I've still got it

In the category of old people not getting old, I went out on my rollerblades today. Hadn't done it in about three or four years, since way before my back surgery. I have all kinds of knee, wrist, elbow protectors and wore my bike helmet too, just in case, but I found out the skills are still there, just maybe not all the muscles. My shins were a little creaky.

I was able to go at a good speed, even backwards, and could turn, even the kind where you cross your feet over each other. I just went around the fairgrounds for about forty-five minutes, didn't want to take too many chances. The biggest hazards were abandoned zip-ties and acorns.

I love the fairgrounds for all the open space. It's a great place to teach kids to drive, and I usually cross there on my way to southern Eugene locations, though they keep most of the gates locked now. Lots of the pavement is smooth-ish, though there isn't a good way to skate to the bike path, which I am working myself up to. I have my eye on a newly rebuilt stretch of the path near Chavez school, the stretch that used to be the worst for skating. I guess on a quiet day I could make it there through the neighborhood, since the Chavez lots are smooth too, though maddeningly engineered without many curb cuts. Soon I may be brave enough to jump the curbs though. Maybe not.

It was great to get back to Market tomorrow and catch up on all the news. It was very hot and sunny so there were lots of people, though sales were more in the fall range than the summer. It's time to reduce the number of choices and take a lot less stuff, which I will certainly do in the less-friendly weather. It will also soon be getting dark on the way home, sadly. Will have to get that blinking "Slow Moving Vehicle" sign to put on the back of the load.

The people giving away the free plastic-paper tote bags were back, and it was maddening to see dozens of people carrying them. They advertised an insurance company and were garbage that will not decompose any century soon. Our management ran them off last week and this week, and the farmer's management ran them off on Tuesday, but they had many gross of them to get rid of so are persisting. I just wanted one of their workers to offer me one so I could shriek but I thought that might not be so great for the ambience, so I stayed away. I went and bought some more of our locally made canvas ones in defense. I love giving them away to customers who are delighted to receive a little piece of quality with their purchase.

The ambience was terrific yesterday. Just on our little piece of grass we had a washtub bass/guitar duo who played Hank Williams and Roger Miller and such, a lovely violinist, and nearby we had such luminaries as Walker T. Ryan, and Jim Page. There was also that guy who sings too loud and someone over at Free Speech plaza playing electric guitar really turned up, which somehow did not interfere with the harpist on the opposite corner. The drum circle cooked yesterday! (Thanks, Mike.) Most of the vendors enthusiastically support buskers, so don't be shy about coming down if you have any kind of an act at all. Try some different spots and don't stay too long at any one, and don't forget about the interior. There might even be a little dancing.

The fish are back in the fountain and look beautiful. Not too many kids got wet for a change, though I have learned how to work my displays on that side so they won't have much effect on my stuff if they do get wild. I regret to say I forgot to take any pictures, was so busy gossiping and enjoying the new booths that set up in place of people who had gone to Fall Festival. I discovered a neighborhood where four potters set up intentionally adjacent, which probably strengthens all of their sales. We have a very different take on competition at our Market, thank goodness. We're all working together to compete with the factory-made goods, not each other. We have something special, and are proud of it.

Even though I had vowed not to buy anything (property taxes are coming up fast) I had to get some of the great beans, wheat and cheese being sold over at Kasey's, Walt's, and Shari's booths across the street. I really want to support local grains and artisan foods, so important to our economy. I also noticed that a lot of our food booths are running specials and new items. Yay innovation! (As I was packing up a guy looked at my trailer and proclaimed "That is the innovation of innovations!" Not really, more just the way things are going in our town. I watched a great video of a family of four moving their entire household by bikes and trailers. Awe-inspiring. Here's the link:http://www.webikeeugene.org/index.php/2010/09/bike-move-by-the-numbers/) If you haven't noticed, there are lots of great cycling sites on our local interwebs. Hard to miss, really.

In other news, my son came down from Portland and crashed on the floor in his old room, now my project room. I have entered the phase of being ridiculously grateful for his attention, gifting him with food and short-term financial assistance, and we're both feeling pretty good about the relationship. I thought I would have to wait until he was thirty to get to a nice camaraderie. We talked for about ten minutes before Market and again after Market, but packed a lot in. I even gave him my loaf of raisin challah which I could not resist buying but really wanted to resist eating. The full-length mirror in the Atlantic Hotel in Maryland was not kind.

Looks like it will be nice all week so I plan to soak it in. I have some trim painting to do and had better fix the sauna roof where the tree made a dent. Maybe I will yet get some tomatoes! We can only hope. Also need to do the last dye loads for HM inventory, as the days for hanging things on the clothesline will be shortening and becoming rare. They say it will be a wet winter.

Those beans will be comforting. Now I will put some of the wheat to soak and have some toast and cheese for lunch. I really don't miss that challah at all...had frozen cherries (also from Farmers Market) instead.