are we there yet? ...yes.

Dudes, all I've got to say is it's a long drive from Alabama to Pittsburgh. Well, of course that's not really all I've got to say, and it wouldn't have seemed nearly so long if I had been remotely ready for this trip and had a prayer of leaving on time. It's a really good thing I left a huge amount of slack everywhere when I made up my schedule for this trip, because I needed all that and more. But I'm here, and I figured out how to assemble all of my display devices, and I got almost everything labeled and priced and on display.





It looks more crowded in real life. (And what the heck is that check mark PA thing under my sign? I don't remember seeing that in real life.) I was going to set up my spinning wheel so that I could spin during the slow times, but I'd seriously be trapped in my little corner then. It would be really awkward. I'm hoping for no slow times, but if there are, I'll just crochet one of my mindless scarves. Not much of a conversation-starter, but very portable.

There's still a good bit of stuff on reserve, including some of my own hand-dyed merino/tencel spinning fiber. I just ran out of time. It looks really nice, though, and I can fill in with the rest as people buy stuff.

Things I've learned so far this trip:
- Super 8 rocks. They mean it when they say free wireless. (unlike some people)
- Next time, bring a dolly! Duh!
- Those cube thingies and garment racks really are easy to put together.
- Speeding loses all its fun when you're driving a minivan. Not that going slow is much fun either, and let's not even discuss parking.
- On the other hand, the minivan really isn't scary or a piece of crap after all, now that it's been fixed. (Thank you, Bruce!)
- Show up in Pennsylvania from Alabama and people will think you talk funny, even if you've only just moved to Alabama from Pennsylvania a year and a half ago. Add ten hours of book on CD set in Ireland into the mix and you're bound to get some strange looks. Sure and I'm lookin' for the fiber festival, y'all? (I didn't really say that, but the voice in my head has definitely been talking in an Irish accent all day. Last time I did this, I actually had a whole argument with someone in Irish, only it was on instant messenger, so he didn't realize.)

I am beat. Somehow wearing myself out and then trying to set up the booth really didn't work out as well as I planned (nor as badly as I feared). Since it's bedtime and beyond, I will leave you with the top five things I'm grateful for as of this moment. This is a habit I picked up from Happy for No Reason and it really works: before you go to sleep, list at least five things you're grateful for. When you look for that stuff, you find it. So here goes. Among other things, at this moment I'm grateful for:
- safe travels
- a Super 8 only two doors down from the conference hotel and an Eat'n'Park right across the street! Such convenience so cheap--it warms the cockles of my frugal little heart.
- learning before I left that the van can go at least 279 miles on a tank (gas gauge broken)
- a good dinner
- quiet solitude in my motel room. and wireless! and a fridge!
- the friendliness of my vendor neighbors
- everyone coming by and complimenting my yarn! I will never get tired of that!
- absence of snow, rain, and bitter cold during unloading time, plus a good parking spot
- everything working out fine
- temporary lack of neurosis
- getting to see my family this weekend
- being (internetically) reunited with an old friend I've dearly missed.
- bed!

Good night, all.