Heading out

Today I am up ultra early, so that I can have my morning coffee, be dress and out the door pretty much at first light. We have had snow (about 3" as of my measurement on the deck last evening) with sleet/freezing rain coming down over that when I took the measurement) and I want to walk the drive and hopefully have time to do some shoveling, if necessary, to help me get out this morning.

I have an 8 AM appt to get the car inspected, in Bangor, some banking and bill-paying as well, but then the fun part... a small road trip to Washington County for a visit with my friend, farmer Robin. She wants to talk with me about the wheel of the year, it would seem, and I need to claim my head. No, not the old joke about losing it, were it not well affixed... her husband shot a small bear late this fall and they have been saving the head for me in cold storage. Bear is my totem and I have plans for the head. With any luck we will also have lunch with some mutual friends in the area. I expect we will talk a lot about seeds, seasons and gardening, too. At least SHE has got her seed catalogues! I am still waiting...

On less delightful news, I will be carrying along a jug of cranberry juice to swig on the trip, as I awoke to an irritation "down there" when I got up to pee. Minor, but annoying... K had said a few days ago that my breath had a particular odor that he associated with being/getting ill, though I had none of the "I'm coming down with something" feelings that precede a cold or the flu, so maybe this is where it decided to settle. In any case, past experience has shown me that a day of "forcing" bogberry juice and water generally does the trick, but in this case the real trick will be to do this and manage to GET to Robin's without having to stop at every gas station restroom along the way. LOL

Once the inspection hurdle has been cleared, K will be totally legal as a Maine resident. Brandi is as well, having made a visit to town hall yesterday after the local rabies shot clinic at the vets office to get her license too.

My final hurdle jumping will have to wait until Spring (or at least "January thaw" if we get a good one) as I have the farm plates for the truck, but it needs new tires before its inspection, even as a farm truck, and it needs good conditions (that is, not ICE) for getting out of the driveway.

On other news, somehow my lackadasical non-marketing of my design business here in Maine is nevertheless generating inquiries. I had one recently from a tourism panel in Bangor requesting a quote on trade show booth design. That is NOT in our list of services, so I wrote them a polite letter informing them of that fact and letting them know what we DO specialize in and apparently they have a print project as well in the works, for which they will soon be soliciting design quotes, and will send me an RFQ. Then yesterday, a large printing company from the Lewiston, ME area called to touch base, as apparently they often get requests for design referrals from the Bangor area. I did not think to ask where she found us... but I am plotting to pay them a visit within the month... likely next time I have 3 consecutive days off.

I spent part of yesterday completing a 2 foot square, hanging shelf unit for storing my hex paints (for the indoor designs). It did not go together perfectly... I only had a bit of wood to cut and opted to use hand tools in the warmth of the Craft room instead of digging out the power tools in the frigid garage, but it will hold paint and that is the main thing. It will allow me to have all the colors grouped and visible and in order, which will help me be more productive.

I'm beginning to see some light in the sky, so I'd best be digging out my "digging out duds" and walking the shovel down the drive. I know for sure the snow plow went by twice and even if I deem the rest of the drive passable, it would be good to eliminate that snow pile.