It's a Wonderful Life

Having been motivated by a customer/friend at the Downtown City Market for the past two weekends, I am here "blogging" at long last.  Thank you Valerie!

What a fabulous "RIDE" the past year has been for me and my family.

The photo up top is my new "footprint" at the City Market at the Museum in downtown Fayetteville, NC.

www.facebook.com/CityMarketAtTheMuseum

  It is my permanent vending location. I have been set up there since the onset of the venue last April 2012....over a year now.  On those rare occasions when I can't make it out there on a Saturday I feel like something is "missing" in my life.  I have made so many friends out there.  The vendors are awesome folks who are like family to me.  Alot of my consistent customers are now my friends.  I have so many wonderful experiences at the Transportation and Local History Museum every week.  Albeit has been rather warm some of these Summer days and rainy on a few others.  It still amazes me how loyal our customers are to all the vendors.

http://www.visitfayettevillenc.com/things-to-do/family-fun/6221/fayetteville-area-transportation-museum-and-local-history-museum

Here is my Latest and Greatest News so far on my journey here in NC.  As of  August 30, 2013 I have been accepted as a juried exhibiting ARTIST at Cape Fear Studios
 http://www.capefearstudios.com/
It is the primo source of Fine Art in the region with working Artist's studios right in the building.  My biggest joy is that there is a large classroom area where I can get back to teaching Beadwork at finally.  My sabbatical is over hopefully.

Also, even though the application fee is placing me in a grave financial bind and I am flying on blind FAITH the next couple months, I will possibly be returning to Ft Bragg for the Yule Mart again this year.  IF THEY JURY me in.  Application went out in today"s mail.  It will be at a NEW LOCATION with a new association running the show.  The new promoters is the newly created Association of Bragg Spouses...no longer Officer's Spouses.  New location will be :
Ritz-Epps Physical Fitness Center, Bldg C7215 Ft Bragg, NC
Dates of the venue this year are November 22, 23, and 24 2013
I so enjoyed doing the two day show last November I know this year will be even greater and more fulfilling!

The grandchildren are growing and maturing way too quickly for my taste, but I am still BLESSED to be able to spend time with them after school during the week.  Also, my wonderful grandson, Mylz still accompanies me downtown and helps me with my little shop on Saturdays.  His news is that he is on the soccer team for New Century International Middle School.  Ella is so intelligent for a second grader it is scary.  After First grade, she can read almost as well as I can....AMAZING!  She just turned 7 years old on August 2nd and Mylz will be 14 on January 6th, 2014.  He is in 8th grade.

My daughter has a new position and location for her employment.  She is now local, at Ray Price of Fayetteville and is the Finance and Insurance Manager.  They are the exclusive dealers for new Triumph and Ducati motorcycles in the area.  She is prospering and thriving in her new career.

I still struggle daily with my poor crops.  My mini garden is under siege as before by the pesky squirrels.  I have 19 tomato plants and have yet to get a mature tomato from any of them.  They even ate an eggplant but I managed to salvage a small one for myself (pictured above) before they demolished it.  they also confiscated all my pears and figs.  I purchased a sonar box that was supposed to remedy my plight....not so, MY squirrels are wise to everything meant to thwart them....I believe they must have master's degrees in veggie thievery.  I am keeping up with lawn mowing...saints be praised.  We have had a  very mild Summer with a whole lot of rain so we are truly blessed.

There is a reunion of my eighth grade graduating class coming up in October that I will unfortunately not be able to attend.  It has reunited me with several "old" friends who were absent but never forgotten from my life.  Sure wish I could be there "kids" but finances just won't permit.  I never got to the "Rich and Famous" status I had always dreamed of.  I will be there in spirit though, you can count on that!

Once again, I promise to try to BLOG more often....I know I know.  Happy Trails to all of you.  Autumn and the cooler COLORFUL weather is nearly here along with all the fun holidays and joys of the season.

I AM BAAAAAAAACK!!

Here's my little Squeakers, taking in the cards & flowers from the best Mother's Day ever!!
I have been so remiss in posting on here...shame on me!!  Squeakers is now 4 years old....I have been in my new home over 8 months....most everything is still in boxes.....I have been selling at the City Market in downtown Fayetteville every Saturday for about 6 weeks now....I mow my own lawn, work in the garden pulling weeds, planting, watering, raking leaves.  WOW!!  I  AM  ALIVE ! ! !  At Last!
I realize I will have to be doing a whole lotta De-Stashing of my yarn & Beads on Etsy  REAL SOON!!
But here's the kicker of all kickers...I am applying for a part time J O B to be able to supplement my disability income so I can SURVIVE!!!
YUP!  I can do it!!!!  I KNOW  I  CAN!

That's me at the set up downtown on the very first day we were out there in March!  We have since added a 10x10 canopy that has to be put up & torn down at each setup.  Mylz is my loyal companion for all these outings.  If we only could make some money at it things would be MUCH  BETTER!!!

Well, thanks for sticking with me.   I will really try harder to post more on here!!

My Mommy Left This Earthly Prison

I have put this off long enough. It just seems I cannot give adequate commentary on something as devastating as losing my mother. The funeral was yesterday and now life must go on without her. My purpose for living must change and re-focus on my children and grandchildren. I MUST be the grandma now, the top remaining branch on my family tree. It is a scary proposition.

Mom passed on November 27th, the day after Thanksgiving. My daughter & her family came out December 20th. I broke into the senior 60's bracket with my birthday on the 21st of December. Then there was the first Christmas I was able to share with my grandchildren in 9 years. Alas that was followed by my 23rd year sober 12/26/86....and finally Mom's wake and funeral....such stress!

It is no wonder nearly every one of the family is now nursing some form of viral bug. My daughter's temperature is 104, I am hovering at 102 and my sweet, precious little granddaughter is 100 with an awful nighttime cough.

What a bittersweet reunion as well. To be grieving and rejoicing simultaneously is the ultimate stress! But even Mom's death was a quandry. She had suffered for soooo long with numerous handicaps. She had prayed for death to relieve her for so long. It was just the horror of a massive stroke and 8 days of slowly dying with no life support but her oxygen that was heartbreaking. But she is at peace now....

As I stood at her coffin at the wake I felt I must still be responsible for her care. I find myself still wanting to pick up all her favorite items at the grocery store. I guess it will just take time.

I love you MOMMY!