A Ghost from Halloween Past

     I was thinking back on a funny story from my childhood. Let’s travel back to October of 1998, and there I was about to turn 4 years old and my mom made my Halloween costume. My mom by the way don’t sew so yes that is a pillowcase over my head. In addition she didn’t want to cut wholes in it so she taped on googly eyes and pom poms to make the face. One thing I do remember is that I was not being able to see at all, and I walk into some walls. But let’s get back into the real story.

    I have said before how I sort of grew up in a flower shop, because of that quite a few of my mom’s coworkers because like a extended family to me. So I don’t have memory of this exact conversation I had with the one florist designer however I have been told it me my entire life.

    She apparently asked me what I was going to be for Halloween that year. By the photo you I think you can tell that I was a ghost that year. In my naiveness at that age as well as not knowing in the moment the simple noun to describe my costume I said something really funny. So what did I say?

    Because the word “ghost” wasn’t in my vocabulary I described it to her as what sounded I though a ghost makes. I didn’t go with the classic “boo” but instead when the more dramatic moaning “hoo!” Only with the speech problem I had as well as the fact that I did not yet learn how “hoo” would be proper pronounced it came out very differently.

    I pronounce “hoo” as just “ho” which has is a very different meaning... especially coming out of a toddler mouth!

    After I told her I was going as a “ho” she about fell over laughing, and understandably so. Since she already know the answer to her own question before asking me she chose to ask me a different way after composing herself. She asked what does a “ho” say so then since I even back then  had a thing for the dramatics I did my best impersonation and acted out the scene and said and did a ghostly moaning “hoo.” 

Happy Halloween!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

A Blanket of Leaves...

 

Hope your having a good week!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Today Agenda

 

Now I am not quite sure yet how I will spend my birthday day since on a normal year I am always working. Sometimes and I might of go to a local pub or restaurant with few friends after work. However I don’t have to tell anyone that this year is deferent, so since neither of those things I would normally do won’t be possible here is to not knowing and will going with the flow! I have never really been the one to actually make a fuss over my own birthday anyways so we will see!

Your truly,

Nicklas

The Tale of Three Trunks...

     One of the things I love about antiques are the stories that come with them! It has been a quite a few years now but there was this old convent that shutdown and liquidated its contents in my hometown. And of course knowing me I am always up for a antique sale. Now I will admit I am fortunate to of acquired quite a few pieces from this sale, but I am specifically think right now about the trunks I bought.

    Now I’ve said many times before that I don’t think of myself as a religious person, however I have the upmost respect for this group of women who did so much for the community. They where community leaders, they established the first hospital, they set the foundation for all the schools, and whenever the community was in need they would always step up to the plate and did whatever was needed. The world should all take a page out of their book and it would be a better place.

    The story of the covenant's founding started with three nuns who came over from Germany. These three pioneering women started the first covent of their order in the nation in the 1800s. The town they chose was in its infancy, and it was in the middle of nowhere in the untamed wilderness of Pennsylvania. These three trunks was were it started. They loaded up and left the life they knew with these three trunks and took a leap of faith into the unknown. What hidden history they hold and I am so happy that I am able to keep all three of them together, and be able to keep their story alive!

Yours truly,

Nicklas 

Side Note: Since I am renovating a entire house these trunks as well as a lot of other furniture are tightly packed away in two of the spare bedrooms that you can't even walk through without unloading. Why am I telling you this? Well, I don't have a photo of the third trunk....

As you can tell from the photo that two of them are actually a matching set but in different sizes. The third one has a arched top though!

RANDOM FACT

Steamer trunks that had a arched top were more expensive the purchase back in the day then ones with flat tops. The arched ones however were much more desirable though especially for transatlantic travel.

Why?

Because once aboard the large trunks like this would be placed in the hull of the ship for storage during the voyage. (Remember that scene from Titanic with Jack and Rose in the car?) These trunks held everything a lot of families owned who were seeking a better life and were extremely heavy.

Just as you may remember seeing in the film, these trunks were often stacked upwards of ten high. Because of the extreme weight of the trunks above the bottom few would commonly become crushed under the pressure of everything above. And the families would lose everything they owned if their trunk had the misfortune of being placed at the bottom of the stack.

A arched trunk if they could afford it however has its benefits. It doesn't allow for more trunks to stack on it due to its shape, thus granting its owner the spot on top of the pile and ensuring a chance of a safer passage of their belongings.

The Word of LOVE!

    When I got home today, I was going through my inbox on Instagram and someone I follow posted something that pleasantly surprised me. Like I have said before, I am not a religious person however this story definitely caught my attention. So as always I double check and do my own research and looked up information for myself.

    What was so surprising was that Pope Francis has come out in support for civil unions for same-sex couples! This I hope will be a huge step forward for more LOVE and less HATE in the world.

I attended a Catholic school from K-12 and one thing they always preached was how the Pope was in direction communication with God. This then meant what he said is God’s word. 

    I remember a few years ago he made a similar statement in passing, and I remember hearing then that the Pope must of heard the wrong message from God. There will alway be those who use faith as a way to discriminate, but I am curious to see where this will go since this is a stronger statement.

Time will tell, but if this sparks of acceptance and love might bring about change!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

“Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They're children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it... What we have to create is a civil union law.”

-Pope Francis 

Furry Friends

     I think our furry friends have the right idea on how to spend their days for the most part! By day when there is sun they know where to lay according to how the sun travels from window to window sharing it’s warmth with them.

    They also know if they want to be left alone, and still want to be warm and cozy they will hide in a pile of pillows or under a fleece blanket. I feel they think it is a cave for sure! They are creatures of habit and you know exactly where each of them will always be. They like to think they are in charge all the time and like to press boundaries and jump up on things they aren’t allowed to.

    They also know that it is hard for us humans to say no to them since they are so cute, and why should we since they are family. So now that the temperatures are staying consistently cold at night they are always asking for us to take out the heated blanket since they are cold. Of course they are not spoiled at all, why would you ever think that... But at least they are then willing to lay on your lap even if it is only because they are cold so it is a win win situation!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Very Time Consuming...

    Stripping wood is very time consuming process... but it is part of a proper restoration. Once the wood is fully stripped and repaired it then can be properly repainted.

    Why strip it if it is going to be repainted? Well, for started by stripping the wood it give the surface a smother end finish after all the years of paint chips and paint runs are removed. Also a common problem I've encounter numerous times is that a lot of the time the old paints that were too often chosen had a enamel based and were never properly primed. So when you add this fact to the idea that architectural salvaged items are often not stored or found in properly heated seting the interior paints to often begins to flack and peal off due to the cold. 

    In addition when dealing with cabinetry which wasn’t originally designed to be painted this makes it all the more necessary to strip it. Over a 100 years of paint can become really thick and that buildup fills the gaps that are needed to allow the doors and drawers to functioning properly. Rest assured I already know this fact and  I will be making adjusts accordingly to insure that they will function for years to come!

Yours truly,

Nicklas 

Folktale Story

     I grew up hearing this old folktale about these furry caterpillars, and every time I see one I can help but think back on the story. According to the tales I always heard was that you could determine the severity of the upcoming winter months on how dark these little creatures are.

    I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, however there is no science to back this tale up. Don’t quote me on this,  but if I’m remember correctly to what I read it is actually is just cased by their diet. Did anyone else hear this story growing up? Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

National Coming Out Day 2020

     Coming out was one of the scariest things I ever did, yet it was also one of the most rewarding thing too. I'd been lying to myself for over 10 years before I finally came out to myself let alone others. By that time I was 22, and had felt like my life wasn’t my own. Like many I felt this overwhelmed fear of rejection and had allowed it to take control and have power over me. I had though more of what others may think, and not of my own happiness.

    I grew up in a small conservative town in Pennsylvania where any different or diversity was note seen favorably by most. I had attended a Catholic school for K-12 and thought that the only option for me was to hid away my true self and become the image of what I had thought was expected of me to become. I guess a part of me always knew I was gay, but it wasn't until I was around 10 that I actually realized this inner truth and understood what it meant. After this revelation though I buried my feelings deep with in myself vowing never to reveal them to the world. So, I in short I decided I would be "normal."

    As the years went by I was in constantly denying any thoughts I had to myself as well as to the constant questions from my peers. Every time I felt the words "yes I'm gay" almost reach the tip of my tongue I would fast swallow them and carry on living a strangers life. By the end of this chapter of lies I had lived I will admit I was incredibly depressed and felt honestly guilty for the web of lies I strode that I did consider just end it. I felt completely alone, and I didn't know where to turn or who to talk to all the while still smiling and caring on my day as normal. I was drifting out to see and I needed a life boat since I was sinking....

    A huge step for me was when I finally came out to myself. For anyone who hasn't experienced this feeling first hand believe me when I say this is a hard first step. I ended up actually writing myself a letter where I wrote down everything and every thought I had over my lifetime. It worked, so now that I am out to myself the next step is to come out to someone else. But who?

    I feel that when first coming out people typically choose a friend that they feel will respond positively and who will also be accepting. However for me I felt at the time that I couldn't turn to any of my friends to be that rock for me due to the fact that this strangers life that I found myself living in had a girlfriend who's friends groups comprised of the same people. I feared that many of them might turn away from me, or worse tell my girlfriend at the time the truth and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. So this then leads me to ask myself the next question, "Who has always been supportive of me, been a shoulder to cry on, and my rock?"

ANSWER: MY MOM....

     Now I already knew that my mother would be accepting, she had never given me any reason to believe otherwise. Yet it took me about six months to get the nerve to tell her. Every time I would attempt to tell her my mind would be screaming what I wanted to say, however my mouth would not open. I was petrified! it would only be after she left the room that a tear would run down my cheek, and I'd ask myself again and again "Why can't I tell her?" and "Will I ever be able to?"

    The reason why I was having such a difficult time getting the words out was not because of fear of rejection, but instead I was fearful of causing my mother pain. My mom was a single mom and I feared that she would blame herself for me being gay. Would she blame herself for not having a male figure around when I was growing up? I already know that she does blame herself for not giving my sister and I a good father, so I guess my mind got the best of me. However in reality she only wished I had not internalized this and had to go through it on my own....

    And it should also come at no surprise to any mothers out there but as always my mom can tell if there is something wrong. In fact she beat me to the question trying to figure out what was going on. Now I will tell you that this wasn’t the first time she asked me this in my life, but this was the first time I was finally honest and let my truth run free. I can not explain the amount of relief one feels when the secret you have kept for so long is out there and you are finally free from it and the fear you once had vanishes away as though it never existed. It is kind of like feeling that the weight of the world finally is off your shoulders and this is the first ever real breath of air that you've taken in our life.What a relief....

    After my mom I came out to a few friends, my sister, some family members, and lets not forget my chosen family. It is so hard to believe this was only four years ago, but now I am in control over my life as well as I've seized that power that once held me back for me. Now I can be true to myself… and now I have a voice!

Your truly,

Nicklas

Bringing an idea to life!

Before I ever commit to a design I always like to draw it out so it really provides that visual representation of what's on mind. Once it is digitized I can then play around with colors and always redraw things if necessary.

If anyone has been following my story on Instagram you may have noticed I have recently started talking a lot about my master suite area. My biggest reason in doing so is that now the finishes are starting to be introduced and the room's transformation from day to day is so dramatic.

In the past I have talked about how this area in various posts but it honestly has been a real challenge from the start. Remember me talking about having to replace the floor joists? How about the near collapse of the tub into the first floor?

This room has seen it all, about four months into me owning the house the roof that needed clearly replaced gave out above this room flooded it. Since that was during the middle of winter my only option was to put a oversized tote in the middle of the room to collect the water in hopes of saving the room below.

Once spring came, as well as a new roof, the room needing to be fully gutted. And thanks to the help of my fearless mother we tacked it head on.

Once in the walls we found that all the insolation had molded year prior, and that there had been the start of a couple electrical fires in the walls. My mom still razes me about laughing at her in the moment when she was pulling down the ceiling above the bathtub a squirrels nest fell on her....

Don' worry I got my sweet karma when I was ripping out the sink and behind that drywall was a recently deceased mouse... I was told be that I screamed like a girl and I'm okay with that!

This room was also incredibly disgusting on the surface as well, and I won't dive into much detail now. However I will leave you with the image of me having to take a grinder to cut the toilet off the floor that had rusted itself in place.

I can not explain how itching I am to see more of the finishes I chose to come into play! However luckily for me that won't be that long of a wait...

And one day when it is all done I will show some before picture so you can real get a glimpse into how dramatic of a transformation this space actually went through. Although what you will see is only what was on the surface and one should never judge a book by its cover...

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

 

Yours truly,

Nicklas

New Appreciations

I never really appreciated the little thing about fall till I got older. Fall use to represent just a time before the holidays, and I never really thought much more about it. However now I see how the simplest of things such as a leaf in a puddle can be a thing of beauty and how mother nature has a bigger picture then our own.

 I know the work that goes into making homemade chicken soup and how on the right day it can be that much more special especially for sharing. I understand part of what makes a home feel more welcoming isn't just the front door, but it is the energy and joy it gives off. Fall has become a time to anticipate switching out to new home scents that fills the home for memories to be formed.

Oh and lets not forget that is it truly fall till you bake a pumpkin pie or two!

How have you've grown?

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Good News!

    It is no secret that every industry has been affected in some way over these past few months. There has obviously been many regulations put into place in an effort to keep everyone safe by the states. However working in the entertainment industry has been an interesting endeavor during this pandemic.

    As a indoor theatre, things are very complicated... a crowded indoor settings are not exactly the best place to be during a pandemic.... and of course I completely agree.

     We have not only been affected by the state regulations, but the film industry itself has been delaying or opted to switch to streaming most of its new releases. As a result this has made any sense of reopening that much more challenging. Other then four sidewalk concession sales and one attempted weekend with an older film, this equals a grand total of 7 days of work in almost seven months and counting. I am lucky that have been open for eleven years however and we can pull from reserves.

    However one day I got a call from one of my county commission about a grant that was made available for business such as mine. But I am happy to say we got approved for the full grant! And I just got done signing all the paperwork!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Fall Words

And a Happy Birthday to my mothers sister, my aunt, and my godmother who I know will never read this for it requires the use of the internet. 

Yours truly,

Nicklas