Episode 464 || Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley: Winter
This week on From the Front Porch, it's an episode of Off the Shelf with Annie & Ashley! Annie is joined by friend, cousin, and former colleague, Ashley Sherlock, to chat about what they’re reading – but also what they’re watching, listening to, and buying.
To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (type “Episode 464” into the search bar and tap enter to find the books mentioned in this episode), or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app:
Annie is reading:
The Rise of The Accidentally Permissive Parent by Elizabeth Passarella (an essay on The Cut)
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Ashley is reading:
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
Annie is listening to:
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found below.
Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
This week, Annie is reading The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James. Ashley is reading Come & Get It by Kiley Reid.
If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter and follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.
We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.
Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Cammy Tidwell, Chanta Combs, Chantalle C, Kate O’Connell, Kristin May, Laurie Johnson, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Stacy Laue, Stephanie Dean, Susan Hulings, and Wendi Jenkins.
Transcript:
[squeaky porch swing] Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. [music plays out]
“Lorena had never lived in a place where it was cool—it was her one aim. It seemed to her she had learned to sweat at the same time she had learned to breathe, and she was still doing both.” ― Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove
[as music fades out] I’m Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week, I’m chatting about “off the shelf” topics — including cures for the winter blues and how to uproot your life to a new place — with my cousin Ashley Sherlock. As a reminder, if you’ve ever wondered what The Bookshelf actually looks like, follow us over on Instagram a @bookshelftville. We post a lot of behind-the-scenes pictures and give updates like store hours, shop events, and special deals. It’s a great way to easily keep in touch and see what’s happening at the shop, often in real time.
Annie Jones [00:01:14] Now back to the show. Hi, Ashley. Welcome back.
Ashley [00:01:18] Thanks. How's it going?
Annie Jones [00:01:20] Good. We last chatted on this platform, I think, pre-Christmas. So it's been a minute. And you moved?
Ashley [00:01:31] I did, I don't live in Tallahassee anymore.
Annie Jones [00:01:33] No, she does not.
Ashley [00:01:37] Coming to you from Greensboro, North Carolina, where feels like temperature it's 12 degrees. It's fine. I'm fine.
Annie Jones [00:01:44] If you are a new listener to this podcast, Ashley is a former Bookshelf staffer. She's also my literal relative and cousin. And every quarter or so, we go off the shelf where we talk about books, but also articles, TV shows, pop culture, and in this case, winter survival. One thing that I learned about our lives when you announced your move is how many people associate Florida with your brand. You've really made it a part of who you are. And when you announced you were moving, I think people were not shocked that you were moving so much as they were shocked about where you were moving.
Ashley [00:02:20] I'm first of all, I'm so glad to know that I have a brand and that people associate me with Florida and the beach because I love those things. But now I have to admit I'm a little bit lost because instead of being 45 minutes away, the beach is three hours away. So it can still be part of my personality, but I don't know what to do now.
Annie Jones [00:02:48] Well, and it's winter. And winter is one of our favorite times. I say our, I assume it was also yours, but it's one of my favorite times in our part of the world because that's a great time to go to the beach. I know you love summer, but it's a great time to experience the quieter beach living or beach scenery. And so, yeah, this is a different time of the year for you now where you are.
Ashley [00:03:15] It's cold, there's no palm trees, but it's fine. I love it so far.
Annie Jones [00:03:21] I think when you move it's the fine line of I feel like the world can barely-- buy the world I mean the internet. Can barely understand that we are capable of holding multiple feelings at once. Like it is entirely possible to be very happy about your life and your move. And also, it is okay to be sad and realize, I don't know what to do with myself anymore.
Ashley [00:03:40] Yeah, I told somebody as everything was coming to a head. I said, if you want your heart to be maybe the fullest it's ever been, and also the most broken it's ever been, leave someplace good. Because that is exactly what I was feeling in those last weeks of December, first weeks of January.
Annie Jones [00:03:59] At least now you've done it. I feel like that's the hard part. I mean, obviously, hard things will come, but I think just the anticipation of a move like that is, to me, the most stressful part.
Ashley [00:04:09] It was so stressful. Also, pro-tip don't move in January.
Annie Jones [00:04:13] Don't move in January. I'll give another pro tip just as someone that casually helped. Get a U-Haul.
Ashley [00:04:20] Okay. Listen, another lesson learned I was never planning on getting a U-Haul, but that was because I didn't have anything to move. And then I put an Instagram story up with a wish list link, and people started buying me things. And so then I had stuff, but it did not register with me that I would need to transport that stuff nine hours away. And so we packed up two SUVs filled to the brim. I was afraid my car was going to snap in half. Not break. Just snap in half. With all that stuff that was in it.
Annie Jones [00:05:01] My favorite move story was that you and your mom got ready to go and realized it all wouldn't fit all of a sudden, and so had to take stuff out that then my parents had to go look at to see if they could fit in their car. And then they couldn't fit at all. And I just think for future movers, even if you, like Ashley, it's your first big move, you think you don't have stuff. I just want to remind you, we're all Americans and we've got stuff. We have a lot of stuff. We think we don't. We think we're minimalists. But we're not, though. We're actually not. So you get that U-Haul, pay that fee.
Ashley [00:05:33] Get the U-Haul.
Annie Jones [00:05:34] Jordan and I realized upon our last move, which just literally up the street from our previous place, but that was our adult realization post 30 was, like, no, you hire movers. Don't ask your best friends to load up their trucks anymore. It's time to hire movers. And so I think sometimes you just realize, oh, I need the U-Haul. I need the movers. Maybe have your new furniture shipped to your current home and then loaded in the U-Haul. That could be another moving tip.
Ashley [00:06:06] All of my furniture, except for my desk, was shipped to this new home. And your friends backs are not what they used to be. They will break. Your family's backs are not what they used to be. But also, I feel like I moved out of my parents home and those things were staying there, and I have forgotten a lot of things. I'm pretty sure I left my favorite pair of glasses there. Whereas, maybe most grown ups are moving from one house to another so that they're going to have to empty a house. I didn't have to empty this house, which means a lot of things got left behind that I really wish didn't.
Annie Jones [00:06:46] How about unpacking Ashley's ring light and realizing there was no plug? And it was like, oh. I'll say this story because listeners will know Hunter as well. So Hunter is also planning a major life change and move later this year. He's posted pretty publicly about that on Instagram. He and his husband, Tyler, are moving at an undecided date this spring, March, April, May sometime around there. And since I believe September or October, Hunter has been packing his books faithfully, like packaging some to take to his granny's house, whatever. And he has posted very publicly on Instagram about packaging and packing up his books. And Ashley, I believe seven days before her move to a place nine hours from her other place of residence was like, hey, I just started to pack and turns out I have more stuff than I thought. And I thought, man. This is what I want to say. Remember we've talked about chaos and control muppets. You're a chaos muppet masquerading as a control muppet. I think Hunter is a control muppet masquerading as a chaos muppet.
Ashley [00:08:01] That feels right.
Annie Jones [00:08:06] Because I thought, man, that is the tale of two moves right there. Is Hunter started packing six months ago for a life move. And you started packing six or seven days before. You were set to move at one point. My mom is a control muppet for sure, and my mom and I were like shopping for something together. We were together and it was the weekend before you guys were set to leave, and mom was like, "Ashley just left for Thomasville. They were in the middle of packing, but she just left to go to Thomasville." They're still packing to done. And I was like, "That's Ashley, man." I said, "She's doing it for the plot."
Ashley [00:08:50] Listen, I do things because I feel like they make me more interesting.
Annie Jones [00:08:54] They make the rest of us tired, but that's okay. Okay, so you've moved to a colder climate. So before we start talking about like our reading, listening, recommendations, I did want to talk because I love winter, but you rather notoriously-- I hope I'm not putting words in your mouth, but I think winter is not your favorite. Is that correct?
Ashley [00:09:15] That is not my favorite. You are correct.
Annie Jones [00:09:18] Okay, so I wanted to talk about how we survive the winter blues. Which obviously my winter experience here in the South-- and by the south, I mean the very deep, warmer south is very different from somebody like in Seattle or Minnesota. So our experiences are going to be different. But I am curious what are some of your winter blues kicking tips and have you employed any of them since moving?
Ashley [00:09:47] Okay, so I feel like some of these tips I don't have yet because I have not experienced winter in the north Carolina, if you will. Before this, the way I cured my winter blues was by watching videos of other people in the snow or on ice and being like, I live in Florida. I get to go to the beach tomorrow. But the past week what I have been using is, number one, self-tanner because I need to feel like I'm tan and self-tanner is a healthy, non skin cancer producing way to do that. I currently use Beauty by Earth. It smells great. But I also have a weighted blanket that I really love. It's actually come in quite handy at night.
Annie Jones [00:10:38] Yeah, I bet. Helps with your anxiety and keeps you warm.
Ashley [00:10:42] Definitely.
Annie Jones [00:10:47] I will say this. I don't really get the winter blues. I love winter. My birthday falls in the winter. But also we have discussed, I think, on multiple podcast episodes as a Bookshelf staff that just when you come off quarter four, quarter one just feels like a sigh of relief. And so January, February, March are actually really-- I mean, every season has its complications. Let me be clear. But I really typically like quarter one. It feels a little slower paced. Since reading the book Wintering by Katherine May. I think I've really embraced and tried to remember that we are creatures designed for seasonality, so we're not supposed to go at the same pace we go at every other time of year. And so leaning in to rest, to quiet, I light a lot of candles in the winter. I do a lot of puzzles in the winter. I don't really do puzzles in the summer. That's not a summer activity, but during the winter I've already done one. And it's been delightful and I've started another one. So that has been fun. And then long walks. Long walks are something that save me every season, but I think there's an assumption that, oh, it's too cold for a walk. Especially if maybe you live in the South where we don't really know how to dress for winter, we just assume, oh, it's too cold to get outside. And I'm sure sometimes that really is true. And it really is too cold to go outside. But I find a winter walk invigorating if I wear a hat, if I wear my gloves, and I love it. I would rather dress for cold weather than sweat. And that is probably where you and I differ a little bit as people.
Ashley [00:12:19] Give me a tank top and shorts and beads of sweat on my forehead. Listen, I took my first walk the other day and it was 40 degrees, which I have experienced before, but this cold hits different. It burns and it hurts.
Annie Jones [00:12:35] Well, and we discussed I think Southerners-- and by Southerners I mean all of the South. I mean, you're Mississippians, you're Texans. Although, Texas people think they're their own thing and that's fine. I love you, Texas. I love you people of Texas. Let's see Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, I think we all assume we know what we're talking about when we're talking about heat and humidity. But I would argue we don't. I would argue only a select few that live in the true pit of the South, like armpit of the South really know what humidity is. Because let me tell you, even just moving you in, I never use lotion down here. I never use lotion. I hate lotion. I don't like the way it feels, and I never have to use it because walking outside is lotion enough. And then I came back from North Carolina, and I was like, what is up with my hands? And I was like, oh, I need lotion. My hands are cracked and dry. So it is a different kind of cold, even though you are still in the South.
Ashley [00:13:41] Yeah. Very different. Everything is so dry.
Annie Jones [00:13:45] Yeah, just an adjustment. Wouldn't it be wild if you had to get a humidifier? I would laugh.
Ashley [00:13:49] Yeah. I never had to do that before. Wouldn't it be weird if I moved to the actual north? What would I do? Conversation for another time.
Annie Jones [00:14:03] Look, here's the thing. One move can beget other moves. Maybe it will prepare you for whatever comes next.
Ashley [00:14:08] Hopefully that's not soon.
Annie Jones [00:14:11] We, like I said, moved up the street and sometimes Jordan and I are like, oh, thank goodness we don't have to move. Because moving is just a stressful life event. It just is a stressful life event. Okay, so we know you've been experiencing a stressful life event. You're in North Carolina. I think we were unpacking something that belonged to you and you were like, "Hey, how likely would it be that we could move our podcast recording?" And I was like, "Sadly, in 2024, it's a no. Look, we have to record on the day I say."
Ashley [00:14:47] Good for you for keeping your boundaries.
Annie Jones [00:14:48] Yes. Well, I literally have to because of other work commitments. So we know that your life has been chaos. Are you reading anything? Anything at all?
Ashley [00:15:01] Literally, no. But the one thing that I have read, which I haven't mentioned to you because I couldn't look at it until yesterday, and then yesterday I only could read like two thirds of the front page. But I read the whole thing this morning. And that is the poem and prayer for Ashley on my first home away from home.
Annie Jones [00:15:25] Oh, yeah. I wrote Ashley a poem.
Ashley [00:15:30] Annie wrote me a poem, and it was very nice. And I would read it out loud if I could do so without getting a lump in my throat.
Annie Jones [00:15:36] It was hilarious because I wrote that and I sent it to Jordan because I was like, is this good? I wanted to write you something, but I thought it was going to be a letter and then a poem came out. Honestly, Jordan's the best partner and support because he literally wrote back, "Did you just write this freehand?".
Ashley [00:16:01] Did this just come out of your mind?
Annie Jones [00:16:02] Yes. And it was so sweet. And I was like, "Yes, I did." And he was like, "Wow, you really are talented."
Ashley [00:16:09] Aw, Jordan. He thinks his wife is so talented. That's so cute.
Annie Jones [00:16:13] I know. It was so kind.
Ashley [00:16:17] The only problem is it's front and back, and I want to frame it and hang it up as part of my art.
Annie Jones [00:16:20] I know.
Ashley [00:16:22] Maybe I'll photocopy.
Annie Jones [00:16:23] You know what you could do? Go to that antique store you loved so much and put it in one of those frogs. I don't know. Did you see what I bought? I bought a flower frog and I'm going to put a piece of paper in it. Yeah.
Ashley [00:16:35] Oh, yeah. I can do that. I can't get behind the name of that, so I'll have to find something different.
Annie Jones [00:16:42] Well, good. I'm so glad. Jordan was like, when did you give it to her? And I was like, I just left it on her table. I was like, no one was in an emotional...
Ashley [00:16:50] Which is the best thing you could have done for me.
Annie Jones [00:16:55] Okay. Well, to make up for your lack of reading, I will just say two things. Which I have had a really good reading month. But I already recapped that on a previous episode I already recorded today. So instead I will just say that I have been reading Lonesome Dove, which has been really such a fun reading experience. Bleak House was fine and was a good reading experience. It's always fun to read in a group, and Hunter and I always have a good time talking about books together. But Lonesome Dove has been really enjoyable, and I did a way better job of not binging chapters and instead reading one chapter or two chapters a day. And so it's just been a really fun reading experience. And I'm delighted to say that my mom is joining us for Conquer a Classic. She will not necessarily be on podcast episodes, but she's reading it too. And that has been fun, to get to talk to my mom about a book. Particularly my mom grew up with a love of westerns, and so that's something she shared with her dad. And so that has just been fun. So that's the book that I've been reading this winter, and it's been nice. Because I really miss-- can you believe? Do you believe this? One year ago I was reading Little Women in that Little Women book club. That feels like five years ago, but it wasn't. It was one year ago. So Lonesome Dove has kind of been a substitute for that, which has been nice. And then I read over Christmas-- I just love reading articles. I really wish I was subscribed to, I think, like The Atlantic or something. They call it One Great story, I think.
[00:18:23] But Elizabeth Passarelli is a nonfiction writer. I've read her two books and really enjoyed them. But she had an article called The Rise of the Accidentally Permissive Parent. And I am not a parent, but I have tons of friends and family who are parents. And so getting to read about the concept of gentle parenting and the pros and cons of gentle parenting and what that might look like and how it might be really great but also backfire, was actually really fascinating to me. So I'm going to put a link in the show notes. It's not something I necessarily thought I would be interested in, but it was fascinating. I think Elizabeth Passarelli is a really good writer. Okay, so that's what I've been reading. Let's talk watching. Let me tell you what me and Jordan have been doing. We restarted The Sopranos on HBO. That's a show that we started watching a couple years ago, and I think we only did the first season. Not even for any reason, we really liked it, but then we got distracted. And so we started watching that. And turns out it's the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos. So we really like that we accidentally did that. And then we have also been watching together Survivor. Chet [sp] tried to sell us-- Chet is my brother, he tried to sell us on Survivor during the pandemic, and we didn't have the various platforms you needed to watch it on. But over New Years we decided to download I think it's like Paramount Plus or something, and we did the free trial. Of course, now we are paying for it. I'm sure. But Chet told us which Survivor seasons to kind of start with, and we have had a great time. My only frustration is we are now in Florida's legislative session, and so Jordan Jones is a little bit MIA. And now we're in the middle of a Survivor season and my Survivor watching buddy is no longer here, which is why I've been watching a show on HBO called Murder in Boston. Which is all about-- because, of course, which is a true crime documentary that is also about race relations in Boston during the 80s and 90s. It was outstanding. It's like a three part series. I love winter watching. I love TV, quite frankly. What have you been watching?
Ashley [00:20:31] Okay. I actually have one thing that I think you might enjoy. I've only seen one episode of it, but so far it is extremely cute. It's called Science Fair, the series. It's on Disney Plus or Hulu. But it's a docu-series about high school students in a, like, world-wide science fair competition.
Annie Jones [00:20:51] I'm sold.
Ashley [00:20:52] It's lovely. I have already fallen in love with a student from Zimbabwe. So weirdly, I have a lot of science stories, but one of them is that, listen, I have always been the way that I am. I forgot the actual science fair when I was in the seventh grade, and so I did it the night before. I had a really cool idea, but the night before I was one of those kids. I was like, "Mom, the science fair is tomorrow." So I tested three different kinds of laundry detergent. And then for another science project that I forgot about, my mom, thank goodness, worked at the same school that I attended. We had to do some kind of fungus project. And I don't remember really how this ended up. I just remember my mom had to go to the store because me and one other girl forgot about this science project, and so she bought stuff for both of us and my project was literally just a bowl full of mushrooms.
Ashley [00:21:56] Oh my gosh.
Ashley [00:21:57] I don't know what I wrote about it or how I spun it. I just know that I presented a bowl full of mushrooms in front of my seventh grade science class. And this probably didn't need explaining, but this show is about a world I was not smart enough to know existed until now. It's a very good show, though.
Annie Jones [00:22:22] These are news stories to me and my palms are sweaty just listening to them because they are my personal nightmare. First of all, shout out to your mom for actually-- I don't know what Chris or Susie would have done. But shout out to your mom for going and getting you the supplies that you needed the day of your science fair.
Ashley [00:22:43] Literally the day of she went on her lunch break. This was my sixth period class.
Annie Jones [00:22:48] Moms are out there doing the real work. I cannot fathom this because I loved the science fair every year. Worked very hard on the science fair. Went to the state science fair at Florida State University.
Ashley [00:23:04] In high school?
Annie Jones [00:23:05] Yeah.
Ashley [00:23:05] Wow.
Annie Jones [00:23:06] I'm such an idiot. I didn't even know you could do that. I think it is very funny. I think Jordan gets a kick out of it, especially. But you and I are related and very close and very similar in some ways. And then in some ways we are not at all similar in any way.
Ashley [00:23:28] No, I wanted to be a good student. And you were a good student. Nina or Anne was our science teacher, and she's the one who I didn't have to do the science fair for her. But she was my teacher in the sixth grade, and she taught us about how to do the science fair and how to write your hypotheses and instructions and stuff. And to this day, the way she taught us how to write our procedure is how I construct my professional emails when I am giving instructions.
Annie Jones [00:23:59] Aw, Nina.
Ashley [00:24:02] She had us tell her how to make a peanut butter sandwich. So somebody said, "Put the peanut butter on the bread." And so she took the jar of peanut butter and placed the jar of peanut butter on top of the wrapped loaf of bread. And I have thought about it often since then.
Annie Jones [00:24:21] What a delightful family who made us who we are. Okay. What was the name of that show? Because I actually, I'm going to watch that.
Ashley [00:24:29] It's called Science Fair, the series. There's another one that comes up first that's also called Science Fair, but look for the one with the pink logo.
Annie Jones [00:24:37] Okay. I am going to watch that. That sounds charming. Anything else in the watching category?
Ashley [00:24:42] No, I've just watched friends and the Barbie movie since I've moved.
Annie Jones [00:24:47] You know what? I think you had solicited watching recommendations on Instagram. And I didn't respond because I was, like, other people will have better ideas. But honestly, when you move, I feel like you kind of want something that you watch all the time to make you feel like nothing's changed. Like, oh, I'm here in this new place, but I'm just watching friends. Like, I've watched friends every day for the last 30 years of my life. You know what I mean? It's just nice.
Ashley [00:25:16] Yeah. That's 100% what I'm doing.
Annie Jones [00:25:18] What are you listening to?
Ashley [00:25:21] Okay, so I have one in this category as well. It's a song called Borderline by Ed Sheeran. I hadn't heard it before a couple months ago, and it weirdly fit the stage of my life that I'm in. It's a beautiful song. He's pretty much in falsetto the whole time, which is not usually my jam, but the harmonies are great, the instrumental is great. I think it's a beautiful song and it makes me feel things.
Annie Jones [00:25:46] Some of my friends have heard Ed Sheeran live and they say he is a really fascinating and great concert, which is not something I personally would have known.
Ashley [00:25:54] No, me either, but I believe it.
Annie Jones [00:25:56] Yeah, they really have enjoyed it. I'm not listening to a lot of music, although I think by the time listeners listen to this, I am sure this fad will have passed. But I am having a good time looking up my day list on Spotify every day. And so that has been very fun. But the truth is, I'm not listening to a ton of music except some instrumental stuff in the background while I work. What I am listening to is, last year I think I said on this podcast that one of my favorite rhythms of the year was listening to, Let's Read the Gospels, which was a podcast by Annie Downs. And she just read the Gospels over and over again on a podcast, so that you read all four Gospels every month. And I really loved it. It was a rhythm that worked for me. And this year I was trying to figure out how to replicate the success of that. And so I decided to listen to the Psalms every month. So thanks to recommendations on the internet, was able to download the Dwell app. And you can select the Psalms 30 day reading plan. And right now I'm listening to a woman read me the NIV. And then like I select an instrumental kind of music to go in the background. But next month I'll select a different narrator in a different a different translation. And so I think that'll be a really interesting way to interact with the Psalms this year. So I'm really excited about that, and that has been good. Also, this is my favorite time of year to listen to the Big Picture podcast. That is a podcast hosted on The Ringer Network with Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins, who I wish Amanda Dobbins would be friends with me, but I'm not sure she would be. But I wish that she would. They talk about the Oscars and film and movies, and I love their banter. I enjoy listening to them, but I most enjoy listening to them during Oscar and awards season, and we're right smack dab in the middle of it. So it has been fun to listen to some of those episodes. And then I do have an audiobook recommendation for you. I am currently listening to Come and Get It by Kiley Reid. She wrote Such a Fun Age. But this audiobook I think you would really like. And it's set on the University of Arkansas campus, and the narration is so good.
Ashley [00:28:06] That was the book I was going to say that I was about to start at the end of this episode.
Annie Jones [00:28:12] And that is how we are similar. And there's that Venn diagram overlap again. I really think you would like it. It's a really good audiobook because she does such a good job. The narrator does such a good job with the different voices and the different southern accents. Some people really botch those, and I think she did a great job. Should we do buying?
Ashley [00:28:32] Sure. I bought a lot of stuff.
Annie Jones [00:28:37] So many things. What's your favorite thing you bought for your house?
Ashley [00:28:39] Okay, listen, I was thinking about this before we started. And let me tell you, there is not a single room in this apartment that I don't love. I love all of my stuff so much. It's it's a lovely feeling. But my top two, I think, favorite purchases are my arm chair that I got from Wayfair. I built it myself, but it's also soft and comfortable and looks great with my little throw and pillow in it. But also we went to this antique store and there was a booth that had some white feathery plumes. And plumes were part of my original vision for my living room.
Annie Jones [00:29:21] Yes.
Ashley [00:29:22] And so we went and asked how much they were, and the person of the register was like, "They're $10." And your mom and I were the only ones there at the time, and we looked at each other and we were like, "That feels like a lot for one of these things." And then immediately after we said, no, you and my mom came over and my mom was like, "That's a great price. You need to get those." and so I bought five of them. And now they're sitting in a cute little vase that I also got from that same antique shop, and they make me very happy.
Annie Jones [00:29:53] Let me ask you this. Do you understand and now enjoy thrifting/antiques shopping? Or are you still, like, you know what, good for someone else if they tell me what to buy.
Ashley [00:30:05] I feel like I understand it. And if I'm looking for something, I am now more inclined to do that. But I still will not have an afternoon with nothing to do and be like, I think I'll go thrifting. I'm not going to do that with regular shopping either.
Annie Jones [00:30:23] Right. I don't either. But I'll say this, if I had a store like the one we went to for you, where you could actually wander and find good stuff-- there's one store like that in Tallahassee, if you're listening Tallahassee. Rabbit Creek Market is so great. But I'm not good at shopping through a good will. I feel like I need somebody else's eyeballs and energy to be able to do that. But I thought that was really fun, and I was so glad because then we wound up going to World Market and Target and places like that. And we found those same plumes at various places, and every time we would check the price and we were like sweaty, wandering--
Ashley [00:31:00] It was like double.
Annie Jones [00:31:00] Yeah. And they were all double. So, again, shout out to Aunt Lisa who really made us realize that is a good deal. And they do look really good in your apartment.
Ashley [00:31:11] They look so good, I'll say. I'll have to take pictures.
Annie Jones [00:31:14] Yeah, they really do. I don't really know that I have bought anything. I'm trying to think. Well, I did. I bought a computer for the new year. I bought my golden coil planner for the new year. But I do all of that in the previous year. I'm just getting to use it now. But I will say that for Christmas, speaking of winter survival and puzzling, my in-laws got me a puzzle board and it's like a lazy Susan situation. And I like to do puzzles, but my big hesitation with puzzles is that it leaves a bit of a mess, and it just feels like you're always kind of in the middle, just bringing it full circle to chaos muppet stuff. I don't actually function very well as a chaos muppet. And so I don't want a puzzle just sitting out for days and days and days. And this is nice because you can do the puzzle and then you can move the board somewhere else if you need to. Or I just have been leaving it on my coffee table. But I know if I needed to clear off my coffee table to eat dinner or something like that, I could. And I really like the freedom of that. Okay, my other best purchase is my best purchase of 2024 so far. I bought an electric fireplace from Walmart. The electric fireplace fit right into my fireplace, and it has been a delightful way to heat my house, to heat my little living room. I also looks so cozy. Our fireplace is a working fireplace, but we never have gotten it inspected and so I'm not going to put a fire in a fireplace that has not been inspected. And so, anyway, $64 for this really awesome electric heater my mom influenced me to buy. So thanks to moms, the OG influencers.
Ashley [00:32:52] Truly, they keep coming back in this episode. Way to go mom! They're going to love this.
Annie Jones [00:32:58] I know. Do they Listen?
Ashley [00:32:58] I know my mom listens to my episodes because one time I said something that she was not aware of, and then she brought it up to me. I can't remember what it was.
Annie Jones [00:33:08] Love when that happens.
Ashley [00:33:09] I announced I was going to Greece on this podcast before I told my mom I was going to Greece.
Ashley [00:33:15] Whoopsies.
Ashley [00:33:17] That was fun. Mistakes were made. Tell your mom things before you tell the internet.
Annie Jones [00:33:22] Gah! that's a life lesson. Please take notes. I hope you guys are taking notes. Okay. Is that it? Is that it from you? Anything else?
Ashley [00:33:31] I think so. No, I'm good.
Annie Jones [00:33:33] I think that's it for me too. By the time you guys listen to this, Ashley and I will have been to New York and back because life is weird. Because life is weird and fun. But if you want to share with us what you're reading, watching, listening to, buying, we'd love to hear it. You can go to The Bookshelf, Instagram at @bookshelftville and comment on the post about today's episode. This week I'm listening to The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James. Ashley, what are you reading?
Ashley [00:34:01] I'm about to start listening to Come and Get It by Kiley Reid.
Annie Jones: From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website: bookshelfthomasville.com A full transcript of today’s episode can be found at:
Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of From the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
Our Executive Producers of today’s episode are…
Cammy Tidwell, Chantalle Carl, Kate O'Connell, Kristin May, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Stacy Laue, Chanta Combs, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Ferrell Executive Producers (Read Their Own Names): Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins, Laurie Johnson, Susan Hulings Annie Jones: If you’d like to support From the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the Podcast App on your phone, look for From the Front Porch, scroll down until you see ‘Write a Review’ and tell us what you think. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us over on Patreon, where we have 3 levels of support - Front Porch Friends, Book Club Companions, and Bookshelf Benefactors. Each level has an amazing number of benefits like bonus content, access to live events, discounts, and giveaways. Just go to: patreon.com/fromthefrontporch We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.