Author: peterb51

15th November 2017

And the rain came down, again. I guess the ground needed it, I didn’t.

The day had two halves, the first was brunch with Dave, and a visit to Bob Evans. I always feel like the young kid when I go there because it is like a haven for old people, a bit like being in the film Cocoon. The lunchtime rush has finished, so the service was a bit relaxed, I could tell because usually the waitress is round with the coffee top-up every five minutes. I often leave with so much liquid sloshing around inside, I could tip over turning a corner.

I then worked in Dave’s workshop making more candle bases for the rest of the afternoon.

Kelli has gone out for some supplies, but came back with an assortment of unusual items that she had found, that could be flipped easily.

We went to New Holland for dinner, didn’t need to twist Kelli’s arm very much for that.

14th November 2017

Started on some new project today. These were moved inside to be painted. We sold a dresser at Lakeshore so the race is on to replace it. We had someone sniffing around the dining table and chairs, but it hasn’t turned into a sale yet.

Larry brought over some small pieces that we purchased, one was a small sewing cabinet, the other was a handmade tool storage cabinet.

What was special, was the drawers were made from wooden boxes that people used to buy cheese from the store in. It needs a bit of work to restore, but it will be a special piece when it’s done.

13th November 2017

It was off to Hudsonville to re-stock the booth. The truck was full of goodies, so we couldn’t wait to get there.

Before we left, Kelli heard of a bed-frame for free, so she called her Dad to take me to pick it up. When we got there it was leaning up against the barn, and it was tall. There was no way that it would fit in the back of his truck. So we came up with the idea of standing it on the tail-gate vertically, and tying it down. Fortunately, the shape of the glass hatch would stop the bed from moving, so a couple of bungees and off we went.

Surprisingly we made it without incident, so that is now stored in the garage.

There were a couple more items sold since we saw the devastation on Saturday, but Kelli had an idea of how the booth should look.

At the end it looked really good.

One of our pieces had a “hold” ticket on it, which later, we learned, was not purchased, boo hoo! I hate it when that happens.

That would have taken us to our sales target for the month, but with all the good new stuff, we should get there anyway.

After leaving Hudsonville, we had to deliver the island unit to somewhere out in the sticks. Now Holland has a lot of “out in the stick” places so this was somewhere new.

The couple were delighted with it, and it will take pride of place in their new kitchen.

That was a good feeling, when someone appreciates the work that has gone into something.

12th November 2017

The start of a busy day ahead, but first breakfast.

It was cold and wet, but inside the food was warming. Diced potatoes, mixed with tomatoes, avocado, fried onions and two meatless sausages hit the spot exactly.

Then it was the start of the production of the candle holders. I made about twenty of the rustic ones, as they were the simplest.

Kelli had a response to the posting of the Island unit we finished a couple of days ago. A couple decided to buy it, and to pay us to deliver it.

This meant I had to make a shelf, fortunately I still had the old top, so I cut it to size and oiled it to match the new top.

So far this has added to a very good start to the first half of the month.

I spent a bit of time making alternative candle bases, which are destined to go to Lakeshore.

Kelli had been busy inside turning the items I had sneered at, into some unique things, with a combination of paint effects, and a bit of distressing, she had worked wonders.

11th November 2017
Today was the second day of the Painted Farmgirl Christmas open house weekend, and by the time we got there and checked out the space it looked like the scene of a robbery. For Kelli, and Bristol Cottage, these are great events, the place was heaving with people looking for unique gifts for Christmas. So much of the small stuff was missing including a mirror in a rustic frame that I had made earlier this year. Yes, the things I make fly off the shelves! I had made the frame from some pallet wood that Kelli had found, and kept for future projects. It started out as an oiled piece and went to Lakeshore where it languished on a shelf for several months before going to Farmgirl, where it hung for a couple months more before Kelli, in desperation, took it home and painted it white. It was returned to the booth, and sold in less than two weeks. Now, of course there is panic to re-stock for Monday, so Sunday looks to be a busy day again.

Earlier in the afternoon we went to the opening of a new handmade chocolate store called Marzec Chocolates in Washington Square. This is a pure indulgence place where you gain weight the moment you walk through the door.

We selected a token purchase of a packet of dark pecan bark, mmm one pack is never enough.

On the way back we made the customary stop-off at Goodwill to look for new items. I walk around in a bit of a daze, not really sure what I am looking for, but Kelli is off and running, collecting all manner of stuff that she will later transform into cool item for her booth. It’s a good job someone has vision.

10th November 2017
There was no sign of the snow that fell last night. The morning was bright but bitterly cold, so I dressed up warm with a woolly hat pulled down over my ears. I am not sure that I have the proper shaped head for these type of hats.

As the day progresses it moves up my head until it sits on the top of my hair, making me look like the Pope.

I broke up some kindling and started a fire, I needed some heat to make things bearable.

The one thing I have an abundance of is firewood, within a few minutes flames were licking out the chimney of the stove like a picket line outside a car factory in the nineteen seventies.

I had a wood top to finish for the cabinet that Kelli was working on indoors. This turned out pretty good, but it’s really heavy.

I was playing around with some off-cut to come up with ideas for tee light candles holders that could be sold at Hudsonville, not that I haven’t other things to do, but it was an interesting divergence

9th November 2017
32 degrees Fahrenheit today, and it’s really cold. White stuff is expected, so snowman building is on the cards. Hard to imagine that just a couple of months ago it was in the 90’s and people were complaining, now it’s the opposite, and they complain about that too.

Needless to say it was difficult working in the garage, but I set the planer up to thickness some ash timber, and managed to draw on the heat generated from that.

The main activity of the day was to get things to Hudsonville for the weekend sale. Kelli gave the kiss of life to some returns that were laying in the garage covered in sawdust. With a quick wipe, and some festive accessories they were ready to go.

As usual, it was never just taking the things there, and dotting them around the space, it was a full replan.

By the time we were finished, it was dark, and it was only five thirty.

“What shall we do for dinner?” 

” I don’t know”

“New Holland?”

“Just what I was thinking”

That was an easy decision to make.

We arrived there about six fifteen, which is about time when all the old farts eat, so that there is still time in the evening to fall asleep in their chairs.

The table next to us filled with some good-time girls. They shrieked and laughed at such volume that we were glad that they got their food first, so that we could hear ourselves.

8th November 2017
So it’s one hundred days since I retired, and it’s been an interesting time. I have not thought about HM at all in all this time. I would guess if I were grieving, I would be over it by now.

I have thrown myself into my new life, and it has been the most natural transition I could have imagined.

One of the main jobs of the day was to prepare timber for the top of the two drawer unit Kelli started painting. We decided to change the top, which was a bit ordinary, to a solid one. I had some pallet runners that I had been saving.

These were old ash pieces which were hard as rocks, and the nails screeched as I pulled them out.

I took them up to Dave’s to trim, and square up the faces. The saw was playing up again, so some time was spent fixing that. By the end of the day I had managed to glue up some slabs to thickness tomorrow, once the bin man has been, then I’ve a place to dump more of the wood chippings.

7th November 2017
In the newly cleared workspace I threw myself into three projects that I need to complete this week, I oiled the top of the semi-detached dresser, which came up really well, although I have been battling with the drawers to get them to close properly, but as this is an old piece with no guides, maybe what I have is the best possible? 

The second job was to complete the floor for the Fifteen bucks unit. I also have a lot of things to fill and sand as it has been badly treated, but I’m still confident I can make it interesting, but will it sell? that’s will be the question.

The last job was cutting the middle out of the small double door top, that was a mock leather inset panel.

The other double door unit was manhandled into the kitchen for painting.


It is now noticeably colder, although I still have the garage door open, there will soon come a time when that will remain shut.

We have been talking about ways of selling off things that Kelli removes from her booths. There are lots of small items that still have some value, and at a time of low sales we need to balance the books somehow.

Often Kelli puts items outside for free, just to get rid them, which she did last night. By morning everything had gone. There must be people out at first light scouring the district for freebies, guess they might appear in a store near us soon.

6th November 2017

We managed to take the new bookcase and some small items to Hudsonville to fill the space left by the big bastard. This also means sorting out the items that were displayed on the shelves. These are usually re-distributed around, but not always thoughtfully.

Our visits are a good reason to revise the space, and to search for the small bits hidden from view.

As soon as we got back, it was all hands on deck to clean the garage.

Just dealing with the recycled junk opened up the space, so that I could set out the work in progress, and make it enjoyable to work there. Once I clean up the wood store, we might be able to put the truck away.