Sonja M. Alcock | Aug 11, 2011


Sometimes life hands out surprises - some good, some bad; some unexpected, some kind of expected; some that make you laugh, some that make you cry.

For example, last year I was told I had kidney cancer. Totally unexpected, totally bad, and it made me cry. Then another surprise - my surgery was faster than I was originally told it would be. Totally unexpected, totally good, and it put a smile on all of my family’s face.

Then this year came a series of crises, including the death of my father-in-law – once again, life’s surprises - some expected, some unexpected, some bad, some good.

This year I decided to take some time off my busy volunteering schedule to heal and adjust to life with one kidney. Part of this process is taking time to stop and smell the flowers, to enjoy reading a mystery novel or yard-sailing. Yes, yard-sailing. I just get in my vehicle and float from one yard to another to discover what might catch my eye, or just to talk to new people. Usually I notice sales while driving with my husband, Steve, who doesn’t understand the concept of yard-sailing. He prefers speed-boating instead, so he speeds by while I’m gazing out the window.

The other day while yard-sailing we stopped at the little revamped school house along Highway 41 south of Cloyne, across the road from Hook’s Rona, called “GrayBarre Schoolhouse Treasures” with the life-size Fred Flintstone next to its newly built gateway. As I walked up the wheelchair ramp my senses were taken aback – visually, I mean. To my greatest delight I discovered another of life’s little surprises: the most stunning display of everything from glassware, to cowboy boots, to toy trucks, to jewelry, to lamps, to old cameras, to coke bottles, beer bottles - you name it - cast iron pots, to enamelled bed pans; it was all there and more!!! I found one of the owners diligently cleaning every item he could while rearranging the store’s displays. Totally taken aback with surprise; totally good; totally made me smile!!!

Paul Barre, originally from Colbourg and Carl Gray, originally from Harlowe, decided to take one of life’s opportunities by the tail and run with it. In October 2009, both men decided to buy the old schoolhouse on Highway 41 just south of Cloyne and renovate it. They put on a new roof, ripped up the old floor and put in a “newer” but still old-looking floor, painted and put in new windows. They cut down the trees that obscured the schoolhouse from view and exposed the quaint little house that was repainted and spruced up.

It had been a dream of Paul’s all his life to open up a little shop of collectables, but he needed to earn a living first, and as a single father of two children (his wife died of brain cancer when his children were pre-teen) being a parent was his top priority. So when he lost his job after 22 years of dedicated service in the car industry, Paul worked elsewhere, but because of the economic downturn was let go again, thus forcing him to face early retirement; something he didn’t want to do.

So he stepped out in faith with his partner, Carl Gray, who is currently a teacher for Algonquin College. Carl will soon be retiring and is looking forward to moving back to this area to work at the shop on a full-time basis.  

Paul admitted, “I am just an amateur at this kind of thing”, but I can honestly say that his and Carl’s eye for quality and beautiful pieces is spot-on. Both Paul and Carl have done most of the renovations themselves, but what caught my eye was their unique creativity, for example, in taking some old ladders and turning them into a set of glass shelving units to display beautiful objects that are lit up from the bottom. They have a wonderful eye for displaying their wares, which makes it easy on prospective consumers who will not feel overwhelmed when they step inside this treasure trove!

I left the store thinking….others need to know about this place, so when I dropped into the local garage station I told the girls there of my surprise of the day. They couldn’t believe what I was saying until I showed them the pictures I took. Everyone is looking forward to checking out the place for themselves.

Life’s little surprises - step out and take hold of them when they arise; who knows what you may discover. For me discovering “GrayBarre Schoolhouse Treasures” was a surprise -totally unexpected; totally good; totally put a smile on my face. 

 

 

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