Bazaar

I know, I know, you're saying, "Sarah's posts are always bizarre, what can she be writing about now?"  By the time you read this, our church's annual bazaar will be underway.  Every year, the first Friday of November, we have a bazaar at the Community Center in town.  We serve lunch and supper, veggie or chili soup, ham or chicken salad sandwich, veggies, pie and a drink for $6.  Everything is home-made, of course.  We also have home-made crafts and food items for sale as well.  It is something that we started doing many, many years ago and has been another one of our church family's long-standing traditions.

I have the day off, as I usually try to do, to stay and help out.  Technically, it is one Sunday School Class's project, but it takes all of us to make it happen.  We will open at 9:00 and go until 6:30 or until we run out of soup.  It is a great time to come, eat and fellowship with others.  During the downtime, all the volunteers just sit around and talk, laugh and reminisce.  When my children were younger, they were there wreaking havoc on everyone and everything...sliding across the slick wood floors in and out of customers.  Destroying displays and begging me or their grandmothers to buy one of everything.  Seems like my bill at the end of the day is always pretty steep.  It's hard to sit there and not piece and pick all day long!!

We usually have lots of persimmon pulp for sale, yummy breads, rolls, noodles, cookies, pies, jellies, relish, cakes and candy for sale.  Several in our church are very talented at sewing and crafts, that would not include me.  I always like to see what one lady sews, usually aprons, purses, vests, etc.  Another in our church makes very creative greeting cards using fabric pieces that she cuts out and glues to card stock.  I load up on those!! 

Madolyn and Lane made a blanket to sell...(actually at this moment, it is not done, but by golly, it better be done by Friday at 9:00 a.m.!!)  They made two earlier in the week that weren't for sale...waiting until the last minute to make the one to sell.  They also begged me to get a couple other crafts to make for the bazaar and those aren't completed either.  Who do they get that procrastination from? 

Last night I was up late making laundry soap from scratch to sell.  Of course, it didn't gel like it says it should...I will sell it anyway.  My first batch didn't gel either and I have been using it for two months.  No complaints from the customers (my family) or anyone around me so it must not be too bad.  Tonight after everyone has gone to bed, I will be making some cookies and/or bread to take to sell.  I used to make frozen mini-meals but last year they didn't sell too well, so I decided not to this time.  My grandma usually bought them and since she's at the nursing home, she's not at home cooking.

Speaking of which, my grandma always comes and says "Show me what you or your mom brought."  And then she buys it.  It is hilarious the stuff she has purchased over the years when I know she has absolutely no purpose or desire for it, but because mom or myself made it, she wanted it.  In fact, one year Madolyn made hair pins.  She glued little flowers and bugs on bobby pins.  My grandma bought some, of course, and wore them around the house when she knew Madolyn was coming over.  Too funny.

So yesterday afternoon when visiting with my grandma I reminded her that this Friday was our church's bazaar.  She got a look on her face and said, "Oh yes, and you will serve vegetable soup and sandwiches..." and she had that gleam in her eye.  I asked her what she thought about me breaking her out of the home for a few hours for lunch and to visit...boy, did she light up.  So we've made a date...and as long as she doesn't try to get out of it because of rain (which will muss her hairdo), we're on.  She will love it.

I've been a tad swamped this week which is why I skipped yesterday's post...this weekend I have a youth thing in a neighboring town too so I'm not sure how much you'll read from me for a couple days...You'll survive, though, won't you?  Don't give up on me yet.  Tomorrow I'll be feeling a little 'bazaar.'  Why don't you come join us!!