This week I was stranded in Dallas thanks to a healthy coat of ice on EVERYTHING. I know, what? Dallas in December? Isn't it supposed to be like 60 degrees? (Yes, yes it is.) And you guys, I'm from Michigan. I went to school in Kalamazoo, where you regularly walk through 3 feet of snow courtesy of the "lake effect." I mean, I live in Wisconsin. I've had my share of terrifying winter weather. Midnight freeway rides at zero visibility, snow drifts that cover cars - that I can handle, that I can do.
This was 7 hours of driving the 86 miles between Waco and Fort Worth. This was going 8 mph with your hands at 10 and 2. This was traversing a frozen lake of ice. This was semi-trucks, trying to climb impossibly high freeway ramps (as only Texas builds them). This was spending 2 days in an airport where people are sprawled out on cots, with screaming children and Red Cross relief aides. This was boarding and de-boarding the same plane THREE TIMES. This was agreeing to be flown into a city an hour a way from home just to get out of that godforsaken state. This was a nightmare.
So after the 100th delay at DFW I had to accept the inevitable. I was not going to make it back to vend at Hover Craft on Sunday. I know, I know, compared to all of the power outages and car accidents and parents separated from children - all of the horrible things happening across the region - this seems like a pretty selfish, narrow world view; but man, I'd been looking forward to this. So I sent my email late Saturday night to the coordinator. I was unable to attend... thank you for the opportunity... I hoped to work with them in the future... sniffle, tears.
And then, I got on a flight to Madison. Yay! My wonderful husband (man, he earned his keep this weekend) drove the hour plus to pick me up at 1am. I spent the rest of the wee-hours cleaning up and packing up the goods, drank a Red Bull (eehek, gross) and set up shop!
And I just wanted to say thank you, Milwaukee. We had so. Much. Fun. There were bloody marys, football, Christmas music and just an overall attitude of awe - awe that this incredibility talented collective of artist and craftsmen came from our little-big city. And no we didn't sell out, but we sold a lot. And despite yet another blizzard swirling outside, the place was packed. We got a lot of positive feed back / kind words / encouragement / conversation / delicious tamales.
So despite the serious lack of sleep and lingering hatred for winter weather conditions, I'm going to say this weekend was a win.
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| Turner Hall Ballroom is amazing in its semi-restored state. This was the main space in a 2-story vendor layout. (60 vendors! Whaaat?) And those lights, swoon. |
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The goods + our winter decor - natural woods, pine cones, birch branches, twinkle lights. (As always / predicted the napkins were the number one seller. I love that you guys love those. I love those.)
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We were not quite as stranded as it appears. Due to the aforementioned email, they rearranged booth spaces and we were shifted to the staircase by the bar and food vendors. Not surprisingly, this worked to our advantage.
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