With much stuff priced, boxed, loaded, and ready for Poor Man’s in the morning. Still got the First-Up, cooler, and picnic basket to load in the morning prior to leaving out, but that is the stuff that is gonna ride on the tailgate and isn’t getting loaded tonight so the cats don’t get a unwelcome ride in the early morning. For now am gonna get a shower and then hit the sack, so until tomorrow…

Mainly on domain names and websites that I am no longer using but am paying for, and wondering if I should just let them go and use the money for other things (like food).

What brought this up was the email I got this morning about Technoprimitive.org that is due for renewal in 5 more days. Got to thinking about it and I haven’t done anything over there but a update or two in a couple of years. Still getting hits but it’s bringing in no revenue and costing at minimum, just for domain name $10.00+ a year. Hosting for our sites (5 at present I think) is running about $7 a month or $84 a year. So as I am looking at it right now, with 7 domains costing around $10 a year each and yearly hosting running $84 we’re spending about $154 a year for nothing, as we’re both blogging at WordPress.com using their free service and paying e-Bay and Bonanzle for the E-commerce stuff. However Cat has a pile of pictures and a bunch of genealogy stuff on her site so the hosting costs would stay the same. Still thinking about dropping one or more of the domain names. Any thoughts?

Was gonna load up the truck this evening to do Poor Man’s Trade Day in the morning, but after getting rather stove up from a fall in the mud, and with the continuing rain, and a lotta things around here that are gonna need attention/cleaning up/drying out tomorrow after the storm today, will shoot for Thursday instead.

For now am updating Ubuntu 9.04 to 9.10 on the old drive on this machine. Have been running Kubuntu 9.10 on the other drive for a while now and quite like it so figured it was time to upgrade this one too. Gonna browse a bit and then turn in, so till tomorrow…

Cut some bamboo from the thicket, dragged it back to the compound, trimmed and cut it to length and now have uprights and cross pieces to hang bracelets, necklaces and such from around the sides of the First-Up. Finished up with the seasoning of the cast iron and got it all packed into two totes, then took the tables and First-Up all down and packed it everything but the canopy and 4 long pieces of bamboo up into the truck. Went to put the new wipers on and they were the wrong size so dug out the receipt and a couple of other things that needed to go back to Wally World and headed that way. Got the stuff returned and did some shopping (after measuring the wipers and not depending on the computer to tell me the length this time) for the wipers and walls for the First-Up among other things. While there got more turkeys as at $0.40 a pound there isn’t any kind of meat that you can buy right now. Called my folks and got them two more and carryed them by on the way back home. Once unloaded and stuff put up heated and ate supper, then settled in and did a bit of browsing. Waiting for the storms to get here, and hoping they are forecast worse than they are. Am gonna do a bit more browsing and then call it a night, so till tomorrow…

Decided to stay at home and work on stuff today rather than the planned activities involving more miles and probably more spending. Started the fire in the grill about 9 am and finished seasoning the last pan around 6 pm, then cooked a dutch oven full of chicken for supper. Am somewhat more than done in and though we had planned on setting up at the Attalla trade day tomorrow morning I am just not up to it and haven’t got all the stuff ready either so from what the weather is showing looks like our next possible day will be Wednesday which will be at Poor Mans. Hoping we will have things ready by then. For now am gonna do a bit of browsing and then call it a night, so till tomorrow…

Made quite a circuit, starting in Alexandria, going out into Ohatchee, back through Alexandria and into Jacksonville, then into Weaver and home. Picked up a few interesting pieces but nothing like yesterdays cast iron haul. After eating lunch went out looking for metal shower curtain clips that look like an old style key hole. Found some but at about 28 cents each were a bit much for what I want as we need at least a hundred and two to three hundred would not be out of the question. Want to use them to hold necklaces and bracelets on displays in the First Up. Going to go to Mountain Top in the morning and see if a guy we saw last weekend is there and if so ask him where he got his. For now am going to do just a bit more browsing and then call it a night, so till tomorrow…

Started out this morning and first sign we saw was for an Estate Sale, so we headed that way. Ended up with a box of yarn, another one of embroidery thread, and about 50 pounds of buttons. I should really learn to just walk away from things but maybe we will come out on it all. Came back and unloaded the truck and headed out again. Next stop was at a yard sale on 204. Got 2 swag ceiling lamps one of which I have already mounted on the lamp stand we picked up yesterday. There were a bunch of boxes on the ground at the back of the tables and as I walked toward them the lady said that there were a bunch of cast iron in them at $X each or if we wanted them all we could have them of a good bit less. I told her I’d be back in a minute with the truck and didn’t even stop to haggle about the price. Loaded the boxes up and then looked around a bit more and found a book and a pile of old 78 records that we also got. Talked to the folks for a bit and then headed on into Jacksonville. First sign we followed was not open today. The next one had a pile of yarn we got. Next place I got a nice leather apron for blacksmith work and a wood chisel with a chunk out that cleaned up fine on my new hand grinder. Another stop was between two of them over by Wally World. Cat picked up a pair of leather bedroom slippers at one and I got a lamp shade out of the trash at the other one. Stopped at another place on the way home but there was nothing in our line at it so headed on in for lunch.

After lunch I dug up some bolts, nuts, flat and lock washers, and put one on each of 4 rail road rail mounting plates and made heavy hold down feet for the First Up. Put it up in the front by the truck and set up the tables under it. Got the lamp modified and then unloaded the cast iron. Got a total of 16 pieces. 3 or 4 of them have been warped by the fire that they were burned out in. Not sure if I will try to reheat them and straighten them or just let them go as is. Cleaned off the charcoal grill and moved it out front and am ready to start seasoning them, probably tomorrow afternoon. With the First Friday doings at Gadsden tonight and as tired as we both are already from the running all week I suspect we will do some more yard saleing tomorrow and get things ready to either do Sunday or maybe Monday selling.

For now am gonna go and get a shower and get ready to go to Gadsden this evening, so till tomorrow…

Just didn’t go quite as far afield. First stop was at Poor Mans Trade Day to see what kind of crowd they have on Thursdays. From talking to some folks today was slower than usual but was still a fair number of folks there, both selling and buying. Twas a steady stream of buyers and folks still setting up to sell up to about 9 o’clock. I ended up buying a retractable step for the camper for 5 bucks. Fellow wanted 6 but I had already decided I wouldn’t spend more than 5 and that’s what I offered. He said he had more than that in it but when I started off he said he needed the money more than the step and took my 5, though I think it irritated him to sell it at that. Cat got some wooden beads at a good price. Then we hung around talking to a guy we know for a while and watching the flow of the crowd.

From there headed north to Attalla. First stop was at the Attalla Trade Day at the junction of 77 and 278. Got a bag of brass grommets and installation tools for a buck. Then at another booth Cat found an enameled coffee pot with stainless steel guts for $3 that we got. Same guy had a cooler that’s a much better size for day trips than the one we have and he only wanted $2 for it so we brought it home too. Talked to the site owner and hope to set up there first of next week for a couple of days and see how it goes.

Left and went into old downtown Attalla and wandered around the antique shops for a while. Talked to several folks about business and what is and isn’t moving. Ended up getting a couple of old tools from one gentleman at a really good price. One was a set of duck billed tongs for blacksmithing and the other is a wood working tool of some ilk but is still a bit of a mystery. Will see about getting pix of both soon. Talked to another fellow and he suggested we start vending at First Fridays in Gadsden, so are going to go over there tomorrow evening and see what it’s all about.

Left a lot later than we had planned on and headed to the Gadsden boat launch and ate under the old bridge. After eating headed back and then when almost home remembered there was a yard sale out on Leyden’s (sp?) Mill Road that we had planned on checking out so made a side trip out there and ended up getting a interesting lamp, some string, and several ceramic souvenir thimbles, and talking to the fellow there till almost dark.

After getting home (finally) unloaded and then while Cat was feeding the starving hordes (of cats) I took the First Up down from over the Ford truck and then cut the 2×2’s we use on the table stands down to 6 feet so they will fit into the back of the truck and the tail gate still close. After loading them into the truck came in and warmed and then ate supper. Afterwards put a new socket into a lamp we got at the yard sale. Still got to make a shade for it and do a bit of painting but it works now. Nice iron floor reading lamp. Another piece I will get a picture of and post at some point soon.

As we still have several hours of work to get things ready to do the trade day thing, looks like tomorrow will be hitting yard sales, finishing up preparations for selling on Saturday, then going to First Friday in the evening. For now am gonna do just a few minutes of browsing and then call it a night, so till tomorrow…

And the last (except for semi local trips no further than Gadsden) for at least a day or two. Made it to the Rome Trade Days and did a wander through. Spotted a Skill Sidewinder saw and was told that it could be mine for only $12. Offered him $5 and was told no way, so left. Finished the circuit and bought a Sony AM/FM tuner for $1.25 after the guy offered it to me for $2. Just gotta haggle a bit. Counter offered him a buck and he said no way. Talked a minute and then started walking away with a final offer of $1.25 and he with a disgusted sigh says gimme and take it, so I did. Went back to the Guy with the saw and looked at it again and talked to him a minute and we settled on $8 for it. Then he offers me a tote of assorted hand tools and plumbing and electrical parts, nails and a million candle power spot light for $20. I ended up carrying it off for $18 and after unpacking it once we got it home feel that I got quite a deal. Will keep a few pieces and sell the rest and should quadruple my investment at the very least. Plugged the saw in when we got home and it ran ok, then after a shot of WD-40 into the brushes it took off. Reset the blade depth and cut a board and realized that for the first time in my life I was using a saw that had been designed for a left handed person! I suspect this saw was made in the late 50’s or early 60’s but tis still in super good shape. Will replace the cord and plug and take the transmission apart and clean the old lube out and refill it. Suspect it needs a new shaft seal that may be a pain to find but I’ve used rtv for that kind of thing before and it’s not like I will be using it every day either so should last me a long time.

Just looked it up and seems that it was made from 1946 through 1956. Skilsaw Model 67 Has all ball bearing construction so with proper care should go for a LONG time yet and has been going for over 50 years now. Guess that’s why they don’t make them like that any more…

After hauling the booty back to the truck, or at least to the parking lot and then getting the truck and moving it to where the stuff was as that tote was quite heavy, not to mention the saw and receiver, we headed back. Stopped in Cave Spring and wandered the stores that were open. Stopped in at the junk shop that we bought the Warm Morning woodburner from several years ago and talked to the old guy there for quite a while. Got a grind rock for one of my hand cranked grinders, and Cat got a pile of books, some string, yarn, and a sewing bag and spent $5.50 for it all. Would have spent twice that on the rock at a hardware store.

Took a break and ate lunch at the park, afterwards walking around a bit, then going back into town and looking at a couple of more places then headed on back this way with one short stop at a junk store in Piedmont that was a washout with nothing interesting to us in sight. Got back and unloaded, then unpacked and been at the computer since. Gonna go out and look at the trailer frame when I finish this. Got to get it done soon, so till tomorrow…

Made it to Summerville, Ga. to Ye Olde Trading Grounds this morning and twas a crowd that I have never seen on a Tuesday at a trade day/flea market. Folks there from all over several states. Will certainly go back and try selling there. They are also open (for sure) on Saturday and from some online sources Sunday too but from the sign there it is Saturday only so will have to ask next trip. They allow camping on site at no additional charge so will go on Monday afternoon and stay overnight rather than heading out at 2 am to be there at 5 am their time. Now I really have a reason to finish the camper.

Tomorrow (Wednesday (Changed – Thanks for the catch on this Steve, twas tireder than I thought when writing it I guess)) we are heading to Rome, Ga. to Rome Trade Days. Again, not sure what we will find but need to see prior to taking a load to sell.

For now am gonna do a bit on the computer and then call it an even earlier night. Another 160 miles or so on the road today and I am BEAT. Till tomorrow…