Another Season Ends

We closed camp for the season Sept. 8th. It was easy this year because I finally wised up and hired a plumber to turn off the water. (I figured it'll be cheaper that hiring him to fix the pipes when I screw up turning off the water myself.) We stuffed blankets and pillows in giant ziplock bags and spread clothes dryer sheets around. I put out a couple of small packages of d-con on top of and behind the refridgerator. I had a running battle with something on top of the refridgerator all season and I finally had had enough. (Every weekend there had been what my mother calls 'calling cards' on top of the refrid. I' d wash it with clorox wipes and we'd be good for the weekend but then the next Friday, they'd be back.) I wasn't feeling good so we didn't stall around, just did what had to be done and hit the road. We were on our way home by 11am. About 45 minutes later I noticed the windshield wipers were acting funny, slowing down, and nothing happened when I pushed on the gas. We coasted down the mountain and finally stopped about 15 miles north of Poland. Luckly, there was a house across the road that had cars in the driveway and garage. They were very nice people, letting me use their phone to call AAA. They helped me bring my mother and dog into their house. They even put their cat out so it wouldn't bother Teddi!! AAA sent a towtruck and I called our neighbors at camp to come pick us up. We made it home around 2:30 in the afternoon, $93 (for the tow truck)poorer. By Tuesday the car had a new altenator and new battery and I had a monetary goal for the craft shows!

This weekend is Pumpkin Fest in Cooperstown. There will be a weigh-in for pumpkins, gourds and watermelons, with the winner getting a nice check. ($1000+!!) Those monsters weigh-in over 500 lbs, with the winners over 1000! There will be a craft show, 'make-it take -it' crafts for kids and food. All in the parking lot of Doubleday Field. It happens right in front of our shop so we have an increase in customers that day. I'm ready for that with sweater sets and pumpkin hats! I did a very nice Aran set that I'm quite proud of. Of course that means it won't sell right away!!

Next weekend is Applefest at the Barringer Rd School in Ilion. I'm not ready for that and if Pumpkinfest is very good I'm going to be a no-show in Ilion. I hate doing that, but if I don't have a full table what can I do?

Time Keeps Flying By!

While I was at camp over Labor Day some friends and I went to the quilt store in Inlet. Now the drive around the mountains from Speculator to Inlet is long and uneventful. I worked on a baby sock to pass the time. (Since I'm usually the driver, being a passenger was a big treat for me!) We stopped in Indian Lake for gas and at Raquette Lake to buy bread. The store is near the dock for the SS Durant, the lake cruise that serves the most fantastic lunch. The bread...all kinds...was hot from the oven and HUGE! Each loaf had to be 12" long x 5" wide x 8" high. They smelled so good, too. Everyone got a loaf but me since that had been one of the few things I had brought to camp. The next stop after a detour to the bank/ATM was the quilt store! I limited myself to $50 and knew I wouldn't be getting much for that. I bought a booklet for a quilt called 'Turning Twenty' that requires 20 fat quarters. I know I have more that 20 pieces of fabric home on the shelf from our pre-knitting doll-making days so I didn't look for fabric for that. I fell in love with a fannel pre-print and the co-ordinating pieces to go with it and ended up buying enough for a quilt called 'Fatty Fatty 2x4'. (Just the top, not the backing, batting or binding.) The other 3 ladies spent like drunken quilters! I think Lynn-the driver, hit $200! We went to The Woods Inn in Inlet for lunch. It's an old old hotel that has been restored. In fact, that's were Chester Gillette was kept until the Herkimer County Sheriff could come to get him after he was captured for killing Grace Brown(American Tragedy). We also stopped at a bait shop on the way home that had a large PIES TODAY sign on the road. Two of my friends spent $14 each for a pie. (The crust was very flaky but the filling wasn't too thick.)

The fabric was all so beautiful and I was really tempted but when would I find the time to do all this sewing??? I'm still trying to build-up an inventory for that show while keeping the shop's shelves full. And that's continuing to be difficult since my baby sets keep selling! I'm not complaining, but maybe I did get in over my head by signing up for this show. I've only invested $30 so far but I'd hate to be a 'no-show'. I still have 4 weeks until the show so I'd better keep knitting!