Really, people? REALLY?!?!?

All I wanted was a quick sandwich. A simple task, especially when using the drive through. "Yes, HP, it IS a simple task", you say.

Oh, how wrong you are!!!

First, there was the dude on his ten-speed bike who apparently had no concept of how to steer with more weight on one handlebar than the other. He was completely blocking the traffic lane and I was nice and stopped and waited for him to move. He finally got a clue but almost took off my side mirror as he wobbled past.

Then three people suddenly decided THIS IS THE TIME to back out of parking spaces. I decided they were mistaken and putzed past, making sure they weren't gonna hit me.

After surviving that obstacle, and on my approach to the speaker, I find myself staring into the front end of an SUV that decided to enter the "EXIT ONLY" lane. I stop. Wait. She finally makes a 52 bazilion point turn and leaves.

I finally make it near the speaker to place my order. Well, nearish. I would have been much closer had not the guy in front of me pulled up at a wonky angle and couldn't figure out how to turn without knocking the speaker down.

ffs all I wanted was a sammich!

Wah,
HP

Oy! I think I've finally got all the accounting stuff worked out and have everything allocated correctly. Then again, Poohbare keeps pulling receipts out of every nook and cranny in his car, nightstand, dresser, pockets...

=/
HP

I awoke to the sound of my own laughter due to a silly dream I was having. Not a bad way to start the day. Not bad at all.

Hugs,
HP

We didn't start with much more than a blank slate...
[IMG]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r620/stupidstuff0102/shop/before-1.jpg[/IMG]
Once construction and painting was completed, we moved the showcases into place...
[IMG]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r620/stupidstuff0102/shop/showcases.jpg[/IMG]
We hung stuff on the walls...
[IMG]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r620/stupidstuff0102/shop/walls.jpg[/IMG]
And now we pretty much feel it's done.
[IMG]http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r620/stupidstuff0102/shop/after.jpg[/IMG]

LOL - so much for taking it easy! We ran over to the shop this morning for "a few minutes" to straighten things up a bit. A man peeked in the door to ask if we were open, his young son at his side. Poohbare told him, no but come on in. The boy had some coins in his pocket and wanted to know if they were worth anything. Pooh looked them over carefully and explained that two of the pennies were each worth a dollar and pointed out that a dollar is pretty good for a mere penny. They chatted a bit and I heard him showing the boy a buffalo nickel. When Pooh said he could keep it, the child's eyes lit up. It was pretty darn sweet to watch. He's really very good with kids - talks to them at their level without ever talking down to them.

I came home, limped around the yard behind the mower, watered the plants, checked on the seedlings, and prepped some stuff for dinner before tackling the laundry.

Hope your weekend was good.


HP

We've already had people trickling into the shop the last few days even though we weren't officially open and even made our first sale! Nothing much, but it counts and gives me hope.

Stuff was still arriving today that needed to be set up. Billboards start running on Monday and other marketing is in-process. I'm so glad I listened to Krick's mom about holding off on a big opening for a couple weeks after the doors are open. It gives us time to work out some of the bugs.

Speaking of bugs, we are exhausted. Poohbare has caught a nastybad cold and is running a fever, coughing, sneezing, etc. I did something to injure my foot and that has left me more gimpy than usual.

We're both gonna try to take the next couple days easy and recuperate a bit.

xoxo
HP

The road trip was too long and the visit was far FAR too short, but all of it was worth every moment.

Back at the ranch, the building inspector who was supposed to show up Monday showed up today. He signed off on the construction, so that's a "go". The sign guy finished putting up the sign over the door, the street signage, and window lettering. The safe and fridge got moved from the garage to the shop this afternoon. Poohbare has the showcases where he wants them. My son has been working on the computer network and making everything do what I want it to do. That should be done tomorrow evening.

There are some spots on the carpet that I want to go over with the rug shampooer, I need to finish painting the visible side of an interior door and then enter the inventory and prices of stuff in the Point of Sale doohickey once that's running. Pooh has most of the supplies priced out, labeled and organized. Tomorrow we start hauling inventory over.

Need a nap. Gonna take one.

xoxo
HP

If that kid asks me ONE MORE TIME what time we're leaving in the morning, I'm gonna just start bashing my head against the nearest solid surface. Not like she isn't excited to see Krick again or anything...


HP

This whole "getting old" nonsense is for the birds! Poohbare and I are down to the point where the list of stuff yet to buy is totally random. You know that list. Like when you look down at your cart of stuff objectively and realize you've got a soy sauce, shoelaces, potting soil and a candy bar and none of it even remotely shows a plan of action but kinda reflects upon your day nonetheless. *sigh*

ANYWAY, we were chatting yesterday and he said ... something ... and I said "oh, I need to add that to the list" but I was sitting down and comfortable and didn't want to get up right away and a few minutes later I asked him "what was I gonna add to the list" and he gave me a blank stare. Now, twelve hours later, we still don't have a clue what it was or what we were discussing. *sigh*

I was at the store with the spawn last night and stopped midstride (she knows the look and kept quiet) a few seconds passed and I said "nope - gone." I'd almost remembered what it was. It was on the tip of my brain. RIGHT THERE! *POOF!*

And you KNOW that one of us will suddenly remember while in the midst of flossing or taking a shower or checking the mail and by the time we find pen and paper *POOF!* it'll be gone again.

grrr
HP

Poohbare got home yesterday from his week-long trip to attend his son's wedding. It's the longest separation we've had in four years. Yeah yeah I know many of you have been apart from the one you love for much longer, but this ain't about you. So there! We're spoiled and generally worthless when we're apart. It was nice to hear him say he hopes we're never separated that long again. Ever.

Anyway, all my hard work this week paid off when I saw the look on his face as he looked around the shop. When he left, the walls were unpainted, showcases and carpets were covered in tarps, and all the miscellany was stacked in the spare bedroom at home. With the exception of hanging stuff on walls, moving in the safe and fridge, bringing in the inventory and setting it in place, it's done. YAY!

Plans to see Krick have been rearranged and that's now set for Tuesday. A four-hour round trip vs. a twelve-hour round trip is rather appealing. The spawn is driving me a wee bit batshit crazy with her excitement over seeing Krick again... but in a good way.

Life is good. Better than I ever dared to dream. Hope the same can be said for you.

xoxo
HP