Looks like spring is just around the corner! I have Tulips that are about 2" tall and looking good. Won't be long now and one can start selling outside. I have always wondered why you can do so much more in sales outdoors that you can indoors under regular conditions. It seems to me like people are just freer with their money outdoors than inside.

It was real interesting reading the Top 50 Fairs for this year. The public can be really fickle from year to year. One year you are drawing big crowds and the next year, just not so. The big fairs can certainly change in their attendance records.

The last time I set up at the Oklahoma State Fair the fair was listed as #3 in attendance and this past year it had dropped all the way down to #14. I guess the Okie folks miss me.

I for one am sure enjoying my $13 pay raise that I received from the President on his new Stimulus Bill. I am sure that you also are enjoying all that extra money. Well let's face it the bankers and stock brokers are in more need of extra millions. I don't think they could even spell $13 dollars. I can't believe all the money that is going to banks!!!

I am not a fan of rewarding failure. I heard the other day that they needed to give out the bonus's in order to prevent the banks from having a brain drain. "Brain Drain" give me a break when you run a company into the ground and lose the money that hardly qualifies for being a smart business man. Looks to me like they would run off all the executives at the losing banks that are being funded as step #1.

As far as I am concerned they can let any of the banks close. Looks to me like there are way too many banks right now. Kinda like convenience stores and taverns, there seems to be one on every corner. I just can't believe that my life would be affected if some of the over-surplus of banks closed down from lack of interest or just plain bad management.

Seems like we just can't give enough money to the car companies. One load of cash after another, guess they have some special connection with the banker.

I for one don't see anything wrong with the Chapters on the Book, like Chapter 7 or 11. Serve them right for being more stupid than the average bear.

Oh well let's face it, "they" don't care about us folks down on the bottom. We either have to make it or it's just plain too bad.

The way the economy is going I wonder if it will force the precious Yuppies to give up their cell phones and other electronic toys. The ones that I know I truly believe that they would rather part with their spouse and kids than give up that all mighty cell phone. I think it's real funny to watch them when their phone rings. They will move Heaven and Earth to get to that phone and answer it. You are quite right I don't have a Cell phone. I believe that there are clues contained in the titles of things. "Cell"! No thank you. Naturally Georgia does have a Cell phone. Yeah!

I subscribe to the school of thought that the only people that "need" a cell phone are a Doctor and a Dope Dealer after that the list goes down pretty quick.

I go to a lot of auctions and I buy and sell a lot of items. You name it, if it's a deal I'm interested. However lately a lot of the auctions that I used to go to started tacking on a Buyers Premium, usually 5% a couple were 10%. Well not for me. I have a rule that I'm not getting hit with any extra dings. I had enough of those when I was selling at the shows. Anyway I'm one that is not paying any Buyers Premium at an auction. There seems to me to be plenty of Sales around that one can avoid the extra charges.

With spring coming on I am looking forward to getting out to the markets and I hope that I see you on the road this year.

Here's to great sales and may the sun shine on every spot that you set up at.

Jim and Georgia Goodridge