Costumes and Alarms

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Why have I been so excited to come to work recently?
Yes, that is right: costumes!
I finally got around to going down into the prop room and picking out two dresses that aren't terrible. (I really think I need to make some of my own! >.<;) The first one I semi-permanently borrowed for the store's use is long-sleeved and just barely fits me. Although, it does show off my waistline and keeps me mindful of my posture. ^_^ The second one is a bit more relaxed...I'm wearing it for the first time today. It fits me....but I'm unsure about the style. It is "gathered" in the front and back, so the sides poof out a bit more....it definitely does not look modern. Of course, my short blue/purple hair is not exactly period, so I've also been purloining bonnets! The ones we sell in the store are really made for bright sun and basically act as blinders. Not so good for a person running a store! I found it looks best hanging down my back. However, I've found a stiffer one in the prop room that actually allows me to see--and it's grey! Yay!

The reaction to my taking to costume-wearing has been mixed. The staff mostly just think I'm funny and are enjoying my enthusiasm and the ridiculousness of me dressing up. There are a few who are a bit incredulous and supportive in that "yeah, you go ahead and look like a freak and I'll stand back here and laugh" sort of way. However, the Director seems pleased so nyah. The visitors to the museum (though we've had very few) seem amused so far.

I had one "Oops" this past week. Apparently I didn't make sure one of the doors was fully closed when I was locking up and received this email from the Director the next day:

A door alarm triggered at 1:40 am Saturday morning. I made great time with the lights and the officer beat me there. We found the western front door slightly ajar and the officer called for for backup.  It was really exciting stuff when the officers pushed the door open fast and yelled “Police, come out with your hands up!” There was no sign of anyone and with the door being locked but not closed, my guess was the wind blew it open and the auto closer pulled it shut again. Perhaps we should count three additional visitors for this weekend. 

I do really appreciate having a boss man with a sense of humor. I don't know if I'd be so happy to be pulled out of my bed at 2am on a day I didn't have to come into work....

Note to self: make sure doors are closed! 

Not-So Green

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So I learned a funny thing the other day.
The Entry Building, where my store is located, was built to be Green Certified. This isn't the funny thing. Part of this certification is that we installed low-flow toilets. The funny thing is that they're too low-flow for the pipes! Apparently when I check the bathrooms as part of my opening and closing routine, I should be flushing every toilet to make sure there's enough water flowing around.

I'm torn between not flushing the toilets (yay water conservation and eww touching every toilet 2ce a day) and flushing them (pure ridiculosity factor and following job orders).

The Old Trapper

So, I keep making posts in my head and not on the computer! Running a store is busy work. (That is, not busywork. Who decided that those two needed to be such similar words??) BUT! My new goal is to post once a week. Lets see if I can manage it.

Yesterday, an old vet came in. He had originally come in with a VA tour. In the store, he had became enamored with our Rendezvous posters and said that he'd be back (yeah, yeah. I haven't heard that before). And he didn't come back when he said he would. BUT he came back yesterday. I didn't recognize him at first; just some grizzled guy in a feathered cap walking out to the exhibits without paying admission. I chased after him and he turned to me "Sweetie, I just came back like I said to get another look at the posters." Rough voice, feathered cap, posters. Riiiight. Sometimes I wish I remembered faces better. >.<;

So we wandered about the store together while he tried to choose a poster (we have 9 or so different Rendezvous ones). I believe that if I'd known the deal to sell them all together, he may have gone for it. Though he really wanted the shrink wrapped ones so they'd be safe during his walk back to the VA, so perhaps not. Either way, he talked some. Not a lot, though. His voice was rough and he spoke like he thought about each word as it came out. This is how I learned that he's a trapper (and hence the interest in the posters).

For those of you who don't know, "rendezvous" refers to a yearly large fur-trade related meeting. A rendezvous might include several fur trading companies, and array of fur traders, mountain men, and Indians. A lot of deal-making and trading occurred. They often developed into temporary "towns"  which offered the fur trade workers and participants ways to spend their money on supplies and revelry. Historical reenactments, such as the one this museum held for over 10 years, had some elements of fiction (living history actors) and some elements of reality (as real trappers came to sell and trade their goods). 

I learned that he once had a mule spook on him and it took him two weeks (or so) to track the thing down. That was my first real clue. And then he went on to tell me about how there used to be rendezvous all over the place, including the one here, but now not so much. Apparently there was a small trade in Pendleton just recently, but that's what it has been reduced to. He seemed a bit sad about that. Then he took his two posters in hand, tipped his hat to me, and walked out. After paying, of course!

These pictures are of two of the prints from the rendezvous posters I stole them from here.