A Wrench in the Schedule

We are supposed to set up for the craft co-op sale today. The meat processor called yesterday afternoon and said, “Your pork is ready.” Implicit in that statement is “You need to come get it ASAP” because the processor needs the freezer space for the next round of processing. We never know when they are going to call; we only get a ballpark estimate of a couple of weeks from when the pigs go in. The husband is pouring concrete at 8 am today or he would make the trip.

That means that instead of helping to set up for the sale today, I will be driving two hours one-way to the processor to pick up 700 pounds of pork. Our next-door neighbor is coming along with his truck. He bought pork from us and said he would be happy to help transport. Between his truck and the Diva, we should be able to get it all back here and delivered this afternoon.

I knew this was a possibility when the pigs went to the processor. I just wish the processor had called on Tuesday, because we could have gone yesterday. Oh, well.

One of the (common sense) rules about the co-op sale is that everyone has to help. That means helping with set-up/take-down and being there for part of the sale. I’m not going to be at the sale Saturday because I’m teaching. I can’t be there for set-up because I have to retrieve pork. It is possible to sell at the sale without being there, but the co-op takes a larger cut of the individual’s profits because other people have to do the work on that person’s behalf. I don’t have enough inventory to make it work if the co-op takes a larger cut, so I had decided not to participate in this year’s sale. However, when I went up to the church last night to give my key to the two ladies who were setting up, they convinced me to bring my stuff anyway. As long as I am there on Friday and come to help take down after my class on Saturday, I will fulfill my obligation to the co-op for the sale.

Everything is priced and labeled, so I will drop the boxes off at the church on my way to the processor.

The next couple of days will be a marathon, but next week’s schedule is mostly clear.

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I had a discussion with one of the quilt store employees yesterday. She also teaches there, and we discussed the fact that students are not coming prepared to class. (I touched on this in this week’s podcast, too.) The supply lists for each class are on the website, but apparently, students aren’t reading them. She had a student come to class last week without a sewing machine. I find that baffling. Why would you come to a sewing class without a machine?

[My supply lists are incredibly detailed and always begin with “Sewing machine or serger in working condition.”]

When I related this to the husband, he said he doesn’t think this is anything new. I think it is. When Tera and I went to Sew Expo, each of us took a rolling case containing everything we thought we could possibly need for any of the classes we were taking. If we had shown up unprepared, the teacher likely would have shrugged her shoulders. The expectation that someone else—in this case, the teacher—will take care of everything for you is odd, but it’s becoming more prevalent.

We’re going to ask the class coordinator to find some way to highlight the supply lists on the website so that people will know to take a look at them for each class. The husband says he doesn’t think that will help. (Such a cynic.) If someone shows up to one of my classes without a machine or a pattern, though, I’m just going to shrug my shoulders.

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The Walmart remnant rack was jam packed with new fabrics yesterday. I looked but didn’t see anything I couldn’t live without. Looking through my stash, I have gotten some absolutely gorgeous fabrics from that remnant rack in the past year.

I whipped up a Pattern for Pirates Cocoon Cardigan yesterday afternoon:

This is such an instant gratification project. It doesn’t take long at all, although I still have to hem the sleeves. The fabric is a waffle knit from Walmart.