We are in the middle of the most beautiful weather here right now.  It seems like it's either feast or famine lately.  All rain all the time or all sunshine. 

Today was all sunshine.  Pk, El and I went to Allaire State Park to ride the Pine Ridge RR.  A little backstory here.  Pk and I were looking for a train ride to look at some fall foliage and this came up when I did a search in the area.  We thought it would be nice to take the train and have a picnic in the park so we stopped at the store on Friday on our way home from work and bought some goodies and off we went.

It's a small train.  How small you ask?  Well here's the engine.  It's a tiny little thing.  It pulled one regular car, one open air car and a red caboose.

The entire circuit takes about 10 minutes and they take you around twice.  Despite it being geared more toward small folks, we enjoyed it.  (maybe because we are small folks at heart).

We then discovered that this weekend they were having a Flea Market.  Never ones to pass a chance to look at other people's junk, I mean, um treasures, we walked around.  Toward the end of the booths, we discovered this.  Most people recognize the name Singer.  I knew this was at least a table and if I was lucky, a machine as well. 

I opened the lid and oh my goodness, a cast iron Singer (circa 1953) with a sticker on it that said "$45.  It runs!")  Be still my heart.

I was hemming and hawing (I am not very good at bargaining) and the man told me "I'll take $40 for it", I said "Sold" and handed over my money before he changed his mind.  My grandmother had one of these, only it was a treadle model.  This one has been electrified and the machine needs a new cord but Pk is a multi talented man and can replace the cord for me. 

I am hoping my machine will fit into the table but Pk says if it doesn't, he can take the top off and put a flat top on and my machine can sit on it. He's going to refinish the cabinet.  The shellac is old and brown and there is some damage to the veneer inside.  Nothing insurmountable.  I would love to have the machine out where I can use it more easily.  Of course, I could always use the machine that's already in the table.  It only goes back and forth but the wheel and needle assembly seems to move easily and smoothly so maybe it'll come in handy anyway.

I passed up the chance to buy an old spinning wheel.  It was in really good shape but I don't need it and I didn't know anyone who would want it.  I called Em but she already has a wheel like this (saxony style, on the bulky side and difficult to transport) so she turned it down.

We sat in the park, under a tree and ate our lunch watching as two wedding parties pulled up.  Allaire State Park was once a village and there is a restored church/school building on the property.  People get married in the church and then have their photos taken in the park.  It's a pretty place, all whitewashed and plain.  We saw various members of the wedding party but not the bridal couple.

We got home late in the afternoon so I can finish the laundry.  Tomorrow we are going to brunch and then driving down to the shore to spend the night in a b&b for our anniversary.  It's a weekend suited perfectly to us.  Relaxing and quiet and no frantic running around.  Soon, we decide what we want for dinner and then let someone else prepare it for us.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Enjoy your Sunday.