Song of the day: “Son of a preacher man” by Aretha Franklin. I started humming it for fun the other day, and it has been popping up in my head ever since. *sigh*
So yeah, it’s been a busy couple of days…well, three of ‘m technically, but since two of them were away from home, we’ll start with those.
Saturday:
It started off early, seeing as we had to travel all the way to Marbella before nine in the morning. Didn’t sleep all that well, so by the time the alarm went off I stumbled out of bed and headed linea recta to the pool for a quick dip that was supposed to wake me up. It didn’t despite it being ridiculously cold. Got dressed, slurped at my coffee and then headed on up, grateful to discover that cousin Ed had managed to prepare me a couple of sandwiches.
Arrived at the market at the appointed time and managed to get the car in close to where we needed to be. The spot we got was surprisingly spacious, and, in hindsight, probably even better than the last one, since this is a corner and kids don’t use it as a detour.
The market organizer lady is a nice one, and made us feel right at home as we set up. Took us about an hour and a half to get it all done properly. The color schemes had to fit, the types of products properly organized to complement each other, and by the time it was done the folks who’d ordered the dog bag arrived. The first thing we saw was Sasha, the adorable Yorkshire terrier that heard me make kissy noises and came barreling down under the table, to leap in my arms. Adorable little thing.
They liked the bag, so…phew…paid the price, and proclaimed that they were likely to come back at some point for a matching bag for Sasha, and maybe one of the dogbeds. They also told us of a very nice market in Soto Grande, which would be perfect for us, if not for the fact that it would be a two hour drive to get there, ergo the price of a single dog bed just to get there. Such a pity.
Chatted a bit and were then left to continue with our day. Luckily there is plenty to see at a place like Funny beach, so in between we had plenty to do. Was a ridiculously slow day, but it didn’t matter, because at a certain point there was this very, very nice German woman who started looking through the dog beds, (very thoughtful like) and said, “I’m going to take this one.” I was pretty happy with that, and was already looking for a bag when she added, “I think this one,” while pointing at another. I nodded, gave a silent sigh, and grabbed that one and then…” definitely this one,” the woman said, at which point it started to get through to me that she was aiming to buy several beds. So there she went, “that one, that one, that one, and that…no, no, this one.” I could only raised my brows as I tapped Cousin Ed on the shoulder and had her help me bag the things and ring ‘m up, so to speak. The woman explained that normally she would try to negotiate a better price when doing such a big purchase, but since she thought the prices fair, she was taking them as they were. Big relief, that, not to mention allowing us to relax for the remainder of the day since we by far surpassed our quota. Hah.
Later we also got an order for yet another bag, with a down payment of half the price, so it was a pretty successful day.
Got another tip for a market, and since we decided that we wanted to try the Sunday Market as well (phoned the “production department” first if it was at all doable in regards to the amount of bags) we agreed that after setting up the next day, I’d take the car (Opel this time, since the Land Rover is mom’s and the sibs’ on Sunday) and check it out. Supposedly there are plenty of buyers over there (Benahavis) including the odd celebrity. Weird idea that. A celebrity on a flea market. Hah.
But anyway, with that agreed upon, we reserved a spot for Sunday and continued on. Not much more sales that day, but lots of interest for my tie dyes, some attention for the snugglies, and on the overall a nice day spent chatting with loads of folks.
Lots of the other sellers didn’t sell at all, and had the organizer a little upset because basically everyone had talked her into adding Saturdays to the flea market that she usually only did once every two weeks on a Sunday.
Some folks just don’t understand that you need patience for markets that are just starting out. Folks need to know that they’re there, before the show up.
Here's the market for ya. All set up with the first bit of sunshine arriving in the morning.
The other side.
In the back there is the pillar that holds all the purses. They get plenty of attention.
And the snuggly with bag and baby blanket that I set up as a center piece on Sunday.
The Chaos because...well, just because. Hah. He noticed the camera the blasted beast.
By the time the end of the market arrived we had a lot less to pack and were on our way home around five thirty. We’d already sorted through the merchandise, and once there we could basically grab out a few bags and transfer it to the trailer for the Opel. Next we loaded the remainder of the baskets and whatnots for Sunday. Didn’t finish with that until twilight fell. Was properly tired at the end. Did manage some writing but decided to crash around one in the morning and did so passionately. Hah.
Sunday:
Didn’t go as smoothly. In fact, a lot went wrong. We forgot some stuff for the tables and if we hadn’t been able to borrow them at Funny Beach we’d have been in a lot of trouble…well, we were, seeing as, for the first time since standing on that market, we didn’t. Sell. A. Single. Thing. Hah.
It seriously cracked me up. I mean, really. There were plenty of folks (like this very celebrity-type dad, organizing a b-day party for his kid with about six moms fluttering around him. Kept us better entertained than a soap opera, I tell ya.) and yet none of them was there to spent more than a buck or two, and eat at the restaurant of the place. Very strange. There was loads of interest, people oohing and aahing, touching, pointing, and…nothing, nada zilch.
Luckily mom and the zips did a lot better and sold double the usual.
You’d think I would be bummed, but I wasn’t. I refuse to let “sales” affect my mood and arrived at home just barely on time to partly unload the car before big brother and I headed out to pick up a donation of food for the dogs. By the time we got home, it was quickly to work on the computer, and then out again for a jog that I really, really needed.
I actually broke my own record and ran more than half a mile at a single piece. I did a happy dance, thank you very much.
Was in bed on time again, because let’s face it, after the run I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open.
Which brings us to today.
Also busy, but more in the normal way. There was laundry, dog food, and then helping tenant since caregiver took Sally to hospital for her first round of chemo. (Took all, day, since they put her on a five hour drip of fluids that are going to wreck everything inside her. Scary stuff if you read about all it does. I don’t think I’d have the guts to do chemo.) Helped her change and then walked her down to the house so she could visit with mom.
What followed was a trip into the yard where I watered plants and then watched the dogs while big brother cut down the big eucalyptus that has been stealing the water for the veggie yard most of the last three years.
Got to saw, got to use the axe, and then went up with the day’s harvest and a trunk to get started on supper.
Here are the pics.
The tree.
Before. So proud, so fierce...and a total thief when it comes to water.
After. So sad.
Down like a tree, eh?
Lotsa firewood, though. Hah.
*sigh* What else...?
Experimented a little with beef again. Marinated it in cherry liquor with soy sauce and fresh thyme, and admittedly it didn’t go bad at all. Didn’t manage to eat more of it than my usual quarter, but since big brother has less trouble eating the stuff, nothing was lost.
Supper done, we had to go out again for another donation, and didn’t come home until after nine at which point I reheated supper and then headed down to do my messages, try for some writing, and do the blog. Managed the last, just barely, but what the hey.
A pretty shot from the rainy days.
The porch for the cabin
And that's it. I gotta get to bed, thank you very much.
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