Tuesday

Today is going to be one of those "everything has to happen today" days. I have tons of sewing to do to get ready for Quilt Market, but we run a store here and sometimes it takes everyone available to make it run well. Luckily I shipped the quilt on the left off to the quilter last night and the one I am currently working on only needs a few seams and the border added to finish it off.

The weather is cool and crisp and it is a school day, the perfect combination to spur our customers into stopping by the shop. We are normally busy on beautiful fall days.

It is the first Tuesday of the month, which means we will be shipping several hundred Block of the Month packets. We do that on the first Tuesday of every month. It takes hours to process them, stamp them and deliver them to the post office. This happens every month. It is more time consuming than difficult, but interuptions can drive you nuts when you are trying to keep everything straight. Canadian postage, sales tax, no sales tax, expiration dates, it takes total concentration to get everyting processed properly.

One of our Sales Reps is due here later today to show us the new fabric line. Normally we set those appointments for early in the morning before the shop gets busy. This time we have made an exception and alowed her to schedule her appointment later in the day because she is traveling with the National Sales Manager for one of the companies she represents. What that really means is that "company is coming". Keep in mind that I design fabric for one of his competitors. I buy his fabrics as a shop owner, therefore I am also a customer. The situation makes for an interesting dance. He wants to win me over, without giving me too much information, he wants my feedback, but doesn't know if he can trust me. I love the opportunity to discuss business, but I want him out of here by 3:00 at the latest.

If that isn't enough fun for one day, we will be topping it off with a bus trip of 42 (hopefully) happy quilters that are scheduled to arrive at 3:30. They are planning a 2 hour stop at our store to shop. We are providing a demo and make-it take-it for them. I believe the trip originated somewhere in the midwest. We are one of the many shops they are visiting on their tour. I hope they are running on schedule, have a few dollars left to spend and enjoy their stop here in western PA.

Today, timing is everything.