Did more Commonwheel Art Festival Tasks in Preparation of the meeting tonight.

Where does the time go? Spent hours preparing for the Commonwheel Art Festival meeting tonight.

I did do something for one book client to start the morning off right.

And got some work on my taxes done, but not much. I guess every bit completed helps to get me closer to having them ready to hand to my tax lady.

Got everything printed once and went to make copies. There at the shop was a committee member, working the afternoon shift! That meant she would be later than her normal few minutes. Over an hour late. Nothing to do now, but hand her a copy of the agenda to read and prepare for what she could contribute when she arrived.

Dashed off to get a rotisserie chicken – gluten free – and then home to fix the rest of the meal. I cook for my committee as a thank-you for their help. I get paid as the coordinator, so want them to know how much I appreciate them.

Besides the chicken, I fixed sweet potatoes as my roommate had a few days before. So simple and so good. Peeled them, cut them in about 1.5 inch pieces and halved them. Set them in long baking dish with Olive Oil, Agave Nectar and water about a quarter inch deep. Cooked them at 375 degrees, flipping them once for an hour of total cook time. Great new recipe.

Then I made up some really simple guacamole and had two types of chips. Pulled out the bucket of cashew brittle from the Holiday Market for desert. Put on a kettle of hot water for tea drinkers and was set to go for the night.

Everyone that came to the meeting had ideas an no one complained as the meeting went longer than normal. With 26 items on the agenda, and some were not addressed, was glad it didn’t go longer. Plus new members, and all members took on a task as we went through the agenda.

Presented a totally new concept to try to have a better profit. A community member had suggested it to me at a meeting about fundraising. Will see if it can get fleshed out more in the near future, but the committee wants to pursue it.

Other new ideas I had for advertising were well received. Even one that would cost some money. So moving forward to getting the new location well known in many ways.

Then the big ending! Looking at the poster idea, we decided to change the name a bit. What better way to celebrate the 40th Anniversary. Instead of Commonwheel Artists 40th Annual Labor Day Arts & Crafts Festival, we will drop the “s & Crafts” and become the Commonwheel 40th Annual Labor Day Art Festival. Easier to say that for advertising. Some committee members thought the “Crafts” kept real art patrons away thinking there might be “crafty” items there. Though there never has been. This is a very tightly juried art festival, and the crafts were always very high quality. Some even wanted to drop the “Labor Day”, but most thought we needed that for a bit longer to make sure people arrive on the right dates.

It will be interesting to see if anyone notices the change without being told . . .

A couple of members stayed to learn about one of the tasks that needed doing. One agreed to take it on, and the other offered to help if needed as the jury time approaches and it gets too time consuming for her alone. They both do art festivals in the summer, and this task will be finished before they get really busy. So that felt good, as it was one of the largest jobs left unclaimed after another member had quit the Gallery membership for various reasons.

Someone always asks to help with the dishes, but I tell them that by the time they drive home, I will have them done. I am grateful for not having to drive to this meeting, so seems like a fair trade off to me.

Though I am tasked with more things to follow up on, some that others can take after I get them a bit more information or a print out of the letters they need to move forward. That is just my job, and am happy others took on so many tasks tonight.

My Brother had said he would call tonight . . . but so far the phone hasn’t rung . . . maybe tomorrow I will call him.

I had not slept well last night. Not sure why. But was very annoying. None of my normal tricks worked. Was it really because I didn’t take a Percogesic? Just trying to use that less when not in real pain. But that wasn’t a good result last night. Hoping for a better sleep tonight. Added a shot of Agave just to relax a bit after this very long and fruitful meeting.