On the first day of lockdown

[offcntr]

I drove 450 miles.

I know, "shelter in place," right?

But I had a gallery order to deliver, wholesale, not consignment (meaning they pay me whether or not they sell the pots), so I really needed to get it there. There being Olympia, Washington.

I've never actively sought galleries; they approach me. I've had, oh, a dozen over the years, and every one has seen me at a show or art fair (or once, at the Craft Center) and solicited my work. It's been definitely a mixed experience. The first four or five went out of business on me (one still owing money); I began to feel like Typhoid Mary.

Then I had a run of good ones, steady sellers who, moreover, made it easy for me. Both Mud in Your Eye and Crow Valley Pottery did pick-up runs down into Oregon. I'd still have to drive a little, but rarely further than Portland. Heron's Nest was even easier; one of their artists had grandchildren in Eugene and was more than willing to put a couple of boxes in the trunk to take back to Vashon Island.

These days, I only have two galleries, plus the bookstore right in town. One is in Forest Grove, west of Portland, the other, as I said, in Olympia. I suppose I could pack and ship to both, but time, materials, expense. It's cheaper (and way easier) to take a day off and drive up.

In better times, Denise and I would make a day of it. Drive up (trading driving as necessary), deliver pots, eat lunch in a nice restaurant. Maybe drive back via the scenic route--the drive south from Forest Grove meanders through farmland, nurseries and vineyards, lovely in nice weather.

Which we haven't had--grey, rainy, downpours, barely able to see to the end of my hood. We had about 20 minutes of sunshine yesterday, out of nine hours. I did all the driving. And lunch was sandwiches and fruit we brought from home, sitting in a rest stop in Toutle River.

But we stayed in the car, wore masks and washed thoroughly at rest stops, and at least got away from the house for a day. And delivered the goods.