I sold my PEZ collection

NikCo has been branching out and growing, adding new product lines and locations.
This is GREAT, except for the impact on my apartment.
I have the supplies for jewelry making and paper craft and assemblage/collage, along with my normal furniture, collections and 42 years of accumulated stuff in a one bedroom apartment.
To say that it is stuffed to the gills and a freaking mess is an understatement. Carnies wouldn't squat here. Recently the hobo raccoons left a petition for better living conditions.
Something has to be done.
In April I started going through every single thing i own to decide if it still had a place in my life and exactly where that place would be. And no, i am still not finished. Time consuming and an even bigger mess, but it is necessary.
I've finally had my first yard sale (there is a big difference between intending to sell something and actually selling it), am taking craft items to a crop tomorrow for the swap table and will probably yard sale once a month until the end of the season.
This past weekend i took a huge plunge and sold my PEZ collection.
sigh...

not a picture of Niki

I love PEZ dispensers, love them.
In the late 90s and early 00s i hunted for them, being sure to find every single design in any line i liked. My mom always puts one in my stocking or Easter basket. I always envisioned  how i would build a small high shelf all the way around the entertainment room with all of my sweet PEZs lined up and would have a centerpiece that i would change with seasonal PEZ.

 Well, the bulk of the collection has been in a box since 2006 and there is little possibility that i am moving into a new place with an entertainment room anytime in the near future so it was time for them to go.
There was some negotiating with myself about how i would just keep three of them or maybe five or mayhaps just the Hello Kitty one, but in the end it had to be all or nothing.
I didn't even take a picture of them before they went for a song to a lovely woman named Theresa.
Some separations need to be quick and final.

chickens don't know gratitude

I visited Rea last month for my birthday.
While we strolled her five acres discussing the long-term farm plan i noticed a Rhode Island Red rooster hopping about frantically. His feet were all twined up so we set about unhobbling him.
Did he thank us?
Was he grateful?

i could keel you right now with just ma angry glare

This is why i prefer them in McNugget form.

I just saved your life,

Mr. Could Not Walkerston.

Don't eyeball me, boy.

FLARKE

Dear IKEA-

I really love my 2 blonde Flarke shelves.
Purchased as the first new furniture in my apartment with a housewarming gift card from my friends Mel and Mike, they have faithfully stood on either side of my television holding CDs and DVDs.

 But my friend John left me his black-brown 4X4 Expedit when he moved out. It is humongous and holds soooooo much more than my wee Flarkes that it is now the entertainment center in the living room.

 I couldn't just get rid of the faithful Flarkes though.
 
 My question, IKEA, is this: if i hypothetically bolted the Flarkes together to form a craft storage tower to the sky, does that void their warranty in any way or release you from liability if they fall and crush me flat?

Thank you for your attention in this matter,
Niki

my doctor doesn't mind

Note: been a bit of a tough week as my grandpa died and then i was too sick to drive to Ohio for the funeral. At 95 he was my last grandparent and the one i shared with Rea so we've been talking on the phone even more than normal for the last few days. One night when we were working the land -she was weeding potatoes by the light of the moon and i was encouraging her from my comfy apartment- we got laughing so hard that i was sure one of us was gonna pop a blood vessel. You know the laughing i mean. So i apologize that the following haiku is even less comprehensible than normal, but it has to be done.

Amid the thimbles -

staring, orange pentapus.

Self-medicating?

Flying Avocado

When Miss Lydia and I meet for lunch we like to try new places; most recently she suggested the Flying Avocado Cafe in Owings Mills.

This sweet little cafe was bustling at lunchtime, but the friendly, courteous staff (dressed in neat black shirts and bright ties - i love a man in a good tie) was just as quick so the wait wasn't too bad.
Seating was a bit tight, but we were able to snag a few seats at the window counter.
With locally sourced ingredients, the Flying Avocado offers a range of soups, salads and sandwiches.
What was that? Did you just think salads are boring?
Not the way this place does them.


descriptions below from their website

That's my Grilled Chicken Berry Salad (Organic field greens, seasonal berries, mandarin orange, honey-coated walnuts, red onion & goat cheese with a blueberry vinaigrette), our shared Avocado Triple Connection (Homemade guacamole, hummus & creamy spinich dip served with raw veggies, chips &and grilled pita points) and Lydia's Dr Ray's Raw Rainbow Salad (Organic field greens with an assortment of seasonal fruits, vegetables, honey coated walnuts, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries & sprinkled with ground flax seed).
Needless to say, we both took food home.
The prices were reasonable for the portions and everything we tried was delicious.
They advertise themselves as the best vegetarian restaurant in Baltimore and I can certainly see why, but they have plenty of meated options as well. I can't wait to go back and try the roasted lamb and feta wrap. And the marinated tofu. And the nicoise salad. And the smoothies.

harder than what?

I am a big fan of colorful expressions and odd euphemisms; they make me smile. However, some people claim that this affection of mine makes it hard upon occasion to understand what i am saying.
 [several years ago there was a group of us chatting; a snarky individual asked fTM Martin if he had any idea what i was talking about, to which he replied Sure, i speak niki; though i'm not fluent in it yet]
 For that reason i will publicly announce when i am moved to adopt a new phrase.
Driving into the city the other day i saw a construction crew hard at work despite the driving rain. It was an amazing sight (take note PennDOT), but i felt really bad for the guys trying to lay asphalt that was cooling off way too fast because of the weather. The whole process though commendable for the effort seemed a bit self-defeating.
Henceforth, instead of indicating that something is disheartening difficult with the traditional trying to herd cats i will be using steamrolling in the rain.
Please adjust your translation app accordingly.

Valiant effort,

trying to make the road smooth.

Splash! sizzle.... DRAT! sigh 

big happenings!

In 26 hours i will be installing the NikCo Corner at Objects Found in Catonsville.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAL!
I'm busily finishing displays, adding top coats and going insane.
Incremental growth seemed the reasonable (and frankly, economically feasible) option so instead of renting a whole room i am installing on 1.25 walls and 3 built-in shelves. It is a smaller next step than what i anticipated, but the right one.
Starting Wednesday you will be able to see and buy NikCo jewelry, photos, art and happy bric-a-brac on location, seven days a week.
 I will post pictures when i finally wake up after the install... I figure maybe sometime on Thursday.
Wish me luck!