Counting down

[offcntr]

Yesterday started with me dropping off the van at my mechanic. I've been smelling burning oil, noticed it was a quart low, and wanted it looked at before we took it up to Washington. Then we went down to Club Mud, priced and boxed all the pots from last week's firing--had inventoried as they came out of the kiln--and brought them home. Treated ourselves to fast-food takeout for lunch, by which time the van was ready. Not too spendy, a leaky hose/o-ring, about a hundred bucks. But the tires were seriously worn, still tread in the center, but chewed up on the edges, so Ron really recommended a new set before we drove it hundreds on miles on hot pavement. He offered to connect me with a discount tire source, but Les Schwab has fixed several flats, free of charge, over the years, so I figured I owed them.

The nearest Schwab is just down to Santa Clara Square, so I dropped off the van on the way home. The mid-range tires I'd had before were only eight bucks less than a set rated 20K miles more, so I upgraded. With an estimated two-hour wait, I took my book and walked home.

Spent a few hours cooling off, reading. When I called to check progress at 4 pm, there were still two cars ahead of me, so I went out to the shed and started restocking from Market, and deciding what extra stock we'd need for a three-day fair. Another box of plates, of bowls, tall mugs. Serving bowls, bakers, casseroles and batter bowls. It wasn't bad in our open car port, but the pottery shed was brutally hot, so I was ready to quit when Denise came out, seven minutes before closing, to tell me the van was ready.

This morning, I finished the last two boxes of pots, figured out how to fit them all in. Swapped out some display hardware for the larger booth, bungeed more to the roof rack. Took down the 10-foot canopy Denise had been using for paper-making in the back yard, and loaded it up.

Since lunch, I've been printing out travel and load-in info, to go into my show book. Found the duplex sales books I haven't needed in two years. Looked up the sales tax rate, and programmed it into my Square. With Denise's help, consolidated inventory notes down to two tallies, one of the van, the other what stock is in the shed. The cat-sitter called to check in, and I've printed out instructions for her. We've a new feral kitty since she's been here last, with a feeding station in the car port.

I'm slowly ticking off items on my Road Shows Checklist. Tonight we pack clothes, restock our meds strips, bake show cookies. Tomorrow we pack food, gas up the van, kiss the kitties goodbye.

This will be our first road show together since 2019--Denise stayed home for Roseburg. I'm equal parts excited and terrified.

Anacortes, here we come!