The bear signal

[offcntr]

Just for fun yesterday, I decided to send out the 'bat signal on Instagram. The wom-bat, that is.

Got a slightly late start to Market; had to restack and cover ware boards of plates I'd thrown Friday, so lost fifteen or twenty minutes. It was supposed to be sunny and warm; in fact, it was overcast, grey and drizzling all the way in, though it stopped misting by the time I reached downtown. But I popped up the canopy, pulled out the shelves, and had just opened the first box of pots when I gained an audience.

His name was Greg; he said he came down from Portland once a year, just to come to my booth. Told him it would be a bit, and he said it was fine; offered him a stool, but he was content to stand and watch, while around us, the Market assigned lottery booths. Finally got the last pots out, and Denise's paper, and told him I was as organized as I was gonna get, and he immediately picked out four soup bowls, handed me his card.

I processed the sale, and was wrapping the bowls, when he asked, Is that a wombat? I said he had a good eye (I should have said a g'daye, shouldn't I?), it was indeed my first wombat plate. So he bought that and the preying mantis and two others besides. And ordered four more soup bowls and two dessert plates. So I was up nearly $200 before I'd even gone to Farmer's Market.

So I had to update Today's theme is to Koala.

I had company in the booth for the afternoon. Denise hasn't been coming down to help for a variety of reasons, beginning with COVID, then arthritis and knee surgery, but this time she brought the car down around lunch time and spent the rest of the day with me in the booth, as well as visiting all the friends who've been asking after her for, well, ever. As with Anacortes, it was really nice having her help in what turned out to be a very busy day ($888!), not to mention I really miss just spending time with her.

About the time the sun finally broke through the clouds, I noticed something unusual across the street on the bank building.

Yes, that really is a bear stuffed in on top of the light. No idea who put him there or why; considered borrowing the Market's stepladder to get him down, but ultimately didn't need it. Denise agreed that he needed rescue, and with the help of her cane, I was able to snag him down.

We're calling him Banksy.