Operation Hand Made

The crafty ideas had been brewing in my head even before my mother and I went to stay at the hospital. I had signed up to have a craft stall for one day at the Plymouth Fall Festival. My mom was supposed to be in the hospital for three days maximum, so I thought that would leave us plenty of time to prepare. I hadn’t planned on ten days.

I had a stack of half finished bags, some earrings, and bears whose bodies needed sewing. Plus the day after we returned home, I had to start working from home again – modified London hours – 5:30 a.m. Thank God for telephones and the internet which have allowed me to work from home.

I had signed up for the stall because I had visions of my mom and I leisurely sewing together preparing our handmade goods. Yeah right. By the time she got out of hospital, I only had four days to prepare. Not two weeks. After working a full London day, I was appliquing, hand stitching teddy bears, and sewing. Seeing as I was struggling, my mother (only just out of hospital) took control of the sewing machine (didn’t I say she was strong like an ox) and left me in her dust of her old Singer. We finished everything Friday night.

Saturday morning 8 a.m., my stall was ready for the annual sunrise pancake crowd. I waited. . .

and waited. . .

and waited. . .