Showing posts with label Collections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collections. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Pickers And Purging


 

It's the 19th of Sept. in Real Time and I'm up to the 13th of October in Unpublished Posts that will hit now thru then.  *LOL*  I'm less inclined to Delete Posts I've completely forgotten about Writing and are just sitting out there Unpublished until much later, which is good.  When I was Publishing in Real Time I was often deleting half of the Posts I'd Written and so it was a lot of Wasted Time Creating them.  I enjoy Writing those that I Keep or Discard, but, loading all those Images got to be where the Issue was that bothered me if I didn't actually Publish said Post.  I couldn't then recall which Images had been Published and which had just been Trashed in a Post that never Published?  They'd still be in my Photo Archives, but the Memory Care Issues would be problematic in recalling, Shared yet, or not Shared yet?  *LOL*




I'm finally getting some Visual Blog Fodder with the Holidays fast approaching and taking loads of Seasonal Imagery to Share.  There hadn't been much going on before so I hadn't been doing anything, hadn't been really going anywhere, hadn't been Pathologically Picture Taking as usual.  Now I'm in high gear with soaking up all of the Seasonal Visuals of my Favorite Season, Autumn, and it's Holidays that are also my Favorites.  I enjoy Halloween tremendously and I like Thanksgiving too, coz I am Thankful for a lot in Life.  And reflecting upon that is important, you can't keep a Thankful Heart down.  And I don't take for Granted what we have and who we have in our lives.  I'm very Fortunate and I know this, each Day I Wake Up feeling Good about the Day ahead of me, until perhaps something happens that makes it NOT a Good Day.  But, the Possibilities are there for it to be a Good one.




I took The Man to a couple more of my fav spots on Saturday, but they didn't really do much for Halloween and I doubt they will be.  I did buy a couple of smalls for my Collection of what they were, that's it, not much I wanted to Buy.  Plus, Princess T's 21st Birthday is in a couple Days in Real Time so I want to be able to indulge her.  That's a Milestone one.  He had fun but got tired quickly coz he'd also done Friday out all day and Two days in a row was too much for him really.  It was enjoyable even if offerings and visuals were spartan.  My Friend Shelly had Killer Merch, but other than hers, most of my other Fav Vendors or Designers at those Two locations didn't have very much Inventory.  It made me wonder if they haven't had the time to stock yet, or if they're closing out and down?  I mean, it was really downsized and reduced to that point of wondering if they're staying in business or not?  I'll be Sad if they don't, but not Surprised.




Today I spent time getting things out that I am willing to Sell if and when Big Kenny comes over.  There's a lot I'm not willing to Sell, and a lot I have that I'm not willing to Sell at Picker Prices.  But, I got a huge Work Table filled to the brim with Good Quality Stuff I am willing to Sell at Wholesale Picker Prices that I know is Merch he usually likes.  I don't have Room for it at the moment at my Space at the Antique Mall and some of it is too high end for my Demographic there, but Kenny would have the Clientele for Buying it and recognizing Signed pieces by renown Artists that are Bronzes and Native American Ceremonial Pieces.  But, if he takes a Hard Pass on any or all of it, then that's fine too.  I know right now Pickers are having real trouble Sourcing things at Picker Prices so they'd have to Travel far and wide to find it anymore.  I spent a Lifetime getting what I have and I don't have any Need to Sell it for Wholesale offers on any of it if I don't want to.  It's a Favor to Industry Friends when and if I do.




I'm only letting go of what I decided on to offer up only becoz of my Grandchild's 21st Birthday, it'll all go towards her Celebration.  Otherwise, I wouldn't have even extended any Invitations right now to Industry Friends to come Buy anything.  I'm just not in the Mood to Negotiate a Wholesale Lot of things right now actually.  And, The RV Garage Mahal is not ready or easy to move thru, so it's not Opened for anyone to get into.   Coz now every Adult living here has all their Worldly Possessions Stored and crammed in there and I don't want anyone crashing or Pawing thru it all.  I know Pickers are Jonesin' to but they can't and have to accept that until we want to release more in bulk, it's just not gonna happen.  The Kiddos are more inclined to wanna Sell pieces Individually and get more for it, and I don't blame them, it's Money and more profitable to do it that way when you have Primo Merch accumulated over 50 Years.  You don't need to Sell it fast or all of it, if you're not Moving or someone hasn't Died yet.  *LOL*




I'm still enjoying a lot of what I have Attachments to even if it is Too Much.   And I Sell it as I Need the Money more than the Object's Desire I may still have for it.   If you're a Consummate Collector of The Good Stuff, you know what I mean.  You don't have to get rid of it at a Bargain Basement Price and you don't want to either, it would be foolishness to.  I've been doing this too long not to know what I've got and what it's worth.   Pickers do like a Honey Hole of someone who has a lot of what they want to Buy, but, is it For Sale?  That's the Real Question, and for most of us who've amassed a lot of it, it might not be For Sale, but, sometimes it can be Bought, you know what I mean?  But, you will have to show me enuf Cash to entice me to Sell it to you.  Even if I'd rather not Sell it, if you offer me enuf for it, I might change my Mind.  *Winks*  But, I know Pickers, and they'd prefer big Margins if they're Buying a lot.  And in Today's Market, that's not always possible anymore.  Nobody is naive about Value with the Internet at your disposal now.




And if someone tries to Lowball me I shut down immediately coz I don't think you're a Serious Buyer then.  Don't insult me with low Offers or we can't do Business.  I'll give you 1st Cousin Deals if I Like you and Respect your Hustle and what you do with it, and you've Bought a lot from me in the Past.  But now is the Present and things have changed considerably for what's still out there and Pickins are slim now for the Primo Items and you have to therefore Stand Tall to get them, IF you can even find someone willing to Sell it to you and leave Meat on the Bone for you to Make Money off it too.  Everyone Needs right now to Make Money.   So nobody is gonna Lose Money or take a Hosing just so you can make your Money off what they have.  I rather Sell to a Customer than a Picker, even if it takes a bit longer coz all I have on my Hands now is Time and I don't pay for Outside Storage like most Industry folks do, I never have.  You have to jack up your Prices if you're Paying for Monthly Storage of Inventory.




I never even wanna charge my Customers the End of the Rainbow Price or they aren't Repeat Customers.  I always give everyone a Deal and Fair Price and then we're all Happy with the exchange.  I enjoy The Thrill of the Hunt, but lately, I confess, Hunting is harder than it used to be and Prices, even at Chazzas, are higher than they used to be too.  Yard Sales now just have junk, and I don't do the Estate Sale Circuits coz most of the Industry Folks do who spend a lot for their Inventory coz they don't have a lot of it they've had for Decades coz most were never Collectors.  So, they have to continuously Buy in order to keep Selling.  I don't have to Buy another damned thing in this Lifetime in order to Resell it.  And what I'm Selling that I've already got I've had for so long I've enjoyed it for a Lifetime already and made my Money on the Buy a long, long, time ago.  Usually before anyone else placed Value on such things, and now all of a sudden, they do... so, Booyah!  *Ha ha ha*




I remember in the 70's thru 90's when folks would PAY ME to Haul away Architectural Salvage or just give it to me for Free!!!  And I've always had a Love of some things, like Antique Religious Artifacts and Art from various Religions.   So Collected it from all over Europe, Asia, the United States and Canada, ever since I was a Teenager.  So, a lot of it I've owned for over 50 Years and it was the really Good Stuff of that Genre.  I still Love it, I'm just now willing to Let Go of some of it coz I do have a lot and Buyers really dig it now and it's worth ever so much more than it was way back then.  Very few things I've Collected have Tanked in Value, so I've done Well with what I had an Eye for, it's only increased in Value over Time.  




 Sometimes it Peaked and fell in Value from it's Heyday, but, it's still worth far more than I'm into it for, so I'll still make Money if I Sell it now or in the Future.  And sometimes it's Value soars if suddenly what it is becomes Hot and Trends.   It's Served me better than Money in the Bank ever has.  Money is very volatile as an Investment Vehicle.  Inflation, the Economic Swings, and Time erodes it.  The Purchasing Power of it varies wildly.  What you could Buy for your Dollar Years ago won't Buy you as much now.  And the Stock Market and Trading has risks, often big ones if you want to really make fast Money and do it legally than the Insider Trading and Juicing of the Market the current Leadership is illegally doing to exploit The System and corrupt it in their Favor.  Even this Illegal War in Iran was to make him and his Demon Spawn Money... that's the ONLY Purpose of him starting it.  So he doesn't Care if he has no way to End it.  They've made a Killing off it already and Served themselves well.




I went to the Antique Mall and pulled some Native American pieces to show Kenny when he comes, he has Clients for it that are Serious Collectors of it.  I can always put them back into Inventory if he's not interested in anything I'm willing to Sell him at Picker Pricing so that Princess T has a nice 21st Birthday.  If he doesn't pull the trigger, no harm, no foul, I haven't extended Invitations for a long time and he had been needling me to allow him to come over and Buy some stuff for Months now so I thought, why not?   I don't Care if he Buys anything or not really, I can Sell it for more to someone who isn't in Resale, so, it's all Good either way.  This is just a Hobby to me, so I could Keep it all 'til I Die and not Care, let the Heirs Profit off the Sale of it as their Inheritance... they're Cool with that, or, we can get the Money now and have Good Times with it.  That's the Point and Purpose of doing it and it's enjoyable to us to only do it as a Sideline and Hobby.



I tidied up my Space at the Antique Mall, it was a bit messy, not too bad.  Some Shoppers are just messy and have terrible habits about how they manhandle Merchandise inconsiderately and irresponsibly that they don't Buy.  Throwing it on the Floor after looking at it, which, I don't understand, do they do such things at Home with their own stuff?  Perhaps they're nasty, messy, piggish and lazy at Home too, I dunno.  Perhaps they were never Raised Right, I dunno.  I just see a lot of tearing up at Retail Shops more than ever before, I've never behaved like that while Shopping!   What is Wrong with these People who Shop like this and wreck a Store in their wake?!  It's not just Feral Children, it's often every Age Group and Demographic responsible for the carnage.





So there's no excuse for such Bad Behavior and doing piggish shit with things you don't even own and aren't Buying.  If you wanna misuse or abuse it after Purchasing it, that's your prerogative, I don't Care AFTER you spend your Money on it, what you do with it!  Set it on Fire for all I Care if it's Yours!  But, if it's not Yours, and you have no Intention of Buying it, then you shouldn't even be handling it carelessly or recklessly, if at all.  Look with your Eyes instead of your Hands if you can't Behave appropriately with other People's stuff.




But Sellers can't Sell what you're abusing and Buyers don't want what they Buy being messed with by Feral Shoppers either, it drives Costs up for us all.  Loss Prevention is another Big Issue now, Theft is way up and it is NOT a Victimless Crime, there is no such thing as a Crime without Victims.   And you can't Trust a Thief or a Liar, if you're in either of those Camps, or both of those Camps, I don't want anything to do with you becoz you cannot be Trusted, period.   This President is both a Thief and a Liar, he's a Career Criminal, so he shouldn't be in a Position of Leadership coz he can't be Trusted.  He's not Law Abiding, nor does he have any Respect for the Rule of Law, or Shame about his extensively History of and Laundry List of extremely Serious Crimes dating back Decades.  He's gotten away with it and he'll keep doing it until he's stopped and suffers Consequences.  There is no Justice if there are no Consequences for Criminal Activity.





And an ICE Agent just shot another Civilian this time in Austin, Texas and even Faux News is beginning to slam how Deadly ICE is behaving now.  I don't think any rational American wants any Law Enforcement being Lawless and Recklessly shooting Civilians for any reasons and without proper Investigations and consequences if they broke the Law.  They aren't Above the Law just coz they have a Uniform, a Badge and a Gun.  They can't presume to be Judge, Jury and Executioner on American Streets and in our Communities.  That is neither Protecting the Public, Keeping us Safe, or Serving the Public appropriately.  It's terrorizing the Public instead and sowing Mistrust, lack of being able to Respect Law Enforcement coz it Stains the Reputation of the whole Agency if the Unfit or Poorly Trained ones are running amok and randomly Executing People, and it's causing Animosity towards all Law Enforcement Agencies. 




 I don't Trust ICE or want them in our Community, given all they're now doing, and I'm a Law Abiding Citizen.   They've already Murdered too many People with zero Accountability thus far.  They're denying Transparency to their Facilities to Community Leaders and Congress, so, what are they Hiding or Afraid to show us they're doing that we don't know about and is probably just as Illegal, Horrific, and Inhumane?!  I have Family Members of Color and I worry about them becoz they're Targeting not just Foreign Nationals, but some Americans too, even Killing them or putting them in Concentration Camps!  Even abducting Native Americans and not Honoring their Status as Indigenous People with Tribal Identification, who never Immigrated from anywhere else, they've always been here, this was and still is their Nation that Original Immigrants who landed on these Shores Stole from them!!!






I'm watching "Outrageous Pumpkins", which is another favorite Halloween Contest they have every Year pitting Pumpkin Carvers against one another.  Tonight will also be the 2nd Episode of this Year's Contest of "Halloween Wars", my all time favorite Halloween Show.  So, Today is Bliss for me coz starting at 5:00 p.m. 'til late in the Night are my Halloween Contest Shows.  Tomorrow Night is "Halloween Baking Championship" pitting Bakers against one another.  What I like best about "Halloween Wars" is they have Pumpkin Carvers, Bakers and Sugar Artists on each Team so all Three Talents of Artistry is combined and Teams compete for the Championship.   I have some favorite Artisans that have competed in several Seasons.




There's a new Show on called "A Very Haunted Renovation" on Tuesday Nights that I wanna watch.  They have to Eat, Sleep and Renovate a Historic allegedly Haunted Property as a Contest.  Sounds interesting and nothing stirs up Paranormal Activity more than Renovating a place that has Spirit.  We went thru that with Restoration Work at our Historic Haunted Home.  The House in the Show looks fantastic, I'd Love a Historic Home like that one, I'd risk the Haunting.  *LOL and Winks*  Plus, I've lived Happily for over 15 Years in a Historic Haunted Home before, it was a non-issue for me.  So long as there's no Malevolent Spirits, Elementals or Demonic Entities, I'm chill with Sharing Space with Spirit.  I think this new Show will be Fun.




"Halloween Wars" was excellent and The Niece and I watched it together, she's getting into it as much as I do, it's new to her tho', she hasn't been following it and I have from the very First Season.  I had taken The Young Prince to his Dad's this Afternoon coz his Younger Brother and Sister were gonna be there.  What I didn't know is that Bobby and his new Wife are already on the Outs and he kicked her out.  I don't know the Back Story but all Three of his Kids really liked her so they're feeling like they lost a New Mom.  Bobby's Relationships tend to Sour so it's a pattern with him not to have his Relationships work out for him, but, I also think he doesn't always choose Wisely who he might be compatible with either.  We all liked Angie, the Girlfriend he had after The Daughter and whose the Mother of his Two Younger Children.  I never met this one he actually Married, since, he never Married either of the Baby Mamas he's had.  But, all Three of his Kids really liked her, which spoke volumes to me, that she was great with his Kids.




I'm Sad for the Kids, coz, they'd formed a Positive Relationship with her and now... she's gone.  I'm not even gonna ask about what happened, it was hard for The Young Prince to even tell me how Sad it was that she was recently ex-communicado.  I don't think they knew, but I had already seen signs this might happen, so, no Surprise at all.  Better she leave early than later like Angie did, she and their Dad were together for many Years before breaking up.  The Daughter and Bobby were Childhood Sweethearts and knew each other since they were Tweens, but by their Teens and having their 1st Child, The Young Prince, way too Young and having Addictions and Mental Health Issues, it was doomed from the start to fail as a long-term Serious Relationship.  They actually are on Civil Terms with each other now with no animosities at all.  And his Younger Kiddos do Like The Daughter, she's like a Big impaired Kid herself and for littler Kids, that goes over well and unconditionally accepted.  *Smiles*




He got an Uber to get Home Tonight and did have a good time with his Siblings.  He and his Dad have had some tensions recently, on account of Sayde, and it's quite possible that might have interfered with his Marriage as well, I dunno... speculation on my part.  If he was being inappropriate with his Son's Girlfriend, it probably caused problems with his Son AND his Wife I highly suspect.  Bobby is a Player, and once a Player, always a Player.  And for our Grandson, he and Sayde have been Besties for Years before they ever hooked up.  Now that he's back with Allen, and the Relationship with a Woman didn't work out and he decided their Friendship was more Special and Functional, he and Sayde still go out as Just Friends now.  She always had a major Crush on him, I guess she imagined that perhaps they could be a Couple.  Allen's flings with a Woman didn't work out either apparently... so... enough of that experimentation with both he and The Young Prince trying Straight Life.  *Shrugs*




When I dropped The Young Prince off at his Dad's, it's right across the Street from the Oddities Shop "Curious Nature" so I stopped in and got some Pixs.  I picked up an inexpensive Bone Goddess Pendant and an inexpensive Rabbit's Foot Keychain that is mostly White with a hint of Light Brown.  Some of the Pixs didn't turn out great even tho' I used my Phone's Camera to take them all... well... dammit!  I'll see if I can clean them up enuf to use them?    I finished a Quick Purge of Merch to have Big Kenny consider, if he doesn't show up or want any of it then I'll Price it to put into the Showroom instead and get full price for it.  If Pickers get too fussy about what I'm offering then they know it's unlikely I'll waste my Time or theirs inviting them back even once I wade deeper and let go of more.  If you're expecting Picker Prices you can't be too fussy coz the Primo Stuff you have to Stand Tall on or people just won't Sell it to you anymore, they'll Sell it to a Serious Buyer willing to pay what they Ask.





I understand a good Picker wants your Best stuff, but, nobody has to Sell their Best stuff at a Bargain Price Point.   And I won't, ever.  I know what I have, what it's worth, and I been doing this a long time too.  *Smiles*  And lately, I'm more reluctant to Sell a bunch of stuff at once and take less for it just coz someone wants a lot of it.   If I choose and select even a Vanload you're getting a Favor and only becoz I know you really well to give you that much for what you can at the very least double your Money on.  Coz, I could double my Money on it too if I Sell it to Customers instead.  I just want my Downsizing to go a little faster than One Piece at a time to a bunch of different People coz that takes Time and Retail Space.  So, the Math has to Work for me every time I'm Selling anything.  If the Math Works for me, then I can make it Work for you too if you have the ready Cash and I'd rather have that right now than the stuff.  *Winks*




*******

Pickers & Purging, Oh My... Dawn... The Bohemian

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Halloween In Full Swing


 I picked up a White Metal Commercial Display Rack with built in Rods and Basket, Advertising area on top, for The Young Prince to use for his Clothing and Accessories, it only cost me $14 with my Military Discount.  A Teen Boy helped me load it as he was going in to SAVERS and asked if I needed Help.  SAVERS Staff are no longer allowed to help you load anything.  I got a Pair of large Rubber King Cobra Skeleton Halloween Prop Snakes for just over $2 each coz they were the 50% Off Colored Tag.  I got that Hawaiian Men's Shirt I had admired and wanted, now that it was 50% Off.  A couple of Cookbooks, Bagged Lots of expensive Wrinkle and Eye Bag Reduction Products which was New Old Stock and bagged with Hawaiian Tropics Products that Princess T wanted out of the Bags.  Some Bagged Lot of various Anime Pins {Princess T said all Pins are 'In' now}.  And a Repop Cast Iron Kitchen Notepad of a NOT-PC Aunt Jemima Mammy with Magnet of little Black Children in a Wicker Basket.




This is an Online Cribbed Pix of one just like mine, except my Pencil Broom Handle looks way Older with an Eraser on it.  And mine looks Older than this one, but is the same.  Had she been Original from the 1940's, she would have been worth a lot, but she was a Chinese Repop of decent quality that did look very much like the Real Deal and she was 50% Off, so I got her.  Her Pencil is the Handle of the Broom she's holding, the Note Paper is missing.  Mine is pictured Below, you can see the Similarities to the one Above.  I can still Resell for a lot more than I paid for her and Black Memorabilia, even if inappropriate for our Time, is very Collectible. 




 Even a lot of Black Collectors do Collect it in spite of the Caricatures being very Negatively Stereotypical and even Racist.  It is a part of Americana History tho', and I think that's why it's Collectible... not all History is Positive, Good or Comfortable, but all of it is Important to Educate present Day folks of what the Past held, for the Good of the Nation, any Nation actually, or to it's Shame, disgrace or detriment.  I don't think any History should be Whitewashed to make it more palatable than what the Truth of it is and shouldn't be Sanitized for anyone's Comfort.  If other Human Beings had to Endure it, then just knowing about it isn't so bad for those who didn't.   Below are some Kaleidoscopes I got as a Bagged Lot for $3. 



 

I thought they may have been Older but they had the Bar Code and those came out in 1974, so, it would be Vintage still, but not earlier than 1974.   And then dumb me, who wasn't paying close enuf Attention, sees it has Copyright of 1980 stamped right on them... ha ha ha... ooops, okay, so 1980 and not the 1970's then.  *LOL* The Tin ends are a bit Rusty so they do have some wear and Age to them and will be an easy turn of a Vintage Era Toy that might rekindle someone's Childhood of the early Eighties.  Our Three Kids are from the Seventies and Eighties Generation of Kiddos Born then.   Becoz the bits in each is different, each is different when looking inside as to what it Creates of the bits.




Right now Blogger isn't allowing the loading of Images to my Post I'm Writing.  It worked only Hours ago earlier, but it reminds me of having those frustrating Days where you couldn't leave a Comment on Blogs recently.  That Self-Corrected, so I Hope this glitch does as well and won't take Days to?  In the meantime I guess I'll just Write the Written part of this Post and come back later to load Images when it's corrected itself.  I spent a couple Hours Pricing Inventory to take in with me for Tonight Fill-In Shift.  I got a slew of Holographic Pokemon done to put into the Locked Case and a New Old Stock RUSS Teddy Bear that still had Original $30 Price Tag on it.




  I didn't have it in me to sit and Price More, I wanna do a quick Nap before my Shift coz I'm Tired and was up early to take Kiddos to Work and then pick up the Grandchild when she got off Work really early.  Lately they've only gotten half day Hours and she doesn't mind it so much actually, tho' for Employees trying to Support themselves on Minimum Wage they NEED Full Time Hours if they were Hired as Full Time.  It makes things more stressful and Life is stressful enuf as it is.   A lot of the Young Employees at our Antique Mall are going thru Financial Stress and Crisis now, big time.  Work was busy, not becoz Customers were there Buying a lot, they weren't at all, and we weren't that busy either, low Door count.  But people who were there were bringing things up front and then changing their Mind all Night, so the Go-Backs were ridiculous!  




We couldn't keep on top of how much we had to put back into Inventory coz Customers brought it up and then didn't Buy any of it.  And so many brought Merch down from the 2nd Floor or from way in the back Aisle of the Main Floor of the Mall!!!  It almost seemed Intentional to me to fuck around and make more Work for Employees by just pretending they wanted a bunch of things they bring up and then saying, No, I changed my Mind and just walk out Buying nothing at all!   One Mom in particular spent an inordinate amount of time at a Locked Case with her Kid picking out Bagged Shopkins.  Had it taken up to the Front, a LOT of them, then didn't Buy any of them!  Locked Case items have to go back and not sit on the Go-Back Cart for the added Security reasons.  Vendors pay for the Extra Security of Inventory in their Locked Cases Rented.




And when you have a $725 Gold Necklace that someone changes their Mind about, you can't lose track of an item like that, so it had to go back immediately into it's Locked Case.  And that went on all Night long, the Go-Back Cart was full again after Hours and we'd JUST cleared it again at Five Minutes before Closing!!!  So, the Morning Shift will have to clear it and put all that back instead now.   All Night I probably only had Half a Dozen Customers that actually bought what they had me bring up front for them and not change their Mind.   So it was busy and yet not a very productive Night of Sales.  I didn't even remember to ask for a Printout to see how I'm doing.  I did Buy a "Cousin It" Halloween Doll that a Vendor had made with a Mop, Sunglasses and Top Hat on a Beanie type Body, she was only asking $6.50 for them and had made about a Half Dozen.  So Cute, hadda have it.




The Daughter earned $100 at Darren's and will Donate it to the Memorial Fund for her Boyfriend Mando.  It's all she has and she's giving all she has, that's how she's always been.  She's okay if she has nothing left, if someone needs it more, she'll give it all to them.  It's making her Feel better to be able to do something Positive like that about a dreadful Situation and serious Trauma she's experienced, by the way he was so suddenly taken and Lost his Life.  She had always just thought the Cancer he'd eventually succumb to, since he was in the End Stages of it and Outlived Expiration Dates Docs had given him.  So it is very conflicting the range of Emotions one Feels when someone already Dying of something horrible and painful, just Dies horribly, but of something else completely unexpected.  Cancer is such a slow agonizing Death... being the Victim of a Vehicular Homicide is not something anyone wants as a way to exit this Earthly Coil, but if it was instant, was it really better a way to Go?   I wrestle with that conflicting Thought.




I Worked Tonight with the New Older Lady, whose Name now I know, it's Michelle and she's a Fill-In for Sherry, and will be for about as long as I'll be Filling-In for my Friend Crazy Ed.  Sherry is also having serious Health Issues and is a Breast Cancer Survivor, so I do Hope it hasn't recurred?  Ed's having his Neck Surgery Tomorrow and our mutual Friend Sue, who is a Retired ER and Surgical Nurse, said it's his 3rd Vertebrae of his Neck, C3, and that's a Tricky one she said.   I'm worried that she said that, and wondered if Ed was doing an Elective Surgery that is too dangerous at his advanced Age, he's almost 80 now?  Our mutual Friend Tim Died on a similar Elective type of Surgery on some Lumbar Vertebrae some Years back.  Tim had a Premonition the Day beforehand, and had talked to me about it and I told him to Cancel the Surgery.  Since clearly there wasn't a Peace about it and a Premonitionary Warning given him.




  He knew I had Premonitions and asked me what I thought about his while we were at Work the Night before.  I told him I always heed mine, he should heed his.  He didn't heed his, but only coz he thought the Docs and his Family would think it Crazy, especially his Wife.  Many folks don't Believe in Premonitions, and he was also a JW so I knew he couldn't have transfusions either, making him a higher Surgical Risk if he bled too much.   So he went thru with it and Died, his Premonition would have prevented that outcome.  I remember being angry that he succumbed to the opinions of skeptics and didn't do what he felt was Right.  Especially after he had the Bad Premonition that if he went thru with the Surgery, he was going to not Survive it.  He felt since it was the 11th Hour, his Surgeon wouldn't want him backing out at the last Minute, and his Wife was afraid he could POSSIBLY end up in a Wheelchair eventually if he didn't have the Surgery?




  Well, mebbe he could have, but, he wouldn't be Dead.   Dead versus Wheelchair Bound, Risk Factor decision... personally the POSSIBILITY wasn't even certain he'd end up in a Wheelchair!!!  Docs just said, he MIGHT!  I don't even think he told his Wife about his Premonition.  And I am almost positive he never mentioned it to his Surgeon.  I did mention my Premonition to The Man's Heart Surgeon and Dr. Pham took it so seriously he bumped him up from being Third in Line for the Procedure, to First.  Coz I told him my Premonition and that if The Man was made to wait, and not be 1st in the Operating Room, he would be Dead, I was Positive about that Urgency and my Premonition being accurate.  And, when Dr. Pham got in there, The Man Coded and a 40 Minute procedure turned into 5 Hours but he Survived.  




Dr. Pham came out looking Ashen and said I had been Right, he was literally Seconds away from Death and not being able to be Saved!  I could tell the Relief Dr. Pham had, that he's listened to me, taken me Seriously, and thus was able to Save my Husband.  It was a very Close Call.  Too Close.   And after the Surgery his Doc talked to me a bit about how often I have these Warnings?  It's not often and it comes randomly, but I've always had them, even as a Small Child, only I didn't know what they were then or how to communicate them effectively.  Sometimes they're still confusing in how they come thru, that one particularly had been coz it wasn't as specific as some, just a bunch of Hearts, Valentine's Hearts, Jesus Touching his Heart, a Sacred Heart... I didn't even know Who it was FOR?  Until that very next Afternoon when The Man comes and says, Ewww, Honey, I have some bad Indigestion! 




 Then it clicked, Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck, NO you don't, it's a Heart Attack, that's what the Warning meant that I had about it just Yesterday... The Heart, it's YOUR Heart!  I tossed him in the Truck and immediately went to the ER at the Hospital specializing in Heart and Strokes.  The Man never doubts my Premonitions after all these Years, he takes them Seriously and I'm glad I don't have to Argue with him about them.  I usually won't Argue with anyone about them actually, I don't Care if you're a Skeptic or Mock me, I know the Accuracy they have had all my Life, so, I take them Seriously and if it can prevent something bad from happening, Good.  Some things are just gonna happen anyway and you cannot prevent it, but you don't have to be part of it either and your Destiny can be altered by that decision. 




 My Welsh Uncle and Mom always had them and once he had one that the Plane he'd Booked was going down and all on it would Die.  So he switched Planes and routed thru a different City, coming in thru Atlanta rather than Chicago.  And yes, the other Plane went down, all Died on it, he didn't tho', coz he chose to heed his Warning.  He couldn't say anything to any Authority about such a Premonition coz he said they might think he was responsible some way if it happened.  And he didn't know anyone else on that fated Flight to Warn... so, sometimes you can't prevent someone else's Destiny unfolding tragically, it just will.  I don't like having them but they do come in handy when they prevent something or help you avoid it at least, even if you can't prevent it entirely.




FINALLY Photos are loading and whatever was Wrong with Blogger has Auto Corrected like it did when we couldn't leave Comments a few Days ago.  No idea why you couldn't load Images, but it was frustrating and I'm glad it is fine now coz I had lots to Share.  *Winks*  I went to my first Halloween Themed Event of the Season.  I had intended to have Breakfast at "The Tipsy Egg", as is my Custom when going to "Highland Yard Vintage" and "Merchant Square", and was shocked that they are Closed and went out of Business!!!  *Gasp* It was one of The Man and my Favorite Brunch places and will be SO Missed, dammit!   I looked to see if they relocated coz the Business next Door to them was also gone and Closed, gone out of Business too, along with several others in the Historic Part of Downtown Chandler.  None relocated, they all are Closed for good according to Google and I'm so Sad.  I truly Hope it's not the Chinese Investors buying up Old Town Chandler too and kicking everyone out, like they did in Old Town Historic Glendale?  But, it could be, very suspicious since they were popular spots and always busy.







So, no Brunch as expected so when the Antique Mall opened at 10:00 a.m. I had an early Lunch at their "American Way BBQ Smokehouse" instead.  A Brisket Sammie with side of Homemade Coleslaw, Homemade Dill Pickle and Soda... and I bought Two Scones, one Berry and one Peach, to take Home.  They have the best Bakery Items there too.  I deconstruct my Sammie to eat the Carbs separate and later so that I don't spike my Numbers Diabetically.  Eating Veggies and Proteins never does, but Carbs can be The Devil.  So I parse out eating the Carbs for a Snack later.  Scones too.  *Winks*




The Halloween Event was well attended on Opening Day so I'm glad I got there early to cover everything and see it all unmolested and not picked over.  And, they're Hosting it longer than other Events who are Competitors, which is Wise of them I think.  Halloween is something the Big Box Stores are Selling Out of quickly and don't have much Inventory, so they should do well the whole time they have a Halloween Theme right up almost to Halloween.  The Checkout Line was Crazy long, so they were having strong Sales, which is great.  I myself bought an Antique Creepy Doll wearing a Halloween Costume, and that BINGO Card with Buttons sewn on to it that I'd hoped to get coz I'd seen it in the Preview Sneak Peek Pixs Online.   "Sweet Salvage" still hasn't posted any Sneak Peeks, which draws Interest and Anticipation, a reason to go if you spy something you wanna Score, when you do utilize Social Media to Advertise in Advance with Visuals, so I don't know why they haven't?



 The Creepy Doll has Two Teeth and is in a Skeleton Costume, she was so inexpensive I thought the pricing might be wrong, but, it wasn't, she was just a great Deal, so, Booyah!  I actually bought more inside the Antique Mall coz they too were having a big Holiday Sale and Vendors often had 20%-60% off, and I have a 10% standing Military Discount even for Vendors who don't have their Merch on Sale.  I got some of the best Halloween Merch for Decor.  I'll show you my relatively considerable Haul one Pix at a time Below:




My Button BINGO Card




My Trio of Spice Witches



My Trio of Resin Teeth... they say if you have Three of anything it's now Officially a Collection.  *Winks*





My Antique Creepy Doll, as I spied her and after I had her holding my Button BINGO Card.  She has long Human Hair appearing Wig in a long Braid down her Back that reaches about her Hips.  Antique Dolls with an Open Mouth showing Two Teeth are generally around 110 to 130 Years Old {1885-1920}, but she could be a Re-Pop I highly Suspect, since her price was so low and her Condition so good, but still a good Reproduction of an Antique Doll nonetheless if she isn't the Real Deal.  The Repops became Popular starting in the 1970's-1990's Era.  But usually they're Dated on the Neck if they're a Repop and she's not and she's exactly the composite of the Real Deal, I don't know the Modern ones used that composite, coz it is fragile... so she could just be in excellent condition and Real, in which case I got even more of a Bargain.  I'm sure her Halloween Costume is newer.









This is just some Close-Up Sections of my Halloween Bunting Banner, it has around 9 individual pieces along with several of the Skeletons strung on Seam Binding and Jute String.  I bought one last Year from the same Vendor, but forgot where I Stored it, and this one was 20% Off so I hadda have it, she has good prices even when she isn't having a Sale.  I wouldn't make them for the low price she charges.







I got some more Tamarisk Honey and some Bee Pollen from the Carranza Honey Farms Vendor.  I Love their Honey and Bee Pollen, which I drizzle over Yoghurt, Frozen Smoothie Bowls, Granola and Fresh Fruit like they do at "Robeks".  So I stock up just in case they ever close down their small Booth they have at that Antique Mall, plus, I get my 10% Military Discount on every Purchase of it.  During Allergy Season, which has been bad this Year, having Local Honey and Bee Pollen in my Diet really helps mitigate Allergies.  And, it doesn't spike my Diabetic Numbers at all, so isn't something that wrecks a Diabetic Diet Management for me personally.  *Whew*










And finally, here's Two Art Tags using Tim Holtz Crafting Product that I got from another Vendor I've often purchased her Paper Craft Altered Art she Creates.  She does a good job and had them on Sale too.   She must either have taken some of Tim's Classes or Tutorials Online becoz she really knows how to use all his Products to the best advantage, better than I can yet, so, I'd rather Buy some I like since I might not get around to making them anytime soon even tho' I have all the Supplies to and want to get back to Crafting and Creating Art again someday.  For myself and to Sell.   I stayed at the Event and Antique Mall for Two Hours, would have stayed longer actually but it's a long commute and I had a Grandchild getting out of Work by 2:00 p.m..  But, I intend to go back a few times and The Daughter has a Cleaning Job in Chandler on Sunday, so for sure I'll be back that day, it's close to the Event/Mall. 




*******

More to come later... dawn... the bohemian 
A life touched by God always ends in touching others. - Erwin McManus

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars. - Og Mandino (1923-1996)

For creativity to flourish one should try to look at everything as though it were being seen for the first or the last time. - Quote from "A Thousand Paths To Creativity" by David Baird

Is what I'm about to say an improvement on silence? ~ Galen Pearl