My summer Saturdays

Summer Saturday:
I'm going to talk a bit about how I approach each Saturday.

Setting an alarm, after 8 years of retirement; this harkens back to the 5 days a week when I would startle awake and go to a business setting to perform for someone in exchange for "green energy" (money) which could purchase the things I needed and wanted.

Yep, just setting an alarm does give me lots of feelings.
Does it go off?  Seldom.
It causes all those feelings to make me sleep differently, with some anxiety as to when it will go off.  I usually wake up completely an hour before it is set, or at least 15 minutes before.  So it never gets to go off.

I only have to be at the market and set up the booth twice a month, because our co-op of five Mud Buddies allows us to sign up for 2 of us each Saturday to be "on duty."  I don't mind the setting up, arranging everyone's pretty wares around.

The Saturdays on which I work the Mud Buddies booth means we're ready for customers at 9 am, when the market opens.  But there's a side-effect which is most desirable.  I am in line early for my favorite croissant.  If there's asparagus for sale, I can get some.  And then I can just sit down in my folding chair for the next 3 hours, either in the sun or shade.  And I can meet people who are interested in pots.

Bette, Barbara, Cathy, Marsha and Pat - Mud Buddies

There are so many great curious people who love pottery, who know to pick up a mug and feel how the handle fits their hand, who look at the bottom to see how it was trimmed, who smile at decorations that please them.

I lied above, because I never get to just sit for three hours.  The getting-up for each customer is my main quad exercise.  Just do that for 3 hours sometime!  I also get to breathe wonderful fresh air.  And pollen.  It's inspirational, and usually I can breathe just fine.

I also get very cold or very hot, or rained upon on the rare wet Saturdays.  This week, Saturday is forecast to have a wet day, but I'm not working.  The two Mud Buddies who are working will decide whether to open our booth or not.  Of course I hope they will.  Many folks will be coming for croissants, for veggies, for meats and eggs, and tomato starts, for coffee or chai. And I hope they think of pottery as well as a reason for coming to the Tailgate Market of Black Mountain, NC.

Me? I'll be up at the time I usually get up, without the anxiety of the alarm.  And I'll go to the market to see how it's going, to encourage my friends, and see if any croissants are left. Then I go to the studio and make more pottery!