4. This Week's Stories and Requests for Help We try to post stories and   
   comments from our readers each week. Send your story to newsletter@tias.com   
   and we'll publish it in an upcoming newsletter.  Please share your story about   
   what you collect and what got you started collecting.  We *love* to hear your   
   stories!  If you have a story you'd like to share, tell us about it and if you   
   have any photos, we'd love to see them!  Send us an email to new   
   letter@tias.com so we can share your story with the rest of our readers.   
      
   Remember that you can check out our Facebook page for some interesting   
   updates.  Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/TIASAntiques If you have   
   photos of items you would like to share you can post them there as well.  You   
   don't need a Facebook account to visit our page.  If you do have a facebook   
   account please "Like" us!   
      
   Also, everyday, we post a "This Date In History" story on our Facebook page,   
   along with an item for sale on http://www.tias.com that relates to the event.    
   We're also highlighting one item each day that we find particularly   
   interesting - something that's very unusual!  Check it out!   
      
   Thanks to those of you who have responded in the past! We really enjoy, and   
   appreciate, the feedback!   
      
   It's always fun to see what other people own and treasure! Although we can't   
   put the pictures in this newsletter, please visit our Facebook page to view   
   the images and learn about those items.  Please let us know if you'd like us   
   to highlight one of your favorite collectibles!   
      
   Diane L. sent us this heartwarming story, along with pictures. Hope you enjoy   
   reading it as much as we did!   
      
   Seems like the right time of year to share a story about the kindness of   
   strangers.   
      
   My husband's grandmother owned a ceramics shop back in the 1950's. She taught   
   my husband as a young boy about the processes and various paint techniques.    
   One of his treasures from those years was a large ashtray he made when he was   
   10 years old.  It was an ornate leaf shape and had a lovely glazed finish and   
   was in perfect shape all these years later.  He also had etched his name and   
   the date on the back of the ashtray.   
      
   On a horrible Saturday in recent weeks, I accidentally knocked it off the   
   table it was sitting on and all four points of the leaf broke off.  They were   
   clean breaks, but nonetheless, gluing them back on would always be an ugly   
   reminder of the sad day it crashed to the floor.  My husband was very upset,   
   sad and not at all happy with me. I wasn't happy with me either.  I felt   
   terrible!   
      
   It sat for at least two weeks on a countertop staring back at me making me   
   feel awful every time I looked at it and keeping my husband upset about it.  I   
   finally remembered that I had seen a fun ceramic shop that had recently opened   
   where they hold painting parties and conduct classes.  I called and asked them   
   if they ever do repairs to broken items.  They had me bring it up to them and   
   I told the owner my sad story.  She told me to leave it with her and she'd see   
   what she could do.   
      
   Not five days later, she called me to say it was repaired. When I went to pick   
   it up, I couldn't believe my eyes.  It was impossible to see where the tips   
   had broken off.  It was a perfect repair job!  I screeched with glee and   
   hugged her and that brought a whole bunch of ladies over to see what I was   
   carrying on about.  She told them how my husband had made it when he was 10   
   years old and I had accidentally broken it and he had been mad at me ever   
   since .  .  . all the ladies nodded sympathetically .  .  .  and marveled at   
   how great it looked.  Then she wrapped it up and handed it to me.  When I   
   asked her how much I owed her, she just smiled and said, "Nothing, honey, just   
   tell your husband to stop being mad at you."   
      
   The kindness of strangers . . . . I was blown away.   
      
      
   You can see the pictures she sent of her hubby's beloved handmade creation   
   here:   
      
   https://www.facebook.com/TIASAntiques/posts/10152879986883656   
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   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Dada-2   
    * Origin: Prism bbs (1:261/38)