Deadly

[offcntr]

Back to the Saturday Market, and looking forward to a nice day out. Not gonna rain, not gonna bake, high is predicted for only 72°. Perfect, right?

Yikes, it was cold! Grey, overcast and windy morning, made me wish for my winter coat (which has a wool scarf in the pocket). Sun finally came out after lunch so I could take off my jacket, but it was nearly 3 pm before I finally shed my flannel shirt.

Setting up, I found this unlikely pair and was reminded of a meme I'd seen recently. Which is deadlier? (Hint: It ain't the one with its own week on television.) Almost sold the shark to a little boy with a shark t-shirt, though he eventually settled on an orca tall mug instead. Very nearly sold the hippo to a woman with a hippo t-shirt--you begin to see my marketing plan--but she decided she'd rather have mug, so I can start my patterns list for the next firing.

My last orders from the June firing finally picked up. Angela, who wanted the casserole based on glazing pix on Instagram, brought her boys and bought some extra plates and bowls to go with. Jane's husband picked up her order, an oddly shaped lidded jar for one of her specialty appliances. Shouldn't it have holes in the bottom? he asked, cognizant of the fact that most of her devices are steamers of one sort or another. The original didn't, I reply. Do you have it here? No, it's in my studio. You're sure it doesn't need holes? Eventually, he pays and lets me wrap it. I'm sure if it needed holes, I'd hear from her again.

Had a nice visit with a woman from Asheville, NC who sings at the Bach Festival, wrapping up this weekend. Says she makes it a point to stop in my booth and get a piece every year, something I love to hear. Since '20 and '21 were canceled, she makes up for it, buying four pieces this time. Hope they all travel safely in her suitcase.

Also talked to a grandmother who'd bought dessert plates for her grandchildren, years back. A granddaughter, who got her elephant plate at age 3, recently told her she still had it as she packed for college.

Had revisits from two buyers of June 25. First a woman comes in and asks, "Do you have an other octopus?" I realize she means a plate, she got one previously and asked about another, and as it happens, that's one of the things I left in the van after Roseburg. Shortly afterward, a younger woman comes in, says, "I don't know if you remember, but two weeks ago I was with a couple of friends who bought octopus pots" and I say of course, and tell her of the octopus plate sale follow-up. She wants something for herself, dithers briefly between an orca stew mug and the octopus pilsner, finally settles on the glass. She says they're fantasizing at their house about an entire dinner set of sea creatures, which frankly, sounds like fun. I tell her about a tile project I did with crabs, octopus, mussels and sea stars and anemones, for a table top. Called it Tide Tables. Never did assemble the table, but someone heard about it and bought the tiles to do the job themself.

There was a celebrity guest at Market in the afternoon: this is Sluggo, the mascot for AAA baseball's Eugene Emeralds. Yuri (the bear in the icon) and I caught up with him as he came past the Info Booth and did a little mirror dance. Yuri waved. He waved back. Yuri waggled his big feet. He did a little soft shoe. Yuri did a somersault. He... spun and wobbled a little but thankfully, didn't fall. So we waved goodbye and I went back to the customers I'd left in my booth (yeah, real professional, Frank), only later realizing I should have taken a photograph. Fortunately, he came by later to cross the street to west block, and this time, we were prepared.


The other bears are gonna be so jealous.