...and another first-timer:
Scarlett Kelly

...Norm & Barb
Karen Fletcher

Mr. and Mrs. Mater Man will be there?! That is better than a Dean Martin roast! For those of you that are not familiar with Norm and Barb you are in for a real treat as they are lovely people.

Yes, Mr. & Mrs. Sorebellie will be in attendance.

We have another first-timer:
Ann Schlemm

and five more from the old guard:
Marianne Raynes
Barbara Moore
Judith Weaver
Doug & Bec Holder

Thanks guys you don't know how much that means to me that you cared enough and registered!!

Thank you to Esther Hardison for registering!

Glad folks are registering. It sounds like it is going to be another great swap!

Yes! We're getting massive trickles of registration. I bet we're already at 20%.

Far be it from me to start calling people out but........... it's coming! :-)

Thanks Sandy Logan!

Due to the loooooooooooooooooong stretch we had last Spring & Fall, we're going to form a rectangle this Spring so there isn't so much walking! I want to get back to the coziness we had at Jan & Jim's, not a 150 yard long single line.

We will have two long lines and two short ones; hence the rectangle. We'll set up on a 3:1 ratio. Between 39 and 45 will set up under the trees with their backs to the river, 13-15 will make up the short lines facing inward and 39-45 will be facing towards the river in the second line. It could be 60, 20, 60, 20. I know that everyone wants to be in the shade but unfortunately that isn't going to work. I'm too old, weak, fat and crippled to be running 100-yard wind sprints all day; it ain't happnin'.

So, the ones that have registered are going to be issued a number PRIOR to the swap. IÂm posting those on this thread right after this post. Pre-registrants are going to have their reserved spot to set up regardless of what time they get there. We will make allowances for those with physical issues but I donÂt foresee that even being an issue. Places will be marked and numbered prior to the swap so you will know exactly where to go when you unload.

Conversely, those who don't register will have to take what is left on the second long line or on the short lines. It's not fair to those who do register to be put out in the sun in favor of someone who didn't just because the person who didn't register got there earlier. So I can guarantee that if you don't register you will be in the second long line.

Jen and Doc will greet you with ID numbers for you and your table. They will have an A, B, C, or D followed by a number. A will be the riverbank, B will be the right side short line, C will be the left side short line and D will be the second long line. The numbers will graduate left to right. So if your ID is A-35 you will be on the right-hand end of the back line in the shade. If your ID is C-1 then you will be the first table on the left-hand short line. This way when someone sees your ID/name tag they will know exactly where your table is.

Make sure that you see your name on this thread as one who has registered if you want a primo spot! I will continue posting the names of registrants as they come in. If everyone registers then getting an early jump right now would be in your best interest.

Here are your first 30:
1. Me
2. Noelle Hopper
3. Margaret Ross
4. Leza Whitley
5. Ruby Hall
6. Tammy Bauman
7. Janice Logue
8. James J. Brown
9. Jen Frazier

10. Rhonda Chilson
11. Judy Williams
12. Bob & Wand Stockard
13. Pete Gado
14. Taylor Malone
15. Linda Malone
16. Kim Watts
17. Pat Logan
18. Harrison Gray
19. Velvet Ring
20. Joe Weaver
21. Scarlett Kelly
22. Karen Fletcher
23. Norm & Barb Layne
24. Mariannedretti Raynes
25. Barbara Moore
26. Ann Schlemm
27. Judith Weaver
28. Doug & Bec Holder
29. Esther Hardison
30. Sandy Logan

31. Jennifer Cardenas

I'll be happy to take the sunny side! It seems to always be a tad nippy still in May.

Rebecca

Thanks to #32 Sheila Taylor for registering.

Guys imagine if you were having a dinner party at your house and sent out invitations to 150+ guests and only 32 bothered to RSVP but you knew that there was probably a good chance that at least four times that many were going to come. What if all those people were coming anyway without sending their RSVP and they were coming with high expectations and you were the only one responsible for the entire gig? How would you prepare? How would you feel? What would you do? Well welcome to my world four months out of the year!

I'm not going to plead anymore or mention it again because I'm just simply fed-up and sick of doing it. ItÂs ridiculous to have to beg grown adults to take 30 seconds out of their lives to register for a free event that is put on for their benefit. I've requested help and only received a total of EIGHT people that have responded to my pleas. If you don't have any more respect for me or compassion for what I'm trying to do for you than that...fine. Obviously nobody seems to have the vaguest concept or care about the time, effort and planning that it takes to pull this off. Folks complain that I run a loose ship and need to have the event be more organized but nobody wants to respond to my need for assistance to help make it more organized! This event is for YOU! You're only going to get out of it what YOU put into it so if you do nothing  make sure that you expect nothing in return. Sorry if that sounds harsh or offends anyone but it is what it is. The expectations that have been put on Jan, Mona and me are unrealistic if YOU donÂt help!!! As much as we want to do, there is only so much one person can do to organize an event of this magnitude twice a year.

As I've said before, this is my last MTPS as Director so you won't have to put up with me, my unrealistic requests or my vents any longer. There will be a changing of the guard for the Fall swap and I'll make that announcement on May 16th as my last official act. For the most part I have loved holding this position and hosting the last dozen MTPS; I only hope that you will be more responsive to the needs of your new Director. Sorry that IÂve vented my frustrations but thatÂs about all I have left at this point so itÂs good thing that IÂm a lame-duck Director.

For those that have been responsible, thoughtful and courteous enough to register and offer to help you have my deepest heartfelt thanks. For the ones that I've always been able to count on - you guys have a loyal and devoted friend for life!

"What if all those people were coming anyway without sending their RSVP and they were coming with high expectations and you were the only one responsible for the entire gig?"

Tell them to lower their expectations.

"How would you feel? What would you do?"

I would feel that there are always going to be people who find something to complain about, so it isn't worth worrying about them excessively. I would let everyone know exactly what was or was not going to be going on at the swap. And then I would RELAX about it. ;-)

"If you don't have any more respect for me or compassion for what I'm trying to do for you than that...fine. "

There ya go, now you're getting into the spirit! :-)

"Folks complain that I run a loose ship and need to have the event be more organized but nobody wants to respond to my need for assistance to help make it more organized!"

If the people don't want to help, then it isn't worth worrying about their complaints. Don't weigh down your own life with someone else's problems.

"You're only going to get out of it what YOU put into it so if you do nothing  make sure that you expect nothing in return."

There ya go! You can do it! Let people take responsibility for their own expectations. Don't stress about it, everything will work out!