what (and who) i will miss

i won't be doing the toronto one of a kind show again. in spite of my success, in spite of the fact that toronto is "my market", it's too much. i've done the show 5 times. for the past 2 years i've sat in a virtually empty booth for over half the show (it's an 11 day show). i can't make enough product. i do it all myself - dyeing and spinning and knitting. because i am making "artistic decisions" through every stage, i can't pass work onto anyone else. i could do 1/2 the show but the expenses would be almost the same - the travel, the booth fees. so my profit would be too small. and i have to work too hard. at this point i want to slow down. have more balance. not expand. so i won't be going back to the big show.
but this is what i'll miss. mostly the friends i have made. although the show is huge (over 800 booths), you become very close to some of your neighbours. mary was my neighbour the first show i did and we've kept in touch ever since. she is a collage artist - making "paintings" with tiny pieces of torn paper. she can go days in the show without a sale, and then make a big one (that's what it's like for the visual artists). but she's never without a warm and sincere smile. her greek mother sends greek cookies to my booth every year. april makes wonderfully chunky pottery (and has my favourite booth display in the whole show). every year we seek each other out and do trades. and every morning i eat my cereal from her bowl and drink my coffee from her mug and always think of her.
nadia is a young jewellry designer and every year my sister and i buy each other earrings from her. we've also done a few trades. this year nadia is pregnant and i'll miss not meeting her baby.
and i'll miss the customers that come to my booth year after year. and the "blog followers" who come and identify themselves. the excitement and the energy. but now i need simple.