Toughing Things Out on Tybee

All I can say is that I am completely exhausted. This should have been an easy show but the city of Tybee Island made things difficult for us who arrived early on Friday to set up. To protect the "lawn" you see pictured in the photo, which looks exactly like it did back in November, the city would not allow our vehicles on the park grounds just to drop off our gear.

So yours truly, who is probably more physically fit than many of the participating vendors, suffered greatly late Friday afternoon. After hauling my gear for about 50 yards and then setting up in 93 degree temperatures, I had to meet the guy representing the publishing company. Thank God Christy was around to keep our conversation on track.

The meeting was wonderful to say the least. I haven't even told my mom about the details but expect Dragon Pencil to be our new publisher! I'll share more details as they arrive but I have a good feeling about the joint venture and its potential. Again it was great that my friend was around to verify all the information I needed to digest given that I was about to pass out during the first 30 minutes of our conversation.

Evidently one of the artists participating in the show went into city hall and raised Hell with the city manager in regards to the "load-in" procedure. By Saturday morning we were able to unload at our booth area and park somewhere nearby. My friends, that is the normal thing that happens. Unfortunately I'm still getting cramps in my calves from Friday's unexpectant ordeal.

Overall the weekend was successful. Those of you following the news know that many of us on the Georgia coast dodged a bullet since the severe storms predicted for Tybee Island went south of us on Saturday night. About half the artists packed up and left Saturday night. After torrential rains throughout yesterday morning the skies cleared and most of us who remained had decent sales.

I truly love the area. In fact this was the first time I got to venture into the downtown area. I will say though that the parking situation is absolutely HORRIBLE. There is a parking meter at every available spot and the police monitor those things like a moth on a light bulb. I was lucky. I got pulled over doing 43 mph in a 35 mph zone Saturday night but I only got a warning ticket because the cop had to head to a bar fight.

Funny thing about that. You can carry an alcoholic beverage out of a bar in any kind of container around those parts so fights are gonna happen. I'd get into a fight too if someone took my parking space even if I hadn't been drinking.