Last Y.S. Day

Last yard sale day and just as well.  I enjoyed it to an extent, especially the selling part, but it was a bit long and drawn out for me.  Didn't sell much yesterday.  In fact, there were many fewer customers than the other days, Friday being the busiest, oddly enough. We packed up about noon, then, at Aline's suggestion, she and I went to John and Sonia's, formerly Beverly's, for lunch. 
Now this is a local little hole-in-the-wall where I haven't been for a good five years, before my husband died.  He used to meet his cronies there, and it was and remains, a local favorite.  It's really an old-fashioned luncheonette with which the country used to abound before MacDonald's and all the other odious big chains bastardized the American palate.  They serve good, homemade (well, luncheonette-made, I guess) food at noticeably low prices.
I had a delicious cheeseburger that was actually made as rare as I like them, served with thick French fries, cole slaw, and lettuce and tomato.  Enjoyed a tall iced tea with it and the bill came to less than nine dollars.  Aline had a BLT--she's had them there before and said they are the best--and just stuck to water.  Her tab?  Four dollars and nine cents.
After, we drove down to Graveling Point, but it was misty and we couldn't see across to Brigantine.  Home, I invited A. in for an Italian ice and we sat and talked for several house, ranging, as we always do, over a variety of topics, including politics and religion, and the excruciating pain of listening to some of the Mystic Shores denizens talk.  Negatives abound, "sez" is common, and any extended discourse (more than two sentences) always--always!--revolves around television shows. 
It's this that makes me pretty much convinced the empire is going down.  It's just impossible to maintain hope that people who take television "news" as gospel truth, believe reality shows are spontaneous, and consider The History Channel akin to academia--it's history, isn't it?--will ever rise up and stop the robber barons and politicians. Oh, sorry, that's redundant.
Took Aline home, put my unsold treasures back, and tidied up.  Loved seeing my now month-old grandson on Google Plus, and enjoyed my weekly Skype visit with Ellen.  Today, I need to turn my attention to preparing for the preliminary meeting with my cast for the December LETCO show.  I scheduled it for Wednesday at my place, but will see if I can get the library or somewhere else instead.    
    

Another Y.S. Day

Yet another grueling day in Yard Sale World.  Actually, it wasn't so grueling and finally, I sold a fair amount of stuff.  Left the Christmas items at home and took a variety of other things--household objects, mostly, as well as some coffee table books.  Made a fair amount and decided to go back today, the last day.
Yesterday, Aline worked and I was with her sister, Susan, all day.  A number of her neighbors came around and it was fairly pleasant.  Make another chicken sandwich and had that whilst minding the store. 
When I got home, I packed up the car again--can't even remember with what--ready to go again.  It's been pretty enjoyable, but I'm thoroughly at the end of sitting all day (actually, I tend to get up and circle around), so will be glad to get back to my normal active life. 
Talked to J., Jr., and was happy to learn he went home yesterday.  Hope he likes the vintage comic books I sent him. 
Tidied up the two plays I'll be directing in December (if all goes well, and there's many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip.  Oh, I did it again!  Can't resist those hoary old sayings).  I have two too many board members for the two plays; may have to revise.
 

Yard Sale

Spent seven days at the yard sale yesterday--oh, wait, it was only seven hours, it just seemed like...
Anyway, I had practically all Christmas stuff and it sold, I'm afraid, very poorly.  Not sure how much I made, maybe thirty or so bucks, if that.  It was a long, long, hot day, but Susan's house has plenty of shade.  Packed up about 2:30 (the buyers had dwindled), then of course, had to unpack and put everything back in the garage.
Took a drive after I finished, then got gas and stopped at two stores  to see if I could get price stickers.  No luck, though.
When I got back, I packed up the car with a mishmash of things--books, dishes, Thanksgiving decorations--which I hope will appeal more than Xmassy stuff.
Called Susan to tell her I won't walk today, then chatted with Betty.  Called and talked to Joel, Sr., then Junior.  He's still in the hospital, I'm afraid, but I hope will be released soon. 
Just got up to see that it's raining.  Darn!  Okay, if it continues and the yard sale cancelled, I'll just chalk it up to experience.  I have plenty of other things to do, which could include moving on to another area to purge.

Busy

Busy as a buzzing bee, I zipped between here and Barnegat and made some dough.  Took two boxes of my postcards to Unshredded Nostalgia and Jim bought them for about three time as much as I thought they would fetch. 
The guy who conducted our poor-man's antique roadshow had told me comic books with an original price of more than 25 cents (which means published roughly after 1968), were worthless.  Oh?  But I decided it wouldn't hurt to show my remaining hundred or so 1977-78 vintage comics to the owner of Bay Avenue Antiques.  Did so and walked out with a cool--well, mucho more than I had expected, which was $0. 
Got back in time to attend the quarterly Activities Meeting.  I didn't have anything to contribute, but it was a nice respite.
Home, I dug out more stuff I'll peddle next week.  Saw an article in the paper about Stockton State's "Miniversity," which involves area residents addressing high school seniors about this and that.  I called about it and the person I talked to took my information.  When I told her I had been manager of employment at Rider and had conducted a course at Ocean Community College, she suggested I contact the college's Successful Aging Institute, and I did.  Will see if that pans out.
Stopped at the library to get a date for our "original one-act plays" (both written by your humble correspondent) evening, and secured December 3.  E-mailed board members to that effect and it looks as if it's a go.  Dropped off a blurb for the library calendar and called a first rehearsal--or at least, reading--for next Wednesday at my place.
Packed up the car with my Christmas wares; there wasn't room for even half of them, but the yard sale is on for three days.  Went to the bank for small bills and change.  Aline called and we talked over our recent doings.   Now I need to make myself a sandwich, then it's off to make even more dough.  I'll be rolling in it! 

Active Day

A good, active day.  Cleaned up my submission to FELS  to teach an acting course and took care of a few other cyber-chores.  Was pleased to get a return call from my "Cincinnati Sis," my cousin, Marifran K., and we had a good chat.  Pulled down some stuff in the guest rom closet and disposed of it as appropriate (most straight to the trash).
Cleaned and chopped up a number of veggies and put them in the slow cooker.  Also prepared with a fine chop onions, green pepper, mushrooms, and garlic to stir-fry today.  Heated up almost the last of my lentil stew for lunch, then loaded my (by default; they were originally my older son's) comic books in the car and took off for Barnegat. 
Stopped at Bay Street Antiques to see if they were interested in the comic books; they may be, but the owner wasn't in, so I'd have to come back.  A few houses down is Unshredded Nostalgia--love the name!--and I went there.
This is one of those quintessential shops that seem to be in every town and hamlet on the east coast--and maybe throughout the country and the world, for all I know.  It's in an old, old storefront, with various artifacts on the pavement outside and in, is filled to bursting with every kind of antique, "collectible," and curiosity known to man.  It's dark (they're always dark) and dusty (that, too) and comes equipped with a proprietor about the same age as many of the wares.
In this case, the owner is Jim, a very congenial guy about 70, I guess.  His big dog, Whathisname, ambled over to sniff me as I asked him to look at my comic books.  He wasn't interested at all in the ones from the seventies, but bought the few older ones at what I guess was a fair price.  We discussed my postcard collection, too, and I'll bring some over to show him today.
Stopped at Shop-Rite for chicken legs (extra large!), which I immediately seasoned and threw in the oven when I got home.  While driving, I conceived the idea of sending some of the comic books to Joel, Jr., and composed a little rhyme on his name.  Wrapped up the five comic books I mentioned and will send them to him today.
I was thrilled last night to get a Skype call from adorable grandson in Tokyo.  He was eating, then finished and I saw him yawning, stretching, "smiling" (oh, I know it's gas, but it's precious) and showing off his other talents.  Can't wait to hold him in my arms.

Long Beach Island And The Shutdown

Got a good number of chores crossed off my (figurative) "to do" list, including finishing the comic book stuff, responding to e-mails, and shaping up my proposal to Bev R., of FELS, that I conduct an "Acting for Amateurs" course.
Read the second and final act of John's play and found some areas of concern.  Now I need to be fastidious about couching my suggestions for improvement in diplomatic terms.  There's nothing so discouraging to a writer as careless dismissal.
Assembled a few LETCO items and got to the library about 10:00 to set up the display window for the theatre company.  Draped green and black fabric in the background--I've used it before--and added framed pictures of some of our productions.  It looked pretty sparse, so I went back later and added three of the lawn signs we had used, which fit perfectly on the top shelf, always problematic in that window.  Talked to a librarian about the possibility of reserving early December for a presentation of two of my short plays.  Sent the suggestion we do them to the rest of the board and so far, have a few responses, but need more.
I was so sorry to get a call informing me that J., Jr. is in the hospital after an asthma attack.  I called his Dad, then talked to J., Jr. himself and am much relieved that he seems to be doing fine.  They hope he'll be released today.
Picked up Aline at 3:30.  We stopped at Rite-Aid to get a prescription for her, then at B.J.'s for some needs of mine.  Drove down to LBI and--gasp!--turned left instead of right as we usually do after the causeway.  Went to ScoJo's for an early dinner, then down to Holgate to photograph the waves at high tide.
Finally and at long last, I got some great pictures--I think--of the ocean crashing and smashing against the bulkhead.  However, after I had taken at least fifty, my camera just "froze."  None of the buttons work and I have the idea I exhausted the memory chip or something. Darn!  Not sure how to fix it.
Very enjoyable and productive day, otherwise.
WIDER:  HAD to add this gem on the "shutdown" from a great writer, my cyber-pal, Jim:
http://bartlebysfour.blogspot.com/
I didn't ask permission, so maybe Jim'll sue me, but somehow, I doubt it.

Comic Books, A Visit, And The NSA

Okay, things are looking up.  Out of my day-long slump, I galvanized myself to change the bed, return e-mails, finish up some paperwork, and accomplish stuff I've left hanging.  Spent a large part of the day organizing and categorizing the Marvel comic books that have been in the garage for ten years.  There are probably over a hundred of them with no dups.  They have names like "X-Men," "Thor," "Captain Marvel," "The Fantastic Four," "The Avengers," and so on and on of that ilk, as well as "Spiderman," "The Incredible Hulk," and "2001, A Space Odyssey."  I suspect only the few published before 1970 are worth anything and probably not much.  I need to track down the place in Manahawkin that deals in ephemera and see if I can sell them. 
Showered and changed, then walked over to Reef Lane at 4:00, as I had been invited over for wine by Marilyn and Jay P.  I had a wonderful time getting to know them; they're "two of the few"--residents of SB, that is, who are from Philly, not north Jersey by way of Brooklyn. 
We talked easily, discussing, among other topics, religious backgrounds--their Judaism, my former Catholicism--laughing over the various traditions and practices we grew up and, to an extent, still practice.
The P.'s home looks compact from the outside, but is actually fairly spacious. Off the kitchen, they added a sun room and large deck, and the place is beautifully decorated.  They used a lot of beige and white, accented with darker colors and with some interesting sculptures and other accessories here and there.  The style is modern and minimalist, but comfortable at the same time.
We chatted happily over wine and nibbles at the bar in one corner of the living room,  They have three daughters, all of whom live in Jersey, one an attorney and two with congenital hearing losses.  Grandchildren, step-grands, and great-grands complete the family. 
Stayed until about 6:00, then strolled home.  Today, I'm picking up my pal (Aline, of course) at 3:30 to drive down to Long Beach Island, have dinner, then make a stab at seeing the breakwater at high tide.
WIDER:   Now, about the NSA: "It's sort of a George Orwell meets six degrees of Kevin Bacon program, and is exactly the sort of obscene, grand scale privacy violation that the administration had repeatedly assured Americans the NSA would never think of doing."   
That's from
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/09/30/white-house-defends-nsa-social-mapping-of-americans/
and it includes a link to a NYTimes article which illustrates how very useless it is to object to anything our corrupt government wants to do.