Motoring

Well the yellow pillowcase covers for the front porch chair was roundly boo'ed by my roomie. "Ewww, other people's sheets." So off they go.

However I did think the most colorful sheet did quite a nice job at the market the other day. So that part is staying. And the sewing project will probably not happen this week. I'm looking ahead to next week, and realizing that I have too many other things to do to get ready, and not enough time for extra projects. With the Tacoma Market on Thursday and Edmonds Arts Festival on Friday through Sunday, I've got to make the next few days very productive and meaningful. Did I mention that I am going on vacation the following week? I am. For a whole week. I think that's a first.

Since I started this business 10 years ago, I always close up shop for the week between Christmas and New Year's. Take the whole week off and just do holiday stuff. But throughout the rest of the year, if I take any time off at all, it's just a few days, like a long weekend. I don't think I've ever taken a whole Monday through the following Sunday type thingie. So very exciting. And it's a road trip to boot. After tearing down Sunday night at Edmonds, I'm going to have rush through the unpacking and financial stuff quickly, because we leave Monday morning. So I need to squeeze in some vacation preparation stuff this week too.

I'm using this weekend as a concentrated working weekend. Getting vast amounts of all of it done. Plus we're doing an early Father's Day tomorrow too, since that will get lost in the shuffle next week. I've got sprays to label, rounds of salve and foot balm to get finished. I finished up placing all my orders for extra supplies yesterday so they would arrive in time. I've got piles of sachets to stuff in the evening with a little tv. Nose to the grindstone, it's crunch time.

Because when we get back . . . the first week is another scorcher -- Tacoma Market day plus another 3 day Friday-through-Sunday hoopla at the Taste of Tacoma's art fair at Pt Defiance Park. So I don't want to cut it too close and make myself crazy the moment I return either. I want to be ahead of the game and ready for it all now. It's quite a song and dance I've set up for myself. But the prospect is actually kind of exciting and challenging too. I'm actually kind of enjoying the push and motivation. This rather daunting summer show schedule may be the bump in sales that I really need to get out of the hole that's been dragging me around the ankles for the last few years with the bad economy. Big dreams.

Soundtrack to the weekend: banging, pounding, and Mexican radio from the neighbor's new roof construction project, mingled with the howling kitty in the basement. Fun times. Off I go.