My Romantic Guy

Happy Valentines Day! Look at what I got!! A golf cart. Love of my life is a true romantic, don't you think?

Throughout the years he has come up with many unusual gifts. This one is not all that unique. Actually I really appreciate this one. I will be able to zip around the park quickly when time is of the essence. Like when I need to deliver firewood to a campsite and I am here all alone. I have to lock up the office and usually I just grab the wheelbarrow and haul it. I don't mind walking, but when I am way in the back of the park delivering and I have a rig pull in ...... well lets just say that I doubt I look very graceful running back to the office behind an empty wheelbarrow. I am always afraid I am going to step in a hole and fall flat on my face ..........

So, this is a wonderful and thoughtful gift, just not romantic. I am not complaining. I love this golf cart! It is a four seater. I can use it to show sites. The back seat folds down and presents a platform on which to haul things ...... like firewood and bags of trash and plants! But most importantly ........ I can chauffeur all my grandchildren around in it!

Back to the gifts of holidays past, many come to mind. There are of course those items that were bought for me that were really for him ..... mostly electronic gadgets that I had never, ever shown any desire for what-so-ever. There are those items that I knew some sales person had helped him select at the last minute because he had forgotten what day it was. But ....... the most memorable ones are those that he asked what I wanted and took my word very literally. I have gotten clothespins and trashcans for Christmas. The most memorable gift that he ever got me was for Mother's Day 1985. He asked me what I wanted. I hated to be asked (not anymore) and told him that I needed to fertilize the flower beds I had been working on. I was actually side stepping his question and was truly surprised when he presented me with 40 lbs. of cow manure. Yes, he did. I was the one person who could honestly answer the question "what did you get?" with "a bunch of shit!". Did I mention what a romantic guy he is?

Puzzling

When it looks like this outside ...... day after day after day ....... what do you do?

I like puzzles. Love of my life does not. In past years I would occasionally get the urge to assemble a puzzle. I would set it all up and spend hours happily fitting pieces together. It is a great activity for insomniacs and it goes well with Lifetime movies. If I happen upon a puzzle with a theme I really like I will mount the finished product and display it.

Just imagine the joy when I realized that my new best buddy, Deb, loved puzzles, too!!! Add to that all the Coca Cola puzzles we have found .......... I am singing "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!


Here you see a masterpiece in progress. It must stay that way until I return from my visit with the grandchildren. Deb and I won't be spending another weekend together until then. I admit that it is tempting to escape from my day and sit a spell while pondering colors and shapes ....... but, no, I won't do it.

This is Deb's side. We have different approaches to this activity. I have a method and rules, while Deb would sit pawing through the box looking for a piece that she might could use.

This is my side with the pieces lined in rows just like my Daddy taught me to do. There are rules! First you pull all the edge pieces out of the box, then carefully get all the pieces lined up neatly so that you can see them all. This involves some accessory boards to put all the pieces on. With these you can walk around the puzzle with the pieces in your hand like a tray while studying the colors and shapes needed. If it a difficult puzzle, then you separate these pieces into colors and shapes. First you construct the outer edges of the puzzle and then start filling it in. You never start the middle until the edge is done.

I am trying to teach her, but she is a rebel. She insists on doing it her way, although she has admitted that my way is beneficial and she likes having all the pieces face up and lined up neatly instead of jumbled in a box. And I have started a middle before the edges were done. She has yet to line up the pieces neatly, though. I am still working on that.

Here you see our first puzzle. It is mounted and ready to be framed and displayed in the store. We spent a whole weekend listening to the sounds of the sixties and singing along while putting the pieces together. Love of my life was at work while we played puzzle.

This one was fun! Lots of red. It is ready to mount and frame. I really like Coke ......... it's the real thing!

So, what are you doing while the snow is falling?

A Rose By Any Other Name...........

I have been spending lots of time perusing Craigslist lately looking for cabinets and counter for the new food bar in my store. Rather than type in a specific request, I prefer to simply click on a category and "stroll the aisles". You can find some rather unusual things doing this. I am always amazed at the things people will take the trouble to photograph and post for $5 and under. Not even worth the trouble I would think. Most of it looks like it should simply be discarded. Another source of amusement for me are the postings for appliances that show the appliance and it isn't even clean! Read all the accolades of this wonderful appliance and at the bottom is the news that it doesn't work, but the owner is sure that it can be fixed.


My absolute favorite of late is the one I clicked on this weekend. I had entered the "general" category just to see what wonders awaiting my discerning eye. I spied it right away and chuckled at the title thinking it really couldn't be what the title suggested. "DUCT TAPE ROSES" Yes! "Why waste your money on real roses that will die? These roses come in every color that duct tape comes in ......... and will last forever!"


I am not a fan of cut flowers. My family knows this and will give me potted plants that I can enjoy a long, long time ............ maybe not forever like the duct tape variety, though. Right away I let love of my life know that should he happen upon a duct tape rose vendor that he should NOT purchase those for me. I have learned through the years to be very specific about what is and what is not acceptable to give to me as a gift.


These wonders of everlasting beauty can be purchased by the dozen, half dozen and the ever popular single rose pronouncement of love. The single option is also good for those on a budget, however if you are Donald Trump you may want to go for the camouflage, it is extra.

Almost ready for Customers!!

Almost ready.......... as you can see, I have my water wings and earplugs, not to mention the ever popular goggles ready for pool traffic. I sell lots of floating devices and dive sticks. The most important thing I have on hand are swim diapers. A must if you want to put your infant or toddler in my pool!

All my shelves have been cleaned and re-merchandised to my liking. I have fishing supplies and RV necessities just waiting to be put to good use.

This is some of the stained glass that is the hobby of love of my life. Well, used to be his hobby. I am thinking that plumbing and sewer adventures are his new and unfavorite hobby.

Short on space, I try to think outside the box to display items for sale. The stained glass is hanging behind the curtain, suspended by fishing line. My gourds are hanging in front of the curtain. These are gourds from two seasons ago. Last years gourds won't be ready until next season.

We are very fortunate to have talented seasonal campers to barter with. Tom and Martha do screen-printing and I gave her nothing to work with........... just said I wanted a frog incorporated into our logo. Can I just say that Martha and I are on the same wave-length? I love Martha ....... Tom is an okay guy, too!

I am not crazy about folding chairs ......... but we use what we have. I made cushions for them and my partner, Deb, found the table and surprised me with it this weekend! So, if you want to come in and have a cup of coffee and a game of checkers, we got ya covered!

I have painted and moved every item in this building since buying it. I have taken out walls, too. More than my husband is happy with. I can visualize what it will look like ..... he can't; or says he can't. That means he will not move the walls for me. Okay by me, because I have really honed my skills in the past 6 years. I can take sheet rock down so well that it can be re-used. I found the original architect's rendering of this park and what they were planning to do as a Safari Camp. It is a little beat up, it was shoved between some walls in the office that used to be closed off from the registration desk. It was very narrow and confining, dusty and claustrophobic and it stunk! The previous occupant was a heavy smoker and nicotine covered the walls (didn't save that sheet rock!). I made better use of the space and part of it is my sewing sanctuary.

Pretend that the plastic bottomed plants are not there. This counter is going to house the popcorn machine that will be self-serve. The microwave will also be there for your convenience should you want to nuke a corn dog or frozen sandwich. A little fridge with condiments will be under the counter. Paper product will be readily available as you fix your snack. (The air conditioner and plants will magically disappear ........)

Here sits the unmovable cigarette case. Holding books and other things that will be gone and it will be filled with all manner of unhealthy junk food that is in demand by the campers and swimmers. My big seller last year was Pop-Tarts! If you will recall they came out with flavors that had never been heard of, such as Vanilla Milkshake and Oreo Cookie. I did not find them to be to my liking, but, hey, they are fortified with 7 vitamins and minerals ......... SEVEN! Who am I to argue with nutrition? Pringles and Doritoes also went a little bonkers with new flavors. I remember when your choice of potato chip was regular or Ruffles. Then came BBQ and it has now evolved into sheer madness ..... but I digress.

There is a lot more to do and I will add photos for your viewing pleasure as I go. Erase those plants from your mind, they are just trying to make it through the winter............

What I Do When I Have No Water

From some of the comments on the previous post I am assuming that everyone thinks I am being a good sport about the water situation. I am trying to be, but today is wearing thin. I want to wash my dishes. I want to wash my clothes. I want to wash my hands!!!!!! I hate clutter and I hate the feeling of not having control. The dishes, the laundry and not being able to do anything about it is wearing thin as the evening progresses. I am tired and irritable and pretty sure that I don't smell really good.


In an effort to stay out of the way of he who plumbs this morning, I hid out in my sewing room. No water required in there and I have a TV and there was coffee close at hand. Two trips for parts yielded no repair and he had to go to work. I realized that staying out of the way was a mistake. While he had the pump on I could have filled a bucket of water. I didn't do this and now the only water I have is bottled drinking water. Chilled bottled drinking water. No water to cook with, no water to wash my hands with, no water to flush with. I have been using hand sanitizer all day and did wash my hands with cold water before I sat down here.


I tired of sewing, my hands were hurting from stuffing monkeys (go ahead, Otin, see what you can do with that) and not wanting to face the dirty kitchen decided to move some things in the store around and do a little merchandising. Last year a friend of ours traded us a cigarette case for a couple of bar stools. This thing is huge and very heavy. It is 4 feet wide and 7 feet tall, providing lots of space to display my wares. It took 4 of us to get the thing into the store and I was told (warned) that I had better be putting it where it would be forever because it would not be moving again.

Whatever. That was like a challenge to me. As you can see I have unloaded it and readied it for a move. See the one beside it? I was told that I couldn't move that one, too. The baskets of plants with the plastic bags clothespinned to the undersides are temporarily hanging out inside for the winter. My mission today was to move the cigarette case.

I had the space all prepared. He who plumbs was quick to tell me that it wouldn't fit in that space. Does he think I am an idiot? I measured it first. So, he is gone and the space is all ready for the cabinet........

I tugged and I pulled. I wiggled it this way and that way. Hmmm, did we screw this to the wall (yes, Otin, go ahead)? I looked and couldn't find any screws, But I didn't look at the very top. One good yank and I pulled it away from the wall with the trim boards hanging off the back of the cabinet. I was able to get one off with my drill, but love of my life is know to use a variety of different screws on any given project. Why? Don't know. He also used my drill last and I lack the strength in my hands to change the bit. I am now faced with a dilemma. I have tried every screwdriver in this place (that is no small feat, let me tell you). Finally I go pull one of the trim boards off the wall I am moving the cabinet to and put it on the bare spot. I then proceeded to move the unmovable cabinet to its new home. It was difficult, but not impossible. Normally I would have sat on the floor and used my legs to push it, but it is top heavy. I didn't want it to fall on me and trap me, since I would be alone until love of my life gets off work around midnight.

After I got the big cabinet in place I decided the other big display case needed to move, so I moved it. I merchandised most of it and looked outside to see that it was dark. I realized that I had only had coffee and a handful of nuts all day. I worked up a sweat, too. So, I went foraging for food that could be prepared without water. Cottage cheese and pineapple and diet Dr. Pepper with a side of popcorn. The day is over and hopefully tomorrow will bring water and a nice hot shower. Tomorrow I will finish in the store and take some pictures of the finished product to show you all.

She who sews refuses to leave the building until he who plumbs delivers some water!

continued.....

No, you may not use my computer........ I have no idea what happened to my masterpiece of a story. I can no longer change my font and size........... This MY laptop, hands off! If you are reading this and wondering what I am jabbering about, read the previous post first or none of this will make any sense whatsoever. Oh, and please forgive all the typos and misspellings that I thought I had corrected............





When we left off with the story, the husband had wiped his black epoxied hands on his bare chest in an attempt to remove it from his hands. He could not restore water and as midnight approached I convinced him that nothing more could be done and to try to get some sleep. No soothing shower was to be had, so we simply went to bed and he surprisingly went right to sleep. I wasn't so lucky, but I had the TV. This was before we had a dish installed and we had only local programming available via the antennae on the roof. I lay there with the TV on low in hopes that a talk show would bore me to sleep. It was working and as I was drifting into a state of oblivion, the screen suddenly filled with snow and static filled the room. I turned it off and heard the distant rumble of thunder that was followed by a flash of lightening. I could hear the wind, too. I turned on the bed lamp and tried to read myself to sleep.......... I woke with a start. The light was still on as well as my glasses and the book had fallen on my chest. I turned off the light and pulled back the curtain to try to determine the time (like all good insomniacs, I hide the clock so I won't be calculating how many hours I have slept, how many I should sleep, etc.). It was gray and dreary, still predawn, but what was on the lawn? I squinted, then put my glasses back on. Still unable to determine if a UFO had landed, I shoved my feet into slippers and grabbed my robe and headed out to investigate. Out the front door and around to the side of the building I went cautiously.


There lying mangled on the ground was the tent pavilion from the other side of the building. Poles were sticking out in all directions and the antennae was poking through the torn canvas. I stood looking at the devastation while wondering about the fate of the roof. It was the original roof from the 60's; cedar shakes that were constantly shedding. I shuffled back inside and checked a clock. 4:30 am. I decide to let love of my life sleep in oblivion, no sense in both of us being miserable. The new tank went in without a hitch that day and water was restored. The antennae was salvaged, but the tent was totalled. And he who plumbs lost a lot of chest hair, it has sense grown back..... gray.


So here I am almost 6 years later with a sense of deja-vu, drinking re-heated coffee. He who plumbs is off on a mission to find a part for the switch that turns the pump on to fill the tank. He is sure he can fix it. The brass do-hicky is "frozen" and is not regulating the pump, just turns on and off repeatedly and very loudly, like a drummer boy gone mad. Two days of dishes are sitting on the counter and laundry is piling high. But, the roof is new, I have a dish with what seems like thousands of options for viewing. I have the wonderful world of blog to lose myself in. Who needs water?

No Water............. Again

Water (or lack there of) seems to be the winter theme here. Actually, we have had water problem from the get-go.I must go back to our very first winter here and tell a lovely tale........

We moved into the living quarters shortly after I realized that I would go insane if I had to sit in the office/store for 12 hours every day. I began the chore of unpacking and trying to make the space a home. Back then the pump room was in the exact location that is is now, but to get to it, we had to go out a back door and into another door. I have since ripped out those walls and it can be easily accessed by walking through my kitchen (that used to be a huge laundry room). In this pump room were two huge galvanized steel holding tanks. When I say huge...... these things were about 7 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter. They were sitting on this sort of rusted out ginormous pan thing, making me think that perhaps something had leaked at some point. Or maybe a slow leak, cause it was always damp in there.

So, being the observant one that I am, I pointed this damp situation to love of my life and he told me some lame thing about the pressure of the water coming into the room housing the tanks.....blah, blah, blah. Having so many other things to worry about and deal with pretty much kept me busy and out of the damp room, other than to walk through to get the laundry room that is now the kitchen. We had gotten through the first winter and survived the furnace breakdown and the massive rodent invasion. Spring was in the air and I was looking forward to having some revenue come in. Upon entering the pump room, laundry in my arms I notice that the "dampness" is even more pronounced. so much so that I hear a hissing noise and see a tiny spray of water coming from the tank closest to me. I put the laundry in the machine and summon he who plumbs to come take a look at the new water feature that has developed.

He stands pondering this new development, no doubt wondering how he is going to get that tank dry enough to have duct tape stick to it. He goes on-line to investigate the problem after admitting to me that perhaps the water I saw dripping down the tank wasn't "sweat" after all. He locates a miracle compound "guaranteed" to take care of any leak. He orders it. Tells me not to worry about the leak. The stuff comes the next day and it is some kind of epoxy, gooey, nasty smelling compound that he applies to the "weak spot" on the tank; after having the water off long enough to prep the area. Problem solved. Well, temporarily.

He who plumbs was a little worried about the tanks developing more "weak spots", since they were the original tanks put in when the park was built in the 60's. He wisely contacts someone about getting a new holding tank. A real plumbing person comes out and takes a look and it is decided to go with a fiberglass tank and that only one tank is needed to service the park. We order the tank and the real plumber gives us the specifications for the cement pad that will have to be poured to put the tank on. You may be wondering why we didn't simply put in where one of the soon to be empty and useless tanks were sitting. I did suggest this to he who plumbs and the real plumbing person. They both looked at me as if I were simple. They told me that the circumference of the tank was bigger than the 3 foot door and that the building had been erected around these tanks. They said that in order to remove them we would have to take a wall out (okay with me). The most obvious wall housed all the electrical boxes, so that wall was not a good candidate. The opposite wall has the public showers and all the plumbing........ and the last wall had the gas line coming in.

Love of my life poured the requisite concrete pad for the new tank and all was ready for the new holding tank. the delivery and set-up had been scheduled and the park was busy with springtime campers. We had a camping club scheduled and had a tent pavillion set up on the store side of the building for their use. It had been used the previous weekend for another group and left it up. This is important to the story. He who plumbs went off to his day job (gotta have that health insurance). I had mentioned that his black goopy repair job was weeping. I mentioned it and he took a look at it and messed around with it before leaving. This was the day before the scheduled delivery of the new tank.

I heard the pump coming on and staying on way to long. I go into what I have come to refer to as the wet room to see a geyser of water shooting out the side of the tank. I quickly summon love of my life home from work (I know you are wondering why I don't turn the water off myself......... I don't know where the cut-off valve is and there are so many power boxes on the wall that I have no idea which one is the one that will kill the pump. Labels, you say, he who plumbs does not do silly things like labels ) I did go out into the park and tell all my occupants to fill their water tanks before we turned the water off, though. My tenants have water..... I don't.

He battles this tank through the afternoon and into the evening. He mixes his magic potion that is guarateed to fix any leak and tries time after time to turn the water back on, only to have the hole continue to grow larger. I fill vessels of water whenever I can when he has the water on. I debate whether to offer assistance or stay out of his way. As the evening progresses I opt for staying out of the way, as it has becomne apparent to me that water will not be restored until thje new holding tank is dispensing it. At some point my man has removed his shirt and is bare chested with wet jeans on. It looked like maybe he forgot his shirt was no longer on his chest and he ahd tried to wipe that epoxy misture off.

He who plumbs is tired and defeated, the tank has won and I finally convince him at midnight to go to bed. He can't shower and he has this black epoxy mixture allover his hand and in his chest hair.