The Ports Are Packed!

The ports are packed (I figure most of you know by now that I mean suitcases when I say 'port'!!), the patterns are folded and packaged (phew!), the bears have been told to be on their best behaviour and we're off on a road trip! "Get your motor runnin', get out on the highway ... Born to be wiiiiiiiild!!" Tee! Hee Hee! Suddenly having a mental picture of fuzzy bikies roaring along the highway with the wind blowing their fur!! I do, in fact, have my own bear bikie gang ... but that's a story for another day!!

The Tag Along Teddies Road train is heading west - ish! To my hometown of Mundubbera because I'm teaching a two day bear making class in the next town over, Gayndah. It's been a bit of a mad rush this week to get patterns printed and packed whilst fitting in a session of sewing with Miss Mary and the girls from Fresh Hope, a catch-up coffee with my Nutrimetics lady, not to mention my 'grown up' job, where this week I've been holding down the fort while my boss was away. I was a bit worried for a while that the Indians would overrun the fort like in the old western movies, but we survived to tell the tale! Tee! Hee! Hee! As a result, most of the packing had to be done yesterday afternoon.


Here's the box of patterns for sale and my box of 'bear bits' and tools, ready to be loaded into the boot of the car. Looks nice and tidy and organised, doesn't it? Now look at the result of preparations on the sewing room ...


Hmmmm ... not so tidy and organised! In fact, it looks like a Craft Bomb exploded and my sewing room was ground zero!! Guess what the first job on next week's list of "Things To Do" will be!! Yep, excavating the sewing room! Wonder if "Time Team" is available to take part in the archaeological dig!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

And of course, the furry babies had to be prepared. So ... can you guess what's in this port?


My 'bearbies' weren't all that impressed with their accommodations, but it's the best I could do considering what has to fit into my little two-door hatchback Ford Festiva!! And I'll use the port at the workshop as my display case, so, two birds, one stone!! Not that I would hurt birds ....!! However, I digress! Actually, I love this port (OK, so I love old ports in general!) because if you look VERY closely, there are two tags on/near the handle.


One is a paper tag that has been put on at a train or bus station and has the name "I. M. Kent" on it. This is my beloved Geek Boy's Gran Kent, who is 93 years young and still going strong, though she does have the same conversation with you every 10 minutes, because she's forgotten she's had it!! The second tag is the little metal plate which has the name "A. A. Dean" on it. This is the original owner of the port, Gran Kent's father, GB's great-grandfather. The photo doesn't show it very clearly because the flash reflects off the metal, but it's quite clear in person. I think this is part of the reason I love old ports - they each have a story to tell! This one is just a little closer to home and all the more special for it!

Now, however, it's time for me to pack MY port and load up. Hmmm ... wonder how we're going to fit all that I've shown you, plus two overnight bags for GB and I, plus two dogs, plus the paraphernalia that goes with two dogs, into my poor little Baby car?!?! Could be a challenge! Perhaps I'll take a photo!! And I'll take a photo at the other end when we open a door and it all explodes out of the opening like in a cartoon!! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... whatever you're up to this weekend, whether you're packing up to hit the road like us, or staying home to veg (lucky you!) hope you have a great weekend and I'll be back with photos of the workshop! Til then, Bear Hugs! I'm off to hit the highway!!! "Get your motor runnin' ... Born to be wiiiiiiiiild!!!!"

CHEERS!
KRIS