Slightly Off Center

Well, I was not prepared for this.

Weather prediction was for rain showers, maybe snow flurries, highs in the 40s. I packed a light jacket, my wool hat, wool socks. Wore a light flannel on the plane. Was a bit chilly when I got in at 10 last night, and the rental didn't have heated seats--wtf, Nissan?--but I got to the motel all right.

Snow flurries this morning, turning to real snow--4 or 5 inches by noon. Slush on the streets and sidewalks, just a mess to walk in. Got to Viterbo around 9 am, Sherri had just gotten and unlocked the gallery. They'd kept all my boxes and wrap, so I had more than enough packing material. 

I had one pot break in shipping, a large squared baker with sea otter pattern. Split in half, with more pieces broken off one corner. The box was completely crumpled in that corner, so that explained the break. Should have used a bigger box, and packed it rim side up--dont know what I was thinking.

One of the Viterbo staff texted Sherri this morning about buying a journal, so she came over and picked out a woven-spine pocket journal. I'd fortuitously left the plug-in Square reader in the Saturday Market pouch--I use it when flying so I don't have to empty my pockets--so was able to process the sale.

After I finished packing and we were putting the extra boxes away, Sherri discovered a vase, still in the box--they'd missed it setting up, even though it was on the inventory. Rather than making me open up the box to find room for it, Sherri decided to purchase it for the Permanent Collection.

I had two cookie jars, two plates, a soup bowl and an oval platter to pack; all the rest of the pottery sold. Denise still had her wall pieces, and one large and five small journals that will come back in my suitcase, as we need them this weekend for Market. Dropped off boxes at the Post Office and UPS Store just after noon, then picked up a small pizza at Rocky Rococo's to have for lunch and leftovers in my room.

It's still snowing lightly now at 5 pm. We've had to cancel tomorrow's dinner with my pottery professor and his wife--they can't get out of their driveway in SE Minnesota--but Hans and Carol are in town, and free, so we'll meet at the Hmong restaurant.

Have to deliver a journal commission tomorrow, but otherwise I've finished my work responsibilities for this trip. Not sure what I'll do with the extra time, what with the crappy weather. Right now my wool Sox and Birkenstocks are drying on the space heater.

I think we had ten boxes shipped out for the show? And four coming back home.

So my mom in Wisconsin just told me they'd had a little freezing rain, followed by about a foot of snow. 

We've got it worse.

Freezing rain overnight Friday, followed by about an inch of sleet. Freezing fog during the day Saturday, another inch of sleet plus a new shell of freezing rain overnight.

We did not go to church this morning.

Honestly, I wouldn't have left the house yesterday, but I volunteer for Egan Warming Center, doing set-up at a church about a mile or so down River Road. Knew there'd be ice on the car, so came out half an hour early to scrape the windshield, and couldn't even dent it. Fortunately, the van is parked under cover in the carport, so took that instead.

Set-up was challenging. Four of us were early; the site lead was late. Kitchen crew let us in, but didn't need our help. I was able to direct setting up tables in the quiet room and hallway, and the tables in the back of the main hall for eating, but everything else was locked up in the storage trailer, out in the parking lot. Mike finally arrived, frazzled, and we had to knock the ice off the lock and latches with a hammer. Hauled mattress pads across ice-crusted snow into the building in the on-going freezing rain and sleet. It was a mess. Got a few more volunteers, so we could break into teams, two sorting and folding blankets, Doug and Steve continuing to cart in mattresses and dog kennels and donated clothes, I started laying out beds inside. The mattress pads fold up for storage, so most of the sleeping surface stayed dry; what little water spotting there was dried quickly in the heated indoors.

We finished set-up at a quarter of six, as the evening crew were getting organized, at which point I discovered I'd left my ice scraper in the car at home. Luckily, enough of the other crew had them that we were all able to scrape our way clear to drive home again.Worst part for me was making a left turn into my driveway over the built up ridge in the middle of River Road.