Eggo Waffles Save the US Economy

I just read a story that there is a shortage of Eggo Waffles. Apparently the shortage will last for several months and Eggos will now be rationed until mid-2010. No, I'm not making this up although it definitely sounds like something I would make up.

I don't typically eat Eggos although I think they are fine. I used to buy them weekly as the kids loved them. But as I read the article I thought, this really doesn't affect me anymore. That is until I realized that the Eggo shortage is possibly our President's way out of this recession. I see 1000's of jobs created by the shortage. First you have the Eggo police. They'll be standing outside the grocery stores looking for black market Eggos. Printers will print Eggo ration coupons and will need someone to distribute the coupons. Entire websites will be developed to trade Eggos...."I have 2 blueberry and would be willing to trade one for a buttermilk". Ebay will add a new category to their listings for Eggos and subcategories for each variety of Eggo products.

In fact, I think the entire Eggo shortage could be just another way of our administration to get us out of this mess. I can see the history books now....the Eggo Crisis that Saved the US Economy.

Ancient Armadillo Burial Grounds

If you've read any of my previous blogs, you will know that I have a vivid imagination and sometimes I have the ability to take crazy to a whole new level. Here's my typical "what you need to know first" info: I hate dead things. I don't care what it is, dead things freak me out. Basically, if it's dead, I don't want to ever see it. Open casket funerals are wrong on every level and people need to stop it (that's a blog unto itself).

I'm having some repairs done to the house. I have some dry rot in the paneling and I'm having it replaced. I needed to give the construction workers "wall access" (cut the bushes away from the wall so the workers can get back there). I didn't see the gardener the day he was here so I had to do it myself. I have a brick flower bed in the front of my house and a large trellis with jasmine running up it.

Everything is going along just fine until I get right past the jasmine. As I trim the lantana back, I see something fairly large and a grayish brown (no, not my ex husband John Grey, the color gray...hehehehe I couldn't resist). At first I think it's a rock but I realize that it has a pattern embedded in it. I decide the only thing it can be: an armadillo. Yes, I jump from rock to armadillo in about 3.2 seconds. Another important note: I live in central California. My guess is there is not an armadillo in an 800 mile radius. That doesn't not change a thing for in my mind it is still an armadillo.

I am COMPLETELY freaked out at this point. I decide to test the waters. I rattle the bush in front of the armadillo...and run. I mean, it could be alive and have rabies or rush me and....who knows...but I know it was scary. It doesn't move. Does that change my fear?? Absolutely not! It just means that it is dead, which is almost worst. I mean, a live armadillo will move on...hopefully to my next door neighbors house because I really don't like those people. But a dead armadillo is going no where without some help. And I'm not helping it. That is why God has given me a checkbook...to pay people to remove dead things.

I did a REALLY bad job in a very big hurry around the "dead armadillo". There might have even been a few tears knowing I had to work near a dead armadillo.

Monday morning at 7:30 AM the workers show up at my door. I had worked a 20 hour day on Sunday and I'm awake but in my pajamas and a robe and haven't even brushed my hair. I meet the workers at the door and explain that I have a bit of a problem. I go outside (yes, in my pajamas, robe and disheveled hair) and point to the flower bed.

"There is a dead armadillo in the flower bed and you have to do something about it!" I proclaim.

"Um...ma'am, I think that's a rock" one of them says.

"No, I don't think it's a rock, I think it's an armadillo and I think it's dead."

"Well, I don't think..." in mid-sentence he starts to reach for the rock or armadillo or whatever.

I scream, "NOT WHILE I'M OUTSIDE". Yes, I'm a very rational, sane person.

"Okay, okay," he says in a very 'she should be institutionalized now' sort of way.

I go inside relieved to know that my armadillo drama will soon be taken care of by someone other than myself. I shower, dress and head out to start my day. As I go to the car, the workman stops me.

"I was wrong, it was not a rock."

"Was it an armadillo?" I say in my 'I told you so' voice.

"No, a football," he says as he holds up an old football that had obviously be laying in the bushes for years and years.

I guess we can add 'old footballs that look like a dead armadillos' to the list of things that scare me.

My New Ex Mother-in-law

Before I tell you this story, you have to know something about me. There are people who think I've been married eight times. It started as joke at work with a woman who complained about everything and everyone. One day I decided that whatever she complained about, I was going to be. For example: She hated people who owned poodles...so I told her I had a poodle. She was badmouthing someone who had been married five times...so I told her I had been married 8 times. Someone overheard the conversation and started spreading it around the office. I thought it was HYSTERICAL and have just embraced it and continued the rumor. (By the way, sister tells people the way she remembers the husbands is: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, retried.)

With this being said, I had a really funny moment on Sunday. Sister and I were at a show in downtown Lodi, CA on Sunday. During the morning a woman, probably in her mid 70's, came into our booth and bought a couple of things.

After she completed her purchased she said to me, "You look really familiar to me".

I know a lot of people and I have a twin sister so this isn't an unusual statement. What happened next was very unusual.

She said, "Is your name Sheri?"

"Yes," I reply.

"Don't you recognize me?" she says. Folks, this is a loaded question. Never say that to someone because obviously they don't.

"I'm so sorry, I don't. How do we know each other?" I ask.

"I'm your ex-mother-in-law," she proclaims. She looks nothing like my ex mother-in-law and unfortunately, my ex mother-in-law died 12 years ago.

"No, unfortunately, I'm ex mother-in-law is dead."

"Are you sure?" she asks me. (I'm not making this stuff up folks....and in my typical smart-ass self most of you know what I said next).

"Well, if she's not then burying her was not a good idea". (I know, it was wrong but I couldn't stop the words from flying out of my mouth.)

"No, really...I'm John Grey's mother." As if that clarified everything for me. "Are you sure I'm not your ex mother-in-law?" At this point I'm SURE I'm being Punk'd....Ashton Kutcher should be jumping out of the bushes about now.

"I'm sorry, I've never been married to a John Grey." At least that I can remember. There was that trip to Las Vegas....no, never mind.

This lovely woman walks away looking back as if I might be lying....

John Grey, if you are reading my blog, I'm still waiting for my alimony payments.

I've been wanting to blog about this upcycled and repurposed artist for a month now and life has just gotten in the way. Stacks by Staci has created something both beautiful and useful. Her "stacks" comprise of vintage housewares. Who hasn't wondered what to do with a lone bowl or plate?

Staci has combined her vintage finds into gorgeous and colorful yard art. Unfortunately, Staci isn't online, even with email but I hope her work inspires you. It definitely inspired me. I made stacks bracelets and earrings. I wish I had taken a picture but I designed them on Tuesday night and took them to my show on Thursday where they quickly sold out. Waiting for supplies to make more and I'll upload a picture then. If you're inspired by Staci, let me know. I'd love to "stack up" this blog posting with those inspirations.

I Think I've Had a Mental Breakdown

I apparently had a complete mental breakdown on Monday....or maybe a mini stroke. I decided on Monday that I would sell at the Wednesday Galt Flea Market. Now to the ordinary person (and myself...on Monday and Tuesday) that seems like a reasonable, non-crazy thing to do, right? WRONG!

I have a ton of things that we acquired through the antique stores we've liquidated. I've had yard sales, etc and decided the perfect way to get rid of this stuff still sitting in my garage was selling at a flea market. My sister has sold at Denio's in Roseville once several years ago. She drove up to the gate, paid her fee and they escorted her to a place to sell. Simple! No drama, no trauma.

I woke up this morning at 3:15 AM and with anger and bitterness (I'm not a morning person), jumped into the Jeep and headed for Galt. I arrive at 5AM, right on time according to the website, pull up to the gate and try to hand the woman my money. She informs me that I "just need to go to the office and they'd give me my space number". She made it sound so simple. I head to the office and a man tells me I need to grab the green form, fill it out and wait in line. Obviously they saw me coming and I was to be the entertainment for the morning.

It's important to note that the Galt Flea Market is run by the City of Galt. Yes, it is a giant bureaucracy which should have started the warning bells in my head. Although they say the office opens at 5AM, it does not. It was about 5:20 when they opened the window. We stand in line and in the matter of 30 minutes, 4 people had gone through the line. I'm next. I was happy to be next, but my time in line had me wondering if the flea market was really for me. You see the group of people in line could have been transformed from the flea market line to a police line up and no one would have been the wiser. I really questioned my sanity when several police cars, complete with lights and sirens, went racing through the parking lot TWICE.

It's too late to back out and I've been waiting too long and gotten up too early to turn back now. The city employee (behind bulletproof glass) looks at my form and says, "You have no number." Excuse me?!?!? I inform her I know nothing about a number. She explains that they work by numbers and they ran out of spaces at 3 AM. Those kind folks who "helped" me at 5AM were quite amused that I waited to find out I didn't have a number and would not be selling in Galt. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

On the way home for Galt I thought I might try Denio's in a couple of weeks. That's when I KNEW I'd had a complete mental breakdown. I'm hoping therapy and medication will kick in before then.

127 Corridor Sale Day 3

It was our last full day of shopping. We shopped from southern Kentucky and northern Tennessee; 90 miles. The number of people shopping this year has increased dramatically. I would estimate a 50% increase over prior year Fridays. The number of sellers has also increased giving everyone a bigger selection to choose from. The weather is much warmer today with higher humidity. Oh well, at least it's not as hot as it has been in the past.

We saw 2 of the ladies competing in the HGTV Room Makeover Event at the Cumberland General Store (a favorite stop of ours). This is a new direction for the Endless Yard Sale program that HGTV usually films. They weren't actually filming with the ladies at this point in the sale (thank goodness I didn't have to hide from the camera!). I listened as they talked about their experience and seemed to be having a good time with the concept.

Good things we bought today?? More Disney Production memorabilia (yes, I'm obsessed), 2 typewriters which sister is dismantling as I write, vintage license plates and patterns patterns patterns!!!

So now the most important portion of today's blog....bathrooms. Imagine a port-a-potty that has been sitting out in the heat and humity and used for 4 days. Now imagine it hasn't been dumped or serviced (no toilet paper) and is sitting on an angle. Yes, it was a trying day and sister and I wished each other luck each time we were forced into the port-a-potty. The other thing is that none of the public restrooms in KY or TN have toilet seat covers. Does anyone know why?!?!? What other states don't have toilet seat covers?? I'm one of those people that wonder why things are they way they are and this one is driving me crazy.

Well, we'll shop 1/2 a day tomorrow then head for Nashville to spend the night before flying home early Sunday morning. Time for me to start bubble wrapping! Thanks for all the comments and support during our trip. Tomorrow night I'll give a wrap up!

127 Corridor Sale Day 2

A really fun day in Kentucky during day 2 of the World's Longest Yard Sale. We shopped about 80 miles from northern Kentucky to central Kentucky. We found some really great places to shop and some really bad places to shop. Today is the day we stop at the Amish farm. They rent out space to about 30 people and have their own little tent city. They also have a horse on a wooden treadmill making homemade ice cream. We ate at a little Amish restaurant and had a great meal of chicken, potatoes and corn with peach cobbler for dessert. This will definitely become an annual lunch stop!!

Some of our purchases included a mannequin head, a number of Walt Disney Production items including a Donald Duck lamp, lots of ceramic animals and an amazing 1940's coat with fur collar and cuffs. It took several trips from the car to our room to get everything inside so I know I'm forgetting LOTS.

As you can see from the picture, folks shopping the 127 don't tend to follow the law or rules or sometimes even common decency. But overall, Kentucky is an amazing state; green rolling hills, lots of trees and beautiful wild flowers. We've been told several times that Kentucky is the place "God goes on vacation". The people are very friendly and love to visit and LOVE their state. They don't understand why everyone doesn't live here and why anyone would want to leave.

But tomorrow we are leaving....for Tennessee shopping! We'll come back to our hotel in Kentucky but the majority of our shopping is in Tennessee. We're enjoying our trip but by about 5PM each day, we're tired and ready to be at our hotel resting and blogging.

For more on our day, visit my sister's blog at Castleberry Antiques