it in an upright position on the dining room table, while I worked on it for several hours, correcting all the mismatched pieces and attempting to restore it to it's former beauty.  Counting and recounting crystals to make sure each strand was the same length as the one next to it.  


My friend Ricardo is going to fix the one arm where the wire was broken, I ordered the few crystals that were broken from a contact in the USA and they will arrive in a few days.  It is always nice to know an electrician!  


Where am I going to place it?  I am thinking of hanging it outside under a large overhang above where a wooden table will go when I find one.  Don't laugh, it will be beautiful!  I am going to paint the yet to be found table in SHABBY CHIC style and then sand off the edges to make it look old.  I am also looking for old wooden chairs and they don't even have to match each other.  I sure wish there was a Canton Flea Market in Tegucigalpa.  


I love being a missionary in Honduras, but one of the things I miss is the ability to go JUNKIN' with my mom!  My dad will breathe a sigh of relief that it will not be stored in his garage until I get around to shipping it to Honduras.  I love you mom and dad!