The Last Mall Story (for awhile) and Blending Boards

I have a bit of bad news. This is the last mall related story I will be writing. My portion of the mall is finished…….at least for a while. I need to wait for the outside contractor to finish what they are doing before I can work in the mall again.

The timing of this change for me is fantastic. Oh, I will miss moving buckets around on the new carpet to catch the rain leaking in through the roof. I will miss my reflective vest and emails from guys wearing reflective vests. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I have one more reflective vest story.

My temporary tattoo store and the mall is separated by a wall of glass. More about that in a minute.

The mall has hired a cleaning company to continuously mop and sweep. These ladies start mopping and sweeping at on end of the mall and when they get to the other end they turn around and start again. Hey, did I ever tell you I knew a guy whose job it was to paint the Golden Gate Bridge? Yep, every day this guy went to the Golden Gate Bridge and painted until it was time to go home. The job never ends. Oh, I’m sorry! My mind drifted there for a second. Where was I?

Oh, well these ladies wear a company uniform while they are wiping, sweeping and mopping the mall.

OK, let’s talk about the wall of glass. After the glass was installed the glass is covered with “branding” stickers, dirt and fingerprints. I asked the mall cleaners if I could pay them to clean the windows. They politely declined tell me the mall management requires them to continuously sweep and mop. The ladies suggested I call another company.

Having been in construction for more than a few years I new exactly who to call. Yes, there are companies that clean “construction” glass. I called Joe. Joe was happy for the job and started cleaning the windows the next day.

As you can imagine the mall has hired security. (This has nothing to do with the story but one of the security officers looks an awful lot like Paul Blart. I’m not kidding, go see for yourself.) Mall management has asked the security team to keep a line of separation between the public and the construction personnel.

While Joe was cleaning the windows and he was stopped by the security team.

Paul Blart: What are you doing here? Joe: I am cleaning this window wall. Paul: Who are you working for? Joe: I am working for Monner. Paul: You need to leave. Joe: But I’m not finished. Paul: You need to be wearing a hard hat and reflective vest. If you do not leave I will escort you out.

Joe (and I) didn’t realize how dangerous washing windows can be and how much safer he is wearing a hardhat and vest. Ladies (and gentlemen) let’s be safe out there.

A couple months ago, Ivy came back from a trade show with a bunch of information about these things called blending boards. At a recent Your Daily Fiber company meeting, Elaine and Ivy voted to pursue the the sale of these blending boards. I used my vote to, well, I don’t actually have a vote so I just nodded.

Ivy met with the manufacturer of the blending board and agreed to purchase some to sell in the store And then she kept one for herself. I still don’t know what they are, but I think it is my way back into the store.

Ivy bought this blending board thing and has been playing with it in the store. She tells me she wants to use the blending board to make these things called row-logs (really rolags). I didn’t what they were or what they are for. Ivy told me these row-log (rolags) things are rolled up animal fiber that is prepared for spinning on the blending board. They look like dreadlocks, only colored. Actually, I’ve seen some bright colored dreadlocks, so lets just say roll-logs (rolags) look like dreadlocks. I guess yarn spinners like roll-logs because they are easier to spin the fiber into yarn.

Ivy plans on selling the blending boards, as well as the roll-logs (rolags). While she is doing that I think I might be able to sneak back into the store. And not to carry out the trash like I used to do. I think I might be able to do some customer service. Ivy will be “blending” and I will be helping customers with needle and yarn selections. I might even help someone with a pattern they are having trouble with. I may never go back to the mall.

I do have a few houses I need to finish before I’m able to be back in the store full time. I hope you guys will be patient. I might not be in the store when you get there. It will be alright, Ivy’s pretty good at helping customers when I’m not there.