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As we move into spring, we find ourselves looking ahead to the upcoming market season, and we are experiencing what we refer to as pre-season jitters. Now that all the pandemic restrictions have been lifted, we are looking forward to a more normal market season. We will once again be allowed to use table covers decorative props, and we won’t have to worry about social distancing. At least, that is the hope for the new market season.
It is also the time of year when The Bibbed Wonder and I will begin locking horns over the market display. Sigh. He just doesn’t get the importance of aesthetics, nor does he appreciate my creative flair. He will argue over things like flowers, seasonal props, signage, and anything cute but unnecessary. He will also try to dictate the setup inside the tent. You see, The Bibbed Wonder is a creature of habit, and he hates change. On the other hand, I get bored and love changing up things, tweaking, and keeping things fresh.
Eric and I have been together for almost twenty years. We go to the same restaurant, Luigi’s in Clymer, for special occasions. We have always gone to Luigi’s…always. For the past twenty years, Eric has ordered the same meal: chicken maria with a side of spaghetti, salad with ranch dressing, stuffed dough as an appetizer, a Coke, and Italian chocolate chip pie for dessert. I can order for him. One time in the past twenty years, he has ordered something different. He went out of his comfort zone and ordered shrimp parmesan. I found his departure from the ordinary a bit unnerving. You see, he is the calm to my chaos, the logic to my irrational, the unmovable boulder in my storm. I make fun of him for his rigidity, but it is one of the things I appreciate about him. He’s my constant: my constant pain in the a$$, my constant source of annoyance, my constant source of irritation…I jest. When he finds a good thing, he sticks with it.
However, he needs to let me do what I do well regarding products and displaying them. He will battle with me, grumble and growl, but he will let me do what I want unless it is really outlandish or complicated. Locking horns over the display is just part of our constant routine. We are bantering about new display shelves currently. Last year, I got new table covers and finally gave up my adorable but messy burlap. Our friend, who has been near us at the market since we began going to the market, said she didn’t know what she would do without watching our weekly argument over burlap table skirts. Our departure from the ordinary shook up Trish as well.
We have a bit of time to iron out the details. The first day of the Ligonier Country Market is May 21st. We are looking forward to it, as always. I have almost two months to decide on our tent display, shelving issues, decorations, and signage. However, two months will fly by, and I have to make decisions now. We are ahead of the game regarding products and seasonal soaps. The foaming hand soap is well underway, and we are hoping to have our body wash ready for the market as well. I’m trying to enjoy the excitement of the new products and not get caught up in being nervous about the market.
Eric has a bit of time to adjust to all the changes I want to make. He will fight me on everything, which is annoying, but it is just one more facet to our constant. If he didn’t put up a bit of a fight, I suppose I would find him dull. It isn’t always fun to have someone give in to your every whim. Although I would not be averse to trying it out for just a bit, insert a wink. As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, appreciate the constants in your world, and keep washing your hands.
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