Word To The Wise

 We were able to get Two more Old Salvage Doors from that big stack of them before someone else came along and took the rest.   Funny, since they'd clearly sat there untouched for a long, long time with nobody interested, thick dust was all over them.   Then the moment we saw value in them, then someone else suddenly wanted them too and competed for them almost a day or Two later!  Ain't that the way it always goes tho'?   Dammit!!!  *Le Sigh, Eye Roll & LOL*   We got the Three with the Glass Windows that looked to be Old Commercial Doors, very Tall and Wide... no drilling for Doorknobs or evidence of Hardware tho', so, intriguing what they came out of?  

I looked Online for Old Commercial Salvage Doors with Glass Fronts to see if there were any very similar and the one above is almost identical in Style and Age, except for having Hardware and Painted Store Info on the Glass.   This one was Selling for $985 and that's about the Estimate I figured on each of the Trio I got for Free, they are heavy duty Old Doors with very thick Custom Commercial Grade Glass Fronts, probably 1920-1930 Era I'd Guess.  They are very Tall and very Wide, plus, VERY Heavy!   Mine don't have a kick plate at the bottom and my Windows go further down towards the bottom as well.  Mine also haven't been Painted ever, just the Natural Wood... and the construction is Dovetailed, no Nails... which became less prevalent after the 1930's.  They are Wide Plank Solid Wood too, not hollow core.

I'm going to use mine as a Room Divider with Cast Iron Shelf Bracket Ornate Feet attached to the bottom on both sides.   I've been accumulating Old Cast Iron Ornate Shelf Brackets whenever I could find any Salvaged ones, Antique Ornate Wooden Corbels would work too but you can't find those Cheap anymore.   The Old Salvaged Door Room Dividers will help break up the cavernous Warehouse sized Space of The RV Garage Mahal and give the illusion of separate Spaces that look like Rooms.   I Love Architectural Salvage and have been Rescuing and Hoarding it since the early 1970's.  Each Move I also Sold a LOT of it to Friends in the Industry and Fabricators or those who Restore Old Homes with Original Period Architectural pieces.

Work was busy, they hadn't been during the Day Shift, but, after 5:00 P.M. Customers starting shopping.  The Count thru the Doors was low tho' for a Friday and thus Sales weren't that Strong.  I'm doing Okay with our Sales, but, nothing to get excited about.   Perhaps the Weekend will be Stronger?   My Co-Worker Richard had a Fill-In, he's not been Well for a while now so misses most of his Shifts.   He's an Insulin Dependent Diabetic who just didn't take Care or do what he should and it all caught up to him.  I had Warned him for Years that it would, you can't have a reckless Diet of too many Carbs and think it won't.  He'd sometimes eat a whole Pizza and fall Asleep standing up!  Now he's becoming rail thin... he's likely breaking down Muscle and Fat for Energy.

Anyway, a Sweet Middle Aged Lady named Jane filled in for him, I really like her, she is jovial, personable and kind, very easy to get along with and a good worker, she easily and genuinely Smiles.   Well, my Friend Judith was also filling in for my other MIA Co-Worker, whose recovering from Shoulder Surgery.   Judith can be abrupt and come across as Bossy and Mean Spirited.  She's not well liked, but, doesn't seem to understand Why.  We've been Friends a long time and she helped with my Move, she's got a good Heart, but a gruff way of Being that is often intrusive and very opinionated.  I don't personalize her way of Being, it's just how she is, but it does cause her to not get along with a lot of folks. 

 She does whatever she just wants to do on her Shifts and makes up a lot of Rules.  Rules that really aren't Policy of the Mall and insists everyone abide by them anyway, and will argue that Yes, it's a Rule.  *LMAO, since, I break 'her' Rules all the time and Challenge or just Ignore them often*  So, Co-Workers having problems with Judith is not unusual, let us just say.  *Winks*  Well, halfway thru the Shift, Dear Jane comes up to me looking quite concerned and asked me if "The Other Lady" was always so Mean?!  *LOL*   I Smiled and said, "Well, she can be...", and she sighed, Laughed, and said, "That's a relief, I thought it was something I did!?"  We both then Laughed and I'm like, "No... it's NOT YOU, Dear, that's just how she IS."  I felt so bad for her, coz, she's not one to want to do something to make someone be Negative towards her in any way.

But, talking to Judith about it wouldn't have done an ounce of good, since, Judith's personality is deeply ingrained and she's in her late 70's now, so, it would be futile.   Easier to just tell someone not to let her Personality be taken so Personally, since, it's not Personal.   She's that way with everyone, but, she does have her Positive qualities, like most of us, and she can be a damned good Friend if you accept her how she just is.   She's been a good Friend to me and mine, in fact, my Family really Like Judith.   And my Crew here don't just Like anyone, they're selective.   Around us she's a lot less Uptight and we get to see a side of her that is truly Endearing and would do anything for you.   Like me she's a Retired Bank Executive and ran a lot of things in her Corporate Life. I think she can't just Let that Go, the delegating, even when she's not the one in Charge.  And, she's never the one in Charge there at the Mall, she just acts like and thinks she is. *Smiles* 

She recently became a Widow, and she and Gary were quite affluent too, he was a Trust Fund Baby, she was a very successful Corporate Executive.   So, she can be a bit of a Snob becoz she's led a Life of exceptional Privilege and Entitlement, so has little point of reference to most people's daily struggles.   When Judith has a problem, it's a typical First World Problem.   Something like she's not sure if she should Sell Off another one of her numerous Paid Off Properties.  *LOL*   That doesn't exactly make her relatable to a lot of people, it can come off as seeming pretentious and uppity.   But, I know she's more down to Earth and Generous than what comes across if you don't know her well at all.  If I ever needed someone to have my Back, Judith comes thru for you as a Friend, if you but ask, she's Ride or Die and I like that in someone.

Anyway, Jane I really liked immediately, she's someone to very easily become Friends with, she's New there and so doesn't quite know everyone yet.  She and I bonded instantly tho', she's a Genuine Kind Hearted Soul and her Essence is just so Authentic, Positive and Endearing.  She told me she doesn't really want any permanent Shifts, she just wants to fill in for Key Dealers who can't be there.  I can relate to that, it's my preferred way of Working there too, as an Alternate just On Call.   I told her that it often means you'll think a Shift is Temporary tho' and it ends up becoming Permanent.  *LOL*   She's kind of concerned that might be the Case for Friday Nights, and given Richard's overall decline in Health, it could be.  I wouldn't mind working with Jane often, she's an Asset to the Mall.

So, I'd brought in my Anime Card Pacs, my Vintage Globe, some Strawberry Shortcake Collector Dolls and the Thug Kitchen Cookbook.  It's all I had Space for, all my Rental Space is chock full right now with Inventory.   I'm consistently Selling about 60-75 items a Fortnight, which is a Pay Period, and not bad Stats, depending upon what's Selling and the Price Point of it.   So, the Downsizing here at Home is going quite well and I'm emptying out the She Shed with rotating Merch into it and then into the Showroom.  Donations I just immediately take to a Charity Shop after I fill a Boxload or several Boxloads of them.  So, I'm also depleting the empty Boxes that used to hold what hadn't been unpacked since The Move.  Yeah, the one almost 7 Years ago now.  *LOL*

The Kiddos all say it's like Christmas when they're helping me to unpack, since, it's been so long since any of it has seen the Light of Day.  *LOL*  I've never taken this long after a Move to get all the way unpacked, organized and settled in... so, it just seems ridiculously delayed and annoying to me.   I think the previous Record was mebbe 3.5 Years, so, I could never afford to have another Big Move or I'd never get unpacked in the rest of my Lifetime and re-settled in!?  *Bwahahahaha*   This made me realize I've reached a Tipping Point in my Old Age to where Moving is just too hard now to adjust to and get everything done in a reasonable Time Frame.   And... I have too much Cargo!  *LOL*  The longer I Live the more Cargo I seem to accumulate and amass!  *Ha ha ha*

But, The Man and I enjoy what we do, especially as Scavengers and Rescuers of Objects, Keepers Of The Past, and being avid Preservationists.   A lot of very Cool things still Exist becoz we Rescued them, Salvaged them, saw Value in them, Restored them, Upcycled them, gave them a place to Be until we disposed of them via Resale or giving them to someone who fell in Love or Need with them.  My Friends in the Industry always tell me my place is a Honeyhole of the Best Stuff and I take that as a compliment, every Picker and Fabricator I know likes to receive an Invitation to help me rid myself of some of it.  *Winks*  It's a running Joke that I could Open a Shop right here on site... and... that could be an eventual Goal, once I FINALLY get everything organized and done, who knows?  *Ha ha ha*

I do know I want the Art Studio to finally be set up right so we can begin Creating again.   Everyone keeps asking me when I'll start making my OOAK Hippie Carpetbags again?   I haven't made one since the Historic Home, I never Created any at the Villa Boheme' McManse, tho' I did get that Art Studio up and running.   We concentrated on less complex Art from there, a Bag takes me a minimum of 36 Hours to Hand Sew... and that's over a period of Months.  You could probably have a Baby quicker.  *Winks*  When I'm On I'm On, but when I'm Off, I just don't Create and try to Force it.   To me Art is about Feeding the Soul, not Selling it.  I never Created my Art just for the sake of Profiting off of it, tho' it's nice when you make Bank off it while still Alive and aren't a Starving Artist, to most Artists, it's not the motivation to Create. 

At Work I bought a Metal Black Widow Spider with a Pyrite Stone Butt, it's so Cute and is in a Cute Apothecary Jar with a Ball of Cotton "Web", as a Halloween Display.   I was Surprised it was only $9.  That Vendor had Created all kinds of Interesting Halloween Smalls and she also Sells such things as Sage Bundles, Incense and Nightmare Before Christmas Collectible Merch, so, she's one of my Favs.   The Daughter is Gaga over Jack Skeleton Merch and her Birthday is coming up this Month so even tho' she's not here, I'll probably Buy her something from that Vendor and present it when she returns from Mexico at the first of the Year.

She called me Yesterday, she'd taken the Kids to the Prison to see their Dad, nobody had done that for them and they wanted to make sure he was Okay.   Mexican Prisons are harsh and The Daughter said they're so dangerous too.   He didn't look good and had been beaten by Guards, also not unusual, Mexican Prisons don't fuck around with Inmates like American Prisons tend to with any who become problematic.   So, if you become problematic, for any reason, they will fuck you up there in no uncertain manner... and he had clearly not been in compliance.   The Daughter told him he really needs to get with the Prison Program and just behave like a Model Inmate so that he might get out and get on with Life.  

 She doesn't really want or need to know his Back Story, she's his Ex, but, they do have Four Daughters together and so that's important to her, for the Children, that he be Okay and not be a problem for any of them.  The Sins of the Father and all that.   I used to like my Ex-SIL very much, but, it appears he's made choices that aren't favorable and so he and his New Wife aren't always being Wise.   The Daughter may be Crazy, but, she's not Stupid.   On both sides of the Border she knows whatssup and what choices are favorable and what ones definitely are not, depending upon who you're dealing with in Life.   I didn't Raise any Fools.   I personally think the Ex-SIL has made some foolish choices that are regrettable and consequences of that are what they are.  Listen, a lot of folks don't make good Choices on a consistent basis, whaddya gonna do?

When we Traveled Internationally and often, you just know that some Countries are not places where you wanna make any Bad Choices, or fuck up, Okay.   Unless you're a Special kind of Stupid.  That Basketball Player, Brittany Griner, comes to Mind instantly.  What WAS she thinking bringing any Drugs into a Country like Russia!!!???  Fucking A!!!  Then ignorantly assuming becoz she was an American Famous Athlete, that would somehow grant her Favor and Immunity, not have the dire consequences that to me, were not at all the least bit Surprising!!!  She's lucky she got out Alive, just sayin'.   And No, she wasn't this Victim they painted her to be.  She Stupidly broke a Law in a Notorious Foreign Country that is NOT our Ally either, that they take breaking their Laws fucking Seriously and have a Zero Tolerance Policy about, especially if you're there as a Guest they're Hosting... just WTF Girl?!  I just couldn't feel Sorry for such Stupidity.

It got to 113 again Today, there's just no relief from high Summer Temperature Heat this Fall, so, Heat Advisories every day now.  I'm therefore not getting a whole lot done in non-climate controlled Spaces yet and it's eating into the Season when I can usually begin to... dammit!   Usually I can start in September, here it is October and really can't even begin to, gets too Hot too soon to make any headway really.  I opt to just do what we enjoy doing instead, since, I overwhelm too quickly and get too discouraged trying to get work done at Home in areas that just are still far too Hot to make any progress that is noticeable.  I'm chipping away at it really early... or really late... but... my Stamina wanes quickly once it heats up.  I really already miss The Daughter being here to help me.

The Son has been trimming the Hedges and helping TJ with the Yard Cuttings, he doesn't mind Outside Work but helping me with The Gauntlet is harder for him.  He and The Man are too heavy handed and like Bulls in a China Shop to really navigate what needs to get done with anything fragile or needing TLC when handling it.  They also wanna rush and not take the Time to be careful enough, so, I'd rather they just not get involved actually.   The Daughter enjoys doing it with me and she's got great Organizational Skills.  Princess T does too, but she isn't interested in the whole Downsizing Project at all... she Maintains her own Space and helps in the Kitchen and Bathrooms.   So, The Daughter is my most Present Help and she doesn't need me delegating or micro managing her either, she can figure it out independently.

Well, Frank Fritz of American Pickers fame Died in a Hospice, September 30th, he was 58.  He'd had serious health problems and a Stroke back a couple Years ago and had left the Show for good.   I had heard he was in a Nursing Home and since he was Single, probably didn't have a Caregiver, if he ended up in Hospice they must have known he was Dying and wouldn't be recovering.  I still like the Show, tho' I had heard that Danielle had left the Show too due to health related issues.  I still watch the new Episodes.   And now I'm Binge watching a British TV Series called PARANOIA on NetFlix, luckily it's only 8 Episodes long.  *Smiles*  It's a Crime Drama and I forget sometimes how lovely the British Countryside is and how Charming the Villages are, with such a Historic and Bucolic feel to it all.  We lived Off Base in Villages like that when Stationed there during Active Duty.  A very Laid Back Lifestyle compared to here.

 

I'm procrastinating on getting my Front Porch Halloween Set Up, I would have done it by now during previous Holiday Seasons.  If The Daughter was still here helping, it would have been done and we would have added to the Faux Pumpkins already out there and put the Skeletons out now and arranged them into a Scene.   Yes, I still have Time, it's only the 6th, but everything seems deferred lately and getting harder for me to feel ambitious enough to tackle.  I want to shake myself out of that Funk, but, it's been hard to.   I haven't even renewed my Desert Botanical Garden Membership either and their Autumnal Events are starting and I don't want to miss them.  But, I spent the Money I had set aside for that on the John Deere Tractor Mower Tires it needed.  So, now the Tractor is completely overhauled and operational and TJ finished all Yardwork that had been deferred.  One Thing at a Time I guess.

I have such high Expectations for Autumn and there's so much to do, that I want to do, and that I need to do as well.   So, it tends to whiz by at warp speed and typically everything doesn't get Done.   So, this isn't anything New.  *LOL*  I've Done a lot already, so it's not as if I've been Idle, and I've enjoyed the Recreational aspect.   My main dilemma likes in wanting it to be all Play and no Work now.  *Bwahahaha*  I guess easing into Retirement does that to ya, I dunno?   I just know that Work starts Feeling like a Four Letter Word in every aspect of it and I get to where I make excuses to myself to avoid it or crap out on it early.  I don't push thru like I used to while tackling Work.  Sometimes I even avoid it entirely and then get upset at myself for just letting things pile up or slide during my periods of inertia.  *Le Sigh*  I'd rather sit here Blogging or even doing Environmental Cleanup, FUN Work that I can still Feel Accomplished for Doing and ENJOY.  *Winks*

Okay, Whinefest over, I thought I'd Sleep In Today since Sundays nobody Works in the Household now, so I can.  But, I still find myself rolling out of Bed way earlier than I think it is.   The Son is at Gypsy James House, they were going to work on his Car and Drink.  And Gypsy James, being an Irish Gypsy, there is gonna be some epic Drinking going on there.  *LOL*  So, when he's Drinking at all now he won't Drive at all, and I'm so relieved about that more responsible decision, even if he drinks a single Alcoholic Beverage I've told him not to ever get behind the Wheel.   The problem with an Alcoholic is, One would never be enough and he knows I also don't allow Drunks around me, it's a Trigger.   A BAD Trigger, I go fucking Mental if someone is Drunk around me or really High on Drugs, I lose my shit at them and Dark Dawn takes over completely.  Not Fun.  And definitely a Buzz Kill for those under the Influence.  *Bwahahaha and Winks*

Think of the Scariest Villain in a Horror Movie and I'm told that's Who I Become the moment someone Drunk or really High makes the Mistake of entering my Orbit and stepping in my Waters.  *LOL*  It disrupts my Calm and I definitely have PTSD about Drunks and Addicts, so, don't want to be around them, no matter Who they are or how much I might Care about them.  I make no apologies for flipping out on their Asses, I feel totally Disrespected if they can't Honor doing their Substances elsewhere and NOT around me.  So, everyone I know who either has struggled with Substance Abuse and is Recovering or even long time in Recovery... or still Using... knows NOT to do it around me or bring anyone around me who does.   

Zero Tolerance and Yes, slips ups have happened in the Past, by Family or Friends, and they sorely regret it when it Triggered me to Wrath.  I can't even Calm Down you see, they have to GO!!!  It's a Cause and Effect that is Predictable... if YOU do THIS, I definitely WILL Flip The Fuck Out!!!!!!!!   I guess everyone has their Triggers, that's a huge one for me, so if my Alcoholic Kids want to have more than a few Drinks, they go do it somewhere else around someone else, not me.   The Man doesn't drink and I have low tolerance for Alcohol so I don't either.  If I have a single Corona Beer, it would be one of those little Coronita Size ones with a Lime and mebbe once or twice a Year.  

I can't handle the Fire Water myself at all and I know this, so, didn't partake much even in my Youth, I'm a Mean Drunk, and I will get into a Fight, go figure.  *Winks and Bwahahhaa*  If someone "New" tries to push Alcohol and insist I have one, everyone I know says, "NO!" and backs up my insistence on Declining it.  *LMAOROTF*   I'm not opposed to Light Social Drinking so long as someone doesn't slip into Drunkenness.   I'm not Opposed to Pot Smoking or MJ Edibles, just Hard and Dangerous Drugs, so, I'm not Saintly about the use of what is Legal and Socially acceptable indulgences, so long as you don't get carried away with it.   I won't tell you how to Live your Life, I just know how I wanna Live mine and that's Substance Abuse Free.   I've endured a lot of collateral damage from other people's Addictions my whole Life, so, I fiercely Protect myself from it completely now.

So, if you're a Junkie {and that includes abusing your Prescription Meds} or an Alcoholic, just know that my Tolerance Levels for you are real fucking low my Friends.  So, prepare yourself if you can't refrain, to just stay away from me entirely, doesn't matter Who you are to me, you won't be Welcome.   My Adult Kiddos had to get Clean before they knew they'd be Welcome and could be around me, they stayed away while they were Using and out of Control.  It was answer to fervent Prayer they got Clean and have stayed Clean, but, they still work on being Alcoholics.   And, they had to cut a lot of other folks out of their Lives in order to ensure Sobriety that they attained, the whole Lifestyle has to Go and be dropped like a Rock or you Risk continued Sobriety.  And a Backslid User has much higher rates of Death from an Overdose.

 Gypsy James drinks, but he's never been a Drug User. He helped get The Son Clean and probably Saved his Life.  He's never been Drunk around me and I've known he's a heavy Drinker for Years, but he Respects me just that much and he's like a Son to me.   The Son worries about his Friend's Drinking, which, says a lot coz The Son can Drink... so if he thinks you Drink too much, you really do Drink too much.  *LOL*   The Son and The Daughter cut way back on even their Drinking when they came to Live with us, it was a requirement.   And, if they want to drink more, they spend the Night with whoever Hosted that Party.  That way their Host has to Deal with the aftermath, not me.  And I'm Fine with that, everyone is a Grown Ass Adult, I can't tell them what NOT to do when they're not around me.  But, in my Presence...  Word to the Wise.  *Winks*

*******

Happy Autumn my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian