10th Green Living Expo

Saturday was the 10^th Green Living Expo at MCC. Pat and I have done vendor check in at the crack of dawn for several years now. We’re a good team because we are not only good buddies but also outdoorsy types who know how to dress for the weather. One time I had to bundle up in coveralls and pack boots. Last year, we were practically in shirt sleeves. At 5:00 Saturday morning, I heard rain on the window well cover. Shoot. The radar looked like we were in for wet conditions at least all morning. The temperature was in the mid-40’s, too cold for my waxed cotton coat. I thought that my winter coat was fairly waterproof. I also put on my new Gander Mountain rain pants, wool socks, and my Big Lady winter boots, which are warmer than my Wellies.

Kim, our Sustainability Director, took this picture of us at 7:50 (the clock was conveniently in the background) when we were still dry but about to take our post.

Pat and me ready to take our post outside

Our job was to stop the vendors, give them a packet that included a map to where their table was, point to the door where they were to unload, and ask them to please move their car as soon as possible to the parking area so others could unload. We set up a tent so we would have some shelter from the rain, there was too much wind to put the tent where it could be seen from the road. I watched the entrance road for potential vendors and left the shelter of the tent to hold the vendor check-in sign where they could see me as they drove in. The rain, blown horizontal by the wind, hit me in the face. I stopped the car (sometimes with vigorous flagging down) and shouted the company name to Pat, who located the packet while I pointed out the doors. Then we cheerfully thanked them for coming and hoped that they had a great day.

My coat was not as waterproof as I thought, but I made it through the two hours of check-ins without it soaking through. The rain pants were definitely a good decision. The only point of weakness was my mittens, which were more absorbent than repellant. When it got too hard to get them on and off as needed, I left them off.

We still had a bunch of envelopes left at 10:00. Leslie, another volunteer, went through them and found several who had slipped by us. We figured anyone who had missed the check-in window would just have to get their packet inside. We’d had enough. I went back to my office to take off my coat, boots, and rain pants and put on my shoes. Pat did the same in a room near the Expo. We joined Nancy, who had been hanging around all morning waiting for Pat to get done, and proceeded to the Expo.

New this year was the Artist Walk. These tables in the hall were less expensive than the vendor tables in the gym to attract people who repurposed materials as hobbies rather than businesses. One of our colleagues signed up for a table to sell pillows made from old quilts. Another co-worker was selling nature photographs. There were also a couple of women who made jewelry from old buttons, golf tees, and other small things. There was also a table of ceramics. I wasn’t sure what the sustainable angle of that was, but the bowls and plates were lovely. I was impressed with the quality and creativity of the objects for sale.

The Artist Walk

We were just getting started in the gym, when here comes Hilda. She was nearly done and headed home. After hugs all around, she went on her way. After we did the circuit, Nancy went back to the soap vendor to pick out three bars at $8.00 each. It was her birthday splurge. I am not much into smelly soaps, but some of these smelled quite good.

Nancy picks out soap

In the course of conversation, I mentioned that I planned to buy lunch at the Expo. Pat immediately invited me to join them for Nancy’s birthday lunch at BBQ King in Woodstock. Pat had a $30 gift card, and a third person would be just about right to spend that much. They were going to go to a kitchen shop in Crystal Lake before lunch. I told them to go ahead. I hadn’t see the tiny house yet, and I can always find things to do in my office. They could text me when they were headed to lunch.

I put my coat back on and went out to the tiny house. It was still raining, but the tiny house was getting a steady stream of visitors. The Green Living Expo had an unfinished tiny house with a loft two years ago. Last year, the tiny house didn’t make it because of a broken trailer hitch. That was a bummer because we’d done a good deal of promotion based on the tiny house, and there were people that came to the Expo for no other reason. This year’s tiny house was completely decorated. I liked all the windows. Tiny houses are so cute. I might be able to live in one by myself. More often, I think I would like one as a writer’s studio/guest house. Probably I will never get one.

Tiny house

This is the tiny bathroom. The toilet has a bag to collect the equivalent of 25 flushes (or thereabout). The bag then needs to go to a high-temperature compost facility. It has a full bath with shower.

The tiny bathroom

This is the tiny kitchen. A fold down table is opposite the sink/stove/refrigerator.

Tiny kitchen

And here is the bed and TV. I would not have a TV in my tiny house.

Tiny bedroom

I went to my office to wait for Pat’s text. I still had some trouble getting my cold hand to work as I fumbled with my key. I checked my email and did a little work before I got the message that they were on their way.

 We had a fun lunch. When I got home, I wanted nothing more than a nice cup of hot tea. That segued nicely to a little nap. Even though I’d been dressed appropriately, I was exhausted from spending that much time being pelted with cold rain.

When I lay down to sleep last night, I stretched out between the flannel sheets under the quilts. I am not always present in the moment, but right then, I could only think, “I am warm. I am dry. I am out of the wind.” It was a great feeling.