What the Cat Dragged In

I'm a bit disappointed in myself that I missed a couple days of writing here, but I'm sure I'll get over it.  Over the weekend I had a couple of those 'speed bumps' that life throws your way on occasion.  I did however get enough cooperation from the "speed bump" creator, that I got my booth moved at the antique store.

Here are a couple of shots of it, although I still have work to do. I need to spruce it up a bit and find some more goodies to sell.  It's nice having all the space.  I next big thing will be to find a large hutch or something similar to replace the table with.

I'm all ready to give my crazy cat away again.  Today she brought a baby snake in the house.  All I can say is, thank God I saw her messing with something and checked to see what she had!  And thank God I managed to chase her down and capture it....with a butt load of paper towels, with which I rolled, squeezed, twisted and smooshed and threw outside!  When Chuck got home and I sent him to investigate, the paper towel had been moved around to the front of the house and there was no snake in it.  There was, however, some blood and squishy stuff on the paper towels so that was a good thing.  There were several Blue Jays in the yard today, so I suspect one of them carted off the paper towel and most likely feasted on the nasty little corpse.  Ewwwww. 

New Booth and Smooth Sailing??

While I was in San Diego, Chuck called to tell me that his son and new GF were coming to visit us, so we could meet her, the first week of April.  I already knew that his sister and her hubby were planning to come the 2nd week in April for a few days.  Add to that my plans to leave for Alaska on April 20th and the result was that he set me in a bit of a tail-spin! As much as I LOVE to see all of these people, and am anxious to meet Rob's new lady, I really only wanted to have to get ready for my Alaska trip after I returned home.  sigh.  The thought of getting my house ready for company, much less a new 'family member' was daunting to say the least. 

As slow as I am these days and with so many things that I simply can't do (for now!) I could think of nothing more than wanting to have my suitcases on the bed in the guest bedroom, filling them at my leisure in preparation for my departure.  I know my wonderful friend and neighbor, Deb, would help me clean, but there's only so much I can ask her to do.  The thought of grocery shopping and meals for company for 2 weeks, as well as stocking up for Chuck was overwhelming!  BAH!!!  However.....that has all changed now.

Rob has decided to wait to come and visit this fall, after I have recouped from my June surgery, so that we'll be able to do more and enjoy each others company more.  Bless his little heart!  And Chuck's sister and her hubby have had something come up with his grandson and need to head straight back to PA the 1st of April......so, it's clear sailing from here on.  Whew!  I feel bad to be so relieved, but damn!  I am just not up to all this right now!  I had visions of getting to Alaska and collapsing from sheer exhaustion with suitcases full of God-knows-what.  LOL  Which is still a possibility, but less likely.

On a brighter note, I went to my Antique Mall yesterday and rented the larger space.  I also bought a baker's rack from one of the gals there, to use for display purposes in my new booth.  Yay!  I also had the best month I've ever had for March and am jazzed about that :-).  I do believe I am now in 'the black' with this little venture of mine.  And on Sunday, Chuck will once again help me move my stuff.  I'm glad he doesn't mind and he is so fast while doing ANYthing, that I'll just let him 'do it' and I'll 'fix it' afterwards.  Hee hee. Works for me!  Now all I have to do is decide exactly how I want it situated before he starts moving the cabinet and table and putting up my shelves.  This booth has electricity, so I can have lamps and such, as well as lights at the holidays and all.  Now I need to think of some cute decorating ideas to spruce up my booth.  I can only get Chuck's help with stuff on Sundays and I know that this week, if the weather is nice, he'll want to go riding Sunday.  The shop is only open from 12-5 Sundays so I'm sure hoping I'll get my time in!  And come up with some "high-up" stuff for him to do for me while I've got him!  Heh  Photos will be forthcoming :)

Booth Update

Well, we got my pretty new red bench down to my booth today, and I got things displayed on it fairly well, I think.

Here's a new front shot, where you can see the curtains I hung above the top shelf to cover some of the ugly pegboard.  There's a light right above it, so the picture didn't turn out real well, but you get the idea.....I hope. :)

The next 2 photos are of a couple of booths across from mine, that the ladies have decorated up really nice.  In the 1st one, that gals husband makes all her cabinets for her.  They are so nice!  My husband would be great at making cabinets for me, but since he's not retired (like he should be) he just doesn't have time.  That booth is going to become available in April, as she is moving to an even larger booth at the front of the shop.  Susan offered to hold the booth for me if I want to move into it after I get back from Alaska.  It is a lot bigger, and much wider and not as deep.  I like that.  Plus it has electricity and mine doesn't.  Makes it nice if you have lamps for sale or to enhance displays.  I think I'll take it.  It's only $10 more a month.

I love doing this!  And will really be able to get into it more and enjoy it more, when I can get around better.  I have already sold a lot of stuff for the month.  Much more than I ever have, and I think it's partly to do with having a better display area.  Also, it's been quite a bit of my jewelry that I have taken in to sell in the display case.  It's encouraging and I'm very pleased!

It was very warm and sunny the past couple of days....in the high 60s.  This AM we awoke to pouring rain and whenever the weather changes so quickly, I hurt.  All over.  Big time.  I read up on it and it's all to do with the barometric pressure and such.  Makes sense, but oh how I hate it!  I would have been a day I would have stayed home and done nothing, but it's the only day Chuck can help me with stuff and I just had to get my new bench set up!  I hope I make it thru my San Diego adventure without any unexpected debilitating weather fronts!.  The girls will just have to roll me around....hahahaha

Sneak Peek

I just had to post a sneak peek of my bench. This is just after one coat of paint. One of us will do another today and we will set it up tomorrow! Yay!!

Progress!

I've been looking for a vintage hutch or some sort of antique table/shelf to use in my booth at the Antique Mall so That I can better display some of my stuff. Haven't had much luck finding the perfect thing...yet...but I will eventually. In the meanwhile I saw this bench a week or so ago and decided that I would buy it, paint it red and use it until something better shows up. This is a picture of it that i had taken from across the road one day, so that I could show Chuck. LOL I went and bought it today and then stopped and bought some Cherry Red paint> Weeeeeeee.......I didn't get to take a 'before' picture, before Chuck dove in and started painting it for me. And he threatened me with my life if I took a picture of him painting. Thus, the picture from across the road.

He hates painting, with a passion, and typically refuses to do it, which is why he didn't want any photographic proof that he actually COULD do it :-). I'll take a picture when it's done, and then again on Sunday when we take it to my booth.  I can drape my vintage table linens over the back of it, set baskets of doilies and towels and other small vintage linens on the seat, along with some other things.  And will be able to set things under it, as well!  I think it will be kewl!!

I am getting so excited for the San Diego trip!   I can't wait to see everyone and enjoy some more of that beautiful city.  And go to Trader Joes! And go to the desert!  But, oh Lord, how I wish I could drive there.  I LOVE road trips and positively HATE flying.  It's not the actually flying part that I hate, but rather the changing of flights and planes and layovers.....but it's always worth it when it's over :)

That's it for now.  I'll post more tomorrow or Sunday when I get my bench in place in my booth!

Russian Federation & Antiquities

I had a visit to my blog from the Russian Federation!   WTH??  I wish they were trying to contact me to tell me that I had won a trip to Russia or something exciting, but they didn't even leave a comment.  Sigh.

I've been keeping very busy acquiring things to sell in my Antique/Flea Market booth.  A couple of weeks ago, Chuck went with me to my booth, to measure and see if his gun cabinet would fit.  I suppose I should back up here. I'm getting ahead of myself.

Back in December, Chuck bought a gun safe for his rather ample gun collection.  That left the gun cabinet that I bought him, oh so many years ago, empty.  He suggested that he could put shelves in it and I could use it to display things in my booth.  Particularly things that need to be locked up to prevent being stolen! So, a couple Sundays ago he went down to Betty's Attic with me to see what rearranging we might have to do if we brought the gun cabinet in.  While we were there, we found that there was a larger booth for rent, so I decided to take it.  So instead of $40 a month, I'm paying $55 for almost double the space.  It allows me to better display things, to a point, anyway.  And presentation means a lot.  I felt like I was trying to cram too much stuff into a too small space.

Old Booth before I moved

Gun Cabinet full of treasures

New space

New Space

My shelf in the Display Case (top left)

Okay, from the pictures you can see that I have quite a bit more room and was able to put more items out for sale.  I also rented an available shelf in their big display cases up front, where I can sell some of my rings and jewelry that I no longer wear, and it can be kept safe under lock and key!

The gun cabinet works quite well, but I need more furniture type items to better display things.  That is only a table up against the back wall, and I really want to get some sort of a hutch to put there, so that I can better display dishes, etc.  For now, I am looking at a bench I found, that has a back and arms.  I want to put that along the right side and lay table clothes over the back of it, and put baskets holding assorted linens on the seat.  There will also be room for some things to set on the floor underneath it.  The shelves Chuck made me are fine, for a start, but I'd rather have hutches and such for my displays.

I actually have spruced up my booth a bit since I took these pictures, but forgot to take more.  Chuck hung a curtain rod for me, up high on the back wall, and we put up some old fashioned lace curtains I had.  Looks much better than that ugly old peg board.  I also have a new rug that needs to go down, to cover the ratty carpet. 

I've been busy buying vintage linens (doilies, table clothes, guest towels, dresser scarves, etc.) to resell and have acquired some terrific items for next to nothing.  I do the whole stain removal, starch and iron thing....and yes, I actually enjoy doing that :-)
I have also gotten a huge batch of vintage knitting needles, that I was very excited about!  Some of them I am keeping for myself, but most I am selling.  Also, have any of you heard about the new fad of making bridal bouquets out of vintage brooches?  It's quite the thing, and I invested in several 'lots' of those to resell, as well.  I really enjoy doing all this.  I just wish things would sell faster!  Things have been picking up quite a bit the past month, tho'.  Hopefully it will stay that way.  This fall, once I get all healed up from my surgery as all, I should be able to go scouring the country side for great finds to resell.  It's really what I want to do!

Wanna Give Someone the Finger!

The first thing I want to talk about today is my ring finger on my right hand.  Or, should I say, my 'Former' ring finger....since I can no longer wear any of my dozens of rings on it!  The knuckle on this finger has taken on a life of it's own, and I really, REALLY don't like it!  Today it hurts.  A lot! So I'm gonna share.  About a year ago I noticed that my knuckle was swelling and it was becoming hard to get my rings on and off.  I figured, okay.  I've got arthritis in various parts of my body, including both thumbs, so it stands to reason that my fingers will eventually be affected. Problem is, it just kept getting bigger and was hurting quite a bit.  I mean, I already take meds for my arthritis (which doesn't take care of all of the associated pain and/or discomfort, but helps a great deal) so why was it hurting so much?  I went to see my Doc so he could determine if mayhaps it was a cyst or a chipped bone or something, and he deemed it good old arthritis. Crap.  So, deal with it.  It was about that time that I took the 1st picture here, back in September.

It quit bothering me and didn't seem to be metamorphosing, so I decided to have some of my favorite rings resized.  At the going price of gold and silver, it is a little pricey these days to go up 2 full ring sizes, but Chuck agreed that it was fine so I did about 8 or 9 rings.  Now, my ring finger WAS a size 9, but this knuckle now required a size 11 for clearance. My middle finger is size 11, so I figured that if my ring finger decided to have another growth spurt, I could always wear these rings on my middle finger.

This second picture was taken this AM, and you can see that it has, in fact, started metamorphosing again. This AM the whole thing is just throbbing and hurts the entire length of it, not just the knuckle. Guess that's what prompted me to finally write about it.That had been my intention when I took the 1st picture, but I never got around to it.  That's just a really big change in 5 months time. I think maybe I'll let Dr. H take another look and see if I can inspire him to snap a little x-ray of it....just for peace of mind....or something. 

The sad thing is, that I have a massive jewelry collection.  Well over 100 rings.  Seriously.  All gold and silver and gemstone.  A lot of them can't be resized 2 sizes, because of their settings.  And the only finger they will fit on is my left ring finger, which houses my wedding ring.  Lots of $$ tied up and just sitting there, but worst of all is the fact  that I dearly love most of those abandoned rings and it gives me a huge sad to not be able to wear them.  Ah, hell...enough sniveling.

Yesterday I went for my 'annual' eye exam.  It's been 2 years :-).  When we 1st moved here I went to Fayetteville Mall, to Sears Optical cuz they had a great sale on glasses happening.  What I found was an awesome eye Doctor!  She's amazing and SO thorough and just plain adorable.  So I continue to go there.  Yesterday, glasses were 50% off and because I am a repeat customer, I got an extra 10%.....sooooo.....when I was having trouble deciding between the purple or the cranberry, I decided to get both :).  I'm really sick of my current glasses (except when I want to read something) so it'll be fun to have 2 new and cool ones to wear.  (life's simple pleasures). 

But, I do have to snivel a wee bit more.  The trek from the parking lot, through half of Sears, to get to the Optical shop, just about did me in.  And the trek BACK to the parking lot DID do me in.  Holy Crap!  I sat in the truck thinking, what the hell do I think I'm doing???  Going to San Diego in 3 weeks.  Going to Alaska in 7 1/2 weeks.  I should be doing these things after my surgery!  Well.....I WILL be doing them then, too. But still.....I need to see my friends.  I can't wait to be together with Poolie and Terri T again!  And God knows, I desperately NEED to see Terri and Riley and Maggie and Emily and Timmy and Xander and....yes, even my SIL, Michael :-).  I just SO hate to be an inconvenience or imposition because of my freaking limitations.  I feel like such a wuss.  But the reality is, not one of them will make me feel that way.  In fact, ALL of them will make me feel like I'm the same old Yankee Chick and the same old Mom and the same old Grammy and it'll all be good!  Damn good!! So what the hell am I whining about?!?!?  It's just been over 3 years of this shit and I'm so sick of it!!! 

It's been exactly 3 years this month since I last rode my Susie, so I guess that makes it 3 1/2 years.  I first went to see the Doc about my severe hip pain whilst riding  back in September of '08. (but I wasn't giving up on riding yet!)  Holy cow!  Holy Moly!  Holy Crap!!! 

Now I want to write about Susie and I want to write about my antique booth, but this is long enough!  Hopefully I will get my butt back here and write about that stuff tomorrow!  In case anyone decides to come and read. :-)

Time Slips Away

Nothing real special going on.....just a bazillion things that need to be done and I actually feel like doing them today!  As soon as I get off the computer.  Ha!  Which was just about to happen, when I remembered that I started blogging again and needed to get with it.  Ahem!

Some of you know that I have started knitting.  Terri got me into it back in May on my last visit to Alaska.  Those of you that know me really, really well, also know that when I get hooked on something, it becomes an addiction.  All consuming obsession.  At least for awhile.  Until the next addiction comes along.  Anyway, I have about 5 WIPs {Works in Progress} and at least 20 lined up.  Seriously!  Probably more.  I have been buying delightful and delicious and beautiful yarn like it is going out of style!  I TRY to be sensible about it.  I TRY to only buy yarn if I have a project in mind and the pattern in hand.  That works most of the time.  Sometimes the yarn is too amazing and/or the price is too amazing and I just can't resist.  The problem with that is, I'm not real sure how much to buy so.........you got it!  I tend to 'over buy'.  Damn, but it's fun!  Only problem is, knitting goes  kinda slow.  Many years ago, I used to crochet and that is a lot faster, but knitting is much more satisfying, somehow.  Plus most knitted items are much nicer than crocheted items.  I know I'll get faster at it, as time goes by, but I'll never be able to keep up with the buying!

To add to my 5 WIPs, I am starting another one today.  Bernat yarn company has what they call a Mystery Afghan Knit-A-Long {KAL} that started today. They tel you how many skeins of yarn and how many colors you will need, and even suggest several color ways for you. Each Wednesday morning they give you a "Clue" which gives you the instructions for making squares for the afghan.  This morning we got instructions to make 8 squares.  No picture or anything, so it will be a mystery until one is finished....which is the whole point.  In fact, the whole look of the afghan will be a mystery until it is completed.  I shouldn't be doing it because I already have so many other things going, but I couldn't resist!  So, once I get off here and do a little housework, I will get started on it and see what I come up with :)

In other news, my booth at the antique mall is doing good AND bad.  Sounds crazy, and it is.  Things have been selling lately, which is good......and 2 more high priced items got stolen, which is bad.  These 2 items were big enough that I thought they were safe from being stuck in a pocket or purse, but I guess I was wrong.  Then again, it COULD always be another vendor, who is free to come and go with big boxes and bags.  That has been known to happen before, as well.  This past weekend, Chuck went with me to my booth cuz I wanted his input on doing some rearranging in my limited space.  A couple of good things came out of that.  They finally had a space available in their big display cases where people display jewelry and small items.  So I finally got to rent a shelf in that for $10 a month.  That will be available on the 1st of March.  In addition to that, Chuck discovered that a larger booth was available to rent and rented it for me, so we will be moving into a space about 3 times the size of what I have.  I will have room for a large cabinet that locks and some other display options that will improve sales and allow me to put more things out for sale.  I'm excited.  I was feeling like the whole scenario was a fizzle and about to just pack it in, when suddenly things are looking up!!  My "new" cabinet will be Chuck's gun cabinet.  He finally bought a gun safe a couple of months ago for his extensive gun collection, thank God!  I was always so worried about so many people knowing about his guns, and the potential of someone breaking in and stealing them, and God knows what else!  Anyway, that leaves the gun cabinet that I bought him back in 1976, all sad and empty.  I had thought to fill it with yarn, LOL.  His idea of putting shelves in it for me to use in my booth is most excellent!  Plus!  I could even sell that, if I'm of a mind to!  I remember scrimping and saving up the $100 to buy that for him, way back then and now it is valued at about $450.  Sweet!!  I guess getting old has it's advantages!  Hahahaha {did I say that?}

Okay.....I've babbled on enough for today.  Off to do a bit of  tidying up before I start that new knitting project!

Priorities

I can never seem to get my priorities straight.   Why is it so hard for me to keep up with this whole blogging concept when it really is important to me?  I have a bad memory for details, like dates and timelines of particular events and I've counted on being able to refer to my blog for the bits missing from my wee little brain.  I think about things that I wanna blog about every day, but they don't materialize.  And yes, I make notes and jot things down and they get lost in the shuffle of grocery lists and reminders for other things and eventually just get purged from the clutter.  Then, of course, is the realization that I FaceBook with most of the few readers I have, so what I write is redundant. But I can't refer back to FB now can I?  So I need to do this for ME.  Heh.  There are a lot of things I need to do for me. So, I am just going to go forth with some photos and highlights and see what I can accomplish before my darling spouse demands something.  LOL

First. My adorable eldest grand-daughter and our Roller Derby team, the Midnight Sun Roller Girlz, had their 1st big Scrimmage against an opposing team, The Denali Destroyer Dolls, on Sept 24th.
Prior to the scrimmage, they had a photo shoot at a car dealership that is one of their sponsors.  Believe it or not, this is my little "Muffin Girl", aka Riley who is now know as "Boom-Dot Saint".  Boom for short.

Isn't she something?!?  A local Vintage clothing store let them pick outfits to use and she sure did good!

Here's a good shot of her during the scrimmage, slipping by the blocker (in the white shirt, that should have stopped her. heh)and helping to clear the path for the Jammer of the moment.  The MSRG won the scrimmage by an astronomical score of 149-15!  The team has been working SO hard and OMG, did it ever pay off!!  So proud of all of them!  Best part?  No serious injuries.

Next up is the news that I have rented a booth in a local antique shop, called Betty's Attic.  I have so much Depression Glass and other collectables that I really need to get rid of and what better way?  I rented the booth a week ago or so, but it won't be available until Oct 25, so that gives me lots of time for pricing and gathering my stuff.  I have no place to properly display my treasures and many of them are still packed away in boxes under the house.  I will keep my family treasures and a few other things and sell the rest. I'm starting with a fairly small booth and can always move up if need be.  If it goes well, i will buy more stuff to resell.  If not, no big deal.  This is my soon to be area (not my stuff in it, obviously)

I can paint, put up shelves (which I must do) add tables, etc.  Chuck is in charge of that, of course :)

And speaking of Chuck, he bought a buggy and has been training Dixie to pull it. She's a fast learner and eager to please.  Mission accomplished.

 The one above is them returning from about a 3 hour trip around the back roads yesterday.  She was a very good girl!

This, however, is how my Sweet Susie acted up  the whole time they were gone!  Actually she just paced and whinnied the whole time, only rearing up when they finally got back.  So anxious when her kid is out of her sight!!  And so excited to have her back :).  Dang horses are worse than kids. Well, actually, she acts like a typical mother!  What am I thinking?  LOL


Let's see, what else.  About a month ago I had a perm.  Bound and determined to have curly hair again.  It's been a couple years that I have been doing the straight thing after many years of spiral and piggy-back perms.  It came out good.  My wonderful Hairstylist did a great job. But.....I hated it.  It's just not "me" anymore.  SO.....last week she tried a new straightening process on me!  I had to leave it in for 72 hours.  Could not wash my hair for 3 days, which is bad enough on it's own, but the stuff she used was kinda icky.  My hair felt like it had been over moussed and gelled.  Dry and stiff and icky.  But now that I can wash it, which I did 3 times Friday pm, at the exact moment that the clock struck the 72 hour mark (6:58 PM) it is fairly straight and best of all....silky and shiny again!!  Yay!!  I love my Becky, like Poolie loves her Joannie.  She's a terrific gal and an awesome stylist and colorist.  We have a lot of fun with my hair and I trust her with my beloved locks!

As I was typing this, I was thinking that I wish I could get my s&%t together and chronicle everything via photos (with details) on Flickr.....like our lovely Karyl does.  I SO need to organize what pictures I have and need to be taking lots more!  One of my biggest problems is that I am not working and also that some days I am able to do more than other days, depending on my pain level.  I used to have such 'structured days' and I deffo function better that way.  I just can't seem to get a grip on this new way of life and make the best use of my time and resources.  I hate the intrusion of having to schedule anything, and yet I find I can't accomplish what I want unless I do!  Ah, well.....as one of my former blog buddies used to say (and probably still does!) "It'll all work out in the end. It always does!".  LOL