the Pondering....... store

Christmas card, with envelope, 4 for $20.00
Single card, framed, $15.00

another SuperModel...

What can I say?

Pondering attire is showing up everywhere.
Thank you, Michael!

Who's next?

Pondering across the Pond...

This is Susie Hemingway wearing her new Pondering hat.
She writes here about her life in the U. K. with her
handsome husband Hamada. Isn't she a beauty?
She has a book of poetry for sale, all proceeds going
to cancer research.

Thank you, Susie, for sending the photo. I love it.

I also want to thank everyone who has ordered products
from the Pondering....... store. I can't tell you how much
I appreciate your support, especially in these rough times.

I'd love to post more photos from any of you
wearing/using/displaying your Pondering products.
Don't be shy!

*
In other news... we got some rain and relief from the heat.
Hallelujah.
It may not last long but I will enjoy it as long as it lasts.
And, the poison ivy is getting better. Did I mention the poison ivy?
Yeah, itchy itchy rash to go with the horrid heat. Yuck.
But, it's better and so am I.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

If I were any happier, I'd have to wear a bib...

new shirt at the Pondering....... store

Includes the 5"x7" card w/envelope and free shipping
for only $15.00 .

Are ya kidding me?!...

I'm trying really hard to find a good venue
to get my Pondering....... store products out
in front of the public, in person.

I tried the local flea market. Big fail.
I've talked to numerous shop owners and cafe' type
places to see if they would buy products for re-sale or
possibly do a consignment arrangement. No go.
I've been looking around for local craft-type
shows and festivals. Found one for next weekend
that will be really, really nice and it's in the next town
only five miles away. But, I can't do it.

The entry fees made me choke.
First of all, it's a two day seafood and music festival
held in a beautiful park by the river.
The entry fee for non-food vendors is $250!
(They generously refund $100 if you clean up your
10'x10' space to their satisfaction.) Plus.... plus...
you must have a tent that is labelled "fireproof" and
you must have a fire extinguisher. Aaaaaaaaaand...
the festival hours for Saturday are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and if you want to keep your tent open until 9 p.m.
you must have an electric light. To do that, you must
pay the city $50 for electric access... that will be
needed for about two hours. The hours on Sunday
are only 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. That is some mighty expensive
electricity. Damn.

I'd be looking at spending at least $400 just to be there.
(I don't have a tent or a fire extinguisher.)

Let's see... sell 26 shirts and two cards.
Or, 33 coffee mugs and one card.
Or, 22 hats and one card.
Or, 10 framed cards and 21 mugs.
Just.to.pay.back.the.basic.investment.

This appears to be about the norm for other shows like
this anywhere in the state. Bigger cities charge even more.
Add on travel and motel expenses if the city is far away.

My frustration level is about maxed out.

I wonder how long it would take me to get arrested if I
parked on the side of a busy road and simply sold out of
the back of my car? Oh, wait. There'd be a fee/fine for that, too.

the Pondering....... store

I'm still poor. Buy something.

Or, maybe add a link in your sidebar to
the Pondering....... store. Yes? Maybe? Thank you.

the Pondering....... store

the Pondering....... store

Census reflection...

Not only did Elisson win the last Haiku Challenge, he
has unknowingly provided me with blog fodder.

How wise is our government to provide us with a warning...
er, advance notice... to expect the census form in the mail.
What a clever way to spend tax dollars in double labor, paper,
ink, postage. I also took it as a way to insult my intelligence
but perhaps I'm being too sensitive.

Anyway, Elisson's post caused me to ponder what I was doing
when all those other censuses were happening...

1960- nine years old, living with parents and three siblings in
Uniontown, Ohio. The last sibling wasn't born until 1964, a
year or two after we moved to a farm in Portage County.

1970- Student at the University of Akron, majoring in nursing.
Soon to change major to education.

1980- Living in Florida for six years. Married for two years.
Working a shit job that lasted nine years.

1990- Still in Florida, still married. Working for the local
Safety Council.

2000- Still in Florida, widow for three years. Five years, at
this point, welding under a microscope.

2010- Still in Florida but unemployed for the last 15 months.
New love in my life and attempting to start my own business.
Contemplating relocation.

That would be my Reader's Digest condensed version.
May we all be around to blog, in much more detail, the
happenings that take us to 2020.

What was going on in your life?

the Pondering.......store is still there...

the Pondering....... store

Sexy, sexy...

New item at the Pondering....... store.

Supplier issues delayed delivery but, if
I receive your order by Tuesday, February 9,
you might still have it by February 13, in
time for Valentine's Day.

Then again, this is something that would be
appreciated any time by someone special in your life.

'scuse me. 'scuse me...

has anyone seen my poetry?
Thought I left it laying around here.
No? Not lately? Damn. What is up with that?

I've been so poetically uninspired that I haven't
even entered a haiku at Sparrow's since last month.
That makes me nervous. Hope the well isn't dry.

Not that I haven't been kinda busy, understand.
I entered a writing contest at Susan Katz Keating's
other blog, Uniform EnCounters, and won the
poetry division. I pointed all of you that way but I
think the only one who noticed was Walking Man.

Then, I entered the writing contest at Jason's place,
The Clarity of Night, but didn't even place. *sigh*
I signed up for a full down and dirty critique, though.
Looking forward to that.

Sales at the Pondering....... store have dropped off
completely since just before Christmas. But, never fear,
I will have two new products to offer in about two weeks.
I'm extremely poor but still have some room left on
the charge card. Gonna look for some local arts and craft-type
shows to enter. That's kind of an expensive gamble but I guess
I need to take the risk to get the products in front of the public.
I'm also firming up designs for four more shirts and two mugs.
For later. If I can manage the investment.

Of course, I'm missing Berry but, that can't be helped right now.

Let's see. Anything else?
Oh, yeah... one of the visitors I get is from Canton, Ohio using
RoadRunner. Nancy, is that you?? I sent you an email before
Christmas but you haven't written back.
Hope you're ok, my friend.
(Nancy and I were best friends in elementary school in
Uniontown and I'm sure you're all simply thrilled to know that.)

Last but not least, the job search still sucks. But, I think Florida
is done freezing for the season, so that's a very good thing.

Hope ya'll have a great weekend.
I really do appreciate all of you who visit here.

come back, Sunshine!

Holy crap. It's only 37 degrees here. Florida.
Predicting a high of 59. Tomorrow a bit better.
Thursday we might see 70. Geez.

Berry's going to get off the plane tonight and think
he's still in Indiana. Well, maybe not quite, but it
sure is colder than we were both hoping for.
We may not get outside as much as we thought.
What to do? What to do?
We'll have a week to figure it out.

Posting will be light to none, possibly. Forgive me?
I'll make it up to you. Promise.

'Scuse me now. Still need to do laundry and shave my legs.

(HAPPY NEW YEAR!)

Merry Christmas

to me
Merry Christmas to me
Merry Christmas to me-ee
Merry Christmas to me.
damnit.

My computer monitor died today.
First thing this morning.
You know it had to be replaced. Had to.
Paying bills, email, IMing, blogging, and
keeping up with the Pondering.......store
really left me no choice. I just wish I could
have paid cash instead of adding to the charge card.
Yes, I could use the local library computers but
I have some concerns about security there and
they limit your computer time to thirty minutes.
Not to mention the gas used driving there and back.

I'm still unemployed and my budget is so tight
it squeaks. Soon, it will be screaming in agony.

However, I will keep my whining limited to
this little bit here 'cause today is the day my
friend (Colleen) is having her surgery.
I haven't heard anything about that, yet.

The new monitor is a widescreen. Stuff looks weird.
Guess I'm going to have to give in and put in the
disk that came with it so it can do what they call
'adjust the resolution'. ??

ooooohh. Maybe this 109 dollah purchase can be
a business expense.

late addition to the Pondering....... store

5" x 7" Framed, $15 each + shipping.
or
Unframed, pack of 4 with envelopes, $20 free shipping.

the Pondering....... store

Christmas shopping...

should include a visit to the Pondering....... store.

the Pondering....... store

gifts for all occasions...

the Pondering....... store

Reminders and FYIs...

A while back, Sparrow kindly let us know that Kohl's
will ship free to any APO/FPO address.

There is another place that will ship select items for
free to military bases... Hickory Farms.

Just a thought, since the holidays are rapidly approaching
and many of you will be sending packages to friends
and loved ones who are deployed.