Early Blogging and the Smell of Diesel

You couldn't tell me 5 years ago when I put on high heels every morning and went out to sell marketing that this is where I would be. I got up early and made coffee and packed lunches for John and his crew. He said I didn't need to be on the crew today because it was a lot of heavy dragging and he had enough help. 2 no shows later it is just him and his nephew headed to the jobsite. Someone is still supposed to show up and pick up the truck, so I filled it up and filled the extra gas can with diesel for the loader. This was right after I got out of the shower, applied my new/old Channel #5 and put on a fun summer dress. So, of course, the diesel fuel sprayed me and here I sit, funny on the fumes!

Let me tell you a little about my new perfume. I had the 3 youngest with me at the lake house last week and we went to church, then to the coffee shop to check email and then we saw my favorite 4 letter word; SALE. Even better when it follows the word Garage. I thought that strange on a Sunday, but I needed to find some treasures to list to pay for the attorney to keep our kids at home where they belong.... sorry, short rant. So we meandered down a fun lake road and sure enough. It was like Hansel and Gretel finding the house of Candy and Gingerbread. Everything was bagged, vintage and went on for ever! This woman was so wonderful and I think we both had the same sadness and worried look. As I left with a trunk full of treasures and fun stuff the kids had picked out for themselves also, I told her a little of my story and she expressed what a blessing it was for her to have a big sale. Sometimes things happen for a reason, and going to church definitely makes you luckier. I had looked at a gorgeous straw hat several times, but my funds were running low and I didn't want to bargain with her for such a neat item. She went into her garage and brought me that hat and wanted me to have it. We hugged and she told me it was her mothers hat and her name was Aida. Aida's hat has a fun place decorating my studio now and it ends up in pictures a lot too. Have a great day! I am going to do some shipping, but I bet I will end up on the job site.

Saying Goodbye to Goode Feed

Saturday was the last day that my brother in laws feed store was open. It had been in business for 20 years. It is strange to think we wont go there for dog food or seeds or rent equipment and trailers for jobs, or even just stop by with the kids and get a soda. I think this will be a good thing for him and his family but you can see how hard it is in his face and seeing his customers stop by was hard too. So I just wanted to do my part to make the transition a little easier for him. I brought back a couple items and told him I would store them in my shop and try to sell them for him. So today my post is to show off this really cool bulk seed bin. It is 62 inches long and 52 inches tall by 12 inches wide. It has the wonderful metal scoops also. It is a huge piece but we can talk about delivery. I just wanted to spread the word because I feel like I am in a circle of organic, tree hugging, artsy fartsy, friends who would rather buy something to help an individual than to buy it from a large corporation. I also thought it would make a very cool display for a soap maker or yarn shop.

I forgot the PIcture

Silly Me!

Still No Girls

It is 6pm and their mom was supposed to bring them back at 5pm. My stomach is in a knot and I'm upset. These games are not fair. Ok, I have to think of something else. John has gone out to the garden to plant more green beans so he isn't watching out the window. I am listing a lot of vintage items. I have the base coat on some fun furniture up at the shop so I might head up there and turn the music up loud and finish some vintage furniture.

On Etsy I started a Destash section and listed some beautiful yarn. I am also making some plans for selling my pictures as matted prints. I have been wanting some for my walls at home and I know the wonderful people I meet as I treasure hunt would enjoy them. I have also had some feedback from people viewing my site that has brought this on.

Note to self; Expand on how to wear pins and brooches as a foot in the door for a sales job in my next blog.

Is July Over

Rough is the word for this month. I mentioned in my last post how my heart hurt from getting rid of the shop, well then I kept getting strange information about the 3 girls staying with their mom this summer. Things were just making me nervous. Then Audrie was left at a party so I picked her up and kept her with me and the twin boys. We have been at the Lake of the Ozarks a lot having a great time, then light dawns on Marblehead; the two older girls want to move to their mom's house. This is understandable in a way, but their mom left them almost 9 years ago. It hurts and I feel stupid and I have to realize this isn't about me, but I don't understand. Audrie doesn't want to go to her mom's, and that makes me worry that things are strange there. Nothing has changed with their mother, she doesn't have custody and she has moved 5 times in the last 2 years and lived w/ many men and owes 38k in back child support, but we wont go into how the system is one sided and won't go after a woman like they do a dead beat dad. So, I haven't been posting and my thoughts haven't been fun arts and crafts, but as soon as I get this out I will get back to it.

I have found some great vintage finds and have got my etsy site back to 100 items so watch out here I come. Painting will help me I'm sure. I swear I need to write about the Evil Stepmom's side of the story!!! Better news on the next post. Promise!

Early Morning Chores

I had my alarm set to 3:30am so I could take Caitlyn to the airport yesterday and forgot to turn it off, so here I am. Caitlyn made it safely to Boston for a fun stay with Nana so now I have to do the laundry and dishwasher. Just kidding. I'll have to get some other kids home from summer play to do chores! Yeah Right! If I get some work done around here I think I will head to the Ozarks to have a relaxing week with John's Mom and Sisters. I just learned how to knit a 2x2 rib so I am going to take the beginning of the scarf I learned on and knit till my eyes bleed. First I have to finish a bunch of shipping and the painting I started in the dining room.

John wants to cut business expenses and move the business to our home, so that means no more vintage furniture sales from our office building. I was pretty heartbroken the first few days but decided I would feel better if I got everything organized at home. So I started with fresh paint on the walls I have been meaning to paint and moving some of my etsy furniture over and get some shelves up and organized. I have decided this will be a good thing and it will be nice to have everything in one place and my sales were all online so it made the building added overhead. It will just kill me to take the Environmental Service Signs off the front though. Here is a picture of the backyard with a storm rolling in.

Friday Morning Coffee

What a week! And as my life goes, the weekend is usually busier. It looks like I will be getting a plane ticket to go to New Orleans to help drive the bucket truck and car back home. I am not really looking forward to it. I have a lot to do here. I spent the early part of the week being Chainsaw Charlie after Drexel and Paola were hit with 100 mph straight line winds. It wore me out! I thought that my pink hard hat was about to get its 15 minutes of fame when I was doing a large tree removal after the storm in Drexel and the news helicopter was overhead and the news crew was there also. The removal went well and it fell exactly where I wanted it, then all the neighbors around cheered and a woman handed me a Gatorade and 6 men sawed up the tree. I watched the news for it that evening and sure enough, they showed my jobsite, but only the people dragging my fallen tree to the curb. Ugh...

Last night I went hunting in the Treasure barns and got another load of amazing vintage stuff to paint, list and put in the shop. I sold all the metal toolboxes from the first round so that was my goal. I did find 2 more, but also some really neat other things. Like the scale in the picture. I better get to scrubbing this morning. I have a tree bid at 9am and the shop open at 10am so off for some more coffee and get my day rolling.