The Clampetts

Sometimes you feel like your life is straight out of a movie. This past Labor Day weekend we literally became the Beverly Hillbillies, minus a grandmother in a rocking chair in the back of the truck. My dad graciously let us borrow his truck to travel to South Carolina, where Robert's family graciously bestowed on us an inheritance of beautiful antiques from his paternal grandmother, Margaret Sharp Adams. In an effort to be efficient, we loaded everything we possibly could in the truck to bring back to Birmingham. We managed to fit the following: a gorgeous table, buffet, and six chairs originally purchased in Europe when his grandparents lived oversees (which will become our formal dining room set - when we have a house big enough to include a formal dining room); a settee (which we think transforms into a daybed and which I plan to have reupholstered); two additional chairs; a table with four folding chairs; a mirror; three large pieces of framed artwork including two tapestries; five smaller frames; and three boxes of silver, crystal, linens, dishware, and glassware. I'm probably forgetting something since I have yet to unpack it all. The only two items we left behind for his parents to bring down the following weekend were a large mirror and the croquet set. Believe it or not everything else fit. Barely. My husband and his grandfather proved to be quite the efficient packers.

We did have to pull over three times (in the first five miles out from his home) because the tarp wasn't cooperating. On the third time we just took it off. The policeman who stopped to check on us on the side of the interstate just said, "Well, it's not going to rain. It's too hot to rain." And it was. Seven hours later, we made it home safe and sound.

Having those things that belonged in your family for years is one of those things I especially love about being Southern. All things heirloom are just special, and I'm excited about incorporating these items into our home.

We also had a blast hanging with this crazy guy (here he is helping us sort through grandmother's Halloween and Christmas decorations) and the rest of Robert's sweet family. Can't wait to see them again over Thanksgiving.