So, what's a week look like?

There's an unbelievable amount of product that passes in and out of our little warehouse on 55 Main St. Petitcodiac!

When we began this endeavour end August much of our work was unpacking large shipments of product arriving by truck almost daily from New Hamburg.  Each item needed to be checked for damage and repacked into boxes that were then distributed among seven packages worth $40,000 or more each, being prepared for 32 fall sales. Lila King, volunteer from Virginia, is smiling at the large host of magnetic lady bugs that arrived in our shop one day. 

Dan and I have been involved with 3 sales now. Last weekend we were alone for the first time for a two day sale at marvelous St. Paul's Anglican Church in Charlottetown, PEI.  The island is famous, of course, for it's red sandstone.

There's a big learning curve for both of us as we arrive on site, assess our space quickly and begin to set up shop.  While Dan's on the truck supervising the unloading I'm getting the tablecloths on, assigning particular tables and beginning to unpack product.  There's quite a bit of pressure here, and my drive  for perfection is being seriously challenged!  We are very grateful when we have enough dedicated local volunteers to assist. 

What a wonderful thing when we're able to hug at the end and know we've had a really successful event.  We are meeting so many wonderful, dynamic people.  Madonna ( in red) is true to her name, in sense of mission to her community.  She and her husband, who is grounds keeper at St. Paul's, live above the church hall and she opens her heart and the church doors wide to whoever comes.  She tells me that her church has been "marked" by the street folk as a safe place to come. 

During the week now (we usually have Sunday and Monday off) we are unpacking what has been hastily repacked, going over product again, repacking and preparing again for the next round.

October 1 is Ten Thousand Villages 65th anniversary date. 

Lila King (here from Virginia with husband Ron) remembers when Edna May Byler, the early founder (1946) of this whole business, came around to her father's church in Wisconsin, with her trunk load of embroidery and crafts from Puerto Rico. 

Well, along with the labour comes friendship and laughter.  And Dan certainly does his best to help...

Yes, We Have Arrived...

We are now into our third week at Petitcodiac, New Brunswick. We have arrived and are well into our work with Ten Thousand Villages.  Last weekend Dan and I were in charge of our first sale.  This took place at a historic inn, Auberge Le Vieux Prespytere, in the lovely village of Bouctouche.  But before we take you there, let me review briefly our two week trip that brought us here. 

We left Winnipeg on August 14, and after a too short visit with Stephanie, Carlo, Ben and Clare we headed to New Hamburg, Ontario.  There we spent two nights, toured the Canadian headquarters and warehouse for Ten Thousand Villages, laughed through Shakespeare's Twelvth Night at Stratford with Dan's brother Walt and Irene before driving on to Ottawa. Here we were graciously hosted for three nights by Rennie and Jenny Regehr.  We were touring the Parliament buildings the day Jack Leighton died.  We would say that The Canadian War Museum is a must see...a very sobering look at the question of war. 

From Ottawa we drove to Montreal and stayed in a little village north of the city with a French Canadian couple, Yves and Chantal Bourgeault, Mennonite Your Way hosts.  It was amazing to find they had warm connections to Debbi and  Robert Marten Koop. 

Next stop was Quebec City.  We had arranged for a B&B in Old Quebec and had a delightful time touring and eating, including a free performance of Cirque de Soliel. From there we turned our hearts and minds to our Maritimes destination.  However, the drive along the south coast of the St. Lawrence was wonderful, the weather continuing mild and sunny. Dan was more than delighted when we happened upon the former summer home of Sr. John A Macdonald, now a heritage home and B&B. 

So, now we are here...working quite hard really, for a retired couple, but we are happy to be here and finding ourselves becoming inspired by "free trade" and the artisans we are supporting around the world.

This is the inn where Dan and I set up our sale last Friday. Built in 1880 as a residence for the parish priest, it now graces a wonderful interfaith chapel and invites guests to refresh in body and spirit. Our sojourn in the Maritimes will take us many places. We have hardly begun ...