Canton, Texas

I have wanted to go to Canton for a couple of years now.  I have friends that RAVE about Canton's First Monday weekend (it is the weekend BEFORE the first Monday of the month). In fact last year I had planned a trip to Canton with a few girlfriends, unfortunately that is when Texas had a big ice storm and we had to cancel our trip because Canton SHUT DOWN.  For years I have heard friends say things like: "The shopping in Canton is amazing", "it is so much fun", "a great weekend away"  and then I heard things like "big flea market", "you really have to look",  "so big", "you can get anything in Canton".  When I heard: flea market, really have to look, you can get anything in Canton, well that was the moment my expectations when WAY DOWN, and THANK GOODNESS they did.  I'm glad I didn't go to Canton with expectations of grander....I went with fun in mind, an escape from the daily grind of deployment and to hang out with and reconnect with a few girlfriends I hadn't seen in a very long time. 

On this trip we stayed on "The Mountain" (this makes me giggle!!)  As I was driving in I thought my GPS must be taking me the wrong way as it was telling me "The Mountain" was 500 feet ahead to the left.  I saw NO MOUNTAIN, no hill, just flat Texas.  The GPS was not wrong and in fact there is a little hill I just couldn't see it from the road.   The way I knew I had arrived at the mountain was because of the sign below! True Story!

We stayed at The Palms; a super cute little hotel of sorts.  Each room has a different theme.  The first picture is of the room I stayed in - the "Western" room.   The next two pictures are of the room Lara stayed in, "The Marilyn Monroe" room.  Check out the ceiling and the floor!  I'm not sure I could have slept in that room because t was so loud!  I offered Lara my sleeping mask just in case she might have a hard time sleeping in this room too!  The other room our group had was the "Tropical" room, but I neglected to get a picture of it, darn it!

We had a great time, and when people say Canton is BIG, you can't imagine how big until you get there.  I don't think we hit even 1/4 of it and we shopped for about 7 hours! 

I REALLY wanted this big chicken, but knowing I am moving overseas in the next few months I thought it would not be fair to the chicken to have to live in storage for the next couple of years.

This guitar is a lawn ornament! Really!

If I need to explain this sign to you then you need to review your 3rd grade spelling list. :o)

Danette dancing with a lawn ornament!

There was so much to see in Canton!  I really wasn't in it for the shopping, but I was totally in it for the sightseeing!  In fact I made a top ten list of my favorite things!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

10. Bird feeders. Really?  Why on God’s green
earth would you put this in your lawn? Someone ruined perfectly good dishes to ‘create’ this horrible bird
feeder. The good news: at least it is green.

8.  Boot wall art. 'Nough said.

6.  Because Toddlers and Tiaras gets too much attention.

4. I'm at a loss for words.

9.  It took me a little while to figure this one out.  In fact my friends had to help as I couldn't understand WHY one wouldn't just buy bottles instead of changing a can into a bottle.  My friends explained to me that it was for floating down the river or to take into places that don't allow bottles.  Humm...I'm still not sold. 

7. Just in case you really like the Old San Francisco Steak House. 

5.  One can never have too many purses.....

3. When you just don't have room for a wine rack.

I had a really hard time picking the number 1 thing here in Canton.  I got a GREAT laugh from both of these, but in the end I think I ranked them correctly.....drumroll please......

And #2 on my top 10 list is: That's right; it is a boat motor lamp! Who doesn't want one of these for their boat house? Bahahahaha! You REALLY CAN get ANYTHING in Canton!

The #1 thing in Canton that made me laughed until my stomach cramped, THE BATHROOM!!!!!!!!!

That's right, shower curtain for doors!

And look - as a bonus you can see each other! How awesome is that?!? (I have tears rolling down my face just looking at these pictures!!)

Oh, and in the 'bathroom stalls' they used the 5 gallon cardboard Bluebell ice cream containers for trash cans!  Again, at least they are green!!  :o) 

All in all it was a great weekend.  I laughed till I cried several times and I made some great memories with friends.  Here is a recap (for the six of us anyway, most of you won't be able to follow):  Lemon Drop Martinis.  Muddy hills.  Muddy friends.  Muddy keys.  Dogs. Fried Eggs.  Excedrin. Grey Goose. Eye Patches. 6 pieces of BACON. Granny in the Red Golf Cart.  Rain in the Red Golf Cart.  Do You Really Need That Jana?  Texting for water.  Pink Flamingo. French Press. At the coffee shack - out of Coffee? No Problem, we have beans, you have a machine - let's get this done.  Marilyn Monroe.  Rain Boots.  Hand sanitizer.  Getting up to dust the crumbs off your pants after the table was cleaned. Brie, homemade jam & bread.

Canton was fun, but next time let's stay at the Hilton and go to the spa!