Many things to tend to.....

         We had a truly beautiful, warm day here in Park Falls.  Unfortunately, there were too many tasks to tend to that prevented me from taking a walk.  
         This morning I THINK I finally have all the info decided for my new CD.  There is still hope it will be done and ready for purchase in the next few weeks.  I have been working on this since Oct. 

      The afternoon at the store was filled with customers and phone calls.  Jamie came in to tune the guitars.  Frank was also in for a few minutes.  For many years he has had a small polka music recording studio in the back.  he is moving it to his basement.  Another fellow was in to get strings.  I had them all sign my autograph book.  You can probably guess it wasn't much more than "good luck" and their names. 
     There is still a lot of merchandise left; I hope to sell most everything by the end of next week.  Some items and books I will take out to VC with me since I will be teaching out there. 
    I walked around the store a bit and tried to make my mind and emotions realize that there are only 5 business days left to be open.  Everything in me is ready to be done with running a store.  I've enjoyed interacting with the customers and sharing stories, but I am tired of the responsibility to be there 5 days a week and maintaining business.

     This evening there were 4 different activities to choose to participate in.  I ended up at a concert at our local library.  Randy Sabein and Bill (somebody).  I took pictures, but.....I had unknowingly left the smart card in the laptop last night.  The concert pictures ended up on the built in memory of the camera---I am unable to retrieve them.  (I can hear some of you shouting, "yea".)  Randy and Bill did a great job with  a violin, harmonica, mandolin and 4 guitars. 


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                                                      FLASHBACK......

       "Ohhh, there's pigs flying across the sky."  It was about 3AM on the day past when we were due back at the picnic grounds.  Where are we and how we will get back?  The night was pitch black.  We could hear the tumbling rapids, but we didn't dare move because we didn't know what direction or how close or how deep was the river, swollen from the heavy rains. Twigs and leaves were too damp to light as kindling for a fire.  Fr. Bob had even tried lighting a dollar bill, but that too was damp.  We were all shivering from the low 40's night.  
     Earlier in the evening we had kept walking.  The walking path had ended at some point, probably at the river bank.  We followed the river to a large, open, gravelly,sandy area and Fr. Bob decided it best that we stay there.  At first we made jokes about being lost and then told a few stories.  I'm sure we said some prayers, but I don't remember specifically.  Fr. Bob joked about how upset the pastor would be when he wasn't there in time for supper--he didn't like tardy people. 
     As darkness spread we sat and talked and probably tried some word games. (Fr. Bob was a game innovator.)  I think I was worried about bears.  (Later, Fr. Bob admitted he was concerned about snakes, but didn't want to say anything to us.)  We each picked a spot to lie down, choosing to use our light jackets as either a pillow or covering. I must have been expressing distress at some point because Fr. Bob let me lie down next to him to keep warm.  Poor Jan had to shiver by herself. 
     I don't know if any of us slept at all, but I started seeing things fly across the night sky--pigs, soldiers, tractors, lights.   I saw lights--and heard voices yelling--and motors running.  And then they stopped. 
     (And so will I until tomorrow.)

This has been a good "many things to tend to" day in the life of Grandma G.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:....a time to plant and a time to uproot." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2)