Monday Rambles

I am about to utter blasphemy.  Gasp!

I wish that damn horse race would hurry up and get here so I can go back to selling shit.  I'm freaking dying here!  Sheesh!

At least, Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday.  I am planning to go to four different comic shops.  Yay!

I made the mistake the other day of turning on the bathroom faucet a little so that Chiquito could play in the water and I could have some peace while I did my business meditated on world affairs.  Now he expects it every time some one goes in the bathroom.  Sigh!

Apparently, this is the day I end every short little thought or paragraph with an exclamation of some type.  Oh Boy!

That last one was sarcasm, if you couldn't tell.  Really?

That was more of a question than an exclamation.  Oops!

Okay, I'll stop now.  This might be a good time to remind everyone that these posts are called "Monday Rambles" for a reason.

I go back tomorrow for treatment #2.  I still have a few rashy patches, so I'll ask about a cream for them.  (Thanks, Joy for that good idea!)  The biggest problem I'm having is this drug is playing havoc with my blood sugar.  My primary care doctor and I are trying to get that back under control, but it's tough.   My thyroid levels are also low, which is another effect of this medicine.  I guess I'll be going on something for that.

It rained most of Saturday morning, but there were a good handful of indoor sales, so we pressed on.  I even remembered the Mazda shot.  I spent Sunday trying to pull my booths back from the brink of disaster.  I'm probably going back today to finish up.  I might light one of my Saint Jude candles when I am there.  Couldn't hurt.  I wonder who the patron saint of re-sellers is?

Seriously, I've had one good sales day in the past week.  I'm still selling stuff every day, so that's something.  It also looks like I'll at least make the low end of my monthly goals, although it was doubtful for a moment.  I just hate to see all this good stuff and treasures sitting around unpurchased.  Well, Derby is Saturday, so maybe things will pick up after that.

Also, I had a good day at Goodwill last week:

Hey Bay-bee!

I've never found one of those mouse banks in such good shape before.  You can hardly tell for that mess of red hair, but he even still has his hat.  Usually, they're naked and beat up and the seller wants one of your kidneys for them.

I'm becoming rather fond of the Southern Indiana Goodwills.  They rotate the colors of their tags, which means there's always a color that's half-off.  Small furniture is usually well-priced.  (There are exceptions to this.)  Plus, they have a frequent buyer program which allows you to get your card stamped for every ten dollars you purchase.  After ten stamps, you get ten dollars off!   The Kentucky stores could take a few lessons here, I think.  The Saint Vincent de Paul stores here do the rotating color discount thing, and I think the Goodwills might lose out on some business because of it.  I know I prefer the SVDP stores over the GW's on this side of the river.

I'm planning on taking it easy this week after my treatment. The weather is supposed to be lovely all week, so I think I'll do some sitting out back with a book or two.  That sounds nice to me.  If I remember, I'll let you know what I'm reading.

Monday Rambles

Oh my!  I overslept today!  I've still got plenty of time to get to work, but not so much for the coffee and blogging time.  Oh my!  I need my coffee and blogging time!  Yes, I do.

I guess I'm still worn out from the adventure that was the weekend. 

I spent yesterday at the booth, pricing and putting stuff out from the haul.  It took all afternoon, but I got it all done, plus a little extra.

When sales slow down, I like to slack off on my restocking just a hair.  I'll put out only large objects or only a few new ones to keep everything looking fresh, but  concentrate on shifting the older stuff around to get to move.  After a few days of this, I'll  condense what's left onto a few shelves and slam out an abundance of new stuff.  It's an instant facelift for the booth and can often reinvigorate slow sales periods, like right now.

Last week was slow death, as far as sales were concerned.  I finally dipped into the single digits and could not get out!  It culminated in a day where my total was $1.99, and I took to my fainting couch with the vapors.  Actually, it was more the swoons than the vapors.  And I don't actually have a fainting couch, so I kind of just collapsed in a heap in the floor.  (Note to self:  Find a fainting couch.  It's so much more dignified.)

The weekend, however, turned out to be pretty good sales-wise.  My totals were where I like them to be and I sold some large items.  

Now it's Derby Week, which is the kiss of death for booth sales.  Wednesday, is the Great Steamboat Race, so everyone will crowd to the river to watch and no one will shop.  What steamboats have to do with horse racing, I don't quite understand.  Maybe they put the horses on the boats or something.

Thursday is the Derby Parade, so everyone will go downtown and no one will shop.  At least I get the day off, but I will not be downtown.  I'm not one for huge crowds.  More on my plans in a sec.

Friday is Oaks Day, so everyone will go to the Downs and no one will shop.  Except for those folks preparing for their Derby Parties.  Too bad I don't sell hot dogs and charcoal.

Saturday is (finally) Derby Day, so everyone will be at the Downs or at a arty somewhere, and no one will shop.  I shall console myself at the one annual yard sale that will happen and Free Comic Book Day.

And then it is over.  All I have to do is survive until Mother's Day, and hope sales pick up a tic after that.

As for me, this is what I have going on:

MONDAY:  Work.  Then go to closing store to check on booth and see if anyone has a killer markdown sale going on.  Go to main booth and prep storage room for what is to come.

WEDNESDAY:  Work.  Then go to Peddlers Mall.  Take down my uncle's booth and store his stuff in my room.  He's been sick for a while, but is getting better.  I've tended his space for him since the first of the year, but he has decided to take a break.  I'll take his tables and things to him next week.

THURSDAY:  Spend the day at the closed store breaking down booth and moving everything out.

FRIDAY:   Spend the day at the Peddlers Mall, working on the new set up and taking care of everything that got moved over.

SATURDAY:  FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!!

SUNDAY:  Probably back to the Peddlers Mall to finish up.

Tomorrow, I'll regale you with the tale(s) of the sales from Saturday and put up some pics of the finds.  In the meantime, here's a preview:

See ya!