Four Busy Weeks . . .

I have been extremely behind in posting the pictures and fascinating stories (no groans, please) from the past few weeks of travels and activities.  I have literally only been home long enough to mow the grass, do my laundry, play golf on Wednesday (some things are sacred), and get back out on the road.

Thought about breaking this up into several mini-posts, but with the way things have been going around here, that could have run into July and by then I would have been that far behind again.  From the shows in Southfield (Detroit), West Springfield, and Collinsville (St. Louis), I’ll try to keep it to sights and stories you haven’t seen here before.  Still, you might want to grab a cup of coffee – this could take a while . . .

For the Southfield, Michigan show (May 21-22), we decided to try and modify our booth layout a little – think of it as a different way to try to get ten pounds of potatoes into a five-pound potato sack.  This layout was actually ten feet shorter than what you may have seen at some of the smaller shows – with the economy as it is, any money we can save keeps prices down for you.  But we found it was a little congested, so the next week in West Springfield, Massachusetts we tried moving the USArtQuest display “inside” the longer layout – and that worked much better.  So we tried it with the shorter version in Collinsville, Illinois last weekend.  I like it, and you’ll likely see it again.

At one point, I walked from one end of the booth to the other and noticed that Sue Rothamel looked even shorter than normal.  I had to investigate from several angles until I finally determined what I was seeing . . .

That little stepstool she was sitting on was only about a foot off the ground.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Memorial Day Weekend was my 35-year high school reunion.  We planned several activities so that a few of us could get a chance to see each other – some for the first time in many years.  But as usual, I took most of the pictures, so there is little evidence that I attended.  Thankfully, our classmate Cindy Marconet took a few pictures as well . . .

At left, Friday evening at a bowling alley – how fitting that the bowling shoes that I got for my birthday when I was a senior in high school were invited to attend!  At right, a few of us at a picnic on Sunday afternoon.

This shot was taken at the 128th Waynesville High School Alumni Banquet at our high school on Saturday evening – it’s the longest running alumni reunion in Ohio.  Everyone who ever went there or taught there is invited, so we get quite a cross-section of generations.  I went to my first one when I was a senior (the seniors get in free), and during the program a group of names were read and invited to stand – it wasn’t until I heard the third name that I realized the fourth one was going to be mine . . .

 

Left to right: my great-grandma Ellen Sherwood Conner (Class of 1908), my grandpa Leo Conner (Class of 1937), my mom Carolyn Conner Smallwood (Class of 1957), and the last one you have seen before.  Four generations of graduates, all present at Alumni – and it has never happened before or since.  My mom told me later that soon after I was born, my great-grandma told her that her goal was to live until I graduated from high school so we could have all four generations at Alumni.  At the time it didn’t mean that much to me, but my great-grandma died the next spring and now I cherish that memory.

On Memorial Day, Zoe and I went to watch my nephew Tyler and his high school jazz band and percussion ensemble play at a community amphitheater.  It was a beautiful evening – and of course, once Zoe saw my sister-in-law Lisa, she had no need for me anymore!  That’s Lisa holding the leash, with her parents Ron and Mary Jo to her right and Tyler’s girlfriend Rachel seated.  And my brother Blake’s forearm is in the foreground . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

No doubt you saw the video and pictures of the tornadoes that struck Springfield, Massachusetts the day before we arrived.  I took a bunch of photos and posted them the evening I arrived.  But none of us were sure what to expect when Saturday morning rolled around – thankfully, you New Englanders are a hardy bunch . . .

Two views of the front entrance a few minutes before the show opened . . . at this point, we’re all breathing a deep sigh of relief.

 

I love to watch the stampede in West Springfield as the show opens.  Doesn’t matter where our booth is – you’ll find us!

Frankie and Crystal and Sue spent the night before creating fancy hairdos and flowered earrings and hairpins.  But once the show opened, there was work to be done.

This is one of the few shows where there is very little difference in the size of the crowd on Saturday (left) or Sunday (right).

And sometimes a customer needs a little quiet space to go through her purchases . . .

From my position (in front of my cash register), I get a very different view when I look to my left or right . . .

And when I turn around, I get a direct (and futile) view of the snack bar.  So close, and yet so far – I’ll never get there . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Last weekend, we were in Collinsville, Illinois – and the show had some things in common with Springfield . . .

We weren’t all that far from the devastation in Joplin, Missouri.  Barbara and Jerry from Rubber Stamp Events came up with a great idea – 14 raffle baskets full of donations from Barbara and the vendors, with the proceeds going to help out in Joplin.

The convention center staff got a workout early in the day – part of the lights in the hall suddenly went out and these folks had to go from breaker box to breaker box until they found out what caused it.

Still, the show must go on – and all of those lights I hang on our booth really came in handy.  It was rough for a while for the vendors who didn’t have them.

At one point I heard a scream from Sue Rothamel, when she noticed that one of the customers had used USArtQuest products to decorate her skirt . . .

If you want your demos to be seen, there is no better place to have your booth than right across the aisle from the Snack Bar!

At the old Auntie Amy shows, this would have been known as the “Unruly Husband Containment Center” – yes the guy in the background was asleep . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Last, but certainly not least -- need a spouse who is confident in his masculinity?  Desreen Snow already has one -- she and her husband Tilmon came into the store a few days ago and Tilmon was carrying the bouquet!  They are getting ready to renew their vows after five years of marriage -- congrats!