Sunday, January 4, 2015

here I am, late to the party and probably dressed inappropriately


Already the 4th and no end-of-the-year/new-year post but I have been having fun with my three grandgirls cooking and snuggling on the couch watching movies and working on the jigsaw puzzle and going to all the little shops on the Square and our favorite re-sale shop in Glen Flora and sleeping late. Needless to say, I have not made even a tiny bit of progress on the work I feel behind on.

They were fetched home yesterday evening.

So...2014. It was a year of momentous changes starting out with a heavy load of commission work which we didn't complete til June and during that time we were agonizing over whether to sell the old homestead or not but even if we did not sell, things would change drastically anyway since our daughter and son-in-law who lived next door were definitely selling. Then, last April, the opportunity we thought we had lost to buy the old auto body shop across the street, came around again and we bit the bullet and bought it. Now there was no doubt about selling the city property but it was not easy. Oh, it was easy enough to find a buyer who gave us a premium price but extricating ourselves from a place we had occupied for nearly 40 years was hard on everyone. The Boy and Wife had to find a new place to live and it took them two moves to get settled. The Girl and her family didn't find a rental until the very last second and the uprooting and re-settling was emotional. And as for me, I had to turn a hard heart to my house because I knew deep down that once I left it it would be torn down, which it was, and now for the first time in my life, I had no base of operations in the city. But summer was full of the visits from the grandkids and moving and too damn hot to do anything in the new shop which was just a jumble since, during the nearly two months it took us to move completely out of the house and move the shop, we just put stuff in there helter skelter. Fall came and with it cooler temperatures and we got in there and sort of arranged it and got to work on the two small commissions we had and the small castings for the annual open house in which we participate and also starting on the small bowls for the gallery show in March. And I finished the last 7 models for the Botanicas. Fall has usually brought a new round of commission work but not so far which was a little bit of wish fulfillment as I want time to focus on the cast glass work, something I haven't had much of for the last two years.

Whew!

So, New Year's Eve the rest of the grandgirls' family came out and we had a fireworks extravaganza. No photos of the aerials as I could watch them or try to successfully photograph them.












The bone piles.









14 comments:

  1. Nothing says January 1 like the detritus from fire works.
    You've had a hell of a year, lady. I so admire your talent, your work ethic, your love for your family.

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  2. You are having too much fun. I am somewhat of a pyro when it comes to fireworks. A neighbor has a huge one I only heard this year. I laughed at the moving stuff. I condensed 2 homes last year.

    My first move I did in a station wagon. My last big one took a semi and uHaul.

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  3. That looks like it must have been quite a show! I'm glad you watched the fireworks instead of trying to photograph them. Fireworks pictures so rarely look like anything. (At least for me.)

    It has been a momentous year!

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  4. i love when you have the grands stay. :)

    i hope the commission jobs will pick up in a bit, again. don't want you to have a long dry spell, but glad you're getting a chance to work on your other stuff!

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  5. fireworks have been banned in our city, of which I am grateful. It drives the animals wild and all of the PTS folks do not have to go into hospital. Happy New Year to you Ms. Magnificent! I am sure that you will not slow down, you are a mighty force and I love you!

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  6. I didn't hear one single boom, bang, or pop! Surprising, since they last for weeks in July.

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  7. Ditto Susie. Generally one or more in the general vicinity feel the need to discharge semi automatics, and this year we all remarked next morning on not being wakened.

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  8. My goodness! You've been on a roll... Glad you are now settling in. Happy New year.

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  9. Though I could see that the stores were selling fireworks, we didn't see or hear any around here. Just as well because it makes Benny nuts.

    It sure was a busy and stressful year for you and yours. May this year be a great one all around.

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  10. Here was quiet this year or my hearing and sleep patterns are getting more solid. Looks like you did not burn down the house, which is good thing!

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  11. Our pups hid from the noise of the fireworks here and we all went to bed early but it looks like you guys had a blast, sorry couldn't resist the play on words. I'm glad you spent the time with the grands and that you all had a great time.
    Happy New Year and new opportunities....Oma Linda

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  12. I love that picture of the fireworks in which you can only see one set of legs and one set of arms (not belonging to the same person). Very cool.

    I can't believe how grown up your grand kids are! Wow.

    Your work is splendid - I love all the pictures. Also your selfies. They're fabulous, even when you aren't smiling.

    Happy 2015!

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  13. We heard one loud ominous noise around midnight (sounded like a jet taking off!), but otherwise nothing, which was nice and also disappointing...

    You HAVE had a crazy busy year! Hopefully this year is about doing work you like & settling into your new work space.

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  14. You had such a full year. I hope the pangs left behind by the old house are beginning to turn into bittersweet nostalgia that will, in a while, become great old memories.

    Love the picture of the fireworks!

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.