Framar
WOW Framer
Today I took a very deep breath and made the run for the border. Only one Nexus lane (no other passenger car lanes even!) open on the Peace Bridge, Customs officer, wearing a mask, asked my citizenship and what was I bringing with me. I told him Covid supplies for my shop and he admitted me. Just like that.
Picked up a carload of mail and packages from my neighbor, and went into the shop (hid my car on the side street so I could work uninterrupted). Opened mail, tossed the junk, discovered three live plants, one really dead spider plant, and two not looking so great (jade and aloe - but they have proven unkillable in the past). My neighbor has even less of a green thumb than I do. But the snake plant (Sansevieria) looks better than ever!
In the back room I discovered a ceiling tile had dissolved and fallen onto a bunch of stuff (mostly covered with plastic because my ceiling has been leaking on and off since 1982). Landlord's handyman said they are working in the apartment above; finally got rid of really bad tenants with unsupervised children who caused many floods. Admired the new air conditioner that he finally installed after my two years worth of begging.
Also discovered some slightly water-damaged matboard and a slightly moldy stretcher frame from when the power went off for 5 days and my freezer's ice jam melted. Going to restretch the canvas it before framing and treat the bars with a bleach treatment. One of those tourist palette knife paintings.
But all in all I am pretty pleased to be back.
I have about a week's worth of framing to finish up, I set up a nice little hand sanitizer and free mask stand, and listened to the messages on the answering machine. Several regular customers worried about me; one or two worried about their framing - will be making a lot of calls tomorrow.
Got knackered really fast so I went home (after FINALLY depositing my stimulus check in the bank!) and was astonished to find two Nexus lanes open on the Canadian side of the bridge. But I was the only vehicle. Remote agent asked me how long I had been in the States and I told him I had been at my shop, he asked about my health, I said I was fine, and he asked if I was bringing anything back with me. I said "paperwork."
And that was that. (Although the agent did not say anything, I believe I am only allowed to go to doctor's appointments in Canada, though. No shopping, no visiting - only 14 days of quarantining every time I go to Buffalo - but I have stocked up on catfood and peanut butter and chocolate so I ought to be good for a couple of months now).
So I plan on going over again tomorrow to do more organizing and try to get started on the 6 month-old framing orders.
Officially reopening next Tuesday - Mama Lucy will be so happy to be back in her domain! And so will I!
Picked up a carload of mail and packages from my neighbor, and went into the shop (hid my car on the side street so I could work uninterrupted). Opened mail, tossed the junk, discovered three live plants, one really dead spider plant, and two not looking so great (jade and aloe - but they have proven unkillable in the past). My neighbor has even less of a green thumb than I do. But the snake plant (Sansevieria) looks better than ever!
In the back room I discovered a ceiling tile had dissolved and fallen onto a bunch of stuff (mostly covered with plastic because my ceiling has been leaking on and off since 1982). Landlord's handyman said they are working in the apartment above; finally got rid of really bad tenants with unsupervised children who caused many floods. Admired the new air conditioner that he finally installed after my two years worth of begging.
Also discovered some slightly water-damaged matboard and a slightly moldy stretcher frame from when the power went off for 5 days and my freezer's ice jam melted. Going to restretch the canvas it before framing and treat the bars with a bleach treatment. One of those tourist palette knife paintings.
But all in all I am pretty pleased to be back.
I have about a week's worth of framing to finish up, I set up a nice little hand sanitizer and free mask stand, and listened to the messages on the answering machine. Several regular customers worried about me; one or two worried about their framing - will be making a lot of calls tomorrow.
Got knackered really fast so I went home (after FINALLY depositing my stimulus check in the bank!) and was astonished to find two Nexus lanes open on the Canadian side of the bridge. But I was the only vehicle. Remote agent asked me how long I had been in the States and I told him I had been at my shop, he asked about my health, I said I was fine, and he asked if I was bringing anything back with me. I said "paperwork."
And that was that. (Although the agent did not say anything, I believe I am only allowed to go to doctor's appointments in Canada, though. No shopping, no visiting - only 14 days of quarantining every time I go to Buffalo - but I have stocked up on catfood and peanut butter and chocolate so I ought to be good for a couple of months now).
So I plan on going over again tomorrow to do more organizing and try to get started on the 6 month-old framing orders.
Officially reopening next Tuesday - Mama Lucy will be so happy to be back in her domain! And so will I!