Per Bastet Publications has done its last outdoor event. I have, anyway. Enough is enough, yeah?
We were at Jeffersonville, Indiana’s Steamboat Days festival next to Tony Acree of Hydra Publications and Karen’s Book Barn, and lucky for me we were.
I can’t say I wasn’t warned. Here is the first picture I took when I got out of the car. You can see the reflection of the GothMobile, you can see the sun, and you can see the very clear Blair Witchian run-away signifier.Then there was this bumper sticker. It actually says it’s a cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof forerunner! But did I take the hint? No, I did not.
Behind our book booth was a puppet theater, and I do mean theater! The puppets were larger-than-life-size. This one is the Spirit of the Ohio River.






So everybody kept telling me what a nice day it was, and I was roasting! I fanned myself so much, my hand and wrist were sore the next day. Saturday got rough, but Sunday started out like an inferno, no matter who said otherwise.
My partners, T and Sara, kept making me drink water, and I got some ice cream (I mean, I needed to cool down, right?) but I could find nowhere to go to really cool down. Finally, author Ginny went and spoke to Tony Acree, and he tucked me under his arm and carried me off to his van and stuck me in the air conditioning. He gave me more cold water and told me to stay there for an hour, when the festival closed. Said I was doing him a favor by cooling his car off for him.
So it looks like I’ve deliberately flirted with heatstroke for the last time. Yeah, we sold some books, and I had a whale of a good time, but I don’t have enough brains left to risk ’em.
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Your character goes to a festival and wishes he/she hadn’t.
MA
Carol Preflatish
September 8, 2016 at 8:00amThat’s exactly why I only did one outdoor event this summer and it was in a pole barn, AND hot. I did find a small battery operated table fan at Walmart that probably saved me that day.
Marian Allen
September 8, 2016 at 8:03amI like fresh air, but Mr. Sunshine is not my friend. Glad you found that fan!
Joey
September 8, 2016 at 8:40amI can’t take the heat and the sun for long, either. Glad you got into some cooler, safer place.
The second story doors always fascinate me, and I love that they’re gonna turn that little federal building into a cafe! That will be charming, I’m sure.
Great doors! π
Marian Allen
September 8, 2016 at 8:53amI’m so happy when a great building gets a new lease on life!
janet
September 8, 2016 at 9:04amDoors on the second floor are always fascinating and food for thought! π
janet
Marian Allen
September 8, 2016 at 12:16pmI’m guessing there was an outside staircase and a walkway, or possibly a wider second-floor balcony. Originally an outside entrance to the servants’ quarters? You’re right — it fuels the imagination.
Dan Antion
September 8, 2016 at 12:41pmYay for being restored and Yay(2) Yay-squared for corner door. And a puppet representing the Ohio River(note: In Pittsburgh that would be pronounced “a-hi-ya” ) Yay-to-the-third or yay-cubed!
Marian Allen
September 8, 2016 at 10:08pmπ It was a beautiful puppet show! The gigantic Lewis and Clarkes were kinda creepy, though. And there were so many doors, I nearly got run down trying to snap them. So I didn’t.
Roy A Ackerman, PhD, EA
September 8, 2016 at 9:56pmIt doesn’t help when climate change ensures we have way too many ‘hotter than Hades’ events.
Marian Allen
September 8, 2016 at 10:09pmYou are SO RIGHT!
Norman Frampton
September 9, 2016 at 7:01amSomehow I knew it was a renovation permit and not a demolition notice: call me an optimist π
I really can’t take the heat either and lately it has been rough.
There’s always an excuse for ice-cream isn’t there?
Marian Allen
September 9, 2016 at 10:13amALWAYS! Especially with DIY toppings!