These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Saturday night

OK, about "the shindig" ... We had a reception at the Gallery for two gentlemen who combined for an unusual and fun exhibit. One suspended several of his model airplanes from the ceiling. Now, these are not, repeat not, the model airplanes my brother flew half a century ago, the twelve to eighteen inches in wingspan, balsa wood and paper models. These were six feet to fourteen feet from tip to tip! Gorgeous airplanes!

To accompany those were aerial photographs of Lincoln County and taken by the second man. Wonderful detail of the villages and several landmarks of the area were enlarged to about 14x18 and hung as backdrops to the planes. What a cool combination!

Neither of these gentlemen is an "artist" as we normally think of it. They don't have planes and photos around in various galleries for sale. But when you see these things, you wonder why not. The exhibit opened a few days ago, and the reception was to invite people to see it and meet the two incredible gents. A big PR moment for the Gallery and for me as the PR designee for the Gallery.

Our response from the articles and ads I'd prepared was phenomenal. The Gallery was full of our patrons and the friends of the two guys. Several people sought me out to compliment me on the PR and on the informational brochures I'd prepared regarding the show. One of those who complimented me was the wife of the airplane owner, so I felt good that she was pleased. I'd met her before when I went to photograph his planes. She is an artist of reasonable stature in our area, so it doesn't hurt that she knows and appreciates my work.

I wound up spending the first hour of the reception behind the bar, pouring wine and shoving lime in the necks of Corona. Now, I've never been a bartender in my life, but I'm thinking that I might be wise to remember that as a potential next career! NOT!! No, I did fine, but I wouldn't want to do that all the time. Boss Man promised to arrange for a "real" bartender next time. I don't think he thought so many would show up, and had planned on a more or less self-serve process.

He also hired the local ice cream truck to sit outside so everyone could have free ice cream all evening. Great fun, and it became a really good thing, as the Gallery became hot with all the bodies in there! I had two, but don't tell anyone! And two Coronas. And lots of cheese (locally made), crackers, fresh fruit and cookies. No dinner, but who cared!

Anyway, it was a smashingly fun evening. An absolute success, and we know now that we will do something similar for any following featured artists. And, feather in my cap, I sold over $2500 in the two hours prior to the reception beginning! EEEeeehawwww!

I woke this morning to a heavy dense fog. I could barely see beyond the trees in front of my house. I'd guess visibility was about twenty to thirty feet! It just ebbed and waned all morning, finally lifting just a bit when I left for work about 11:00. It has been cool all day long, in the 60's I think. I fortunately wore a light sweater set and I didn't take off the top layer all day.

Yesterday when I left to run some errands, I was driving down my little gravel road about twenty miles an hour when a jackrabbit jumped out in front of the truck, then ran straight down the road in front of me for about a hundred feet or so! Stupid rabbit! He was going pretty close to my speed, so obviously, they are fast! He didn't look like he was working very hard, however. This afternoon as I came home, it happened again! This time, he was in front of me for only about twenty feet or so.

Day before yesterday I drove in about the same place, and was watching for a big dog that stands at his fence and barks at cars that pass by, when something in the vegetation between the road and fence moved and charged next to the fence toward the gate. It was a tiny little baby goat, a kid! He got to the gate and couldn't get in so he ran back the other way. I decided I should check on him, so I backed up and he ran toward the gate again. I pulled in the driveway and honked my horn. The woman who lives there came out and was frustrated because she can't figure out how he is getting out! His brother was inside and they were both baa-ing at each other, the dog was barking (not loudly, but still a noise), and it was just utter chaos! Anyway, she opened the gate and the little bugger bounded inside and both babies ran like crazy for the back of the yard! Baby goats are adorable! People keep goats around here to keep the land cleared of undergrowth. I wouldn't mind having one to help keep the brush at bay, but then traveling would be a problem.

Hmmm. I've had a rather eclectic weekend, haven't I? It was fun, so I surely won't complain! Hope you all had good ones, too!

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Note added 9/10/07 8:30 AM:

I suddenly wondered about the word I used, "shindig." I assumed it might come from having your shins beat up during dancing. Well.... not quite. but maybe? Here it is:

shindig
Origin: 1857

On the American Frontier (1676), the partying sometimes grew strenuous. During the course of the nineteenth century, we came up with an appropriate name for it: shindig. The word may well have come from shindy, meaning "a row or commotion," known since the 1830s. To cut shindies was "to make a ruckus." By the late 1850s, someone evidently had mistaken shindy for a mispronunciation of shin dig, a kick in the shins, such as might happen during the course of a shindy. An 1859 dictionary of Americanisms indeed defined shindig as "a blow on the shins. Southern."

Shindig in the sense of "a boisterous dance or party" made its way to the West, appearing in a Bret Harte story in 1871: "'Is this a dashed Puritan meeting?' 'It's no Pike County shindig.'" We are more laid back about the shindigs we hold nowadays; no matter how noisy, they rarely involve bruises.

Now we all are just a wee bit smarter than we were! :)

8 comments:

  1. Glad you had a great weekend. ;-)

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  2. Congrats on the successful gallery soiree! Wow! You are good woman!

    Awwww I heart goats. I used to have one when I was in middle school.

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  3. Daisy - Thankee, thankee very much, Ma'am!

    Patti - Thanks! I try to be the best I can. And I try to remember those areas that I need to let someone else take the lead!

    They are cute, aren't they? Very popular around here, of course, with the tons of undergrowth to keep under control.

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  4. Wow, sounds like you had a fun weekend. And you are too funny, putting the definition of "shindig" :-).

    Congrats on a great showing!

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  5. Dawn - Isn't that definition humorous? Thinking of how we use it today makes it even funnier, I think. Thanks!

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  6. I learn something from your blog daily. Shindig....

    Sounds like a fun weekend.

    I have seen those planes. They are amazing.

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  7. I learn something from your blog daily. Shindig....

    Sounds like a fun weekend.

    I have seen those planes. They are amazing.

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  8. Pepper - LOL! Just consider me your Wikipedia, or shall I call it the Lynipedia? The planes - I'd never seen them up close and I was wowwed!

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!