## Another interest-phase Mom once had was rocks and minerals for a while,
## in part to study the many interesting forms that geological specimens can
## take, and in part to help debunk all the mysticism around "crystals" and
## the supposed healing or "energy" properties that a passive lump of rock
## could not possibly generate. She had amassed a healthy collection of
## samples over prior years, most of which was on display in nice cabinets
## at the previous residence but was unloaded onto other enthusiasts when she
## moved to the CCRC.
##
## We wanted to now unload the rest to desirous homes, rather than just junk
## it all. There's a very active community around mineral trading, with
## occasional large-scale shows and meetups orgaized all over the country, but
## Mom hadn't been active in it for a few years. I reached out to a couple
## of her old contacts from that past.
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2022 07:09:29 -0500
To: [an old colleague from the mineral club Mom used to be part of]
Subject: tenuous mineral connections?
Hi, I'm [Mom's] son. Remember her? She was active in your mineral club back
in 2016-ish or so. She will probably give you a call later today, partially
for a life-update but also for a more directed purpose.
We're trying to locate the fellow who bought the bulk of her mineral collection
back in late 2016, before she moved. Mom doesn't think he was in the club,
but is (was) apparently a local dealer, and took just about everything. I'm
busily scanning as many old computer records as I can dig out of her backup
drive and the like, but that only dates from 2019 [because we upgraded her
backup disk and the old snapshots aren't readily handy]. What I do have is
a big list of old email contacts but I have no idea which one might be that
of the fellow she dealt with.
So it's a bit of a detective chase, and we're grasping at any straw we can
find. Why? Because Mom didn't give up the entire collection; she still has
a couple dozen small crystals, glass and quartz spheres, and a bunch of "eggs"
and other shapes made from either colored glass or actual crystals cut down.
Basically, a lot of display tchotchkes that likely aren't particularly high
value necessarily, but we need to clear out the collection in anticipation of
another living-situation move. So we're looking for another good home for
them -- the guy from 2016 comes to mind, of course, but you may know others
who might be interested as well. We'll basically entertain any offers at
this point...
Thanks, hopefully you and Mom will chat later.
_H*
## In the meantime I had worked up a quick display page to send along and
## show what was available -- a simple follow-on to the page I had set up five
## years ago to show the entire collection before the big pre-move sell-off.
## Knock "rest.html" off the URL to see that original page.
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2022 13:49:45 -0500
Subject: Re: tenuous mineral connections?
To: [old colleague]
Here's a link to a couple of shots of the cabinet that Mom has left, if you
want to send it out to some of your mineral folks:
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/pix/misc/mineral/rest.html
which is under the original page I posted about the big collection.
Did you find my original message from this AM? It might be in "spam".
_H*
##
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2022 12:51:45 +0000 (UTC)
From: [old colleague]
Subject: Re: tenuous mineral connections?
I purchased some of her collection that she was willing to sell me but
she left the club and I have no idea what happened to the rest of the
collection.
## But she duly forwarded the message with my link around, and we got a
## pretty strong positive nibble on taking the remainder for cheap.
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2022 14:11:11 -0400
From: Jane McCormack
Subject: Your mom's collection
Hello,
This is Jane, we spoke a bit ago about possibly stopping to view the collection.
[Colleague] sent the link that had 2 photos. I would be interested in most
of these specimens. May we make an arrangement with you to come over at
noon this Saturday? So far it would be myself and my daughter, Audra.
Thanks,
Jane
##
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2022 14:51:57 -0500
Subject: Re: Your mom's collection
To: Jane McCormack
Cc: [Mom herself]
Hello, glad we got all the paths connected now. [Mom is CCed here.]
Hopefully my pictures carry what's there well enough to see; trying to
inventory every little bit would be a nightmare.
In addition, there's also a large 6" heavy glass ball in a stand [your
proverbial "crystal ball", despite not being a crystal] and a smaller quartz
sphere on a stand with a color-changing light underneath.
Mom would *prefer* to unload the entire cabinet's worth of stuff. Do you
think you would be willing to commute "most of it" into "all of it"? Some
of the items aren't minerals at all, as you can see, but neither of us have
any good idea what to do with it other than tschotchke-shops or donations.
Pricing needs to be worked out between you and Mom, of course; this isn't
really in my wheelhouse...
Saturday around noon is okay. Do you know how to find our facility? The
gate is at 27.8114,-82.9194, and if you turn left once through it, you
get fed into our loop road. The house is about halfway around in either
direction, on the outside of the loop, more or less across the street from
one of the green transformer boxes. It's also known as "home 12". We'll
provide Security with your names Saturday morning; there may be a minor
rigamarole with entry but it's not too onerous.
_H*
##
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2022 16:41:01 -0400
Subject: Re: Your mom's collection
From: Jane McCormack
Thanks, Hobbit, for all the information. I can tell you that I feel
it's /possible/ that between us we could buy the entire collection. I
will make phone calls today and try to get all of the most likely buyers
on board. I am interested in all of the spheres and eggs, glass and
mineral, plus the towers and some specimens depending on price.
I'm sure you do not want a stampede coming through your door on
Saturday, but we will probably be 3 people. Is that okay?
Jane
##
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2022 23:55:18 +0000 (UTC)
From: [old colleague]
Subject: Re: tenuous mineral connections?
I sent your link to Jane with the picture and 8 of the club members that
are going to the Marbles to buy items plan to come over to your place
later on Saturday. Jane will work it out with you. I am sure they'll
like each other -- she has a wonderful calm personality and she gets things
done. I turned the club over to her and she is doing a great job. Jane is
a private pilot; she is helping her daughter set up to sell items at the
Tampa Medieval Renaissance fair on weekends in November. Jane's daughter
makes great soaps, some in the shape of dragon eggs with a tumble polished
stone inside and in a variety of fragrances. Sorry I cannot join the group
but I am taking care of my friend Rob who is having a very rough time now.
##
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2022 10:52:06 -0400
Subject: Re: You mom's collection
From: Jane McCormack
Found you just fine on the map. GPS coordinates fine too, I'm a pilot
so I get that. We are down to 2 parties but I think we can make a deal
tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you then!
Jane
## They showed up with plenty of bins and boxes and packing material, made
## short work of collecting and packing everything, and negotiated a rather
## lowball monetary agreement that was undoubtedly pennies on the dollar.
## But the point was to get the stuff out the door, not take big profits.
## Interestingly, the daughter saw the tarot collection and went "ooh! Those
## would be great for the Renfairs" and bought a handful of decks too.
##
## And poof, like that, it was gone. Later, they followed up appreciatively.
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2022 16:13:52 -0400
Subject: Re: Your mom's collection
From: Jane McCormack
Thank you again for everything. We really enjoyed meeting you both and
chatting, as well as working with us. A pleasure!
Jane