The View

 No, it's not what you think!  This is THE VIEW from my cashier's seat at the Elks Lodge.  There has been WAY too many events for my weak constitution this week.  I had to get a chair and sit down.  

Welcome to the Vendor Faire at the lodge.  It probably should have been set up outside, but it was 42 degrees the night before and no one wanted to be cold.  Luckily we warm up quick round here because by 9:00 when the vendors arrived, it was a lovely 62.  

Here's a better view from my much taller barstool.  The place was so packed with vendors you could barely walk around.  On the exact same day (someone needs to be the calendar czar) we had a kids Hoop Shoot (a basketball tournament) just down the street AND we cooked and fed 200 folks out at another event I will explain shortly.

One of our members asked for donations for a bakery table, the proceeds going to the lodge.  There were six plates of cookies, two pies, three dozen brownies and 60 cupcakes I had to stare at.  Oh the temptations!!

MY menu consisted of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and soda.  Luckily I never, even ONCE, spilled a drink on the floor.  That brought in over $500, a surprising amount.  The table of goodies, another $200, minus four cupcakes. 

Everyone kept asking what the flavor was.  I had NO idea, so after the third question, I grabbed a knife and we quartered four of them.  Strawberry, pineapple (??), lemon and vanilla.  WOW!!!  The cherries are on pineapple upside-down cake.  YUM!!

There was only one problem.  Isn't there always??  One of our members came down with a receipt and wanted me to give her change.  I didn't have any ... only bills.  She bought something upstairs at the bar and wanted to put the money here.  This is a separate event and I could not include it.  She got quite testy, more than testy in fact, so I took the money.

Then I find out she went in the kitchen, ordered a huge plate of French fries which were NOT on our menu.  The kitchen crew, not knowing any better, cooked them up.  Had I known I would have put a stop to it.  She then proceeded to walk through the entire building, showing off her fries (along with the smell) to everyone.  NOOOOO .....

It wasn't ten seconds before guys started coming up wanting fries.  I'm sorry, but they are not on our short menu.  WELL SHE HAS THEM!!  The madness (and anger) ensued.  No more fries were cooked, and the kitchen crew warned NEVER to do that again!!  There's always one troublemaker!!

I knew I shouldn't take cash in the building, but I did.  It's a good thing I didn't bring that new credit card I just received in the mail!!  Here's my new gorgeous Christmas wreath for the house.  Did I ever tell you I tried making these?  So simple!!

Cut the terribly scratchy ribbon in pieces, roll them up and tie on a wire frame.  I think I got all of four inches done on ONE ring when I tossed the entire thing in the closet.  It's still there.  Good grief, it's more than worth the price to let them make it.

While all of that was going on, our crew cooked up hot dogs for the OTHER group putting up our Flags of Honor.  Every service member in our County is honored with a flag and a picture (if possible) attached, along with their name and a little history.  This is Ken, the Chairman of our Veterans committee.  He's one of the hardest working guys I know.  Hopefully I'll have more pictures of this later.

I came home broke and exhausted.  Mr. Cooper and I crashed on the couch.  Sadly, it looks like rain on Monday, which will put a damper on our Veterans parade.  Hopefully it will bring out twice as many Veterans for our free lunch Monday afternoon.  Oh yeah, we are expecting over 300 folks for dinner.  It's going to be another BIG work day.  

In the meantime, I'm off to pick up fabric and panels for Veteran quilts before I get caught up in any more volunteer jobs.  It is definitely going to be a day of rest for moi!!!