A Soft Spot for Hardware

I believe the affinity I have for variety and hardware stores goes back to my little girl days
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Back then, (nay, I say WAY back then), a trip to Blalock's Five and Dime and the local hardware store, meant accompanying my Dad on an errand that would usually end up with me adding something to my material goods.  Even though my Dad knew how much I loved Blalock's, I believe he also loved the simple glitz of the colorful, inexpensive goods that overwhelmed the small space.

Shiny things that drew this little girl eye, were everywhere.  I remember one bountiful year, that my only birthday request, was to spend my birthday money at Blalock's.  I can still remember the topaz 'ring' that I purchased, the leather bag for my jacks, and the pencils and pens I bought that day.  I remember the smells of that divine place as if I just left there - a crazy combination of bird seed, chocolate candy, old hardwood floors and yard goods. The candy counter was just the right height for my little self to go round and round, staring at the brilliant colors of the sugary offerings.  My Dad was quite the candy aficionado, so it wasn't too difficult to talk him into some small bag of yummies.

Years later, my own young family had the good fortune to be located near a honest to goodness variety store, full of the same wonderfulness.  Lots of little hikes with my little ones to indulge ourselves in it all.  My older children will still sigh when discussing all our trips to the neighborhood variety store.  Their last visit there with our neighbors, warranted a photo opportunity.  We all mourned when the small place closed.  Such is the unfortunate fate in this large scale world.

Imagine my excitement when we relocated to our present home and discovered that the local Ben Franklin/Ace Hardware was about the closest thing to my dearly departed variety stores as I would ever find!  Fabrics, kitchen ware, paint products and fake fruit!  I was determined to call it my own.

Living In a small town, you can imagine how much we all count on our friendly Ben/Ace.  Years ago, when caring for my ailing Dad, I would just wonder around in the cornucopia like aisles, enamored with the surprises around each corner.  Some days, I just needed to be away and focus on other things.  And one thing they are good at is Other Things.  Millions of items of every price range.
  

In a small town, a store like this becomes kinda an anchor, a shelter in the storm.  Next to the library, schools and market, an hardware store of this variety is essential.

Imagine my delight at now, in my retirement years, to be a part of all this!  Thinking that a job there required someone in the family dying, I half heartedly applied with my limited job experience.  Imagine my delight to be called to service despite my limitations.  Imagine my delight to be absorbed into the Ben/Ace family without so much a blip.  (Well, I'm assuming, of course!)  One week into my very scary relationship with cashier duty, I was approached by the owner's daughter who said this to me, 'Now, you do understand that we are a family here, right?  You do understand that if you need anything, time off for family things etc, you are only to ask.  Please let us know that we are flexible and want to know if there is anything we can do for you.  We help each other that way.'

If only she knew how scared I was.  Not just working after a 34 year absence, but my mortal fear of messing up or causing a problem.  Or something.  I just was terrified.  Until she shared that with me.  I believed her.  After all, who could be in charge of all that loveliness not be a kindred spirit who understood how I felt?

Wouldn't my dad be tickled by this turn of events?  That the places that we had our best dates and service, I am now involved in a very real way with very real people.  He would love it.

And so do I.....

Peeks

I blame the fact that I am the youngest of three girls that I love remodeling.  My Dad was a general contractor and I spent a lot of time with Dad, helping him, watching him work and in general, trying to make up for not being the boy that he had planned on.  He let me paint walls before I was even ten, so I've been painting for nigh on to fifty years now.  And I still love that a fresh coat of paint can change many things.

So I am positively giddy with the redecorating process in my little house.  I love the almost camp like feel of a house in transition.  I love that I can sit on my mantle painting the mullioned windows and giggle to myself how odd that would be in any other situation.  I love that Hubby is completely on board with this transformation.  I love that his presence that has been so distracted with many things for many years, is now refocused on the home front.  I love that he frets on how colors accent each other and about tones possibly conflicting.  I loved the day when he said, 'Let's go sofa shopping today!'  And, 'Did you order your couch from Overstock yet?'  And, 'Did you pick up the paint samples tonight?'  And, 'Shouldn't the fabric be here by now?'
 Good times.

We are now about half way through the process.  The contractor has finished in the basement and his contribution to the downstairs makeover makes me smile every time I see it. I love the new epoxied floor treatment.  I love the new moved wall, making room for a crib in the bedroom.  I love the clever way he hid the sump pump by creating a new sitting space/grandbaby nappie time area. Most Wonderful Contractor showed me that matchbox cars could zoom on the little shelf he created above the back of the bed/couch.  He said the bed area would also make a great Lego table or train mat surface.  Yeah.  We are kindred spirits of the carpentry kind. Now the fun finishing touches are underway downstairs and not a minute too soon as Baby Girl, Lil Lady and The Best Daddy Ever arrive this week.  They shall roost in their own little area downstairs while they Spring Break with us.

And upstairs, the painting continues.  Sanding, cleaning, priming, painting....three coats on the walls.  Kindred Spirit Friend tells me that it's always at least two; better for three.  And I agree.  A bit fun having so many windows and doorways and a staircase, but I don't mind.  I'm on my fourth audio book so I'm good with monotonous yet fresh.  Kinda like the process.

Haven't gotten the shipping email on the couch, but am working like it's coming tomorrow.  Hubby hung the new curtain rod and the new curtains are still circling in my brain.  Fabric's on the cutting table; the curtains and the throw pillows.  And it makes me happy....

Ah.  The freshness of Spring.  The renewal of the Spirit within.  The hope for the future.  The thankful love of The Loving Father.

It is good......

Cabin Fever Crazies

I haven't cleaned my pantry since I moved here. Ten years ago. Plus.
Are you tsk-tsking?
Let us just say that I preferred a higher calling, putting much more important things in the way of Clean Pantryness.
Yeah. I don't believe it either.
Yet this is what it was getting to look like.
Canned goods stuffed her and there.
Other things crammed where they could get crammed.
Sad, really.

Nothing like a snowy Saturday with nothing to do (really?) to make lining some well worn shelves into Pantry Perfection.
I am VERY picky about shelf paper.
NO contact paper.
No marbly, fake wood grained, goose printy paper for me.
Hence you can see another excuse for stalling.
Why doesn't Amy Butler make shelf paper? I could see myself changing paper much more frequently(every 2 years?) to take advantage of her lively prints....
On a Shelf Paper Run to our friendly Ace/Ben Franklin, I began a conversation with Community Friend Carolyn about the sad offerings of shelf paper. I drifted into the fabric section and noticed the flannel back table cloth fabric by the yard.
Hmmmmm, I says to Hubby.
Hmmmmmm, he says back to me.
Hmmmmmmm, says Community Friend Carolyn...
It might just work.
Sturdy for the long hauls between changing. Wipeable. Easy to change when Amy Butler comes out with her shelf paper line.
Hubby goes one step beyond and suggests colored thumb tacks to fasten it down just to look good whilst holding on well.
I suggest hot glue for those pesky sagging areas.
Community Friend Carolyn thinks it could work and promptly cuts the random amount that I guestimated. I should have gone home to measure, but I was on a roll and I feared the momentum would stop if I went home to do such a rational thing.

Then zip, zip, some vacuuming here (ceiling cobwebs, errant rice and leaky dog/cat food bags), a good scrubbing, (there was that pesky dead mouse thing a few years ago), some can organizing (not alphabetical but category), some hot glue in strategic spots, cute little red and white thumb tacks, and, ta da!
Pantry Perfection!
Would I sound too nutty if I told you that I go to the pantry these days just to look at it?

Wouldn't you?