Sometimes you wonder if life is worth it...

I'm feeling a little over-wrought today...

Mom is in the hospital with diverticulitis (SP?) and my sister is laying guilt trips on me because she evidently thinks I should be taking off work to go sit with her, even though I'm the only one in the house that currently has a job, and the job I do have is enough to make me want to spit, and this morning it would appear that I'm going to have to make deliveries in the rain, and I'm just feeling a little put upon.

Of course, that's life and the way life is. I'm certainly going to survive it. And, if you believe the new age PR, surviving it will make me stronger. As long as I get some sleep. Here it is Monday, the first day of the work week, and I'm already exhausted. Weekends are supposed to be when you recharge, at least, that's the theory. But, like most Americans, I tend to use the weekends to run all over hell and half of Canada getting everything done, and if I do have an hour free I watch something that's only vaugely amusing on television.

If you've made it through the post this far, you may realize that I'm having a challenging morning. Well, none of us can be "up" all the time. Ignore me, just ranting.

Later...

put some stuff on ebay, thought I'd post pics here. First up... Fitz & Floyd Florentine Fruit Teapot...

In the great tradition of F & F majolica! This stuff had 2 color variations, these blue scrolls on a white background, which I think I'd prefer, or white scrolls on a blue background. Most people mixed them together... Produced between 1997 and 2000

And next.... Omnibus teapot...


Omnibus is of course owned by F & F, and this is one of the sets they put out that looks very like a F & F line called Country Cottage. Sometime in the late 80's. Remarkably good condition...

Anyway, as allways, if you wish to look at these, or the other Items up for bid this week, go to

Me birthday is a comin...

well, it's about the old 43 year that I've been on this earth, and I'm really not sure how I feal about it.

If somebody had told me I'd be where I am now when I was 18, I'd have rolled on the floor laughing, but at the same time, I can honestly say that all the choices were mine and I don't have that many regrets...

I do wish I'd achieved more, but my stubborn streak is always in the way...

But this year has actually been pretty good for me.

there were some great flowers in the garden...


I've learned a few new things...

I've left a few things behind me, hopefully never to be seen again...

altogether not too bad. Not sure I could ask for more... unless, of course, somebody out there is handing out million dollar checks...

Hi Ho... Hi Ho... back to work I go...

Well, the clutch is fixed, so off to work I go. Actually, went... two days ago. Those few days of not working really helped a lot. I fealt so much better after I was rested up. And the lovely office I mentioned a few posts ago... they've finally, after at least three months that I know of, gotten rid of the dead office plant and replaced it with a silk tree... Now, I don't like fake plants, but it's better than the dead one!

Put a few more things on ebay. The Murano Glass squirrel is going HIGH priced. Surprising, I guess the gold flecking is rare.

I listed a shoe shine box, which dates to the 50's to 70's, almost impossible to tell for sure. It's one of those things that I really like, funky little pieces that actually have a use.



Not much else to say... a few little fitz & floyd pieces, a piece of Frankoma, stuff like that...

Did get a surprise in the yard today... there's this little orchid that my mother got for a present. One of those things you get at the florist, they usually die... Well I have friends who grow them, they always say, "Oh, they're easy to grow..." and then they start giving you this list of requirements that I have no time or patience for... anyway, mom gave me this thing, because I'm the one in the family that actually grows things, and as soon as the blooms died, I shoved it outside on the patio and forgot about it. Went out today, and the darned thing is putting up flower buds... It's nothing too special. A little Dendrobium, but I am impressed... as soon as it blooms, I'll get a pic.

back at ebay...

Well, the truck blew it's clutch, and it looks like I won't be courier driving for a few days. I'm trying to think of it as a little mini-vacation. To be blunt, I needed a break from it...

but I'm taking the opportunity to list some things on ebay...

things like this...



A little Murano glass squirrel... I've seen a few of them over the years, but this is the only one with those lines of bubbles in the glass, and gold flecks... most are silver. Or at least the ones I've seen...



And then we have to start getting the Christmas stuff going... after all, if you're ordering it through the mail, it's best to get it bought now... the weeks before actual Christmas are hideous for the post office. These are Fitz & Floyd, Damask Christmas, still in the origional box. Circa 1995...

That's just a couple of things... There's going to be a bunch more.

And I really should get back to listing...

random thoughts...

Got up at 4:30 AM, and couldn't get back to sleep, so here I am... figured I would drop in here.

Latest delivery story... can't tell you the name of anybody, that's client information, but there's this place I have to deliver too. They're accountants, they do the books for some of the biggest companies in the area. So once a week, all the paper work is delivered to them from the factories and production offices, then later all that paperwork is delivered back... Pretty standard for a courier, and no big deal.

So you get to this office with 15 file boxes that weigh about 50 pounds each. You put four on your 2-wheeler. You wrestle your way through the door that wants to slam shut on you.

You are immediately confronted with a reception desk that's covered with dust and has never been used. You look around, to your right is a big conference room that has never been used. To your left there is a chair and a plant. A dead plant. Three stalks sticking out of a pot, and a circle of brown leaves on the carpet. No one in sight.

You call out "Hello"

From a half open door, someone yells, "We're back here"

So you manuver your way around the inconvienently placed and totally useless desk and go through the door.

There's a rather sad looking office, with 8 women who've just stopped caring.

None of them under 200 pounds. None of them have done their hair or make-up. They're all wearing polyester stretch pants and old t-shirts.

One looks at you and says - "they go over there" and kind of motions with her head. you assume that she means the table against the wall, because that's the only table that doesn't have dust on it.

So you start hauling in boxes, despite doors that want to slam on you, and indifferent employees who certainly aren't going to go to any effort to be of assistance.

Then you ask... "who signs for this?"

All of the women look around at each other, totally silent mind you, until one rolls her eyes and actually stands up and just looks at you. So you walk across the office, because it's obvious she's not moving an inch, and she signs the ticket. Then you leave.

This is my job.

great, huh?

I've got to find something else soon...

Wow, I haven't kept up with this blog at all, have I?

Still selling on ebay, sporadically now, and still selling at Forrests Antiques and more... but I have a new job as an industrial courier, and that's really a full time job, so between all of them, I'm just too tired to blog!

Anyway, I don't much like the courier job, but it's cash, and ultimately it's a disposable job. I can quit it when I find something I like better. I have to use my own truck, and buy my own gas... so while the money at first looks good, when you figure in the wear and tear and the cost... you're not really doing that great. I have to find something better soon. And you're considered an independent contractor, so you have to pay this huge tax rate. The IRS doesn't seem to like people who aren't corporate drones...

The people I deliver to are nice sometimes, and total morons at other times... in other words, they're just people, and that's how people are.

Not much of a post, but I thought I'd check in... and I'm going to try to write more soon. Maybe tell some of my adventures... (I'm collecting lots of strange stories as I drive all over Dallas/Ft. Worth... )

hello... been a while...

I've been writing to people on one of my yahoo groups, and between that and keeping listings going on ebay, it's sometimes very difficult to remember to blog... and then the last few posts were kind of bitter...

things have actually been going ok. There are three deer skins listed... going for a good price, which I didn't really expect... ebay constantly surprises me... Had some vintage cashmere yarn... dating to about the 50's, and some knitter snapped it up... that was a surprise to me too...

Only goes to show you, no matter what it is, just because I can't figure out what to do with it, doesn't mean somebody else can't.

some china on right now... and some 1 to 2 yard pieces of novelty fabric. That always sells decent, there are a lot of quilters and crafters out there... But it always surprises me how much of it goes to buyers in Japan, especially the older vintage pieces that you find at estate sales that have been in storage for 30 years...

I guess I'll stop this rambling post.

Later, and the link to the ebay store is on your right... somewhere...

not much happening really...

storms and thunder everywhere...

been a really strange week in Texas... temps getting up to the 90's and big ole thunderstorms that make your head ache...

nothing too much happening though.

Ebay's doing what ebay does, I'm selling really well at the flea market... sold two complete sets of china... Ka CHING

and I thought that the entire house was going to blow down a few minutes ago, but it seems to have moved on to Dallas.

Nothing to really post about, but I did want to keep my hand in here.

Later...

cats in heaven...

Well we bought a new chair for the bedroom, a vintage platform rocker to replace the big fake leather monstosity that was lurking in the corner preparing to attack us all...

Now, I managed to get the old chair out by myself... which is more of an accomplishment than you could possibly know... and I got it on the back patio...

The cat is in heaven. Lots of sunshine and an overstuffed chair to sit in. I've never seen that cat happier... don't know how he'll react when I get that chair up to the front curb, because it's really not in any kind of shape to sell at the flea market...

I've gotten quite picky about what I'm willing to take to the store.

So there's this chair...

I got it for two bucks at a yard sale. It's shaped like a giant hand and you sit in it...

It's so cheezy that it's cool.

But it desperately needed cleaning... and after I clean it, I can take it to the flea market and get about 40 bucks for it...

So I sit it in the car port, because it's not coming into the house 1) in that condition and 2) despite the fact that it's so cheezy it's cool, it's also green and I hate green and it's just not coming in my house...

anyway, at high noon, somebody drove up in their pick-up truck, jumped out, and stole it.

I was mad for about 10 seconds. But then I started laughing...

I figure God will forgive them for being a thief, but having appalling taste is a condition that is impossible to overcome...

sometimes the world depresses me....

Yesterday somebody decided to shoot up VA TECH.

Don't know any of the details yet... just know that he was a young asian guy... I'm sure we'll all be hearing all the gory minutae over the next few days...

there's a real problem in the world when certain citizens decide that shooting 20 or 30 people is a viable option... but I don't know what to do about it.

came to the blog to post about my ebay stuff, but it doesn't seem appropriate right now... If you want to see what's listed, check out the store link...

I'm going to go have some coffee...

great day today...

Beautiful outside, and I've been out working in the garden all morning... guess I'll try to ebay some of these iris since they're trying to take over the place... but I'll worry about that later...

This morning I had a buyer who bought some stuff, then when I went to print that label it turns out that the Post Office won't ship it because the city name is wrong... they suggest the proper name, and I've sent an email to the buyer, but I guess I'll end up trusting what the PO says... they should know... but it could be that the Zip is wrong... so I don't want to just sent it out there willy-nilly... And of course, I'm sitting here with a packed box. I hate paid for stuff sitting here...

Right now I'm wasting time blogging, should be outside in this great weather... We don't get a lot of it in this part of the world. Within a month, it'll be so unbearably hot, nobody will want to leave the house...

It's a wonderful day in Texas...

But, It'll be hot soon enough. I really should be outside in it, but There's just too much stuff to do...

did get a couple of things listed today, a really nice anchor hocking bowl... Fire king in the Summerfield pattern... not a terribly common pattern, and getting harder and harder to find. This time period (50's to 70's) just starting to take off...

The dog has been a bad bad dog today... he got out the back gate. You don't have to worry about it too much, everytime he gets out the back gate, he runs down the alley about a quarter mile, then runs around to the front of the house and barks at the front door. He figures that since he's already outside, I'll go ahead and take him walkies.

The cats have been behaving themselves... but last night I did open the back door and find a baby possum... about six inches long. He just stood there, hissed and batted his tail back and forth. Then he wandered off...

cuter than a big possum, but I did wonder where his momma was... I don't know how young they are when they go out on their own, but he seemed a little small...

Anyway, link to the store to your right, drop by and see me.

Later...

Happy easter folks!

Hope everybody out in the web-world is having a wonderful easter...

I'm going to be spending mine alone with my cats and my dog... don't feel sorry for me though, as I it's entirely by choice. Got invited to a few places, and I just didn't want to go.

Of course, today wasn't a great day... after it was 90 degrees last week, it dropped to 40 this morning, and then it started snowing... It's called living in Texas, you don't always know what the hell is going to happen.

But got a few interesting finds today anyway... people in Texas just keep going and have their yard sales anyway... but they get cold and the bargains start hopping...

listed this week, there's some Franciscan Apple napkin rings, (Got bids in the first hour!) and a 14 inch long brass duck, with a brass stand he sits on, Jimmy Carters book, An Outdoor Journal, autographed (woo hoo)

And I may be listing some more stuff tomorrow, (yes, it's Easter and sacreligious and all, but the auctions actually are for all next week, so I don't think it's really that bad... )

And, I'm just ambling on here about not much of anything aren't I.

same old , same old...

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been listing cowboy boots, china figurines, mens shirts, just a little bit of everything... even some shoes, brand new in the box. Listing like a blasted fool...

Yesterday, it was 92 degrees outside. Today, it's 60. Not a good thing.

of course, I keep saying that I'm going to start publishing on this blog more, but it turns out that when I think of something to say, I always forget it long before I actully sit down at the computer.

just a general whine...

1.30 am and I'm awake and I don't know why...

Awful day yesterday. Dust storm came through, turned the sky all yellow, blew down part of the fence, blew down the yucca in the front yard, about blew me off the road when I was driving... and then when the dust cleared up, just turned bitter cold. But that dust issue was very hard to deal with... not dense enough to cause major visibility probs, but it was getting a little hard to breath, And I think Lubbock Texas blew over the top of the house...

Of course, none of this is terribly uncommon, just winters last shout. Our last frost date is March 15, so everything should be warming up for good in a couple of weeks...

It was 80 degrees outside for a couple of days last week. Of course, I had caught this flu bug that was going around, so I couldn't enjoy it as much as everyone else, but it was nice...

Man, I didn't start a blog so that I could have a podium to whine!

Funny story... the cat, last Thursday, went running outside about 10 PM. Now as usual, this involves bolting out the door at top speed... Unfortunately, the spot outside was already occupied by one of the local opposums. Little cat bounced into the air three times about 5 feet skreaching at a decibal I haven't heard in a while. Possum just looked around like he was thinking... "What's the problem?" then wandered off. Seriously, I was laughing my head off.

Did hear that my friend Deb and her new husband were in a car wreck... bashed into by an illegal alien who of course doesn't have a liscense , much less insurance. Deb was in the ER all day, and when the cops showed up, they just let the illegal alien leave ... So now Deb is filing with internal affairs.

Drama... Drama... everywhere, HUH?

nothing much...

I really have to start blogging more often... but I've been running around and I haven't much to say... or more accurately, I have a huge amount ot say, and absolutely no time to say it... Shucks, most of the time I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing...

Flea Market stall is looking good... and the sales are way up... so I guess the front window is a good thing... but I have a huge amount of stuff that has to move in there so I need some of the bigger pieces to sell...

but the truth is that I'm kind of enjoying it, so don't take me wrong... I'm in no way shape or form complaining...

Got a couple of pairs of Cowboy boots listed on ebay, Tony Lama, these definitly need resoled, but they sell decent anyway...

Valentines day's a-coming...

I've always hated Valentines day... In all my various relationships, none of them coincided with Valentines so I never had a date, and then the people who do have dates all are so cute that it's sickening... What? Me bitter? Hmmph.

but seriously, I've worked for florist on Valentines, and the panicked phone calls and the general stress level is generally just pitiful...

On another subject entirely, we have been listing some small hand-crochet patches on ebay... just for the fun of it. Mom makes them up while she's watching TV. gives her something to do... Not making much money off them... but they're fun...

Most of the little appliques on ebay are made of 4-ply knitting worsted... which makes them thick and fuzzy... and uncomfortable on a back pocket, kind of like a little hard pillow on your butt... these are made of bedspread cotton... tiny thread that has a nice look to it.

Anyway... if you're interested go to the store listings

http://stores.ebay.com/luckypennyfleamarket

The big appliques are .99 each and the small ones like the stars are 3 / .99.

They do look good on jeans, denim jackets , that sort of thing...

Will be heading out to the flea market stall today... Evidently I sold a bunch of Franciscan plates and since I moved the stall from the back to the front, I still haven't got it looking like I want it... I've got to get it looking decent to boost the sales... and I don't really know what I'm going to do about the clothes I have up there... no place for a rack and no wall space since one side of the booth is a great big window...

I'll figure out something I suppose...

Wow...

Over a month since I posted. Wouldn't have believed that could happen...

Anyway, been buzy... the house sprung a leak under the slab, so that had to be taken care of, and then the stall at the market in Ft. Worth has to be moved... which will increase sales, it's just the timing could be better... moving up to the front window...

and then of course there is the continuing trauma on the ebay feedback board... One of our favorite(NOT) trolls has come back with yet a new incarnation... LeRoy is back is the name she's using now. Was once badleroybrown, attorneyalice and a whole slew of pinkrose, yellowrose, redrose names. Just shows up, performs a few illegal actions like posting another users information, then gets kicked off until the next id.

Gotta love those talking sock id's...

Don't really have the time to mess with this right now... when it rains it pours...

And of course, the cats and the dog are always here to keep me cheered up.

Will start listing in the store again soon... Later...