Yesterday, and the annual McGregor Christmas market, have been a long time coming. Yes, we've technically known about it since the last one, but not in the format that happened this year. I'll spare some of the minutiae bar a few that were material to me. Firstly, and even though I'd been nagging for certain things to happen since August, and eventually given up, the new Tourism Committee came to the party (literally), at the last minute and, with a great deal of team effort, pulled everything together. In six weeks. Not without drama, as you'll see.
Below, a summary of my offerings which I started cooking weeks ago, and then, from last Sunday, a different product each day, plus Friday.
If you're wondering about the smudge under the scotch eggs, Gandalf is responsible:
So that was on Friday, and although I wasn't involved with the set up, people insisted on getting me involved. We had more rain. It held off long enough for the tents (there were two, from different suppliers) to be erected. Then the heavens opened. Again.
This was one of the tents at 6pm on Friday evening. We'd been informed about it so went to look.
Do not ask me why the provider had used a dead, yes, a dead tree as an anchor post. That tree was killed off in the drought and has been dead for at least two years. That means its roots have rotted. Even I know this. Then after 40mm of rain and more falling, to tie a tent to it, and expect it to bear its wet weight, beggars belief.
Before that drama, I spent the day doing my usual Friday cooking and dressing some of my wares for Christmas. This is just a few of them. At least three of every single one of my products, except the ones that are refrigerated, ended up with ribbons.
The day dawned, but the sun didn't rise - that we could see. I got up at 4am. Partly because I couldn't sleep, but mainly because I had a sh*t load to do. It was raining. As I went about my business, it stopped raining. Then it started again. When we eventually started loading up, there was a smur and as we had to walk under trees, they dropped very large drops on us as we passed.
Thank heavens (ha!) we had planned not only the gazebo, but also to take both vehicles. At least we could potentially keep stock dry. It was muddy underfoot: soil in McGregor holds water for a long time because it's mostly clay and the bedrock is shale. That, and with Monday's cloudburst 100mm of rain had fallen by 8am on Saturday. It's no wonder the fncking tree fell over.
By the time the gates opened, the rain had stopped and we were all ready.
That's my stall with the Christmas bunting. To the left, Janet, and to the right, Susan. In total there were five Gazebos all lashed together and, as TS said, when he did it, that if the wind came up, and blew us away, nobody would feel left out! The wind, like the rain, stayed away...
Yes, the tree is gone. The provider was there when we arrived, so at 08h15, we started setting up to the dulcet tones of a chain saw.
I wish I had more photos - especially of the stalls inside the hall. Alas, though, I just didn't have the time or when things calmed down, the energy. As you can see from SY's photo, people came. In droves.
By the time I got into the hall, stallholders were packing up their wares...
Was it a good day? Unequivocally, yes. Am I tired, oh, absolutely. Would I do it again? With the new team and their work ethic and can-do attitude, in a heartbeat.
Watch this space for the Easter market come April. Work on that will begin in January. Not six weeks before D-day.
Until next time, be well
Fiona
The Sandbag House
McGregor, South Africa
Photo: Selma
Post script
If this post might seem familiar, it's because I'm doing two things:
- re-vamping old recipes. As I do this, I am adding them in a file format that you can download and print. If you download recipes, buy me a coffee. Or better yet, a glass of wine....?
- and "re-capturing" nearly two years' worth of posts.
- From Wordpress, I use the Exxp Wordpress plugin. If this rocks your socks, click here or on on the image below to sign up.
- Join Hive using this link and then join us in the Silver Bloggers' community.
Original artwork: @artywink
- lastly, graphics are created using partly my own photographs, images available freely available on @hive.blog and Canva.