You all know I'm a terrible, bad, horrible junk blogger, right?
Good. That's established.
Then you won't be surprised when I tell you that I had a really good day Saturday. Despite the fact that it was the day of the big fireworks show, we managed to get a decent amount of stuff, including some good large items. And I forgot to get a Mazda shot!!!!
Bad junk blogging. That's what it is.
Due to the big hoopla downtown, we didn't take anything to the booth, so I can still get some pics and post it all later in the week. I'm not going to put it all back in Mazda, though. Sorry. I'm also a lazy blogger.
Booth sales have been lackluster lately. I only had one good day last week, and that was only because I sold a large item, the only one of those I sold all week. Derby malaise is here! (Of course, I'm partly responsible for this as well. My "little old man" booth is out of control and I have lacked the fortitude to tackle it the last few times I have been there.
Somehow, a bumble bee got in the house yesterday. I'm still trying to figure out how. Luckily, I got to it before Chiquito did. I'm not sure about the effects of bee venom on felines and I'm not really wanting to find out.
I'm starting to get small patchy rashes on my arms. They flare up and itch from time to time, but mostly they don't bother me. It's a sign that I'm having immune reactions to the new drug. If it stays this low key, then I'm not going to do anything about it, since it really doesn't bother me. I don't want to do steroids unless I'm covered head to toe. I will tell the doctor about it at my next infusion, which happens to be next week. My, how time flies.
Tomorrow is Keith's birthday. We've made it another year! I'll have a special post for him tomorrow. I got a special surprise in the mail last week. I'll do a post about it too. Overall, it should be a low key week around here, which is good. I have a lot of comics to bag and that takes a while.
It's going to be another on again, off again, on again, still on again, off again rainy week. Just like every other week this month. I'd still rather have this than the snow, but I'd also like to be able to send some of this rain to the areas of the country that really need it. The real problem for me is that I have a lot of stuff I need to do outside. I seem to have the unerring ability to waste all the non-rainy time working inside the house, then, right when I am ready to work outside, the rain starts. At least, Saturdays have been spared the rain.
Oh well, better get to work.
Showing posts with label weather reports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather reports. Show all posts
Monday, April 20, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
Monday Rambles
So, I ended up not leaving the house last week, except for one trip to the booths. It was cold, snowy, icky, wet, and just not pleasant. The streets stayed nasty all week, so every work day I would have had got cancelled. No complaints from me. Turns out I really needed the rest more than I thought. I had some things in the house to price, which kept me busy. And there's nothing wrong with a good nap (or a dozen) on a cold winter's day.
It's supposed to stay cold this week, but the white stuff is clearing out. By the end of the week, we'll be into better weather. I'm finally going to get that Goodwill trip in, plus a few more errands. Depending on how wet the back yard still is, I'm going to try and work on the booth stuff in the shed. I don't have a lot to do, so maybe I can get it done, even if it's a little muddy.
I have four-five banana boxes with my religious merch in them that I would like to get all stacked together so I can grab them this weekend. They're all labeled, so it should be easy to do. I also have about six boxes with unpriced stuff in them that I would like to pull into the house to work on. My goal is to have a full van load (or two) to take to the booths on Saturday.
I'm also planning on my first midweek booth work day for this store on Wednesday. I've got a lot of work to do right now. The manager offered a booth swap to me and I decided to take it. I'm moving from a really cool spot in the back that I would not normally give up to an end corner double booth on the same row where my other booth is. The temptation of having everything all together, plus the double-spread end row booth is too much to say no to. The nice thing is that I can move a bit at a time over several days and avoid the rushed clutter that I cam dealing with now.
I actually headed out on Saturday to start the work, but the new space was not totally cleared out, so I couldn't. It's supposed to be all cleared out in a couple of days, so I'm going back Wednesday to start moving and cleaning up. Since I couldn't do anything on Saturday, I hit up a nearby thrift.
Of course, I found a few things.
I got the bunny stuff to tide me over until I can dig my little Easter stash out of whichever storage place it's in. I thought the tins were cute. The Ponderosa Ranch tin cups aren't old, but they are cool. The Angel graphic novels were a fun find. They had a huge stack of comics, but they were a tad much for my tastes right now. I'm going to have to wait for them to go half price in a week or two.
It's supposed to stay cold this week, but the white stuff is clearing out. By the end of the week, we'll be into better weather. I'm finally going to get that Goodwill trip in, plus a few more errands. Depending on how wet the back yard still is, I'm going to try and work on the booth stuff in the shed. I don't have a lot to do, so maybe I can get it done, even if it's a little muddy.
I have four-five banana boxes with my religious merch in them that I would like to get all stacked together so I can grab them this weekend. They're all labeled, so it should be easy to do. I also have about six boxes with unpriced stuff in them that I would like to pull into the house to work on. My goal is to have a full van load (or two) to take to the booths on Saturday.
I'm also planning on my first midweek booth work day for this store on Wednesday. I've got a lot of work to do right now. The manager offered a booth swap to me and I decided to take it. I'm moving from a really cool spot in the back that I would not normally give up to an end corner double booth on the same row where my other booth is. The temptation of having everything all together, plus the double-spread end row booth is too much to say no to. The nice thing is that I can move a bit at a time over several days and avoid the rushed clutter that I cam dealing with now.
I actually headed out on Saturday to start the work, but the new space was not totally cleared out, so I couldn't. It's supposed to be all cleared out in a couple of days, so I'm going back Wednesday to start moving and cleaning up. Since I couldn't do anything on Saturday, I hit up a nearby thrift.
Of course, I found a few things.
I got the bunny stuff to tide me over until I can dig my little Easter stash out of whichever storage place it's in. I thought the tins were cute. The Ponderosa Ranch tin cups aren't old, but they are cool. The Angel graphic novels were a fun find. They had a huge stack of comics, but they were a tad much for my tastes right now. I'm going to have to wait for them to go half price in a week or two.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Monday Rambles
Okay. Saturday was the big fireworks show that kicks off the Derby Festival. And tonight they're calling for...wait for it.....SNOW!
It shouldn't be much or stick around long, because it's going to be a tad too warm for that. It's just the general principle of the thing. Is it not supposed to be spring?? Is there a such thing as Winter PTSD? If so, I think most of us may have it.
Keith keeps saying that this will be one of those years when there's snow on Derby day. For the uninitiated, that's the first Saturday in May. (Which is also Free Comic Book Day!) I can remember one such Derby in my lifetime, although I can't recall the specific year. It was when Keith and I were living in our old apartment. There wasn't a lot of snow, but, again, it's the principle of the thing.
Enough about the weather already.
I'm putting off my yard sale post until tomorrow or Wednesday, because it's going to be a long one and I'm still working on it. I ended up going to the booth on Sunday with some leftovers, which was unplanned, but became necessary when we realized that, given our schedules for this week, it was the only day available to do it.
I actually had decent booth sales on Saturday. I nearly met my daily sales target, which is unheard of on Thunder day. People tend to head straight to the Waterfront and spend the day there. Unless you're someone like me and you realize that it's a great day to go shopping without the crowds. (Derby day is like this too.) Apparently, there were quite a few people like me at the Peddlers Mall yesterday. I'll take it.
Overall, my April sales have not been as dire as they have been in the past. I'm still lagging behind where I need to be, saleswise, but I have not had any days with no sales. I've also had double digit sales every day. No two or three dollar days, so far. I've met or nearly met my daily target a couple of days and had one day that was flat out tremendous! For April, I'm not doing too bad. Now that Derby madness has started, I'm hoping that will hold.
It's Holy Week, so I'm featuring some vintage booklets on the Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross) in separate posts. I'll double post on some days and let the booklet post stand on other days. I found a nice batch of Catholic booklets in my stash a few weeks ago and decided to feature them. I bought them a while back at a sale, but set them aside to read and flip through. One of the hard parts of having a collector's interest in what you sell is getting them to the booth timely. I've got a stack of manga that I want to read that proves it.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the booklets. Some of them are quite charming and the graphics are really cool. Many of them are quite battered and worn. These were meant to be used over and over again and they were. I think that adds to their charm, so I've only done minimal editing to the scans.
You can see the first one right below this post. Have a good week!
It shouldn't be much or stick around long, because it's going to be a tad too warm for that. It's just the general principle of the thing. Is it not supposed to be spring?? Is there a such thing as Winter PTSD? If so, I think most of us may have it.
Keith keeps saying that this will be one of those years when there's snow on Derby day. For the uninitiated, that's the first Saturday in May. (Which is also Free Comic Book Day!) I can remember one such Derby in my lifetime, although I can't recall the specific year. It was when Keith and I were living in our old apartment. There wasn't a lot of snow, but, again, it's the principle of the thing.
Enough about the weather already.
I'm putting off my yard sale post until tomorrow or Wednesday, because it's going to be a long one and I'm still working on it. I ended up going to the booth on Sunday with some leftovers, which was unplanned, but became necessary when we realized that, given our schedules for this week, it was the only day available to do it.
I actually had decent booth sales on Saturday. I nearly met my daily sales target, which is unheard of on Thunder day. People tend to head straight to the Waterfront and spend the day there. Unless you're someone like me and you realize that it's a great day to go shopping without the crowds. (Derby day is like this too.) Apparently, there were quite a few people like me at the Peddlers Mall yesterday. I'll take it.
Overall, my April sales have not been as dire as they have been in the past. I'm still lagging behind where I need to be, saleswise, but I have not had any days with no sales. I've also had double digit sales every day. No two or three dollar days, so far. I've met or nearly met my daily target a couple of days and had one day that was flat out tremendous! For April, I'm not doing too bad. Now that Derby madness has started, I'm hoping that will hold.
It's Holy Week, so I'm featuring some vintage booklets on the Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross) in separate posts. I'll double post on some days and let the booklet post stand on other days. I found a nice batch of Catholic booklets in my stash a few weeks ago and decided to feature them. I bought them a while back at a sale, but set them aside to read and flip through. One of the hard parts of having a collector's interest in what you sell is getting them to the booth timely. I've got a stack of manga that I want to read that proves it.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the booklets. Some of them are quite charming and the graphics are really cool. Many of them are quite battered and worn. These were meant to be used over and over again and they were. I think that adds to their charm, so I've only done minimal editing to the scans.
You can see the first one right below this post. Have a good week!
Monday, February 24, 2014
Monday Rambles
This edition of Monday Rambles by Eddie-torial Comments is being brought to you by:
A kitty in a sink!
Chiquito is one of those water play cats. You know, the ones who defy the stereotype that cats hate water. He has always been nuts about water, running or still. His water dish is always surrounded by little splashes that he has smacked and slapped and scooped out of the bowl. He'll sit there for several minutes, until he's tossed all the water out of the bowl. Then when you pick the bowl up and take it to the sink for a refill, he comes running and tries to grab the bowl while you're filling it. It's insane.
One of the funniest things I've ever seen our cats do happened one day when he was doing his splash play routine at the water dish. Bennie was sitting there waiting for him to finish, so she could get a drink. Finally, she reached out her paw and yanked the bowl away from him. I just cracked up!
He's been the only one in the house that was happy about the sub-freezing temperatures, because we had to keep the faucets running a bit to keep the pipes from freezing. He sat by the bathroom sink for hours, playing and splashing and carrying on. Then, he would crawl in bed with us with cold, soaking wet paws.
Now that it's warm and the water is not running, he spends time beside the sink, occasionally staring at it, and at least once, sleeping in it. That's his sleepy face in the pic. We have a wild household.
Speaking of warmer weather, it has been glorious here! The ice and snow are gone! We did have a nasty thunderstorm last week, but I just kept telling myself: "It's not snow. It's not snow." I know a lot of other folks are still dealing with the winter weather and I do feel for you guys, but it's nice to see the sidewalks again!
Friday was really windy, but Saturday was the best day we have had in ages! It was the kind of day when there should have been dozens of yard sales everywhere. Instead, there were none! It was very sad. We went to my uncle's to pick up some stuff to take to his booth, and his wife said that she was just "living for yard sale season." Me too! Me too!
I got "observed" by my boss at work last week. I guess it went okay. I wasn't happy with the way it came out, but the written review was pretty good. I have to do it again this week.
I didn't have much of a chance to thrift last week. Went to a couple, but didn't find anything. I did get some Valentines clearance at 90-ish% off the other day. Just a tad, since I don't really do a big booth Valentines thing. People don't tend to think Peddlers Malls when they're looking for Valentines gifts. I'll put them up for next year. (While I was with my uncle, he gave me some Halloween clearance stuff that I left in his van ages ago.)
The sensational Sue at Vintage Rescue Squad has asked the most awesome question: If you could have one junking super-power, what would it be? I'm almost disappointed that I never thought of this! I mean, is there a more perfect combination of comic books and junking? (Other than shopping for old comics at flea markets?) You can see my answer in the comments and leave your own!
This is the last week of February. Can you believe it? Where does the time go? The year is almost 1/6 over! One month closer to yard sale season! Woo hoo!
One of the funniest things I've ever seen our cats do happened one day when he was doing his splash play routine at the water dish. Bennie was sitting there waiting for him to finish, so she could get a drink. Finally, she reached out her paw and yanked the bowl away from him. I just cracked up!
He's been the only one in the house that was happy about the sub-freezing temperatures, because we had to keep the faucets running a bit to keep the pipes from freezing. He sat by the bathroom sink for hours, playing and splashing and carrying on. Then, he would crawl in bed with us with cold, soaking wet paws.
Now that it's warm and the water is not running, he spends time beside the sink, occasionally staring at it, and at least once, sleeping in it. That's his sleepy face in the pic. We have a wild household.
Speaking of warmer weather, it has been glorious here! The ice and snow are gone! We did have a nasty thunderstorm last week, but I just kept telling myself: "It's not snow. It's not snow." I know a lot of other folks are still dealing with the winter weather and I do feel for you guys, but it's nice to see the sidewalks again!
Friday was really windy, but Saturday was the best day we have had in ages! It was the kind of day when there should have been dozens of yard sales everywhere. Instead, there were none! It was very sad. We went to my uncle's to pick up some stuff to take to his booth, and his wife said that she was just "living for yard sale season." Me too! Me too!
I got "observed" by my boss at work last week. I guess it went okay. I wasn't happy with the way it came out, but the written review was pretty good. I have to do it again this week.
I didn't have much of a chance to thrift last week. Went to a couple, but didn't find anything. I did get some Valentines clearance at 90-ish% off the other day. Just a tad, since I don't really do a big booth Valentines thing. People don't tend to think Peddlers Malls when they're looking for Valentines gifts. I'll put them up for next year. (While I was with my uncle, he gave me some Halloween clearance stuff that I left in his van ages ago.)
The sensational Sue at Vintage Rescue Squad has asked the most awesome question: If you could have one junking super-power, what would it be? I'm almost disappointed that I never thought of this! I mean, is there a more perfect combination of comic books and junking? (Other than shopping for old comics at flea markets?) You can see my answer in the comments and leave your own!
This is the last week of February. Can you believe it? Where does the time go? The year is almost 1/6 over! One month closer to yard sale season! Woo hoo!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Monday Rambles
This is the view out our front door.
This is the view out the back door.
I'm not totally sure I understand this. When exactly did we move to Michigan?
Part of the neighbor's tree fell off under the weight of the ice. It fell in our backyard. You can see part of it in the pic above. Thankfully, it missed the sheds and the house. It's kind of funny how tree bits look so much larger on the ground than they do when they are still on the tree.
Practically everything around is still covered in ice. It would be pretty if we didn't have to get out in it every day. I can deal with it as long as the temps stay in the double digits. It might not be what I desire to do or prefer to do, but I can deal with it. I'm still limiting my ventures outside to those things that have to be done. No fun side journeys these days.
I was supposed to be off this week due to budget cuts, but we saved so much money over the last two weeks with weather-related cancellations that now I'm supposed to be working. Supposed to be. But not today. I'm going to the booths instead. I hope that the weather cooperates the rest of the week and I can work. I need it.
I actually saw someone using the phone the other day! I thought about getting a pic, but there was really no way to discreetly do it. It would have made a great conclusion to the whole phone saga. You'll just have to imagine it for yourselves. Eddi-torial Comments: Where the oddball, throw-away joke never really ends.
After the concert last week, the venue sent us an email asking for our feedback. I replied with a glowing email. (Gee! Imagine that!) I got a reply shortly thereafter thanking me for my email. The email also shared that the unanimous opinion of all the venue staff was that Rodney and Emmylou were he "easiest" performers to work with. "No backstage egos at all."
Emmylou has long had a reputation as being very gracious and genuine. She is extremely well-regarded among her peers. Of course, it's one thing to be regarded by your peers and quite another to be praised by all the backstage folks who make the shoe possible! She's quite a lady!
The car got towed away Friday night. They're going to fix it instead of totaling it, which is a relief. What remains to be seen is what happens to our insurance.
Want to see something cute?
One of the best features is the packaging. Or rather, the artwork on the packaging. It's all done in that classic, awesome Dick Giordano style that was the model for so much DC merchandising for years. There are even temporary tattoos.
Did some junking Friday and Saturday. No sales happening, so I hit the shops instead. I'll share finds tomorrow. I will share these vintage-style Valentines they have at Barnes and Noble right now. I saw them while I was making my rounds. They're like six or eight dollars a box or something outrageous like that, given that there are only 8 to a package. I'll wait until next week and see if they go on clearance. I thought maybe a few folks might like them!
Why was I junking at Barnes and Noble? Some of you may know why by now. If you don't, I'll tell you later. (It's kind of a sad tale.) There is a hint in the paragraph before these last pics.
My what a random Monday Rambles! Speaking of Valentines, "Your Vintage Valentine of the Day" starts today! Limited engagement! Four days only! That's because Valentines Day is Friday (and because I only have four vintage Valentines to share). Look for a special Valentines post on Friday!
This is the view out the back door.
I'm not totally sure I understand this. When exactly did we move to Michigan?
Part of the neighbor's tree fell off under the weight of the ice. It fell in our backyard. You can see part of it in the pic above. Thankfully, it missed the sheds and the house. It's kind of funny how tree bits look so much larger on the ground than they do when they are still on the tree.
Practically everything around is still covered in ice. It would be pretty if we didn't have to get out in it every day. I can deal with it as long as the temps stay in the double digits. It might not be what I desire to do or prefer to do, but I can deal with it. I'm still limiting my ventures outside to those things that have to be done. No fun side journeys these days.
I was supposed to be off this week due to budget cuts, but we saved so much money over the last two weeks with weather-related cancellations that now I'm supposed to be working. Supposed to be. But not today. I'm going to the booths instead. I hope that the weather cooperates the rest of the week and I can work. I need it.
I actually saw someone using the phone the other day! I thought about getting a pic, but there was really no way to discreetly do it. It would have made a great conclusion to the whole phone saga. You'll just have to imagine it for yourselves. Eddi-torial Comments: Where the oddball, throw-away joke never really ends.
After the concert last week, the venue sent us an email asking for our feedback. I replied with a glowing email. (Gee! Imagine that!) I got a reply shortly thereafter thanking me for my email. The email also shared that the unanimous opinion of all the venue staff was that Rodney and Emmylou were he "easiest" performers to work with. "No backstage egos at all."
Emmylou has long had a reputation as being very gracious and genuine. She is extremely well-regarded among her peers. Of course, it's one thing to be regarded by your peers and quite another to be praised by all the backstage folks who make the shoe possible! She's quite a lady!
The car got towed away Friday night. They're going to fix it instead of totaling it, which is a relief. What remains to be seen is what happens to our insurance.
Want to see something cute?
She's a flash drive! Keith got her for me for Xmas! I'd been waiting to use her until I had some junking related files I needed to back-up. She's my official junking drive. I love her! He told me that sometimes the perfect gifts are pretty obvious.
 |
| It does feel kind of creepy to pull her legs off to use the drive. |
 |
| Yessir! That's the Amazon Princess I grew up with! |
 |
| I'm going to plaster that WW logo on my forehead and wear it to work on Monday! |
Did some junking Friday and Saturday. No sales happening, so I hit the shops instead. I'll share finds tomorrow. I will share these vintage-style Valentines they have at Barnes and Noble right now. I saw them while I was making my rounds. They're like six or eight dollars a box or something outrageous like that, given that there are only 8 to a package. I'll wait until next week and see if they go on clearance. I thought maybe a few folks might like them!
 |
| Of course there are puppies! |
 |
| And kitties! |
Why was I junking at Barnes and Noble? Some of you may know why by now. If you don't, I'll tell you later. (It's kind of a sad tale.) There is a hint in the paragraph before these last pics.
My what a random Monday Rambles! Speaking of Valentines, "Your Vintage Valentine of the Day" starts today! Limited engagement! Four days only! That's because Valentines Day is Friday (and because I only have four vintage Valentines to share). Look for a special Valentines post on Friday!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Monday Rambles
I started feeling a little better towards the end of last week. My energy level has been picking up over the past few days. I'm at the end of this chemo cycle, so this is supposed to be my "good week." I get my next infusion next Tuesday, so I intend to work this week for all its worth.
I still have to have my rest periods, but not nearly as many or as long. Last "good week" I was able to get by with just early bed times. I'm hoping to squeeze in a little thrifting and some major booth work this week, plus some house cleaning.
I'm not looking forward to the next infusion, just to be frank. I'm getting tired of being stuck with needles, for one thing. I still have these hard knots up and down my arms from the last round of shots. Seriously, it was three weeks ago, but I can still identify all of my injection spots. I'm also dreading the next increase in side effects. (I need to remember to renew my anti-nausea meds this week.)
The radiologist released me last week. I had my follow-up with him on Wednesday. He gave me the option of continuing to see him or not. I was only too glad to be rid of one of this crew of doctors! Of course, if I do need further treatment, he'll be called back in, but we're hoping that doesn't have to happen.
How do you know that the Kentucky Derby Festival is about to begin? The temperatures drop in Louisville! It was quite chilly this weekend for the big fireworks deal thing at the Waterfront. Thankfully, overall, my sales didn't dip too much. which can sometimes happen. In fact, my sales started picking up toward the end of last week, which was much welcome.
Despite the chilly weather, there were a few good sales this weekend. In fact, three of my favorite sales of the year took place on Saturday. I knew about two of them all week and had a plan to hit both of them. The third one hit me out of the blue. I had checked the website for the center having that sale at the beginning of the month, and there was no mention of the sale, so finding the ad on Friday caught me off-guard. It's important to do your research, but sometimes your sources frustrate you!
Rearranging my plan, we hit the surprise sale first, since it's always the biggest and best one. For a couple of years now, I've gotten to this one and found cheap furniture and had no way to transport it. This year, I remembered to bring the truck. Voila! One load of cheap furniture!
When we hit the smalls, Keith and I were gathering so much that one of the volunteers gave us a Rubbermaid cart to use as a shopping cart! We loaded that sucker up! Having the cart meant that I could gather up a good deal more stuff at once, so I didn't have to make my usual two-three trips through the place.
We did notice, both at this sale and at one of the churches, that prices were a little higher than we were used to. Not that they were sky-high, but there were fewer of the .05 and .10 tags at both sales than we were used to. I have a theory that the little old ladies at those places who price everything at .25 or less have started dying off, resulting in more .50 and up prices. I still got quite a lot, though.
My goal for this past weekend and the coming one is to get stocked up enough to carry me through the next chemo cycle. That approach worked well for me last time, so I'm doing it again. Just getting to a sale or thrift when I'm battling the fatigue is very difficult.
I had a couple of unexpected windfalls last week that will help me reach that goal. I was able to by a batch of items from the untagged room in the Peddlers Mall. The store won't sell anything without a tag, so it's dated and put in a special room. After thirty days (per our contracts), the store has the right to sell off any unclaimed items. A lot of vendors don't check for their untagged stuff (I do), so it piles up. I bought a bunch of stuff older than thirty days. Some of it had been placed in there last summer, in fact! I'm going to have to remember this as a source.
Also, my junking uncle Mike sold me a van load of his overstock and threw in a couple of bags of free items as well. He kind of surprised me with it, but it was more than welcome and I appreciated it so much. He told me he had started gathering some things for me to tide me over when the getting out is difficult for me. We were able to get together for our first joint junking run in ages last Friday. It was cold, but we hit a half dozen yard sales and a few thrifts.
The other thing I have to do this week is get all of this stuff sorted and priced and ready to go. Then all I have to do is pull a box and go.
Speaking of going, I'd better get moving. I have a lot to do this week.
I still have to have my rest periods, but not nearly as many or as long. Last "good week" I was able to get by with just early bed times. I'm hoping to squeeze in a little thrifting and some major booth work this week, plus some house cleaning.
I'm not looking forward to the next infusion, just to be frank. I'm getting tired of being stuck with needles, for one thing. I still have these hard knots up and down my arms from the last round of shots. Seriously, it was three weeks ago, but I can still identify all of my injection spots. I'm also dreading the next increase in side effects. (I need to remember to renew my anti-nausea meds this week.)
The radiologist released me last week. I had my follow-up with him on Wednesday. He gave me the option of continuing to see him or not. I was only too glad to be rid of one of this crew of doctors! Of course, if I do need further treatment, he'll be called back in, but we're hoping that doesn't have to happen.
How do you know that the Kentucky Derby Festival is about to begin? The temperatures drop in Louisville! It was quite chilly this weekend for the big fireworks deal thing at the Waterfront. Thankfully, overall, my sales didn't dip too much. which can sometimes happen. In fact, my sales started picking up toward the end of last week, which was much welcome.
Despite the chilly weather, there were a few good sales this weekend. In fact, three of my favorite sales of the year took place on Saturday. I knew about two of them all week and had a plan to hit both of them. The third one hit me out of the blue. I had checked the website for the center having that sale at the beginning of the month, and there was no mention of the sale, so finding the ad on Friday caught me off-guard. It's important to do your research, but sometimes your sources frustrate you!
Rearranging my plan, we hit the surprise sale first, since it's always the biggest and best one. For a couple of years now, I've gotten to this one and found cheap furniture and had no way to transport it. This year, I remembered to bring the truck. Voila! One load of cheap furniture!
When we hit the smalls, Keith and I were gathering so much that one of the volunteers gave us a Rubbermaid cart to use as a shopping cart! We loaded that sucker up! Having the cart meant that I could gather up a good deal more stuff at once, so I didn't have to make my usual two-three trips through the place.
We did notice, both at this sale and at one of the churches, that prices were a little higher than we were used to. Not that they were sky-high, but there were fewer of the .05 and .10 tags at both sales than we were used to. I have a theory that the little old ladies at those places who price everything at .25 or less have started dying off, resulting in more .50 and up prices. I still got quite a lot, though.
My goal for this past weekend and the coming one is to get stocked up enough to carry me through the next chemo cycle. That approach worked well for me last time, so I'm doing it again. Just getting to a sale or thrift when I'm battling the fatigue is very difficult.
I had a couple of unexpected windfalls last week that will help me reach that goal. I was able to by a batch of items from the untagged room in the Peddlers Mall. The store won't sell anything without a tag, so it's dated and put in a special room. After thirty days (per our contracts), the store has the right to sell off any unclaimed items. A lot of vendors don't check for their untagged stuff (I do), so it piles up. I bought a bunch of stuff older than thirty days. Some of it had been placed in there last summer, in fact! I'm going to have to remember this as a source.
Also, my junking uncle Mike sold me a van load of his overstock and threw in a couple of bags of free items as well. He kind of surprised me with it, but it was more than welcome and I appreciated it so much. He told me he had started gathering some things for me to tide me over when the getting out is difficult for me. We were able to get together for our first joint junking run in ages last Friday. It was cold, but we hit a half dozen yard sales and a few thrifts.
The other thing I have to do this week is get all of this stuff sorted and priced and ready to go. Then all I have to do is pull a box and go.
Speaking of going, I'd better get moving. I have a lot to do this week.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Post-Holiday Babbling
Maybe that should be "Inter-Holiday Babbling"?
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We sure did here.
I got Keith these:
And he got me this:
It might seem like I came out a bit ahead on that deal, but he loved the house shoes! In fact, when he opened the package, he said to me those three little words everyone wants to hear from their partner:
"You're a nut!"
There were other presents, but those are the highlights. I was genuinely surprised by the Nook.
I'm off work until mid-January, so I'm trying to catch up on some stuff and get some rest, at least until my surgery next week. I'm going to try to post every day until I go the the hospital next Monday. I'm going to clean out some old stuff that needs to go up, so I can take the items I'm posting about to the booths.
I need to get out to the booths to tidy, but as long as it's freezing rain/light snow/nasty out, I'm keeping my tubby butt inside. I absolutely cannot get sick right now.
I'm also hoping to go ahead and schedule a few extra posts through the end of next week, so that there is some content here while I am in the hospital. When I get home, I'll do a quick update to let you know how things went. I'm not totally sure how long I'll actually be in the hospital. I'm thinking only a day or two, but my primary care doc thinks it'll be three or four days. Neither the surgeon or the hospital has been very clear on that point, so I'm just playing it by ear.
As soon as I can, I'll put up pics of the scar where Nigel and Sixtus used to be. I'll make sure it's not a bloody mess before I do.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We sure did here.
I got Keith these:
And he got me this:
It might seem like I came out a bit ahead on that deal, but he loved the house shoes! In fact, when he opened the package, he said to me those three little words everyone wants to hear from their partner:
"You're a nut!"
 |
| Chiquito liked the house shoes too! |
I'm off work until mid-January, so I'm trying to catch up on some stuff and get some rest, at least until my surgery next week. I'm going to try to post every day until I go the the hospital next Monday. I'm going to clean out some old stuff that needs to go up, so I can take the items I'm posting about to the booths.
I need to get out to the booths to tidy, but as long as it's freezing rain/light snow/nasty out, I'm keeping my tubby butt inside. I absolutely cannot get sick right now.
I'm also hoping to go ahead and schedule a few extra posts through the end of next week, so that there is some content here while I am in the hospital. When I get home, I'll do a quick update to let you know how things went. I'm not totally sure how long I'll actually be in the hospital. I'm thinking only a day or two, but my primary care doc thinks it'll be three or four days. Neither the surgeon or the hospital has been very clear on that point, so I'm just playing it by ear.
As soon as I can, I'll put up pics of the scar where Nigel and Sixtus used to be. I'll make sure it's not a bloody mess before I do.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Merry Monday Rambles
Okay, so I'm going to have to put the vintage cards on hold for next year. At least it gives me a whole fricking year to get the dang things scanned and posted. Works for me.
I spent the last few days of last week, including the dread end of the world day, in the dark with no lights or heat. I was still house-sitting and a transformer blew across the street due to very high winds. The crews worked on it for several days, and the power would flash back on and then cut out again. This also happened to be the time that the temps dropped to true winter levels. Dark and cold. I almost started to believe that the Mayans were right.
I hope everyone is ready for tonight and tomorrow. I finally got Keith's presents wrapped over the weekend. We'll probably go to midnight mass tonight. That's one of our off and on traditions. Maybe Santa will come while we're out. I've been good. Really.
Sales have been strong this month, until the beginning of last week, when they slowed to a crawl. Things picked back up by Friday, though. It did kill the momentum I had built up a little, which is frustrating. Still, I am only sixty bucks off last month's total sales at the Peddlers Mall, and we still have a week to go (but the store is closed tomorrow). I usually have a really good day after Xmas sales total.
Looking back at what has sold, I can make some preliminary conclusions:
Ornaments (new and vintage): MOSTLY SOLD OUT
Wrapping paper: SOLD OUT
Cards: DID NOT SELL WELL
Dishes: SO-SO SALES
Gift Items: 50% SELL THROUGH
I'm not going to end up with too many leftovers to store. The gift items will be left out, just shifted around. New stuff sat good prices is a good thing to have for tax season, which is our busiest time in this business.
My pre-surgery tests went well last week. Nigel finally stopped bleeding and all the bloodwork was good. There was a bit of a scare about my blood pressure, which was waaaaaay high. I've never had blood pressure issues at all, mind you, even during stressful times. The culprit turned out to be the cold meds I've been slugging in my dread fear that I was going to get sick and could not have the surgery.
In other words, my hypochondria-driven preventative treatment designed to keep me healthy enough for the surgery almost made me ineligible for the surgery. The irony, it burns. I went back to my doc on Friday and my bp was normal, so it's full steam ahead. This time next week, Nigel and Sixtus will be gone. I, for one, can't wait.
Happy Merry Ho Ho, Folks!
I spent the last few days of last week, including the dread end of the world day, in the dark with no lights or heat. I was still house-sitting and a transformer blew across the street due to very high winds. The crews worked on it for several days, and the power would flash back on and then cut out again. This also happened to be the time that the temps dropped to true winter levels. Dark and cold. I almost started to believe that the Mayans were right.
I hope everyone is ready for tonight and tomorrow. I finally got Keith's presents wrapped over the weekend. We'll probably go to midnight mass tonight. That's one of our off and on traditions. Maybe Santa will come while we're out. I've been good. Really.
Sales have been strong this month, until the beginning of last week, when they slowed to a crawl. Things picked back up by Friday, though. It did kill the momentum I had built up a little, which is frustrating. Still, I am only sixty bucks off last month's total sales at the Peddlers Mall, and we still have a week to go (but the store is closed tomorrow). I usually have a really good day after Xmas sales total.
Looking back at what has sold, I can make some preliminary conclusions:
Ornaments (new and vintage): MOSTLY SOLD OUT
Wrapping paper: SOLD OUT
Cards: DID NOT SELL WELL
Dishes: SO-SO SALES
Gift Items: 50% SELL THROUGH
I'm not going to end up with too many leftovers to store. The gift items will be left out, just shifted around. New stuff sat good prices is a good thing to have for tax season, which is our busiest time in this business.
My pre-surgery tests went well last week. Nigel finally stopped bleeding and all the bloodwork was good. There was a bit of a scare about my blood pressure, which was waaaaaay high. I've never had blood pressure issues at all, mind you, even during stressful times. The culprit turned out to be the cold meds I've been slugging in my dread fear that I was going to get sick and could not have the surgery.
In other words, my hypochondria-driven preventative treatment designed to keep me healthy enough for the surgery almost made me ineligible for the surgery. The irony, it burns. I went back to my doc on Friday and my bp was normal, so it's full steam ahead. This time next week, Nigel and Sixtus will be gone. I, for one, can't wait.
Happy Merry Ho Ho, Folks!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday Rambles
I'm finishing this up on Sunday, as I usually do, but I may or may not be able to get it posted. We've already had a brief power outage, which was preceded by several flickers, due to strong winds. We'll just have to see. It's kind of like Spring usually is around here.
There's only one thing worse than getting a sales email that says you only sold 59 cents at your booth. That would be not receiving one at all the next night. Typically, that means that there was an email glitch, but coming after such a low night, you just can't say that for sure. Happily, I got one (for 36 bucks) the night after the missing mail, and some quick math revealed I really did have sales, so it was just a glitch.
As you can guess from the 59 cent thing, it was kind of a low sales week, although I had a couple of good days at the Peddlers Mall. Still no skull sales. What do people have against skulls??
We set out Saturday on a yard sale journey that we expected would last until about 1:00. That's pretty typical. Why were we dragging back home at 7:00 that night?? We are still wondering where the day went. We did make some good finds for all that time out. I also had a couple of strange life flashbacks that I'll be writing about later on.
Things to never, ever believe when a junker says them: "I'm not really going to buy any more today. I think we have enough and the car is getting full." This is typically followed by emerging from a Goodwill with a vintage padded bench! It was six bucks. I couldn't leave it! Keith just rolls his eyes at me any more.
Last week's Love Match has been made. I have no idea how the happy couple is doing, but it left me with a good feeling in my heart and a nice jump in my sales report.
If you've been following my bargaining tips, I have a new one to add to the list of things not to do. At a church sale on Saturday, a gentleman was trying to buy several pairs of socks and a pair of shoes. I had a huge box of stuff that I was paying for at the same time. When he was told that the socks were 50 cents a pair, he loudly exclaimed: "I'd rather pay 25 cents!" My immediate thought was that I would "rather" walk out with all this shit without paying for it, but it ain't gonna happen! Needless to say, the women running the sale were not impressed.
I've got a lot to do this week. Several irons that I've had in the fire are due to come out, and my work hours pick up just a tad. Better to be busy than bored, I guess. I should have posts every day, though.
There's only one thing worse than getting a sales email that says you only sold 59 cents at your booth. That would be not receiving one at all the next night. Typically, that means that there was an email glitch, but coming after such a low night, you just can't say that for sure. Happily, I got one (for 36 bucks) the night after the missing mail, and some quick math revealed I really did have sales, so it was just a glitch.
As you can guess from the 59 cent thing, it was kind of a low sales week, although I had a couple of good days at the Peddlers Mall. Still no skull sales. What do people have against skulls??
 |
| We need a new home! |
Things to never, ever believe when a junker says them: "I'm not really going to buy any more today. I think we have enough and the car is getting full." This is typically followed by emerging from a Goodwill with a vintage padded bench! It was six bucks. I couldn't leave it! Keith just rolls his eyes at me any more.
Last week's Love Match has been made. I have no idea how the happy couple is doing, but it left me with a good feeling in my heart and a nice jump in my sales report.
If you've been following my bargaining tips, I have a new one to add to the list of things not to do. At a church sale on Saturday, a gentleman was trying to buy several pairs of socks and a pair of shoes. I had a huge box of stuff that I was paying for at the same time. When he was told that the socks were 50 cents a pair, he loudly exclaimed: "I'd rather pay 25 cents!" My immediate thought was that I would "rather" walk out with all this shit without paying for it, but it ain't gonna happen! Needless to say, the women running the sale were not impressed.
I've got a lot to do this week. Several irons that I've had in the fire are due to come out, and my work hours pick up just a tad. Better to be busy than bored, I guess. I should have posts every day, though.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Monday Rambles
Lots of rain last week. Some of it made things cool. Some of it made things muggy. I prefer the cool things to the muggy things.
I managed to edge my post total up to 160 last month, so I've got three months to do 40 posts and make my 200 goal for the year. It's looking more and more doable all the time.
Oh Lordy. What have I done now?
And this is only a very small part of it. I just grabbed a handful out of one of the boxes for a pic. I have five boxes of this stuff, and innumerable bags. I bought out the stock of a vendor who left and now I'm swamped with cards and nick nacks.
It's all Hallmark, though, so I'll make good money on it. Sadly, no Xmas ornaments. Still, I got this stuff mega-cheap! Some of it will have to go into storage for the appropriate holiday, so I have got to get it all sorted and priced first. It's a never-ending journey!
This is a crazy, crazy week. My Tues-Thurs afternoon gig wants me in on Mon and Wed as well, so I'll be there. Extra hours mean more dollars but less time. However, my Friday morning gig ain't happening this week, so I'll get a bit of a breather there. I've got posts slated for most of the week, so be sure to check in here.
I've been running low on books at the Peddler's Mall. My new book table was half empty, and all of those were old books that I put on it so that it wouldn't be all empty! I rectified that with a mass purchase of fifteen boxes of good stuff. I'm going to be set for a while. The best part is that I'll be able to put them out in "themes" for a while, since I have lots of books on certain topics now. I think the first theme will be hymnals.
I'm already having a pretty good run on the killer Halloween display. Several pieces have sold already, including many costumes from the tub, which makes it less obnoxiously full. I have a few last bits to put out this week and then I'll let it run.
I sold 73 dollars last Friday. Wish I could have days like that all the time. It was a bizarre combo of Halloween stuff and religious books that makes me wonder about the world. Sometimes, I like to imagine that everything I sell in a given day was bought by one person. Then I try to picture who that person is. It's an interesting game. This time around, I'm conjuring up a bizarre mix of Mother Teresa and Aleister Crowley.
I'm in a real good spot with stuff overall right now, so, other than some clearance gift items and small thrift runs, I've not done any heavy saling lately. (Except, of course, for the big buys above.) I did go to a sidewalk sale at my fave comic shop on Saturday. I'll have more to say about that later, when I've got a chance to write it all out. I do have to say right now, though, that it's been a long time since I've been a part of a nerd herd when it's converged on quarter comic boxes. Thankfully, it's like falling off a bike. You pick it up pretty quickly, once you get thrust in the middle of things.
Ever notice how good a simple veggie burger with a slice of cheese on a nice whole wheat bun with a ripe slice of tomato and some leaf lettuce and a dab of spicy mustard tastes? Mmmmmm....
And, finally, an open letter to an asshole:
Dear Asshole Who Thought It Would Be a Good Idea to Try and Rip Me Off at the Grocery While I Was in the Potty,
Do you really think I would leave my backpack in an unattended cart if it weren't empty, Dummy? Seriously. I had it there to put my damn groceries in. Asshole.
Oh yeah, Fuck You!
Love,
Me
I managed to edge my post total up to 160 last month, so I've got three months to do 40 posts and make my 200 goal for the year. It's looking more and more doable all the time.
Oh Lordy. What have I done now?
And this is only a very small part of it. I just grabbed a handful out of one of the boxes for a pic. I have five boxes of this stuff, and innumerable bags. I bought out the stock of a vendor who left and now I'm swamped with cards and nick nacks.
It's all Hallmark, though, so I'll make good money on it. Sadly, no Xmas ornaments. Still, I got this stuff mega-cheap! Some of it will have to go into storage for the appropriate holiday, so I have got to get it all sorted and priced first. It's a never-ending journey!
This is a crazy, crazy week. My Tues-Thurs afternoon gig wants me in on Mon and Wed as well, so I'll be there. Extra hours mean more dollars but less time. However, my Friday morning gig ain't happening this week, so I'll get a bit of a breather there. I've got posts slated for most of the week, so be sure to check in here.
I've been running low on books at the Peddler's Mall. My new book table was half empty, and all of those were old books that I put on it so that it wouldn't be all empty! I rectified that with a mass purchase of fifteen boxes of good stuff. I'm going to be set for a while. The best part is that I'll be able to put them out in "themes" for a while, since I have lots of books on certain topics now. I think the first theme will be hymnals.
I'm already having a pretty good run on the killer Halloween display. Several pieces have sold already, including many costumes from the tub, which makes it less obnoxiously full. I have a few last bits to put out this week and then I'll let it run.
I sold 73 dollars last Friday. Wish I could have days like that all the time. It was a bizarre combo of Halloween stuff and religious books that makes me wonder about the world. Sometimes, I like to imagine that everything I sell in a given day was bought by one person. Then I try to picture who that person is. It's an interesting game. This time around, I'm conjuring up a bizarre mix of Mother Teresa and Aleister Crowley.
I'm in a real good spot with stuff overall right now, so, other than some clearance gift items and small thrift runs, I've not done any heavy saling lately. (Except, of course, for the big buys above.) I did go to a sidewalk sale at my fave comic shop on Saturday. I'll have more to say about that later, when I've got a chance to write it all out. I do have to say right now, though, that it's been a long time since I've been a part of a nerd herd when it's converged on quarter comic boxes. Thankfully, it's like falling off a bike. You pick it up pretty quickly, once you get thrust in the middle of things.
Ever notice how good a simple veggie burger with a slice of cheese on a nice whole wheat bun with a ripe slice of tomato and some leaf lettuce and a dab of spicy mustard tastes? Mmmmmm....
And, finally, an open letter to an asshole:
Dear Asshole Who Thought It Would Be a Good Idea to Try and Rip Me Off at the Grocery While I Was in the Potty,
Do you really think I would leave my backpack in an unattended cart if it weren't empty, Dummy? Seriously. I had it there to put my damn groceries in. Asshole.
Oh yeah, Fuck You!
Love,
Me
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday Rambles
Fall has certainly fallen in this part of the world. We've had wonderfully cool-ish, fall-ish temperatures for several days now. I am in heaven! I live for this time of year. Not too cold. Not too hot. I just love it! Too bad it only lasts for a little while.
I spent the weekend cat-sitting, so I didn't really get out and do any yard sales. I decided to spend some time reading instead. Actually, I've been doing a lot of that lately. I can take one bus right from my front door to the latest incarnation of my work gig and back again, so I have a lot of time for reading.
If you are a whodunnit fan, I highly recommend MC Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series for its warmth, wit, and clever plotting. Unfortunately, her Agatha Raisin series is an acquired taste that I have yet ti acquire. Another favorite is anything by the wonderful Sharyn McCrumb. The mysteries usually turn out to be incidental to the overall plot, but her stories are so fabulously hilarious and delightful that I really don't mind at all. Currently, I'm elbow-deep in Luis Miguel Rocha's The Last Pope. I've not quite warmed to it just yet. I think after this one, I'm going to shift gears back into some manga or graphic novels. I've got a little stack that I want to burn through and get to a booth.
Sales have been nice lately. The fall bounce is in full swing. I like that! I did have a couple of lag days last week, but things picked right back up. I'm heading to the Peddlers Mall today to set up this year's killer Halloween display, just as soon as I dig all the stuff out of the shed. I've sold most of the Halloween/Fall stuff that I've already set out already, so it's time to go all out. I'm going to try and remember to both take the camera to get some pics and then to actually take them. It seems so simple, but I screw it up so often.
I hope some of you are checking into the YesterNook blog. I'm updating on Tuesday and Friday over there.
I spent the weekend cat-sitting, so I didn't really get out and do any yard sales. I decided to spend some time reading instead. Actually, I've been doing a lot of that lately. I can take one bus right from my front door to the latest incarnation of my work gig and back again, so I have a lot of time for reading.
If you are a whodunnit fan, I highly recommend MC Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series for its warmth, wit, and clever plotting. Unfortunately, her Agatha Raisin series is an acquired taste that I have yet ti acquire. Another favorite is anything by the wonderful Sharyn McCrumb. The mysteries usually turn out to be incidental to the overall plot, but her stories are so fabulously hilarious and delightful that I really don't mind at all. Currently, I'm elbow-deep in Luis Miguel Rocha's The Last Pope. I've not quite warmed to it just yet. I think after this one, I'm going to shift gears back into some manga or graphic novels. I've got a little stack that I want to burn through and get to a booth.
Sales have been nice lately. The fall bounce is in full swing. I like that! I did have a couple of lag days last week, but things picked right back up. I'm heading to the Peddlers Mall today to set up this year's killer Halloween display, just as soon as I dig all the stuff out of the shed. I've sold most of the Halloween/Fall stuff that I've already set out already, so it's time to go all out. I'm going to try and remember to both take the camera to get some pics and then to actually take them. It seems so simple, but I screw it up so often.
I hope some of you are checking into the YesterNook blog. I'm updating on Tuesday and Friday over there.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Monday Rambles
It's a little later than normal, but it's still Monday, so that counts in my book. I've been kind of lazy today and have taken advantage of not having to be anywhere by not doing anything of substance. I priced a few things and turned in a report for work, but other than that---nada. Well, unless you count the nap...
Today is, of course, Left Handed Day, so I hope you celebrated in honor of your favorite left-handed blogger (that would be me) and did at least one thing with your left hand.
We had a good time at the Kris Kristofferson concert last week. He was in good form and good voice. He may not be the best guitarist or have the best singing voice, but, damn, that man can write! He did a huge sampling from various stages of his career, including all the usual favorites to satisfy the folks in the crowd who only really know the "hits." But what about the folks, like Keith, who are true-blue, died in the wool, have all the albums fans? Oh yeah. They were satisfied too. It was a great night.
Things have finally really cooled off here for a bit. It was lovely all weekend and is supposed to be nice all week, except for a spot of rain here and there (much-needed).
Yard sales were surprisingly good this weekend. I wasn't expecting much, since the listings were kind of paltry. I only picked five or six stops, but it seems like I chose well. I ended up walking away from just about every sale with a BOX full of stuff! I also picked up a couple of much-needed pieces of furniture. Sometimes my picker is right on and this seems like it was one of those times.
Friday, it was so nice we went out for coffee after Keith got off work. We popped into a small bookstore by the coffee shop and spent some time wandering around. I went to the graphic novel section and realized how totally, totally out of touch I am with comic books these days. Sigh.
Saturday, after yard saling, we came home and spent the afternoon repairing the toilet. You kind of have to bear in mind a couple of facts to realize what a monumental occasion this was. First, neither of us are the most mechanically-inclined of individuals. Second, our bathroom is not really large enough for two men who are not small to both be in there at the same time. Third, my typical post-saling activity is a long nap, so I was tired and kind of cranky. In fact, I wanted to give up at several points. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and our toilet is now working again the way it's supposed to. (For the record, I'm the one who broke it, while trying to fix a small problem.)
Hopefully, I'll be able to get some posting done this week and some things finished around here. As always, we'll see what happens.
Today is, of course, Left Handed Day, so I hope you celebrated in honor of your favorite left-handed blogger (that would be me) and did at least one thing with your left hand.
We had a good time at the Kris Kristofferson concert last week. He was in good form and good voice. He may not be the best guitarist or have the best singing voice, but, damn, that man can write! He did a huge sampling from various stages of his career, including all the usual favorites to satisfy the folks in the crowd who only really know the "hits." But what about the folks, like Keith, who are true-blue, died in the wool, have all the albums fans? Oh yeah. They were satisfied too. It was a great night.
Things have finally really cooled off here for a bit. It was lovely all weekend and is supposed to be nice all week, except for a spot of rain here and there (much-needed).
Yard sales were surprisingly good this weekend. I wasn't expecting much, since the listings were kind of paltry. I only picked five or six stops, but it seems like I chose well. I ended up walking away from just about every sale with a BOX full of stuff! I also picked up a couple of much-needed pieces of furniture. Sometimes my picker is right on and this seems like it was one of those times.
Friday, it was so nice we went out for coffee after Keith got off work. We popped into a small bookstore by the coffee shop and spent some time wandering around. I went to the graphic novel section and realized how totally, totally out of touch I am with comic books these days. Sigh.
Saturday, after yard saling, we came home and spent the afternoon repairing the toilet. You kind of have to bear in mind a couple of facts to realize what a monumental occasion this was. First, neither of us are the most mechanically-inclined of individuals. Second, our bathroom is not really large enough for two men who are not small to both be in there at the same time. Third, my typical post-saling activity is a long nap, so I was tired and kind of cranky. In fact, I wanted to give up at several points. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and our toilet is now working again the way it's supposed to. (For the record, I'm the one who broke it, while trying to fix a small problem.)
Hopefully, I'll be able to get some posting done this week and some things finished around here. As always, we'll see what happens.
Monday, March 05, 2012
Monday Rambles
The weather turned positively lovely last week. All bright and sunshiney. Put me in a good mood all week, let me tell you. And then, toward the end of the week, we had lots of thunder rumbles and tornado scares. We missed most of it here, but folks to the north and east were not so lucky. And then, last night, we got three inches of snow dumped on us, and it's spent most of the day rapidly melting away in prep for 60's (!) tomorrow. Ah....Spring in Kentucky. March has definitely roared in like a lion--a lion with multiple personalities!
I also had a chance to thrift just about every day last week. Through that, I was able to pull a small load together for a re-stock, without dipping into my dwindling reserve. There are three (!) major indoor sales scheduled for Saturday, so it looks like the long winter is over! One of the sales is one of my favorites, as well. Last year, it was down a bit, as were most all the sales that followed. I'm hoping that it's back to true form this year and serves as a good omen for things to come!
I went to one sale this past weekend. It was another of my favorite indoor sales. It was down a little bit, but I walked out with a good box full of stuff. But it has changed a bit. In the past, nothing was priced. I'd fill up a box, take it to the cashier and they would say "How about a dollar?" Not so this year. It was all priced and they made sure to total it all up. Ah, for the good old days!
There have been shake ups at my favorite thrift. I hadn't been to their downtown store in a while, but I'm working near there right now, so I got to stop in. My favorite cashier of all time has been moved from there to another store. She's been replaced by the former manager of the downtown store who has been bumped down and replaced by the person who used to be in charge of the donation room at the store nearest my house. I think it will be a good change, honestly.
I had strong sales in the early part of the week at both sites, then managed to end the month with my lowest day ever. Seriously. How low was it? Try 42 cents! That's right I said forty-two cents. Oh the vagaries of this business! Actually, it was a 10.42 day, but that's the day they take out this stupid 10 dollar fee the city the mall is in charges, so it turned into a .42 day after that. Grrrr.
Still March has started off pretty good at both sites. And. even with a 42 cent day, I had the best sales month for both sites that I've ever had. So, I'm happy. Still can't crack that elusive four figure total sales though. Have to work harder at that. Oh, and my rent went down at the Peddlers Mall by 30 bucks! I'll take it!
Happy birthday this week to Roger Green and Gordon Dymowski--nice guys both!
I also had a chance to thrift just about every day last week. Through that, I was able to pull a small load together for a re-stock, without dipping into my dwindling reserve. There are three (!) major indoor sales scheduled for Saturday, so it looks like the long winter is over! One of the sales is one of my favorites, as well. Last year, it was down a bit, as were most all the sales that followed. I'm hoping that it's back to true form this year and serves as a good omen for things to come!
I went to one sale this past weekend. It was another of my favorite indoor sales. It was down a little bit, but I walked out with a good box full of stuff. But it has changed a bit. In the past, nothing was priced. I'd fill up a box, take it to the cashier and they would say "How about a dollar?" Not so this year. It was all priced and they made sure to total it all up. Ah, for the good old days!
There have been shake ups at my favorite thrift. I hadn't been to their downtown store in a while, but I'm working near there right now, so I got to stop in. My favorite cashier of all time has been moved from there to another store. She's been replaced by the former manager of the downtown store who has been bumped down and replaced by the person who used to be in charge of the donation room at the store nearest my house. I think it will be a good change, honestly.
I had strong sales in the early part of the week at both sites, then managed to end the month with my lowest day ever. Seriously. How low was it? Try 42 cents! That's right I said forty-two cents. Oh the vagaries of this business! Actually, it was a 10.42 day, but that's the day they take out this stupid 10 dollar fee the city the mall is in charges, so it turned into a .42 day after that. Grrrr.
Still March has started off pretty good at both sites. And. even with a 42 cent day, I had the best sales month for both sites that I've ever had. So, I'm happy. Still can't crack that elusive four figure total sales though. Have to work harder at that. Oh, and my rent went down at the Peddlers Mall by 30 bucks! I'll take it!
Happy birthday this week to Roger Green and Gordon Dymowski--nice guys both!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday Rambles
Lots going on last week, for sure!
First off, the weather. There's an old joke that if you don't like the weather in Louisville, wait fifteen minutes and it will change. On Tuesday, that was true.
When Keith was leaving for work at 7, he said "Oh! Snow!" when he opened the door. I was thinking he meant a dusting, but when I went to the window to look a little while later, there were a couple of inches on the ground. The roads and the sidewalks were clear, though, and it had stopped snowing.
When I left for work at 10, I grabbed my heavy gloves and one of Keith's winter coats. It was on the back of a chair and easier to get to than mine. I thought the jacket that I'd been weraing most of the winter would not be warm enough. I put on my hat and headed out.
Since it had stopped snowing and the pavements were clear, I decided to ride the bike. It was misting, but not raining and it didn't really seem that slick. I had discovered the day before that my back brakes were going out, so I just took it slow and steady. I quickly discovered that, while Keith's coat and my heavy gloves were perfect, my hat was too lightweight and my ears were cold.
I got to work about 10:45--the ride took longer than normal because I was going slower. I ate my lunch, got ready for class, had class until 2:30, and stepped out into warmer temps and no mist and also no snow anywhere to be seen. None whatsoever. Everything had still been covered when I went in.
It was warmer, but not balmy. Now Keith's coat and my heavy gloves were too hot, but my lightweight hat was perfect. Go fig.
I got a call Monday about the next evolution of the part-time gig (PTG). The current source of most of my hours is grant-funded, and that grant ends next month, which means that hours will too. I can't say much about the next part just yet, since I don't have all the deets yet. I'm heading to a training next week to find out all about it. In the meantime, my evening classes are starting soon and I've had a call from one of my private clients about some more classes. I think I'm going to be okay.
Did I really just say "deets"? Note to self: you're not seventeen.
Keith and I went to a newish tapas-style Asian vegetarian restaurant for Valentine's Day. The woman who started it is responsible for the menus at two of our other favorite places in town, so we were curious. It was seven different kinds of AWESOME! A tad too pricey to be a regular dining stop, but just right for a special occasion. Pure exponential yumminess.
Last Friday's post was # 700, by the way. I made it! Woo Hoo! Where's my cake? For the record, I've now passed post totals for 2003, 2004 and 2009, and it's not even March yet! Could this be the year I get 200 blogs posted? I need to pad this puppy with some more videos!
We took my bike to the shop Tuesday night to get it tuned up. It's been needing it for a while, but with the brake problems I've been having, it seemed like the time to take it in had arrived. So, I had to ride Keith's bike for a while, which is quite a shift for me. My bike is a Wahoo. His is a Townie Electra. It's like going from your zippy little sportscar to your grandfather's big ole Pontiac.
On the one hand, it's so relaxing to drive. You sit way back and get a lot of push from your legs without a lot of stress on them. There's no pressure on your back either. It really is quite fun. On the other hand, it's bigger and heavier than my bike. Plus, it has only one handle bar brake, for the front wheel. You back pedal for the rear brake, like a kids bike. Starting up from a stop takes me a little longer, due to the difference in size and weight. And it has a much wider turning radius.
Other than that, it's really fun to ride. It doesn't really take me any longer to get to work. I kind of feel like some sort of royalty all laid back like that when I ride it. Kind of like I'm in the Rose Court at the Rose Bowl Parade or something. I've had to fight the urge to start waving at people and shouting "Hellooooo!" in my best Hyacinth Bucket impression. I just know that as soon as I start doing that something like this is going to happen to me:
Or this:
(Isn't Patricia Routledge a hoot? Just love her! That second clip is my favorite from the whole series, by the way.)
This week is going to be pretty nuts. My evening classes start back, so I'm out three nights a week and Keith is out three nights a week. And they're not the same nights! Not sure how two booths are going to fit into this at all.
Sales were pretty brisk at both spots last week, after a lull at YesterNook. Saturday, I dropped some small furniture off there, then bought a desk to take to the Peddler's Mall. Dropped it off there, and got a shelf to take back to YesterNook. And in between, got my bike out of the shop!
It really needed the work, too. I didn't get a tune up last year, so I needed several things replaced/updated. It cost a little more than I initially thought it would, but it's worth it. That bike is my primary weekday transportation. It rides like a completely new machine!
By the way, Happy Early Ash Wednesday. (Is that said?) And Happy Mardi Gras! And Happy National Pancake Week! Which is fitting, given that tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday!
And, on a final note: when did Van Halen get so old?
First off, the weather. There's an old joke that if you don't like the weather in Louisville, wait fifteen minutes and it will change. On Tuesday, that was true.
When Keith was leaving for work at 7, he said "Oh! Snow!" when he opened the door. I was thinking he meant a dusting, but when I went to the window to look a little while later, there were a couple of inches on the ground. The roads and the sidewalks were clear, though, and it had stopped snowing.
When I left for work at 10, I grabbed my heavy gloves and one of Keith's winter coats. It was on the back of a chair and easier to get to than mine. I thought the jacket that I'd been weraing most of the winter would not be warm enough. I put on my hat and headed out.
Since it had stopped snowing and the pavements were clear, I decided to ride the bike. It was misting, but not raining and it didn't really seem that slick. I had discovered the day before that my back brakes were going out, so I just took it slow and steady. I quickly discovered that, while Keith's coat and my heavy gloves were perfect, my hat was too lightweight and my ears were cold.
I got to work about 10:45--the ride took longer than normal because I was going slower. I ate my lunch, got ready for class, had class until 2:30, and stepped out into warmer temps and no mist and also no snow anywhere to be seen. None whatsoever. Everything had still been covered when I went in.
It was warmer, but not balmy. Now Keith's coat and my heavy gloves were too hot, but my lightweight hat was perfect. Go fig.
I got a call Monday about the next evolution of the part-time gig (PTG). The current source of most of my hours is grant-funded, and that grant ends next month, which means that hours will too. I can't say much about the next part just yet, since I don't have all the deets yet. I'm heading to a training next week to find out all about it. In the meantime, my evening classes are starting soon and I've had a call from one of my private clients about some more classes. I think I'm going to be okay.
Did I really just say "deets"? Note to self: you're not seventeen.
Keith and I went to a newish tapas-style Asian vegetarian restaurant for Valentine's Day. The woman who started it is responsible for the menus at two of our other favorite places in town, so we were curious. It was seven different kinds of AWESOME! A tad too pricey to be a regular dining stop, but just right for a special occasion. Pure exponential yumminess.
Last Friday's post was # 700, by the way. I made it! Woo Hoo! Where's my cake? For the record, I've now passed post totals for 2003, 2004 and 2009, and it's not even March yet! Could this be the year I get 200 blogs posted? I need to pad this puppy with some more videos!
We took my bike to the shop Tuesday night to get it tuned up. It's been needing it for a while, but with the brake problems I've been having, it seemed like the time to take it in had arrived. So, I had to ride Keith's bike for a while, which is quite a shift for me. My bike is a Wahoo. His is a Townie Electra. It's like going from your zippy little sportscar to your grandfather's big ole Pontiac.
On the one hand, it's so relaxing to drive. You sit way back and get a lot of push from your legs without a lot of stress on them. There's no pressure on your back either. It really is quite fun. On the other hand, it's bigger and heavier than my bike. Plus, it has only one handle bar brake, for the front wheel. You back pedal for the rear brake, like a kids bike. Starting up from a stop takes me a little longer, due to the difference in size and weight. And it has a much wider turning radius.
Other than that, it's really fun to ride. It doesn't really take me any longer to get to work. I kind of feel like some sort of royalty all laid back like that when I ride it. Kind of like I'm in the Rose Court at the Rose Bowl Parade or something. I've had to fight the urge to start waving at people and shouting "Hellooooo!" in my best Hyacinth Bucket impression. I just know that as soon as I start doing that something like this is going to happen to me:
Or this:
(Isn't Patricia Routledge a hoot? Just love her! That second clip is my favorite from the whole series, by the way.)
This week is going to be pretty nuts. My evening classes start back, so I'm out three nights a week and Keith is out three nights a week. And they're not the same nights! Not sure how two booths are going to fit into this at all.
Sales were pretty brisk at both spots last week, after a lull at YesterNook. Saturday, I dropped some small furniture off there, then bought a desk to take to the Peddler's Mall. Dropped it off there, and got a shelf to take back to YesterNook. And in between, got my bike out of the shop!
It really needed the work, too. I didn't get a tune up last year, so I needed several things replaced/updated. It cost a little more than I initially thought it would, but it's worth it. That bike is my primary weekday transportation. It rides like a completely new machine!
By the way, Happy Early Ash Wednesday. (Is that said?) And Happy Mardi Gras! And Happy National Pancake Week! Which is fitting, given that tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday!
And, on a final note: when did Van Halen get so old?
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday Rambles
Well, we went from near 80's to wintry mix in the course of a week. Welcome to Spring in Kentucky! Forecast looks more typical for this time of year this week, which means showers at some point. Still, better showers than more wintry mix.
Next week, I promise I'll lead with something other than a weather report.
Cold, windy weather didn't stop the yard sales from happening over the weekend, thankfully. I'm still on limited buying mode right now, but I picked up a few things, including a basket of vintage flower frogs, some vintage Christmas stuff, and a stack of ValueTales books. Not too shabby.
Sales were pretty awesome over the weekend, after a so-so week. The analysis is going to be interesting this time around. I've got lots of holes to fill when I go in to re-stock, which means that some of this overstock will be going away. That's also a good thing.
As a part of the good weekend, by the way, the most expensive item I've ever had in the booth sold!
The trees all around town, including the one in front of our house, are blooming. Thankfully, the colder weather doesn't seem to have affected them.
I do apologize for the lack of posts last week. It might continue for the next couple of weeks. I'm not sure. I'm having a hard time getting a handle on the Part Time Gig this time around. It's a good deal more challenging, which I'm enjoying because I'm getting to do some different things, but it's cutting into other time. Maybe I can carve out a little time to get some posts scheduled. If nothing else, I'll have a bit of a break next week, so I can get something done then.
I'll also have another round of cat-sitting that week (for the whole week), so poor Kosh will have a rough time of it. Keith says that when I'm gone, Kosh seems to think that, if he's just sweet and loving enough, Keith will go get me and bring me home. Poor guy.
One thing I need to do this week is get the bike out, check it out, and get it ready for riding. It's been too long.
Oh dear. I have no way to end this one, so I guess I'll just stop typing. Rambles, indeed.
Next week, I promise I'll lead with something other than a weather report.
Cold, windy weather didn't stop the yard sales from happening over the weekend, thankfully. I'm still on limited buying mode right now, but I picked up a few things, including a basket of vintage flower frogs, some vintage Christmas stuff, and a stack of ValueTales books. Not too shabby.
Sales were pretty awesome over the weekend, after a so-so week. The analysis is going to be interesting this time around. I've got lots of holes to fill when I go in to re-stock, which means that some of this overstock will be going away. That's also a good thing.
As a part of the good weekend, by the way, the most expensive item I've ever had in the booth sold!
The trees all around town, including the one in front of our house, are blooming. Thankfully, the colder weather doesn't seem to have affected them.
I do apologize for the lack of posts last week. It might continue for the next couple of weeks. I'm not sure. I'm having a hard time getting a handle on the Part Time Gig this time around. It's a good deal more challenging, which I'm enjoying because I'm getting to do some different things, but it's cutting into other time. Maybe I can carve out a little time to get some posts scheduled. If nothing else, I'll have a bit of a break next week, so I can get something done then.
I'll also have another round of cat-sitting that week (for the whole week), so poor Kosh will have a rough time of it. Keith says that when I'm gone, Kosh seems to think that, if he's just sweet and loving enough, Keith will go get me and bring me home. Poor guy.
One thing I need to do this week is get the bike out, check it out, and get it ready for riding. It's been too long.
Oh dear. I have no way to end this one, so I guess I'll just stop typing. Rambles, indeed.
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