So, Imagine how much like a Putz I felt when we arrived at the Dealer Breakfast this Morning only to discover that the Parking Lot Sale ISN'T this Weekend after all!!! Ooops, I did it again... get all mixed up on Event Details and Dates! I'm so Sorry my Friends, I Hope you didn't come out expecting it and come away disappointed that I gave the wrong dates? Apparently it is Saturday, October 19th ~ Parking Lot Sale: 8am - 2pm... the BRASS ARMADILLO WEST Facebook Page will provide you with ACCURATE Details and Dates! *Winks*
The G-Kid Force were equally disappointed, though a yummy Dealer Breakfast and Vintage Car Show helped ease their letdown that Gramma had messed up the Dates for something they were looking forward to yet again! I swear, I've got so much going on in my head and around me lately that keeping everything Organized and sorted out has become virtually impossible for me! I'm a Hot Mess on a whole lot of levels right now!
We had a lot of Work to do re-stocking our Showrooms and checking out what everyone else was bringing in... I was Adoring this Antique Chair covered in Beautiful Belgian Cut Velvet! *Swoon*
The Price is Amazing too, but alas, I have no more room for another one in my Chair Hoard and my focus must be on Selling right now and only making Buys on what I fully Intend to Flip. I would be loathe to part with something like this if I did Invest in it, I know the type of Inventory I'd be too Tempted to not Let Go of... and so I resisted the Temptation to even consider it and not even try to Justify dragging it Home! *LOL* Yes, you SHOULD be Proud of me, you have no Idea how hard that was! *Winks*
Princess T and I have still been busy at Home with what we already have ready to Decorate with for Autumn and the upcoming Halloween Holiday. I had 'scored' this Awesome French Poster under Plexiglass for a mere Ninety-Nine Cents since the frame was totally destroyed and too damaged to Rescue. So, for another Ninety-Nine Cents we bought some of that Wonderful MacGyver Staple, Duct Tape, in a great Safari Leopard Print and used it to edge both pieces together with as a faux frame... and Walla, now ready to be our Outdoor Door Decoration!
She was Delighted to slog away at the Mall after Breakfast helping Gramma to Price Inventory and make Showroom Vignettes with it all Morning too... the Young Prince, not so much, as you can clearly see by his Countenance. *Bwahaha!*
Wait a minute, lets see if we can get a Close-Up and Zoom in on that Expression of total Teen Angst shall we? *Smiles* Yeah, I don't think he's having Fun yet?!? *Winks* Or at least not as much Fun as his Little Sister and I were anyways. I was only able to perk up his Enthusiasm by Promising them both to go on a 'Pick' after we were done... they both LOVE doing that! We made a quick visit to see Grandpa first... and Grandpa was totally Okay with a quick visit once he could see I had antsy G-kids with Attitude in tow... *LOL*
But once we began the 'Pick' the day was Saved because they both were in their Element and intently Focused on Discovering and Sourcing Found Treasures. I'd already Briefed them on the Types of Product I'd be seeking out... and having been duly Inspired by Vignettes at our Antique Mall they were eager to get busy with it to amp up Sales in our Sections as well.
Though Sales have been up, since I'm no longer able to be Working Part Time anymore that has made our Budget take a definite Hit that we have to try to recoup and recover by amping up Sales even further. And with Grandpa's added Expenses as a result of the Accident, and The Son's departure from the Ole' Homestead, I decided that it's either time to make this Hobby something more significant economically, or close it down entirely. I'm giving it 'til the first of the Year to see which it will play out to be?
I hate to give up something that I'd Dreamed about doing for so long and am thoroughly Enjoying so much. But if I can't make it profitable enough to Justify all the hours spent at it, especially when I have so little time to waste anymore and so many new Responsibilities I'm mandatorily assuming... I might have to consider at least downsizing considerably... and perhaps even calling it a day? I'm heartsick actually to even be thinking along those lines since I've never had to operate at a Loss to date and have such a Joy and Passion for what I'm doing... but frankly I can't afford to risk operating at a Loss in the Future with how lean finances already are, so I have to be practical about it just being 'business'.
I'm only Renting month to month so there's no big Risk taking involved... and I know that the Holidays are peak Sales periods so I won't make any firm decisions until the first of the Year and just Meditate upon it some more so that I have a Peace about whatever I decide.
I just Hate having so much that is up in the air all at once and so little sense of Security about anything anymore when it comes to the Future. It's become a Full Time Job just to get through all the Paperwork and Bureaucracy these various Agencies are requiring so that The Man and the G-Kid Force can receive the Medical Care they need and BE where they need to be cared for!
Prince R said something rather Profound about it today when he addressed the Guardianship Issues we're Facing with The System and their insistance that we should go through the high Legal Expense and long drawn out Family Court Process yet again. "Gramma, if they're claiming your Guardianship has 'Expired'... then doesn't that mean that you shouldn't even be having to fund any of our Care anymore and tell them to cover it all then?"
Point well taken Child... not that The System WILL pick up the Tab mind you and Pony Up just because they're suddenly refusing to Honor and Recognize the Guardianship Agreements we've had in place all these Years and the FACT we've Raised you both since Birth and covered ALL your needs and Support thus far. Really, the whole System is nothing short of Extorting as much $$$ as they can out of Voluntary Relative Placements that are far more beneficial to the Child(ren) than Involuntary Stranger Placements.
But in light of the current fiascos and financial waste of such things as Government Shut-Downs and ridiculous alleged Health Care Reform I can see why The System would Dream Up yet another absurd way to either waste time and money or try to squeeze more out of the ordinary hard working or Retired Joe Citizen trying to do the Right Thing. That just seems to be Business as Usual anymore and it makes me very Concerned for the Future of the next Generations and quite Jaded.
Which is probably why this particular Halloween Card Appealed to me SO much that I not only bought some to send out to Family and Friends, but also one to keep for myself because every time I look at it I just laugh out loud!
Yeah, I could BE this Woman right now... 'mos def'! *Winks*
Mwahhh, from the Arizona Desert out West... Dawn... The Bohemian