Ok, so we got to the Oakland Marriott convention center yesterday morning and found that lower cost or no cost move-in (you pay quite a bit for the Stitches move-in if you have more than one load) was just what we paid for...no help. Oh, for crying out loud...we did not bring our dolly because we are dealing with teamsters and THEY need to touch things with wheels. Um...they did not do much of anything and we were left trying to move the product in ourselves. The dolly will come back to the hall with us on Sunday and we will wheel ourselve out of there in no time. DUMB.
A full day was spent doing our usual set-up and we got home in time to feed the dogs, get cleaned up and fed and then back to the convention center for the two hour preview. Hmmm, where were the hordes? Not many hordes, baby...not Stitches hordes. :o( Let's face it...the preview is there to test the mettle of the vendors...can we set it up and still smile for the two hours leading to 9 pm. If there are hordes...no problem, if not...YAWN.
Ok, so we get home and Tank is just wiggling away in his usual puppy manner. You see, the day before yesterday, when I had to put them into our bedroom (too many workmen coming and going) good old Tankmeister decided that chewing on the bedroom wall by the door was ever so wonderful. Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnn! He had a serious dent going on there but The Husband sez that he can fix it...wall putty...etc. No problem. Got that scenario? We get home from the opening and I go into the bedroom to change out of my show duds and hmmm, what is all of that stuff on the floor...(this is where Tank's name changes from Tank to BAD DOG. Yes folks, The Dog Formerly Know As Tank dug and chewed through the wall...CHEWED THROUGH THE WALL. Go ahead...laugh your head off. There is a hole about 5 inches in diameter in that wall and I am so surprised that he did not go all the way through and out the other side! Oyyyyyyy. He was not locked in the room...no way. He was free to roam around and hang with Sasha and he chose to embellish his handiwork of the day before.
Today, we have a large box and a chair in front of the sculptural endeavor and only lost some paper to the puppy boredom. That I can deal with, believe me.
On to getting ready for today's day. We greeted The Brazilians and were happy to see them and their tools. They got to work right away and there was a lot of industrious paint scraping going on around here. We lolligagged around and knew that we had enough time to stop at Togo's on the way into Oakland for the 10 am opening...ahem, except when we got to the Marriott, there were civilians in the hall already. WHAT? Oh, no. Every show that I have done in my 23 year career starts at 10 am...not this show...it opened at NINE. I just started to laugh at myself...I did not check the time. So, WE started at 10 am and everyone else started at 9, quite happily without us. My my my.
Here's hoping that the general public gets the message and that we get some more traffic into the hall because if it is anything like today, the major vendors that have travelled to do this show will say phooey and not return, preferring to climb into the zoo that is Stitches. Seriously, this is a lovely fiber market and quite manageable...one with something for everyone, I think. There are a couple of yarn stores as well as fiber dealers, dyers, buttons and books. Good stuff! Heck, Linda Diak of Grafton Fibers drove all the way from Vermont to thrill the bay area with her beautiful stuff and so people need to turn out to see her! There will be free knitting and crochet classes given and so if you have a friend that has thought about learning, now is the time!
Ok, off of the soapbox.
Alison, it was great to see you and your Mr Toad's Wild Ride wheelchair. People, this woman can go really fast...you should see her silver hair waving in the breeze she creates. Hah! Janice, how wonderful to finally meet your mom...we have only known each other for about 49 years, people...scarey about doing a show in your home town. :o)
That is all of my report. Mention the blog and you get a discount...shameless plug, I know.
Hey Lisa and you too The Husband -- so great to see you both. Can't believe you finally got to meet my mom after all these years!!! :0) Can you all believe how long we've known one another? Oh yeah, I love that Earth Birth sooooooo much I'm going to have to get some of it in the worsted now!!!!! We'll have to get together for tea sometime in August. Can't wait to read about the lastest in the long saga.... love to you both.
Posted by: Janice | July 22, 2005 at 10:02 PM
Ahh, so dear little Tank is making trouble......he might miss his mum and dad, and don't want to be shut out, and he is afraid he is going to miss out on something fun!*GGG*
And Miss Lisa....you may need some new glasses....or maybe you just have to go and claim your schoolmoney back, because the teachers did't learn you to read!*LOL*
Hmmm..no colored pictures this time...Uhuu!:-)
Posted by: Helle From Denmark | July 23, 2005 at 04:30 AM
It was WONDERFUL to see you two! And thanks for the cashmere! Not to mention the wool: purple mountain's majesties. Coming right up, cast on and away I go.
Re Oakland Convention Center: you come out of the parking lot, and there's the obligatory little blue pictorial square on the wall by the door. Except that it's just for show: it's not a button, it doesn't open the door, and that tank of mine would plow right through the glass (let's see your Tank top that!) There's no safe or sane way to try to open the doors on my own. Hmmm. I was told that to conform to the ADA all they have to do is make it so I can go through the front doors of the place on the ground floor (where, I might add, there were black posts barring the way of anybody not on foot, had to do some good zig zagging at lunchtime). Uh, hello? You mean I don't have to be able to reach my car? You want me to go four floors and up the middle of that steep blind car ramp popping wheelies? Lemme tell you, that thing pops serious wheelies on serious hills--you should see me in Monterey or 'Frisco with it. Good thing I carpooled up with Gigi!
Not that you need to hear all that. I was just seriously surprised. Stitches and Santa Clara Convention Center, ground floor hall and parking is definitely the way to go. And hey, next time, just hook your dolly onto the back of my chair--no teamsters are going to complain about MY wheels!
As for your Tank, hmm. Would a little Tabasco sauce in his plaster help?
Posted by: AlisonH | July 24, 2005 at 05:25 PM
i have only 2 words- dog crate ;-)
Posted by: vanessa | July 25, 2005 at 12:20 AM
Hi Lisa! Good luck with the show--too bad Kentucky's so far away or I'd come out to spend money and see you. I agree with Vanessa. Dog Crate. Only way to go with a puppy. Harry is a much better little man for his..and we all have time outs when necessary...like, right after he chewed through the handspun skein of blue Shetland and soy silk I'd just finished washing. He didn't mind the crate and he got the hint. He's never done that again! Other things, sure....but Harry's lost the taste for soy silk!
Posted by: Joanne | July 25, 2005 at 09:31 AM
If I had a teleporter I'd have been at the show :) I vote for a dog crate and a kiss when he's better.
Posted by: Angela | July 25, 2005 at 02:51 PM