I’ve been so busy of late I decided to take today off.  My only task this morning was to can another ten jars of Bread & Butter pickles.  The garden is producing ridiculous numbers of cucumbers, zucchini’s, and beans, making it a little difficult to keep up. 

‘Before’

‘After’

I really hope to get a little reading done over the next few days. Last weekend we visited a local fair at St. Matthews church in Limerick, ME. This is an event that we try never to miss. It’s a three day event and draws quite a crowd from southern Maine. It consists of a huge flea market where you can still find a treasure or two for a very low price.  Over the years I’ve found quite a few jewels and this year was no different.  I found two stainless steel stock pots in like new condition without a mark on then for $15.00. If I tried to buy them at a retail store it would have been more like $50.00.

There were crowds of people everywhere but as always the biggest crowd was in the book tent.  Tens of thousands of books, sorted on tables, and being rummaged through by hundreds of people.  I normally am able to buy enough books to keep me reading for most of the Winter for less than $20.00. It’s hardback books for a buck and paperbacks for $.50 each.  I bought so many I had two make two trips to the car to unload the bag.  I may be a big fan of the Ereader’s but at these prices I’ll take a step back to reading actual books anytime.  I still like the feel of the book in my hands and turning each page manually.  An Ereader is more convenient to be sure but old habits are hard to break.

‘My Winter Stash’

Another thing I look forward to are the french fries.  I’ve been on a no-carb diet for almost a year but there are certain occasions that demand that I eat some greasy, salty, and crunchy fries.  I pigged out and with the help of my better-half, her daughter and her husband, and the grandson, we totally destroyed a giant box of fries along with half a bottle of ketchup.  It was sinfully delicious.

The grandson who is just now starting to speak spent most of his time near the tent where they sell used children’s toys.  He was drawn to a hot looking plastic Camaro with flashing red lights and shiny decals.  That should keep him occupied for a week or so making it an excellent investment.

They offer some minor gambling with a chuck-a-luck wheel, a greenhouse selling plants, and a host of other food booths.  The odd clown or two doing face painting for the kids and a huge barbecue cooking area loaded with roasting beef and chicken.  The aroma is almost overwhelming.  I like all of it except for those clowns that always seem to roaming around the grounds and showing up right next to me. After all these years they still creep me out.

‘Yikes!’

The better-half, the daughter, and the grandson are leaving on a road trip tomorrow heading south to Delaware and then on to Ocean City, Maryland. They’ll be meeting up some of her family members for a few beach days and a night or two on the Boardwalk. I guess I can expect another silly baseball hat and T-shirt to add to my collection. That also means a week off from everything on my better-half’s Honey-Do list.  I’ll be able to read a few books, relax on the deck with the cat, and clear my head a little. 

It should be a good week for us all.