Go Jump in the Canal

My cats each had adventures today. Ones that I don’t wish to repeat. This morning they both got outside when the maintenance man came to work on the furnace. Although the northeast is in the grips of a heat wave, the summer is the best time to service the furnace because winter is just around the corner. Anyway, he left the door open during one of his trips out to his van and the cats made a break for it. Dad spotted Phoenix and came to tell me about her escape, but being the smarter cat of the two she waltzed back inside before I could dash out. Diablo was another story. She was nowhere to be found.

Diablo is a grazer—loves eating grass and becomes so absorbed in chewing the greens that she doesn’t pay attention to where she is wandering. I called and hunted around for her and got the food can out and shook that, hoping the familiar sound would coax her home. Sure enough she came prancing across the backyard as if she has done this everyday.

Cats found and Jeep packed, I was off to Whitehall peddle my wares at the farmers market. I needed ones so I planned to stop at a bank in Fort Anne. As I pulled in my cell phone rang. It was great timing, because it is illegal to use a hand held phone while driving in New York State. It was Raymond Brody, host of the radio show Camping in the Zone, and owner of Campers Corner in Nashville and Knoxville.

He wanted to know where I was and the status of my RV adventure. I brought him up to date, explaining the RV was still in the shop with a manifold problem, but I was scheduled to hit the road at the end of July. He is ready to have me on the show and wants to do a fifteen minute interview either this Sunday or next. He’ll call me tomorrow with an identified time. YES!

So tune in. Listen to the show on the web by going to wnoxnewstalk.com and clicking on the Live Link in the upper right hand corner. The show airs 8-9 AM Eastern Time on Sunday. Or if you are in Knoxville listen to the show on WNOX 100.3 FM and in Nashville 104.5 FM, The Zone (remember that is Central Time, so that is 7 AM). I know for you who live in Hawaii this is awfully early or darn late, depending on how you look at it.

Fifteen minutes later I met George Armstrong under the big tree across from the Rescue Squad in the park alongside the Champlain Canal. George greeted me warmly and invited me to set up next to his truck where he put out his produce and plants. It was brutally hot. At first, it seemed that it was going to be just George and me. But shortly before 1 PM, Michelle and Bob showed up and we had a real farmers market going. As George promised it was small, but I sold my first three books! I didn’t jump into the canal despite the heat, however, I took pictures.

This was a good test run, for I learned that wind does blow my poster stand down and no one eats goldfish crackers which I had out on my table. My photo album was a hit and it was a great way to engage people in conversations.

Three hours later I came home all excited about my day. Besides the sales, I had a couple new leads on more farmers markets and a Hot Dog Shack that has an open mic (possible reading?) on Tuesday nights. Yes, tonight is Tuesday, but I wasn’t about to drop in without some preparation. Maybe next Tuesday, but this is way out of my comfort zone. I don’t like reading out loud.

I landed my first book signing!! Got an email from Annie Philbrick of Banks Square Books in Mystic, Connecticut saying she would love to have me come on either August 26 or 27th.

God has blessed me greatly. I just have to remember one step starts the journey.

Tomorrow I have to buckle down and follow up with my Northeast Book Stores. I am running out of time.