Cold Brrrr

As tough as it was to climb out of bed this morning - apparently it was 1C - I was up early enough to ride to the markets and spend almost an hour looking around and spending too much money.

I even had time to make my lemon water and then heat up my chicken bone broth to drink during the ride.

At the markets, I bought some raw honey, some coconut hand cream, a kitchen hand towel, two lead light whales, two planter pots, a necklace and I commissioned a lady to make a bracelet with a silver dragon clasp.

Luckily I had my trike with a big basket to carry all of my goodies back to the shop.

Adoring Husband left the SES breakfast stall to come help me open the shop and it took about ninety minutes for the first customer to come through the doors.

It was a relatively quiet morning which gave me the chance to do some rearranging and some dusting and some fluffing.

Today appeared to be a change over day for the caravan park as quite a few vans left their positions to make way for the next batch of holiday makers.

I guess that, paired with the markets, was enough to keep people pre-occupied and less inclined to shop at The Happy Abode.

AH returned to the shop at 1pm to help me close, so that I could leave and attend a LaReve party which started at 1pm. I was a little late, but the room was full of friendly smiling faces who all welcomed me loudly when I walked in the room.

The entire class of my last photography workshop was in attendance so I got to hear what they've been up to with their cameras since the class. One of them has learned how to do night photography since then and showed me some of her pics on the camera.

They are all still keen and excited about what they learned with me, so that makes me feel good.

The hostess of the party was lovely enough to make sure there was gluten free food available for me to partake, which also made me feel good. I am always grateful for the extra effort that people go to for my benefit when it comes to food.

I arrived home at about 4pm, just in time to watch one of the old Jurassic Park movies with AH.

Dinner was reheated beef casserole for AH. I'd had enough to munch on at the party so I didn't need any dinner.

AH and I are now researching pools and pool landscaping. It's been more than 18 months since we received our first quote, and now we are ready to create a little magnesium filtered oasis in are back yard - for our health as well as our pleasure.

We are on a mission!

Anyway, I plan on having a reasonably lazy Sunday - I drew a Journey card yesterday and it told me that REST was most important this week and that I needed to breathe deeply and meditate my way to sleep - which I do every night anyway - and to rest my body. Tomorrow, I will rest!

For now, it's bed.

Nite all.



  

Friday Frenzy

It was a crazy busy morning in The Happy Abode, but after 12.30pm, not a single solitary soul came through the doors.

I picked up the Cenzoni order from the Post Office and within five minutes of putting the first backpack on display, it was sold! It was my favourite - exactly the same as the one I use as my regular bag except this one was a 'smoke' colour.

Here is a selection of the Cenzoni bags that arrived today.

Tomorrow is market day and I really want to check the markets out before I open the shop in the morning, so I should get to sleep.

Apparently, it's going to be icy cold in the morning. For all of you southerners, icy cold in our town is 6C. Yes I know that it's -6C down south. Winter is perfect up here in Queensland. I just wish it lasted longer than a couple of weeks.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nite all.

 

Like a Lizard

That's how flat out I was today ... like a lizard drinking!

Lots of people in town and each person that came in today said "People have been talking about this great little shop behind Elders!" and they all gasped and admired our beautiful Happy Abode.

So many of them also said "Your prices are so low!" and then they proceeded to buy birthday and ... wait for it ... Christmas presents!

One man suggested that we put a flashing light out the front to attract attention, so now I am researching solar powered flashing lights - NOT a red one! What a great idea!

Both of our caravan parks are full at the moment and some people have attempted to extend their stay, but their site is booked out for weeks in advance, so they have to leave.

It's pretty amazing how steady the stream of people has been and all of them are incredibly friendly and warm and happy and chatty.

As tiring as it's been, I've really enjoyed this week and I can't wait for the remaining deliveries to arrive. I'd really like some time to fluff around the shop and change some displays.

These are some of the scarves that have arrived this week, as well as some cushion covers ...

Just before I head to bed, I'd like to mention that I am missing Lady Lynn very much these holidays, but I hope she's having fun with her grandies and the fambam.

Nite all.

Hellova Hump Day

Today was busy and went oh so fast!

I chose to stay back for two hours to finish unpacking yesterday's delivery.

I've checked everything off the invoice, priced it all and displayed some of it, but not all.

Some stock was sold as it came out of the box!

It was nice having The Gypsy at work to chat with between customers and unpacking.

There should be more deliveries this week, so I need to be on the ball and pace myself to get it all done without overdoing it or getting stressed.

It's important to remind myself that this is the fun part and I don't have to have it all done in a time frame. I'm the boss and there is nobody riding my butt to get it done quickly - just enjoy the process.

Like Romy and Michelle in that fabulous movie, I thoroughly enjoyed folding scarves today!

So many beautiful scarves came out of the box and I can tell that they will be walking out the door quickly.

Right now, it's State of Origin time, so I'm going to watch my team defeat the Blues ... hopefully ... maybe ... gawd.

Nite all.

Pow!

What a crazy day!

I sat down for the first time today at 2.30pm. It lasted for six minutes before the next customer walked through the door!

Morning coffee with the girls was, as usual, full of fun and frivolity, even though I didn't get much time with them because the shop was busy.

A delivery arrived at about 9.30am and before I had even unpacked the first box, I'd sold a couple of fabulous frogs posing in crazy positions (you know who you are!).

So we have a shop full of turtles, owls, frogs, cats, trees, pin boxes and trinket bowls.

I met LOTS of holiday-makers from South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and NSW. It seems that the town is FULL of interstate travellers, all of them incredibly friendly and very happy to be here. A couple of them have even bought blocks of land hoping to retire here in the near future.

It was a colourful, busy and happy day in The Happy Abode.

Thankfully, Adoring Husband arrived at the shop at 3pm to help me close and to put the bins out.

As he left, I received a call from Telstra asking if we had received our new modem for the NBN yet, so then I had to go to the Post Office to check. It wasn't there, but a big box of Ivys products was waiting instead.

I needed a trolley to wheel the very large, very heavy box back to the shop. Unfortunately, I had placed my handbag in the trolley before I dropped the box in, so when I returned to the shop, the box was too heavy to lift to retrieve my handbag, which meant that I had to open the box and empty half of the contents before I could lift it!

I now have new stock EVERYWHERE that still needs to be checked against the invoice, unwrapped, priced and displayed. I guess I'd best get to work early tomorrow! I also need to return the trolley from whence it came.

Our Ivys order is full of beautiful scarves, purses, wallets, handbags, cushion covers and hats.

Question is ... where is it all going to be displayed???

There are three more deliveries due this week so the pressure will be on to find display space!

Sleep will definitely come easily to me tonight. I feel very tired even though I slept a solid seven hours last night. I have to package up my bone broth and then I'm heading to bed - all things going to plan, I should be asleep before 10pm.

I'm all done in.

Nite all.

Too Tired

I can’t believe how tired I’m feeling tonight!

So this is just to let you know that I’m alive and well.

It’s been a good day at the shop.

I’ve got bone broth on to brew.

Adoring Husband cooked dinner on the barbecue.

I’m feeling the chill in the air and wearing my ugg boots.

I am going to bed right now - it’s 8.30pm.

Nite all.

Laziest Sunday EVER!

I didn't even do anything productive in my bed today.

I played word games, watched youtube videos and read some health information.

Adoring Husband brought me food and fluids.

He asked me for assistance in the kitchen while he cleared out some cupboards.

I did some washing.

It has come to my realisation that Sundays are my 'de-peopling' days. The days when I can hibernate and regenerate and not have to deal with humans or responsibilities.

These days are vital for my mental health and I didn't even know how much until today. The idea of getting out of bed this morning filled me with dread, but as the day wore on, I could feel my being fill with positive energy and motivation and lightness.

Generally speaking, I don't mind people, but this week has been pretty draining with some long winded customers who had sad stories and who obviously needed to purge.

At the end of my Sunday, I'm feeling much better and ready to face Monday.

Even better that my team won their NRL match 34 - 0 today.

Right now. Adoring Husband and I are watching the movie "A Wrinkle In Time" - I'll give you my review tomorrow.

Welcome to Monday!

Nite all.