Providing Help Before the Event

This morning I was jolted awake by some heavy footed people on the floor above me. They were stomping around their room like bulls in a china shop. This all happened around 5:00am. I tried to go back to sleep but I ended up tossing and turning and then I read for a bit and finally at 6:15am I got up. After showering and dressing I put together my letterboxing things and got ready for the day. Then I went downstairs to get some breakfast. At 7:30am I left the hotel to begin my letterboxing.

I went to three different places and came up empty handed all three times - I was pretty sure I was looking in the right spots but no boxes. So I just continued on. Next I went to a trail to look for two boxes and again came up empty handed - I was getting frustrated. I decide next to go to The Woodshed's house (she always has boxes hidden in her yard) and there were nine boxes (two singles and a series of seven) that are not connected to the event this weekend. So I parked in front of the house and started looking for the boxes. I first found the two singles (Lighting Up the Sky and Antique Barrel Butter Churn) and took them to the front porch so I could sit on a bench to stamp in. After putting these back I found the series of seven (Patriotic Tribute) and again stamped in while sitting on the bench. While I was stamping this series Taken to the Woodshed (Jim) came out to talk with me. He was saying that they had so much still to do for the event which starts tomorrow at 1:00pm. So I offered to help if they needed it. So he talked to The Woodshed (Patty) and they were happy to accept my offer. So when I completed the boxes I was working on I went inside to see what they needed done.

Besides Jim and Patty they had help from Gypsy Fiddler (Debbie) and she showed up while I was talking with Jim. We planted a couple of series at their house and then got some things together to go to another location to plant more series. They needed to gather some items and get some things organized and while they did that I ended up stamping in some of the boxes I couldn't find this morning. Patty told me they were missing and she had recarved them but with the event she hadn't had the time to got and replanted them - so she let me stamp them since I had already looked for them. Once they got everything organized I had finished stamping we left the house. On the way to the other location we stopped and had a little lunch. It was around 1:00pm when we arrived at our destination. Soon after we arrived another letterboxer, scouttrekkie, arrived to help. We spent a couple of hours planting four series and then we returned to Patty and Jim's house.

It was around 4:00pm when I left their house and then went in search of one more box before calling it a day. I found Stained Glass Flower by The Woodshed. Once I was done with that I decide to head back to the hotel. It had been a long (and hot [94°]) day and I was ready for some rest.

Back at the hotel I rested for a bit and then got things ready for tomorrow. Now I want sleep - it is going to be a long day tomorrow - lots of boxes including night boxing.