Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Why I Don't Pull Trailers!

I promised y'all a second post and I always live up to my promises. Get out the hankies for the really good pity party I am throwing because you will be crying after you hear my tales of Woe in Warrenton. Remember how easy the first trailer went down....well, the second wasn't so easy. Not easy at all. Heck, just getting out of the house was an ordeal. I don't think I have ever gone anywhere on a trip and left my house looking like I did. If we had been robbed, I wouldn't have known it the house was such a wreck. And you should have seen me...thank goodness most of the trip was in the dark or Cat Daddy would have left me in some bathroom on the road! But on with my sad, sad travel journal. Things actually went pretty well going to Warrenton for 3 hours and 55 minutes, but in those last five minutes we managed to throw all the rubber off one of the trailer tires. Amazingly enough, it did not go down overnight. We found a tire shop open at 7:00 a.m. and bought a new one, thinking our cares were over.....WRONG!!! Upon arriving at Zapp Hall we find the parking lot (can you say cow pasture) was super muddy from all the rain the day before. C.D. pulls in and does not like where the trailer is positioned so he proceeds to try and pull back around. Big mistake, huge! We start slipping and sliding and manage to go from one side of the field to the other without him ever putting his foot on the gas. As I see my life flashing before my eyes, he manages to correct our slide just before we wipe out a couple of trucks and a few trailers. Whew, I think. Wrong again! We can't go forward...we can't go backward...we can only slide. About that time, the trailer decides to do a little trick of its own and jackknifes into the back of our truck popping the back window (see above). Thankfully it was ours and not someone else's. A friend with a four wheel drive tied onto us before we could do any more damage. Bill and C.D. proceeded to do the truck chacha and got us where we were in the first place.
But when life gives you lemons you make lemonade, right? Right! So in keeping a true Texas "never say die" attitude, C.D. just taped that old window up with cardboard beer cases and not just any old cases. Here's to Shiner Bock for keeping the wind out of my hair and the bugs out of our teeth! Believe it or not, that cardboard and masking tape lasted the whole show with the most unbelievable wind and got us home! Don't you know we looked like true junkers going down the road? OK, deep breath...no need to serve cheese with my whine. I've got it out and I feel so much better. Y'all on the other hand may be regretting trying to read this rant!
Then came the fun part...unloading! But we got 'er done and set up in spite of the winds, rain and having to spread sawdust. So don't cry for me Argentina...we survived and actually had a pretty good show. Everything in this photo sold...that's good, right?
This is just a deep view into the tent. In case you were wondering, our tent was 20x30 and we had stuff piled on the outside as well. Cat Daddy's pile was one hot mess, but shoppers loved digging in it. He'd drag it off the trailer and they would drag it to the counter. They were happy, he was happy and I was real happy! Baby's getting new yellow boxes!
Laurie has a much better photo of this garden bench on her blogspot as a header. Her photos really make our tent look better than it did. Speaking of Laurie, she and Malisa at Moonlight Hollow have both done the funniest posts on C.D. Check them out...they are a hoot! What can I say....the man is a STAR!
These chairs went, but I kind of wish I hadn't sold them. But that's what we were there for.
This is my magic box. C.D. bought this old wooden box and I thought EEWW! That is until I saw the inside of it. I love this old paper in it. So, being the good little junker and after seeing how some of y'all do it, I flipped it on its side and used it as a display. I call it my magic disappearing box because everything I put in it disappeared as if by magic. I swear up and down, I refilled that thing five times and everything sold! As Cat Daddy says, I love it when a plan comes together!
This was our checkout counter. That wonderful rusty piece sold. This was the first time I used a checkout and it was a lifesaver. I actually felt organized, at least for me, although I didn't find my sacks and tissue paper until we were packing to go home.
Waxed pine is my favorite wood. We took several pieces of it and only brought back two. Not bad, huh?
Cat Daddy sitting on his throne, master of all he sees!
I told you...one hot mess, but look at him go! All those cute heart back chairs came from a restaurant on lower Greenville in Dallas. Now they are all residing in different locales. I think he had 32 of those.
I did manage to slip off for a moment on that first Saturday and visit with the YaYa, Carolyn and meet Elizabeth. I'm not sure what I said as I was taking this shot, but I must of been hilarious! Or maybe I just looked hilarious? Either way, ain't we got fun?
I'd like to introduce you to Fancy of Cactus Creek Daily from Kansas. There is only one thing wrong with this woman that I can see...she's gorgeous! She's funny, warm, charming, an amazing writer and a great new friend. We had met on line through an interview she had done with Jolie. She did one with me before Warrenton and has since done posts on Theresa and I. If you get the chance, Cher, check out her daily blog. You will love it! I am officially declaring her the Sweetheart of the Rodeo we call Zapp Hall. Thank you Fancy for all your support and kind words!
Now back to the pity party, Part II. On the way home at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, we're tooling along with me sound asleep in the poodle seat when we hear a clank. It's dark so C.D. rolled on into Cameron to the Shell station. Guess what, dear readers? Yeah, the spring had broke on the trailer, shifting the axle back and the two tires were rubbing together. Thank goodness it was empty! (Don't get excited...the other trailer isn't!)
Being the roadmaster he is, C.D. pulled the front tire off. Well, this made the trailer sit low on that side, so he just pulled the other side off as well. We made it home in record time after that, sparking occasionally. We even stopped in West for a breakfast sandwich! Needless to say, when we wheeled into Dallas we were looking pretty beat up! But all's well that ends well. My Oldest Melonhead replaced the window on Tuesday without it costing us an arm and a leg. Bless you my child...I knew I had you for a good reason!
You'd never know it to look at it would you? And my bruises are starting to heal too! If I lost you at the first paragraph, I apologize, but I just had to get this off my chest. For those of you who stayed to the bitter end, thank you! You know I'm a happy gal as a rule and I DID have a good time. You'll see in my next post!

26 comments:

Malisa said...

When it rains, it pours! Right? I know that is true because I have been drenched lately too! You are so lucky that Cat Daddy is a renaissance man and can do it all...load, unload, display, change tires, play slip and slide in your truck, entertain the ladies and take care of you. You two are precious and I feel so dang lucky to have our paths cross in this way! I don't know what I would do without your daily doses of humor and whine! I can't wait to get back together and visit! By the way, no one would have ever known you had gone thru all of that...your hair was perfect,you were dressed like a princess and you were calm, cool and collected! You are all that...and a bag of chips!:)

Malisa

debi lynn mattingly said...

I must say my friend...(besides posting that OMG pic of me with my mouth about as open as it can be...of course, not really that unusual)...anyway, with all ya'll went through to even be there what with Bella and the truck, your booth was great! I know I got some great treasures and will show you what I do with them when I get to them. (See my post about your booth). Great job...and you are right I could not believe how fast those heart chairs sold!!!!

Glad to hear you and CD are home safe & sound...keep in touch and hope to see ya'll here in Houston soon! Texan hubby says to tell CD that the back porch awaits and so does his Shiner Bock! :)

xo...deb

donna baker said...

Oh Deb, I feel your pain. It has to be Murphy's Law. The last time I went to Marburger, it was late in the afternoon the last day. Raining buckets and the temperature had dropped forty degrees, I stood out in a field crying like a baby with my truck and trailer stuck in the mud. No one would help pull me out; one guy said meanly NO! Finally, at almost dark, he did pull me out and I went to pack up in the dark. Mind you I only went forward with this trailer; it was impossible for me to back up. I was so traumatized I never went back. I need someone like the Cat Man to help. You are a doll; you make me laugh every time you post. Glad your back!

Garden Antqs Vintage said...

He is one multi-talented man, he's a keeper for sure. And I bet through it all you still looked pretty!

Cactus Creek said...

Wow, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, huh?? Should I have a banner made?? You are too sweet... can hardly wait to be there again in the fall, I'm already counting down the days... xo, fancy

The Texas Woman said...

Dear, dear me but you two went through Warrenton Hell Week, didn't you! But you came out the other side, thanks to Cat Daddy's skill and your calming influence! After this, the fall show will be a snap!

I'm off to check out that blog!

The Texas Woman

Dixie said...

ok... not laughing at your misfortune my friend... but it's too bad somebody didn't get video of that trailer/truck mishap... you guys might have won $10K on America's funniest... LOL

okay.. and I love the rest of your post... but I wish I'd seen the trailer thing.. ;)

God bless you and your wonderful family... especially Little Bella on her first Easter.

blessings. Dixie

Lauri Evans said...

And I thought losing my luggage was bad. And what was it CD said when he did it????? DMF, I will never forget it. You had wonderful stuff and I loved how you displayed everything. You are the master, make no mistake. I hope I can come next Spring and stay with you everyday, and we will all speak Mexican.....lauri@chippys

Anonymous said...

Deb , Can I be you when I grow up? Your booth is Beautiful!! Look at all that great stuff. So its true - all the Good things are in Texas. I'm so glad you had a good show and are home safe. I think I would've had a " Come Apart " as Lauri so sweetly puts it. (that is the Cutest saying - we'll all be saying it Oregon soon cause I tell everyone about it) if the whole truck slidin', window breakin' ,tire thingy breakin' would have happened to me! I saw your cute comment on BarnHouse's blog. We are doing their August Flea Market. Now I'm feelin' the pressure of being in all that great company. I need Cat Daddy to go shopping for me. What a good eye for Junque he has. Did I read this right - you had 2 trailors?! Wow!

Cottage Way of Life said...

Good gawd, what an adventure! Sounds like Cat Daddy is THE guy to have around cuz there is nothin' he can't do when it comes to junkin' mishaps. Glad you survived it all and lived to tell the tale here. And by the looks of your booth, you'd never know that there had been any troubles, your displays looked fabulous.

I want to come shopping in Texas sometime! :)

time worn interiors said...

For all we do and people still want our stuff for free!!! Thank goodness Craig is like Cat Daddy (cept he can't dance like him!!) and can figure out what to do in a crisis! Love the pictures of Bella, boy has she grown!
TOT

Zita - Mlle Magpie said...

Oh, Debbie, you and C.D. sure had quite the adventures with your trailers, but you're home safe and sound, and it looks like you had a good time at the show. Your booth looks just fab-u-lous! Great, great suff there. Hope you have more when I come down in the fall :)

Jodie (everything vintage) said...

I don't know how the heck you can turn a disaster into a hell of a funny story! You are goood! AND HILARIOUS! I hope that you and C.D. have some more beauties to fill up those trailers again...and I hope that in the fall, ya'll don't bring a hurricane or two to Warrenton! Hope to meet you there, if not sooner!
Thanks for the SWEET comment on my table, (which Pam (Frippery) hasn't even read yet!) I think I will just sit back and enjoy it...GREAT idea girl!
If no one has told you lately...you surely do make us laugh! Love that 'bout ya!!!!
everything vintage

French Vanilla said...

Hi girl!! So sorry we didn't get down to see you two!!! Sounds like you had a blast and made money!! I can see many, many things I would have wanted.... Peg

DKG aka Scrappy Doo said...

That was some trip! Glad ya made it safe and sorry I missed it becuase I saw a million thing I needed
Have a Safe and Blessed Easter!
Scrappy

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

Okay, exactly how long would it take me to drive from North Alabama to TEXAS!! I want to be a Texan!! Or Texee?? Anyhoo I want to come play with all of you! Sounds like so much fun!! And I LOVE big hair! I would fit right in Texas! My Motto is "You can't be too thin or have hair too big." Course, I suck at the thin thing, but one outta two ain't bad!! Your booth was gorgeous, I saw so many things I wanted!! And here I am waaaaaaay over here all by myself! One of these days I'm gonna make a road trip! Your blog is my FAVORITE!! I look forward to your posts so much!!

Have a great weekend and give Bella a kiss!

And...

Thank God for Cat Daddy!!

Lou Cinda:)

Artsy Fartsy Junkin Finds said...

Now ya know it would not have been half the fun if all the crap wouldn't have happened!! Your story has made me almost pee my pants, your booth looked fabulous!! I love your chippy checkout counter!!! I am glad you had a blast, it looks like you had too much fun, take care!! Janna

trash talk said...

Do y'all have any idea how much your comments mean to me...A LOT!!!
Malisa, yeah, he's a real renaissance man...think Danny Devito!
Donna, would you believe a couple of folks were put out with us for blocking the road? Like we really wanted to!
Fancy, get that tiara dusted off and on your Stetson!
Sue sweetie, yes, most of the good things are in Texas including C.D. Everything but you.
I had my "come apart" before we left Dallas.
TOT, we are so blessed to have the best menfolk ever!
Jodie, Janna, L.C. and Dixie, I aim to please! Just call me and C.D. Heckle & Jeckle!
Really y'all, I just love all of your comments. I get so tickled at them. Thanks a bunch!
Debbie

A Wild Thing said...

You crack me up girl, I can't wipe the smile off my face, I'm still getting visuals...HA! If it went off without a hitch, it wouldn't have been so much fun, right...the oldest melonhead...you had me convinced at that point, laughing out loud...we are all insane in this biz!!! Glad you made it back!!!

Good choice of window treatments CD...HA!

BTW...my hairy 'melonhead' sits patiently in her own cage(jail)and only grumbles occasionally if I cuddle the enemy too much...

Later...nut

Pam @ Frippery said...

Sorry Debbie, but you had me laughing through all your trials and tribulations. Glad the show was successful for you after all that trouble. You better watch CD though, he is becoming something of a celebrity. Hee hee, Pam

juanita said...

I am so sorry to find your plight so hysterical. You can certainly tell a good story. I'm glad you did have a successful sale.

delighted heart said...

I'm so sorry about all the fun you had and the damage that was occured. Been missing you too! I'm still bummed that I didn't get ot come down for the show...it had to do with a sprinkler system. Probably a good thing cause I would have had to rent your trailer to bring all the stuff back that I bought out of your booth! Maybe you should have just hauled it all to SS instead of warrington! LOL Tried to post a comment the other night about Bella but blogger wasn't working. So excited she is doing so well. Praise Jesus! I know you all will be so glad to have her home. Praying it will be soon! You all are still in my prayers.
Hugs!
Patti

Curious Goods said...

Just a tiny message to say I am so glad that we finally met, and can't wait for a time we can sit down for a visit! The show was a blast, and I cannot wait to get back there~
Hugs, Donna

The Green Pea said...

Debbie, it looks like you all had a great and fun time. The pics are fun to see! I am going to be coming to TX at the end of April and plan on meeting some of you ladies and Cat Daddy too I hope..Have a Happy Easter. Blessings, Sandi

LaurieAnna's Vintage Home said...

Girl, I'm smiling.....only in this business do we have so many colorful stories to share! Your booth looked amazing...I'm sorry we were there before your set-up and missed it. Although we did miss the rain too!

I'm so thankful to hear the news about Bella....she's a beautiful gift from God.

Love ya girl! ~LA

Anita said...

At least it was a good show! I think one of the best measures of a strong woman is the ability to assess the situation-no one is dead, injured or harmed, onward....it's all just money- that comes and goes it seems...