This past weekend we took a break from all housework we were doing last week and headed out to the Cortland, NY area for some much needed down time with some good friends of ours, Paul and Cait. About once a year we head out their way for a weekend, and vice versa. We also see each other around Thanksgiving when Paul and Cait are visiting family who are within a half hour of us. But let me tell you, it felt so good to have nothing else on the agenda aside from catching up with the two of them. Months can pass and you feel like you've only seen each other yesterday. And the laughs. I haven't laughed so hard in a while.
We started out our weekend at Homer's Winterfest which included some antiquing and a craft fair. I scored a Nickel Chicken for my mother while browsing the antiques. For those of you unfamiliar with what a Nickel Chicken is, it's a hollow glass chicken figurine where items like loose change can be stored. My grandparents used to keep nickels in theirs, hence the term "Nickel Chicken," and the kids would grab their milk money from there throughout the week. School milk at the time was only a nickel. You get the picture, I'm sure. At any rate, the last time I found one of these gems for my mom I was on vacation with the in-laws in Tennessee about ten years ago and it was a miniature. The one I found this weekend was a full size and it was a steal at only $5.00. 
