SOCK IT TO 'EM

From the Sierra Vista Herald, Thursday, August 20, 2009 - slightly edited for space:

"A Palominas resident is out a dozen pair of socks after someone snuck into his back yard early Monday morning and plucked the items from a clothes line.

"The resident told the sheriff's office that at some point between late Sunday and early Monday morning, someone entered his fenced-in back yard and took 12 pairs of white athletic socks that were having on a clothesline.


"A motion sensor was also damaged."



I simply adore living out here.

PALOMINAS TRADING POST

When the economy slows, it's interesting to see what business are effected.

My brother, a full-time piano-tuner, can tell you when a whisper of economic distress is in the wind; other than professional musicians, most people can easily and without any pain put off paying $100 for getting their piano tuned.

Restaurants feel the punch, when people discover that, yes, they can eat cheaper at home and no, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is not just for college kids.

Even with us 'regulars' who frequented the Palominas Trading Post, some of us just weekly for Saturday morning breakfast, some every single morning (grumpy old men huddled over their coffee, reading the local newspaper and communicating only by grunts), the money simply wasn't enough to cover costs.

So Pam, one of my favorite people in the whole world, the owner/cook/manager, decided that she should clear out restaurant stuff and have a 'yard' sale (even though it's being held inside the empty restaurant).

Not a bad idea.

However, Pam also decided this would be a great time to get rid of all the extra stuff FROM HER HOME at the same time.

OMG.

You have to understand, those of you who have not had the honor of seeing the PTP, what the, er, interior design is like.

Popular in many restaurants is the antique, old-utensil decor, in a sharp, expensive Martha Stewart style.

At the PTP, there are many, many antique cooking utensils.

But here, they are USED.

It's not just a look - it's economical.

But it adds up to hundreds of coffee mugs, plate, salt and pepper shakers, napkin holders, bread pans, pots, pans, vases, glasses, syrup dispensers....
Add to this Pam's accumulation of STUFF over the past twenty-years - such a used watercolors, yarns, buttons, slide displays (remember slides? Little itty bitty photos than you needed a projector to look at?), dozens of old VHS videos, photo albums, cassette tape holders....

Then you get an idea of the upcoming yard sale on Saturday.

Please - stop by.

EVEN AFTER THIRTY YEARS

This evening I was reminded once again of why my husband and I do not work together.

I freely admit that I take ownership of my projects. Okay, maybe domineering. Alright, alright, BOSSY. Dictatorial. Arrogant. But to my credit, at least I acknowledge that I AM bossy about things that I am in charge of.

Tonight, it was one of MY projects, since our local greasy-spoon is being forced to shut its doors.

I should be sorry that I cannot paint it as a five-star suave posh restaurant.

But a great deal of the charm of the Palominas Trading Post is the life-sized carved wooden Indian - the furrowing plow on the wall behind the soda machine - the dilapidated outward appearance of a delightful dinner.

And Pam's pie is to die for - Bill and I go every single Saturday morning for pancakes and Pam's "Camp Fire" omelet - every single Thanksgiving John and Pam hold a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for anyone who doesn't have a family to spend the holiday with... at no charge.

Since they are closing this week, I suggested some close of 'farewell' time, and so this Saturday the Palominas Trading Post will be hosting a pot-luck luncheon (so Pam doesn't have to cook) and just have a nice gathering of regulars.

I made some signs and some posters, and was going out this late afternoon to post them on the highway leading to the PTP.

My husband was looking his forlorn-why-are-you-deserting-me-on-a-beautiful-Sunday-afternoon look, so I asked if he wanted to come along.

My first mistake.

I thought it was pretty clear that these were my posters, and my project, and I was going to do it, and he was just along for the ride and wonderful company (no one can ever say I don't have a great self-image and secure ego, right?).

So when I asked, at the third stop, for his assistance in getting one of the poster higher for better visibility, I assumed the chain-of-command was fairly obvious and would be honored.

Our 'cooperation' lasted maybe 45 seconds, and while we didn't drive home in a huff, it was mainly because I simply stopped after this poster and drove us home.

We can go places, we can enjoy things, we just simply cannot work together.