Need batteries

I'm exhausted. I worked way too hard this week trying to scrape together the property tax funds. It's not a huge amount, for which I am lucky, but this is one of the two times of year that things get stretched too tightly, working up stock for the HM like I do in spring for the OCF. All the money goes into potential, not leaving quite enough for actual.

My customers seem to be in the same place. My sales were somewhat adequate yesterday and the rain held off for the most part, so there was the occasional wallet displayed on the Park Blocks yesterday. Still, things were slightly grim. Except for the bright spots!

It's hard not to love Hallowe'en. I'd post pictures of my great chicken costume, if I had any AA batteries for my camera, but I'm out. No one got pictures of the spontaneous concert that happened in my booth, alas.

Rich Glauber stopped by before his flash mini-mob gig with the Slug Queen. He has performed with all types of royalty, including those who are just beginning their illustrious careers, and he is terrifically good at making other people sound great. I returned to my booth after some foray or other and he was singing "You say tomato, and I say tomahto..."

Maybe it was the costume (I was "madder than a wet hen") or maybe it was just a lucky moment, but I sang along and we did five or six songs together. Inside my booth, while a couple tried to shop and eventually found what they wanted. All the vendors around me were laughing and enjoying the show, the musician and the chicken trading smiles. I've known Rich a long time but it was the first time we actually sang together, just the two of us. It was a delight and a treasure.

I've always said I am not one of the "performing Angels" and have craved but passed up opportunities to perform with my many musician friends and acquaintances, at least formal opportunities. I'm one of those people who can't pass up a chance to sing and will join in quietly with street performances, and of course will sing along with the radio at all times of day and night. But it's rare indeed that I perform in public and yesterday was over all too soon.

I've always thought I had stage fright, one of those self-limiting beliefs it is good to shed. Who knows what I could do with a little rehearsal. I certainly don't worry too much about looking dorky any more.

I'm getting more "out" and outspoken about a number of subjects. It seems to be worth it.

Guess I'll motivate to get some mosskiller on my roof. It doesn't seem to be raining today, though it did most of the night. I suppose I could carve a pumpkin, too, or I might be eating all those mini-Snickers bars myself.

I'll edit later if I can come up with the batteries or someone else posts pics of me (have that one, but it doesn't show my tail, which was really the best part). For a chicken I was pretty bold. One very old very small woman asked if she could ask me "an impertinent question": "Are you always like this, or just on Hallowe'en?"

Just on Hallowe'en, I said. Like what, I wondered.