Audra Coldiron

We just finished our first "big" tradeshow. Actually it was our first tradeshow ever: The East Cost Gift Expo, right here in our own backyard. We had really high expectations based on how we did in our test marketing meaning the arts and crafts shows. We started setting up our booth on Friday and immediately upon entrance we felt a little overwhelmed. People were busy setting up all kinds of HUGE booths big enough to be entire stores with all sorts of products. There were were with only one product. Alli kept giggling and asking, "do you think we're out of our league???" The more we walked around the more intimidated we got.

I left early for Alli to complete the set up so Quinn and I could attend the semi-annual Vegan Candlelight Dinner at Salisbury University with The Egans. This year it was a Shakespeare theme so the tables were set up banquet style with candelabras as a center piece as opposed to the usual round tables with more conservative centerpieces. We met the Egan's at their house along with another couple with a 6 year old girl who is a friend of Liam's. The kids put on shakespeare-esque costumes and we all caravaned to the school.

Well, actually that's what we were supposed to do but I had to stop off to make a deposit on a cabinet drawer I needed repaired. Quinn and I arrived at the dinner 15 minutes or so later after climbing a hill, walking over a lawn and getting to plenty of locked doors and dead ends trying to get in the correct building. I could see people eating, I just couldn't find the entrance. Finally I found it and we reunited with our friends.

The meal was a multi-course gourmet vegan cuisine delight who's dishes were named and inspired from Shakespeare's plays. Very collegiate, I know. Everything was also on the sweet side. As we walked in we got a cup of wassel which is basically like a hot spiced apple cider. The first course was a sweet cider and sweet potato soup which was delicious and Quinn refused to eat. The second course was a salad with golden raisins, craisins, walnuts, and dried currants topped with a sweet raspberry vinegarette. Between the main course which consisted of "sweet" rice (on of the only things that wasn't sweet), a spinach tart, and a sweet potato, squash, and apple loaf, was a dish of pear-pomegranate sorbet that Quinn devoured. We sat around for a long time waiting for the main course to be served at our table and finally said something when they started talking about desert. Turns out the completely missed our table and once served some things on the plate were a little cold. For desert we had a pumpkin tofu "cheesecake" which tasted exactly like a cheesecake to me.

Because we were the last to be served we were also the last to leave.
Quinn spent the night with me and the next morning we got up, ate breakfast, picked up Dalton and Neva and went over to Coco's at 10:00am for Liam's b-day party. Coco's is in a small shopping mall right next to Hancock Fabric so I picked up some thread. Next to Coco's was this old fashioned clothing store that is now going out of business. What luck!!! I was just wishing we had a manikin for our Tradeshow booth display so I went in a asked if they could sell me a manikin. Turns out they had a man's torso that they sold me for $50 that ended up working perfectly.

After the party I dropped Quinn off with Mike and headed over to help Alli complete the set up. I had to leave early again because we (Quinn and I) were invited to Jessica's to have dinner along with the Johnson's. Jessica and John cooked a fabulous meal and Juliet brought the meal's bookends: Appetizer and desert. We unfortunately had to decline and after dinner card game and head home so I could get some work done before the next day which was the start of the Tradeshow. As I told Juliet we had absolutely no idea what to expect the next day other than we were told Sunday would be slow and Monday would be the busiest day of the four.

I arrived right at 9:30 to set up the computer and to see how it was and if Alli was going to need me. Turned out she didn't so I left sometime before lunch to come home to sew. Monday I stayed the entire day because we thought it was going to be so busy. Again, it wasn't nearly as busy as we expected (the turn "off the hook" was used) and Alli even left early to go home and change to go to the Expo party at Seacrets I insisted she attend. I thought it would be like the music business where you make most of your contacts "hanging out". I babysat her kids and she and Jasun returned in a couple hours with the news that it was kind of lame and an old timer we met and became friends with told her not to hand out business cards there because it was "tacky".

The next day I didn't even go over based on Monday's traffic, but that turned out to be the busiest. I sewed all morning then picked up Quinn, the last share of the CSA in Salisbury, went out to dinner, and came home to make cookies. We built a fire in the woodstove, ate our baked goods, and watched a kid's documentary on big trucks until Quinn fell asleep on the couch. I finished my sewing then we both went to bed.

The next morning I planned on lounging around with Quinn until I read my email which I didn't check one last time before I went to bed. Alli needed me to bring some hang tags for a cash and carry order that was to be picked up the next day. I got dressed, got Quinn dressed, left him with Mike, and headed over. I ended up staying until the end.

At first we were bummed out because we weren't making the big sales we thought we were going to "write down" (tradeshow lingo we learned). We thought we were just going to sit back and take down big orders over 1,000pcs. Turns out any store who bought stuff only bought 1 rack of 30. We learned we had to be as aggressive with the buyers as we are with individuals at the arts and crafts shows. The difference is the buyers at the tradeshows buy racks and have the potential to re-order and be long term customers. We do make our investment back and some great contacts and we felt lucky that we were able to get our feet wet right here at home. The next tradeshow which everyone says is much busier is in 2 weeks in Myrtle Beach, SC. We are on the waiting list to get in but even if we do get in I won't be going since it is 2 weeks before my due date. Alli will go with Jasun's aunt if there is a cancellation.

Lately I've been feeling very anxious about everything and I've been on edge. I feel uncertain about the future and my personal life. However, Mike came over the other day and did the sweetest thing. He brought me my favorite meal from my favorite restaurant, and sat me down on the couch. He took my hands, kissed them (which he knows I'm a sucker for) and looked into my eyes in a way he hasn't in a long time. He said he had been doing a lot of thinking and realizes how much he loves me and that I'm his "guardian angel". He assured me in the most tender and sincere way that he will always be there for me and the baby at all times and no matter what happens in the future he will always take care of me. He called me by my old pet name "poo", and gave me a soft kiss on my forehead. I have to admit, my heart melted. All bad feelings or anxiety I had just seemed to disappear all at once. We just sat there holding each other. I am very hopeful that this is the turning point in our relationship. He has agreed to "email mediation" suggested by Catherine and Adam Kegley as a alternative to counseling. Knowing Mike they thought he would be more comfortable with that.

Tomorrow my local girlfriends, my mom, and Holly (Mike's mom) are meeting for a late lunch in Berlin, MD. They wanted to throw me a baby shower, but since I don't need anything I agreed to lunch instead. We were going to do afternoon tea but that place never got back to Chrys in time.

Here's to a positive future and great things to come!