If you're looking for me today, I will be out. Routine physical, then a visit with my sister.
This week, so far, I have been mostly worthless.
It's the craft room.
Something must be done about it.
Besides the usual disorganization, it is now full of boxes brought home from the vendor booth. I can scarcely move about in the room without tripping over something. You'd think that if it all came out of there, it ought to all fit back in. I just need to summon the willpower to tackle the job.
You must be about to burst to learn how the benefit dinner booth sales went.
I sold $40 worth of rings and earrings, just enough to pay for the folding table that I bought to display my wares at the event. We're in the hole if you subtract the money we spent on lunch.
We got there at 9:00. There were tons of volunteers to help us unload and set up. We were set to go at 10 when the event officially opened. There were maybe 10 other vendors. Two or three of them sold jewelry. The day was hot, with scarcely a breeze.
Hardly any customers showed up.
Some of the more seasoned vendors reported that there was another (bigger) event going on in the next town that probably drew some people away. One of them told me that there would be more people arriving around 5:00, when the actual dinner was set to begin.
But here's the kicker:
The vendors were told to be gone by 4:30, as they needed the space for the diners.
I would venture a guess that there had been more volunteers and vendors than the cumulative number of customers by 3:30, when we packed up and left. Some of the other vendors had been gone an hour by then. Thankfully, the volunteers helped us get everything to the truck.
The Husband and I were both sapped. As we pulled into our driveway, I said, "Can we just wait until tomorrow to unload?" He didn't need any convincing. We had been invited to dinner at Nanny's, a going-away dinner for a Nephew who was moving across the state; we were grateful that we did not have to come up with our own food.
Despite the lack of sales, I am glad I did it for the experience. And it gave me a chance to scope out the other vendors' jewelry. (Mine was very different from theirs.)
I will probably set up a booth at the indoor event at the high school in November. Between now and then, I intend to use up the rest of the beads, wire, and clay already on hand. If the stuff doesn't sell, my jewelry venture may conclude.
And then I'll move on to something else . . . .
I went into the craft room this morning and wanted to turn around and walk back out. It's a disaster. Something must be done about it before any serious work can happen in there. Must find a place for the jewelry and hats to live until the next event. Right now, they're in boxes on the floor, and they're in the way.
Two people that I know have birthdays today. They are both old enough to remember what happened 25 years ago today. I remember it well.
I was on my way to work, listening to the local classic rock station, when one of the goofy DJs announced that a plane had hit one of the twin towers in New York. It had just happened, and the DJ did not know what kind of plane it was. At that moment, nobody suspected that it was anything other than a tragic accident. When I arrived at my office, I turned on the old rabbit-eared TV we had. It wasn't long before news of the other planes was broadcast.
My sister was living and working for the government in the DC area at the time and occasionally visited the Pentagon. I panicked and started trying to call her. The phone lines were jammed; there was no getting through to her. Fortunately, she was able to telephone me to tell me that she was okay, and she asked me to get word to our parents, whose phone line was down because of some bulldozing being done in their yard. I called my uncle, who lived just across the hill from my parents, and asked him to go tell my parents that my sister was okay. My mother said that the first thing he said when he got out of his truck was, "She's okay."
* * * * * * * *
We got a little rain last evening, but not enough to help our drought situation. The weather radar app shows some clouds coming from the west. Hopefully, they will hang together long enough to give us a little more rain. Our hydrangeas are crispy.
* * * * * * * *
Tomorrow is the day of the benefit dinner. I spent part of the day yesterday gathering up the things I will take. I am nervous, a little excited, and a little bit dreading the day. The temperature is predicted to be "only" 94 degrees, so it will be a little cooler than it has been, but still mighty hot. I hope the heat doesn't make people stay home.
My phone alarmed at 2:00 yesterday, reminding me of my friend's book club meeting at 2:30. There was a pot of red beans cooking on the stove, and they weren't done. I'd never been to a book club and wanted to see what it was like, so I transferred the beans to the crock pot and went to the meeting.
Side note: my friend - a new friend I met in an art class earlier this year - was the only person I recognized. Twenty years ago, it would've been strange to have found myself among strangers in our little town, but not anymore. At the grocery store yesterday morning, I did not encounter one person I knew. It is just weird.
Anyway . . . .
I enjoyed the book club meeting. My phone is set to remind me of the meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, but I am not sure I'll go again.
The red beans and rice were done in time for supper. Earlier in the day, I'd texted The Grandson to let him know I was making them. Before he came home from work, he texted me to ask if he could bring a friend to dinner. He came in about 6:00 with a young lady, the sister of his best friend, a tiny little thing with colorful striped hair and a beaded nose ring. She seemed to enjoy her dinner, especially the coconut pie.
The Husband got home about 7:30 and went straight for the pie. He took red beans and rice and coconut pie for lunch today.
He'll be getting the same thing for supper tonight. ;)
Saturday is fast approaching, but I think I am ready for the craft fair. It will be a hot day. We have to be set up by 9:45 and packed up by 4:00. I just hope I don't come home with everything I took. If that happens, there may be a huge craft supplies give-away at my house next week.
Last night as we were eating left-over meatloaf for dinner and lamenting our lack of appetite in this outrageous heat, The Grandson suggested red beans and rice.
So I went to the grocery store early this morning and got the ingredients. I intended to put andouille sausage in it but got side-tracked on the way to the meat department and forgot to get any. Thus, this pot of red beans is getting polish sausage and ham, instead.
What side-tracked me was a passing glimpse of a package of coconut. The Husband loves coconut pie. Detour to the freezer section for a pie crust.
I came home from the grocery store and went straight to cooking. Sweated the vegetables, low and slow, while the beans soaked. Made the pie. Sent The Husband the picture when it came out of the oven.
There were two pie shells in the package. I made a ham & cheese quiche with the extra one.
The beans are simmering on the stove. The quiche just came out of the oven.
A few minutes ago, The Husband called and said he had a meeting after work.
Just for that, I may send a slice of pie to all of the neighbors.
A friend invited me to a meeting of her book club at 2:30. The beans probably won't be done by then, so I'm not sure I'll make it to the book club.
Or maybe I'll dump them into the crock pot and motor on.
Okay, I'm up. And dressed. Even put some shoes on.
Now what?
I just had a walk-about in the back yard, checking the mole traps. During the past couple of weeks, I have fished three big moles out of the "way-back" yard. I gottta tell ya . . . it is most satisfying to discover that a trap's been sprung, and pull it up, and find a fat old mole dangling from it. No trap was sprung this morning, and I didn't see any fresh digging in the area. Maybe I've caught them all. But on the way back to the house, I noticed some fresh disturbance in an old tunnel closer to the house. I can see it from my perch on the back porch and can probably hear it if it's sprung (if the air-conditioner unit isn't running when it happens).
Cheap entertainment.
Anything to keep me from facing the craft room.
I need to be in there working.
For the most part, I am finished with the manufacturing processes. I am not going to make anything else from scratch. Nothing is priced except one or two of the hats. There are at least 64 pairs of earrings, two dozen bracelets, and two dozen rings. I am just going to put a price on each category and roll with it, for I will never be able to decide whether THIS pair of earrings is worth more than THAT pair.
There are two or three more "dumpling" bags cut out and ready to sew. Before I can sew them, I have to take the embroidery unit off the machine, but I just downloaded a free-standing lace dragonfly that I want to embroider . . . .
I should get to it, huh?
