Slightly Off Center

After all the fussing and bustling of Clay Fest and Clayfolk, it feels good to just settle in to Holiday Market. We signed up for the full slate, six weekends, even though my stock is a little thin. Mostly, I just wanted everything to be in place before Thanksgiving week. Did a little experimenting after Clayfolk, discovered that I could use the canopy frame as is, no chocks or stilts or risers, provided I could a) thread the light bar through between the top and bottom cross-pieces, and b) hang the drapes from the top of the frame. With the booth at maximum height, that puts the light cans comfortably above average head height, and keeps the drapes from dragging on the floor. The only thing I had to do to accommodate the changes was to make some extra-long s-hooks to hang the grid panels. Eighth-inch steel rod stock from Jerry's did the trick.

Opening weekend was Market's "I Spy Elves" game, an attempt to get customers and their kids engaged early in the season. My elf had taken a fall since 2021, so wasn't repaired in time to have his photo on the game sheet, but still could play as a "shy elf." Had lots of fun pointing him out to the kids (and more than a few adults) who were playing the game.

My favorite was a little girl who recorded my booth number, 197, carefully crossing the seven. I do that too! I said. She just told me, "That's the way I do it now," said mom.

I learned to cross my sevens as a math major, I added. I also cross my z's, so they don't look like 2's. Let's see if she picks up that as well.

Then there was the little girl with the stuffed lamby, named, appropriately enough, Lamby. When my bear du jour, Yuri, waved hello, she asked me, a little crossly, Why do you have a stuffy? Well, why do you? I countered. After some thought, she said, Because I like to cuddle with it.

Me too.

It was old home KLCC weekend. On Saturday, Old Slug Queen (not Former Queen--once you're a queen, you're a queen for life) Banananita Sluginsky stopped in to say hello. Sunday, former jazz host Ethel Weltman stopped to pick up an extra plate--company coming for Thanksgiving--Dead Air host Downtown Deb swung by after hitting the food court for lunch, and one-time news director Rachel McDonald and her husband stopped to say hello.

Had a nice talk with a young potter about throwing and pulling pitcher spouts. Finally got his name--Nathan; we'd been chatting for a couple of years, but never thought to trade names before. He also pulled up some pix on his phone to show me his work. Saturday was much busier than Sunday, though they ended up selling very similarly. Over $1100 for opening weekend. Now I need to get going on glazing. I've only five pie plates left.