A Cautionary Tale... And More...

 I needn't have worried about "The Bountiful Market" Event not being worth going, it's just the FB Preview Pixs hadn't done it Justice.  There was a lot of Antique Farmhouse Furniture and Autumnal Vibes to be Swoon Worthy.   A nice mix of New and Old for this Show, which was refreshing to see, even if I'm not necessarily Buying large pieces anymore, no Need.  Some of the Farmhouse Harvest Tables were to Die For.  A lot of Rustic Rural European Primitives Antiquities too.  There was a huge Antique Italian Bread Board, that if they still have it at a Future Show, I'd like to Save up and get.

Big Kenny had my Antique Mercantile Haberdashery Cabinet and Cast Iron Buffalo Bank already shrink wrapped for me to load into the Truck when I arrived.  I got good Parking near the Loading Station, then went to a Diner nearby to have a nice Seasonal Berry Crepes Breakfast until closer to the time the Doors would Open.  It started out almost Chilly this Morning, but by the time the Doors Opened at 10:00 A.M. it was sweating Hot again, so I'm glad I didn't choose to stand in Line long.  I did get another Fabric Velvet Pumpkin in an Ombre Effect the Designer of them has been experimenting with Dying her Velvets.  

Above is my Ombre Velvet Pumpkin.  I also got a very Old Unique Antique French Infant of Prague small Statuary {Pix Below}, a large Antique Silver Three Handle Loving Cup Trophy, and a Buddha Jade and Ornate Silver Necklace Created by my Friend Cyndie.  I hadn't Budgeted for all of it, but, the Statue and Loving Cup were so low priced that I couldn't resist or I'd of had Non-Buyer's Remorse.   All in all it was a really enjoyable time out even tho' I only spent about an Hour there.  I needed Time to unload my Cabinet at Home before picking up Princess T from Work.   Our Neighbor Brothers, TJ and Rob, unloaded it for me and placed it where I wanted it in The RV Garage Mahal, Bless them.

There were a couple of Fancy Ladies ahead of me in Line that were talking of just getting back from Trips to Rome and Venice.  The one Lady looked very Top Shelf, even tho' she was about my Age, she was Stylish and Classy in a very understated way.  I want to be her when I Grow Up.  *Winks and LOL*  Both of them were very nice and unpretentious, so, I'm Guessing they were Old Money.   Old Money feels no need to show off or be Snobs, quite often they are unpretentious and gracious to be around.  It's New Money and Trust Fund Babies that are Legends in their own Minds and tend to be condescending and quite unpleasant and unbearable.

Anyway, both of them had never been to the Event before, so, attracting that Demographic will be good for Business.  They will know The Good Stuff... especially having been well Traveled, they will Appreciate the Antiquities from Abroad that are The Real Deal and have Investible Value.   The trouble with Shoppers who've had little to no exposure to The Good Stuff is, if Hobby Lobby or some such place provides a Knock Off similar, they Opt for that every time over The Real Deal.  The same with Jewelry, rather than have a Modest sized Real Precious Stone, they opt for a ridiculous sized Yag and Cheap Costume Jewelry. 

 Or, Nickel Silver faux Native American Jewelry with Dyed Stones or Plastic Imitation Stones, over The Real Deal.  Often, not even knowing the difference, I kid you not.   I've had folks at the Antique Mall be looking at obvious Costume Jewelry with a Cheap Price Point and seriously ask me if it's a Real Diamond or Real Gold?!   And the Ring is like Twelve Dollars... so, you have to keep a Straight Face and explain that at that Price Point, No, it won't be.  *LMAOROTF on the Inside*  I don't know what Urban Legends they're Believing that you're gonna Score High End Merch at Pauper Prices... it's as Rare as Hen's Teeth if you do.  Possible... just... not probable.  Unless the Seller is as Ignorant of what they have.

Now, that said, I got some Stories of actually having that Good Fortune... especially with European and Middle Eastern or Asian Gold Jewelry that is 18K or 22K and a lot of American Sellers assume it's too Brassy to be Gold.   In almost all Countries other than ours, they wouldn't even wear 14K Jewelry, it's not Pure enuf for their liking. My Mom felt anything 14K or less was Junk.  *LOL*  And of coarse there is the 9K, which, is Gold, but has a high percentile of Alloys and other Metals.   Anyway, I once was at an Event and Scored Swag Bags for Eight Bucks each of what the Seller was passing off as Costume Jewelry for Crafting Projects.  Well, it was actually a whole lot of 18K Gold Italian Antique Religious Jewelry... and I bought every Bag of it!

The Friend that had come to the Event with me was asking me Why I was Buying so many Craft Jewelry Swag Bags of Junk?  I was loaded up and she was perplexed, coz, she KNOWS me and that I don't Buy Crap usually.  *LOL*  I waited until we'd left the Venue to tell and show her the difference.  A rough estimate is I Scored a few Grand worth of Beautiful Gold Antique Jewelry for $72.  But, that's one of those Legendary Finds you Dream about and usually never happens my Friends.  Anyway, there are Deals out there tho', if you know what you're looking for and have Educated yourself on Values.  And with Smart Phones, there's no Excuses now to remain Ignorant and not know... the Phone will inform you at a Touch.

And speaking of Touch, The Man was trying to assist me in The RV Garage Mahal as we were placing my Cabinet I just Bought and he crashes like a Bull Elephant into stuff.  Well, he knocked over a Jarred Candle which had melted in the Heat... so I had Scented Wax all over what it spilled over and on!  *Le Sigh*  I had to ease his Ass on out of there and then bring it all Outside to Melt Off the Objects, which, Thankfully, could be Salvaged and not Ruined, and now Smell Sublime with the Aroma of the Candle Wax left behind on them.  *Whew*  He wobbles around like a Weeble, so, I tell him to be Careful, but, he wants to hang onto things that won't support his Weight and that's what happens every damned time as he's tottering about.  *Le Sigh*

He wants to Help, but Cleaning Up the carnage left in his Wake, is too much Cleanup after him to really want him involved.  Of coarse I had the Neighbor Brothers ACTUALLY there Helping me, and so The Man wanted to get Involved becoz they were there and he had his captive Audience.  *Eye Roll*   Rob and TJ are Warning him, "Now, you know if you start breaking her Stuff, you're gonna be in Trouble... so, don't Worry, we got this...", but, he Insisted.  *Insert Resting Bitch Face and Le Sigh*  It's his Pride, I know, and if nothing got broken or ruined, well, I probably wouldn't mind indulging his Pride, but... The Above Meme says it Best.  *Winks and LOL*

So, anyway, I did get a bit of good Blog Fodder from the Event, but a lot of my Pixs didn't turn out, sorry.  I even got some good Food Porn Imagery, since, I also went to "The Indian Fry Bread House" for Lunch nearby the Event.  It's a Native American Owned Restaurant that specializes in Native American Cuisine.  They have Won the James Beard Award.   I had the Ultimate Beef Fry Bread Taco with the Green Chile Pulled Beef and Refried Beans, Sublime!!!  You can also get Red Chile Pulled Beef, Pulled Pork or Ground Beef... or even a Vegetarian Fry Bread Taco.   You can also get Dessert Fry Bread with just the Honey and Powdered Sugar.  Since I might not make it to the Arizona State Fair this Year and get my Indian Fry Bread Fix, this is the next best place to obtain it.  *Smiles*  They have the Native American Traditional Stews too.

I wasn't in Pathological Picture Taker Mode and it showed, since, so few good Pixs were had, which, I squandered that Opportunity.  It wasn't as if there wasn't good Eye Candy to Photograph, there was, I just failed to capture it thru the Eye of my Lens with either Camera I had on Hand.  It happens.   I enjoyed myself tho' so it didn't matter so much if I had a lot of Pixs to correspond with the Experience and the Memories.  I have been Tired a lot lately and seem to be fighting Earache, nothing is working to alleviate fluid buildup from Allergies and it's affecting my Hearing, Balance, and is Painful plus Annoying.   Luckily it's only in my Left Ear and not both.  It'll drain and then build right back up so I'm not getting much relief.

After I picked Princess T up from Work she insisted on Buying her Grandpa and I some Dinner at In-N-Out Burger, her Treat.  She's enjoying earning her own Money and she's being very responsible with it and good at Saving.   She's Saving towards Buying her own Vehicle and then Learning how to Drive it so she has more Independence and Freedom, and cut me a break from being Taxi Service too.  *Smiles*  Then we went to the Antique Mall to tidy up my Space.   I do Work Friday Night but didn't want to go in early to do that on a Workday, so, we got that done the Afternoon before instead.   The Showroom was messy, but, Sales had been pretty good, so, it was just a lot of Traffic thru the Room I think.   It had helped to mark down some of the Collectible Toys like Shopkins, they're Selling briskly again.

Plus, if some of the Smalls that the Kiddo Demographic Shopper want are inexpensive enuf, it makes them linger and then so do their Parents, which, increases my Sales on other Merch I carry.   So, the Kids are Happy to be there if they get to Buy something they really want, and that makes it an easier and more pleasant Shopping Experience for the Adults too, Win-Win for everyone.  *Winks*  We're still Selling a LOT of the Vintage and Specialty T-Shirts, they are drawing a Demographic of Shopper we didn't previously cater to, but, who spend Money freely and more often.  I'm finding that my Customer now is in the Youthful Demographic and they spend Money on what they want and pay what you Ask.   Seniors just don't, most are downsizing what they already have, and Middle Aged folks are usually not Buying what they don't actually NEED.  Or, they want to make lowball offers and not pay the Asking Price on anything.

I'm happy with the Customers we're attracting with the new Showroom and the Inventory we've decided to carry.   I Sell most of my Primo Merch Privately outside of the Antique Mall, since, the Demographic that wants it isn't really frequenting our Mall that often to make it worthwhile to stock it there.  I don't have to worry about Security and Loss Prevention with Private Sales either on items more valuable.  And, the large items I don't have to worry about transporting, Private Buyers take care of all that for me.  Most are Industry Folks and they have their own Trailers and Vans, move large Merch all the time and some have Staff of their own to do the heavy lifting and restoration or fabricating they'll be doing with it all.  I Sell everything "As Found", it's up to the Buyer how they want to utilize or upgrade it all after Purchase.

 

The Man and I used to do a lot of Fabricating and Restoration Projects, but now we don't anymore.   That Season of our Lives has Passed and that Ship has Sailed.  *Smiles*  I'd only like to get back into my Art again though and once the Art Studio Project is complete, I can and will.  The Daughter called with some more Good News from Mexico.  One of Saint Maria's Sisters showed up with some Nieces, they brought Groceries and told The Daughter that they intend to keep helping the Oldest Grandchild with University expenses once her Scholarships have run out so that she can get her Degree and will financially help when needed since that Child is doing well and working so hard for her future.  They are also happy with the placement of the Youngest with the Stepmom's Sister's Family, they know she's being Raised well and is Loved by Diana's extended Family.

The problem is the Middle Grandchild, they've consulted all the extended Family and there's no placement for her there in Mexico and she's the one with Special Higher Maintenance Needs.  So, they'll do what they can to assist The Daughter with the Immigration Obstacles to bring that one here if it's at all possible to.  Maria's Family also want nothing to do with Salvador and his Wife, so everything is contingent upon Salvador and Diana staying out of the lives of the Children and running any interference with the extended Family's Help being offered.  I agree, the Dad and Stepmom are making bad decisions on a consistent basis, got involved with dangerous people, and the extended Family are fed up with it and have zero tolerance now his Mom has Passed Away.  He is Saint Maria's only Child, so out of Respect for her, he was tolerated this long.  Sadly, he has a Good Education and had every Opportunity, so he was an Ass and squandered it all with his Addictions and Lifestyle Choices.

Many Kids from good Families, even high profile or affluent Families, ruin their Lives with Drugs and poor choices made too, he's one of them.   I always liked my SIL as a Person, he was handsome and charismatic, intelligent and came from a very respectable Family.  But, I also didn't approve of his choices either, and why I had very limited contact with him at all, he and The Daughter were not good together.  She had her Issues and he had his, neither of them was Fit to Parent.  When he was working for Boeing as a Supervisor making good Money, both here in America and for their Factories in Mexico, he still was making foolish choices.   So, it's like when you see even Pro Athletes and Movie Stars begin a downward spiral once they begin Using, you never Handle the Drugs, the Drugs always Handle you, period.   His Family protected him with their Reputations and Influence for a long time, now he no longer has that privilege afforded him, they've cut him off and out now.  He's not changed so they have to.

    

I had to do the same Tough Love with my own Children when they were Using, I had to, for everyone's sakes.   I didn't have much to do with The Son or The Daughter when they were in The Life.   It was a relief when they both got Clean and have stayed Clean for Years now.  Now we can have a Relationship that is functional.   But, they know they're only one Use from falling right back into the throes of Addiction, so they also had to cut out anyone in their Lives who was an unhealthy Influence, that's also necessary.   Even Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction I have zero tolerance for, it often leads to the same awful Outcomes as Illegal Drug Use, no real difference IMO.   It all wrecks people and everyone around them.  In fact, Prescription Drugs are a worse scourge becoz many Medical Professionals still overprescribe coz it's big business for them and for Big Pharma to have Users dependent for Life.  They're just Legal Drug Pushers/Dealers IMO.

Okay, so enuf of that, most of the Call was Positive and The Daughter felt it was, even the part about cutting her Ex out of the picture, for her Kids, since she saw with her own Eyes his decline.  She did let the Kids see him that one last time, she felt it would be the last time, but didn't convey that to the Children.   He is their Dad and they Love him of coarse.  She will never take them to see him again and had a Heart to Heart with her Oldest about keeping it that way.  In only 2.5 Months the Oldest will be Grown, we don't want her Dad manipulating her or using her, he likely would.  The Daughter predicts at the current trajectory, he and Diana will not survive very long anyway, too high risk and doing Stupid shit they should know better.  I agree, even if you think you're Clever, some shit you just don't get involved with, period.

 The Daughter is Crazy but she's not Stupid and she's very Street Smart, so, she's Calling it as she's Seeing it and I Believe she is correct, I Predict the same thing about her Ex and his New Wife.  I was actually Surprised the SIL Survived the last jam he got himself into... and it was all suspect that he did... so... it was probably a Lesson that Bad Actors were teaching, not any Turnaround Moment for him.  I think he's in over his Head.  The fact his Family cut him off completely is a Clue too, they are a very high profile Family and many are in Government, they no longer have to Honor Maria by offering him Protection if he is continuing to do Stupid shit.  The consequences are on him for the choices he's making and I just don't want our Grandchildren being collateral damage for the Sins of their Father.  

 It's a Cautionary Tale for anyone who might consider an Unhealthy Lifestyle Choice, to look at the Outcomes of those that went before them down that Ten Miles of Bad Road.  And South of the Border Bad Road is way worse than it is here, Trust and Believe!!!   But, Bad Road is Bad Road, no matter where you're Traveling on it, it's just best a Journey not voluntarily taken, you know?   Anyway... I'm glad The Daughter is keeping us updated and that some Good News is forthcoming for a change, been too much of the Bad News of late.   We got Irrigation last Night and so wouldn't you know for the first time in Months it is Raining Today and my Ground is already saturated!  *LOL and Le Sigh*  I don't expect flooding but have Sandbags in place just in case it's a bigger Monsoon Storm?   It's only Cooled Down some for a couple days and they said will be right back up to higher than normal Triple Digits again after just Today.  So, Hot AND Humid... Splendid!!!  Bye-Bye to It's A Dry Heat.  *Le Sigh*

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Positive Autumnal Vibe to you all my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian