Canton, Texas... with my mama!

I know, I know.... it seems like I am on the perpetual vacation lately. I promise, I do work. In fact, this is the last trip I have scheduled for a long while. Probably til TEAMJAKE goes to Memphis in December! Anyway, it is a fun one! She brought us both a buggy to stuff with our finds. And unlike usually, we got there a little late and had to park WAAAAY away! Unlike!

But that's okay! We had a plan. And it involved a whole bunch of stuff we didn't need!

Jinnie went right into diva mode. She bought this furry little jackeet. As well as a ruffly sweater and a cheetah spotted coat. Go, girl!

Let me show you around Canton, shall I?

They have these HUGE buildings, some called Arbors, some are Pavillions, and Trade Centers. Then there are also many, many, many outside booths. It is like this place never ends. Mom and I will be here for two days and will likely see about 60% of it.

This is ONE direction.

We've never been here on a Thursday. We totally DUG it. (Past tense of dig!) The crowd was so slight!! Just wait til I show you tomorrow's crowd and compare!!

However, it was 100 degrees here today. I am NOT even kidding. It felt like I was in a sunbed for about 7 hours!
There are all kinds of great food, drink booths. I had the most awesome lemonade, fresh squeezed with SUGAR added. Omg.... it was sooooo good. I want some more now!

People are riding and pulling all kinds of contraptions. They rent out carts to pull, electric scooters, and some get extra creative.

You can find a little of EVERYTHING here!! Look over there.... if you are a cowboy and want to keep your toothpicks organized on the visor of your truck, then this place is for you!

Ahhhhh. The food court!

Interesting that on these acres and acres and acres of booths, we finally found my cousins at the food court! Hmmmm... coincidence!?

Oh yeah baby! Ice cream abounds.

And there is literally something for everyone.

JinJin for example after being so aggrevated that the place we chose didn't have wheat bread and that would totally wreck her diet, she marched herself right over to a popular booth and bought herself a fried pie! (Sorry, Aunt Bonnie, if you are reading. I know you LOVE those! We miss you!)

I, on the other hand, ate a dollup of chicken salad and some Saltines. Ol Mo's gut is getting to where it just can't tolerate much! I have GERD or Acid reflux so bad that I can't eat the things I've always loved.

ANother common sight here is to see groups of women wearing the same tee shirt. I particularly liked this one!

Just made me laugh! As did this one!! Read it closely.

And then, like a moth to a flame, JinJin spotted the bling booth! This woman LOVES her some costume jewelry!!

She chose these three rings. Because she wants to look like a billionaire!

Just kidding. They really are pretty. And then I get a message on FB, as I am checking it out on my phone, to come by Booth 312 in Arbor 3 and visit Rori. After all, she said she'd been reading my blog for years. Then, dang!! I need to go meet her!! And so Jin and I set off on a mission. We found her. At Fringe.

And this is Rori. And this is me. And this is a photo that Jin Jin should have cropped much higher up. Let's try again!

Umm... better. But it would've been even better had she stood on the checkout desk and let me look up to eliminate the multiple chins I got going on!

I gave Rori the chore of figuring out the date of the next retreat!! Any ideas from any of you who are interested in coming to one?

In our little town in Texas, where we stay, we have the GREAT privelege of having a Posado's. MY FAVORITE Mexican joint!! It is part of our annual trip to Canton!!

We hook up with friends and family. This is Jenn and her mom. Remember Jenn used to be a friend. She married my cousin, Drew, so now she has crossed over to the family category!

And this is Sissy and Cherry, my cousins on my mama's side. We meet them here EVERY year. ANd always on this weekend!

It's something I look forward to all year long. But kind of unbelievable, is that this trip is in October. And is just before we all get together for Thanksgiving. And then again for Christmas... which means, we are almost to the end of this year. It seems like just yesterday, I was deciding on my word, "RELISH", for 2011! WOW!!

I'll let you know how tomorrow goes.

And to whoever it was who was interested in the canvases I painted during the retreats, please get back with me. mojoy@att.net. The 16x24 are $60. The smaller ones are $40. I need to get rid of them, because I will be starting paintings this week and have a mini retreat next sunday. I need some room!! And I'll be looking to sell those samples too! They make great decorations for the fall!! And if a pumpkin, you have another TWO months to display them!! Let me know.

Happy Friday, peeps!!

Mo