Sunday, May 29, 2011

FUNNEST DAY EVER!

Day 1 of My Next Life:

SATURDAY MARKET IN PALACIOS!!

Yesterday Big John and I loaded up produce and headed to town - to the big town of Palacios! One of the store owners on Main Street has started a Saturday Market. Several of us have attempted to get some type of market days event going over the years. Jan decided she would just offer her parking lot beside her book store as the venue! For a nominal fee to cover advertising, she welcomes you to set up your wares and sell from 10 to 2 every Saturday. Due to my previous employment, I'd been unable to get my act together enough to participate. But now that I'm RETIRED (or resigned or quit, whatever) I have all the time in the world ... and a new-found need for an income!!


Early yesterday morning, Big John and I gathered, washed, and packed all the produce we could find.





We loaded the Jeep and headed to town.



And then we set up shop.



WOW!!

We left the house at 9 am and crawled back in the door around 3:30 in the afternoon. We had the best time, sold out of almost everything, and learned a few lessons for next weekend.

Lesson 1: buy a tent
Lesson 2: SPF 3000
Lesson 3: eggs sell out fast
Lesson 4: grow more tomatoes


The best part of the experience was getting to meet all the people that stopped by. Being Memorial Day weekend, there were lots of people who don't live in Palacios, but just came to get away. Believe it or not, Palacios is a vacation destination for some. We've got it all: oyster shell beaches, the bay, sun, coastal breezes, no traffic, .............    and a Saturday Market!

But almost every person that stopped at our table was someone who knew me or my family from WAY back. That's the best part of small town life (see previous post for more things to love about small towns!) Everybody knows you. And yes, everybody knows your business. And everybody talks about your business. And most people do it when you're not around, so as not to hurt your feelings. But that's just part of it. Don't do anything your momma wouldn't like and you'll be ok. But everybody knows you and loves you and will hug you (right after they've talked about you behind your back!) and that's a great feeling.

Big John and I had a blast - probably me more so than Big John, but he was an awesome help and a GREAT sport. We're all geared up to go again next Saturday. We've bought the tent, are babying our sunburns, and fertilizing the tomatoes. The hens and I have had a long talk, and there is a promise of better egg production soon.

So the next phase of my life started off with a bang. If you're looking for me on Saturdays, I'm working, people! Come buy some fresh food! You know where to find me.

And to all those people who asked, "What are you going to DO?"
Take that!

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