Spring

Day 1500 - a beautiful weather and a beautiful drive in some of the most scenic roads of our country. The lush green grass, the wild flowers. For sure the spring here is the best season. And with the upcoming move I don't know if I'll get another chance to enjoy it before it will be over. We didn't really made it to our planned destination but it was just a different one and lovely just as well. I am thankful for a much needed outing at the end of a very long week. I am thankful I saw few new places in our amazing country.

End of the month summary

Day 1499 - we made it!! We sold today just enough to double our last year's sales. And while doing it we came to third place of the total sales per months. Not that the numbers are impressive, but at least for now we are on track. Now we have to wait for next month and prey this trend will continue. And I am tire, so tired at the end of such a long week. But I am very thankful we made it and it sure didn't look possible at the beginning of this week.

Considering the odds

Day 1498 - With only two days to the end of the month our bottom line looked pretty sad this morning, but by the end of the day it looked much better. It's not a grat month but at least we met our goal of doubling february last year and hopefully we'll exceed last month. But no matter what the overall picture is still somber and the next few months will determine its future. I love this place so I hope the wind will change in our favor, but only time will tell. But for now, I am thankful for every day that is good and ask the planet for more of those. All we have to do is to double this month's revenue ir a little mire than that. really not too much to ask. If this will be the case our store will keep its door open for a very long time. Regardless of future plans, I am so very thankful for a great day. I am thankful for yet another day we kept it open. I am thankful for little moments of happiness with my kids, my parents, my boyfriend. I am thankful for my life.

Packing (again)

Day 1497 - we are moving in three weeks so I decided to start packing today. I don't have much time so I figured it will be better to pack every day a few boxes and be done on time instead of a last minute mad dash to the finish line. So the first 6 boxes are already standing in our very small dining/living room. I am not really sure where I can store about 50 boxes, but for now I still have some room to play with. And it's for a good cause. I hope this move and this packing session is my last for a very long time. This is my 5th house in less than five years. I think I had my fair share in that. So my books are all packed, always the first to go in since its the easiest and as of tomorrow I'll go for the heavy stuff and see how much I can toss away as well. For now I am so very happy for the first step towards our upcoming move. I am thankful to be in this positio today and start packing to move to my very own house here in my country. I am thankful I was able to do that and that the day is almost here.

Day 1496 - it's my BF's birthday today.

Day 1495 - a lovely evening with my son, talking about future plans, about his first few weeks here...

Water leak saga continues...

Day 1494 - the leaking water story did not end that day after all. The plumber we brought opened the wall in our tiny kitchenette found nothing and gave us a clearance. But the water kept dripping in the store below us. So they brought a specialist with IR camera and he started checking all the stores and finally came back today declaring it must be in our store and started checking more thoroughly and discovered a very wet wall behind a large miror we have in a dressing alcove we use as a storage. It was so wet that when we touched it the miror simply came off!! Now is the real test of how good is our insurance. This we'll know in the next few days. For now I am thankful this leak was discovered. I am thankful no serious damage happened to our store. I am thankful to modern technology that enables us to see beyond sealed walls. I am thankful I have an insurance to my store; the store below suffered some costly damage.

No rain day

Day 1493 - a break in the storm gave us an opportunity to go out for a little fresh air. So of course we decided to go to the beach it was sunny most of the time and got warmer after a while and it was so wonderful to be out, to walk for an hour or more. The damage to the boardwalk is quite substantial and I'm sure it will take a while to rehabilitate it. But regardless I enjoyed very much this outing and I am even more thankful after days of rain to be able to go out and enjoy all the bounty around is.

Blackout

Day 1492 - another wet and very cold night. This time we had the bonus of a blackout that we could not fix so it became apparent that something is wrong with the electricity beakers of our electrical power company. Did I mentioned it happened a little before midnight? I called and they said a technician will come in two hours. So we set in the dark, with only our Sabbath candles to give us light, we brought some extra blankets to keep us warm and my son played the guitar and we sang along (hum along is a better definition. The technician came within less than an hour and fixed the problem and we were able to enjoy again the warmth of a heating device in this very cold apartment. So tonight I am thankful to our EC technician for bringing the light and warmth back to us. I am thankful for a very quick response time; even more appreciated in a cold night like tonight when I'm sure we wre not the only ones on life. I am thankful to my partner for a very lovely dinner. I am thankful to my son for a wonderful evening of music and singing.

A very stormy night

Day 1491 - again at the mall but not a successful day. I guess that's part of being I sales there are good day and there are slow days. But at the end of the day I can get back home and be content. What else can I ask for. There is yet another huge storm outside with hail and very heavy rain and we are here safe and sound with warm shower and dry bed. With food and a heater and walls to keep us away from the elements. I think that over all I am a very lucky woman even if my day holding a booth at the mall was slow. And I can always hope for a better one tomorrow. I am thankful for being safe and sound in a night like tonight.

Happy birthday to me

Day 1490 - it's my birthday today and this year it's a special celebration; I have two of my kids here with me. It's a day that started very early and ended very late, just as we should. Enjoy as many hours of it as possible. True, I was alone in the store the whole day but after work I went out with my kids to a restaurant and spent there several hours. And then went back home for tea and a movie. Well, I fell asleep and had to forget the movie plans. In my defense I woke up very early this morning. I am thankful for a wonderful birthday celebration with my kids. I am thankful I made it to the age of 57 and I wish myself many happy returns.

Pre-birthday party

Day 1489 - had dinner with my boyfriend and spent the rest of the evening with my kids. What a special per-birthday evening. The conversation turned very serious and painful at times but never the less it was so wonderful to be here with two of my kids. It was so good my son is here with us now in this wonderful country. For three days they are both here before my daughter will go back home. So for a moment in time we are in this different world and different reality. I have to wake up in less than four hours to take my boyfriend to the train station so I better go to sleep now. But I am so thankful for this very special day, for this special opportunity to be family again.

One more step closer to home

Day 1488 - I had the moving company rep here tonight to get a quote for the move to my new apartment. I can't believe it but we are almost there. I scheduled it and now I will get the boxes and start packing. This tiny house will get even smaller with boxes everywhere. But no complains. This is going to be my fifth move in less than five years but I hope it will be the last one for many years now. So I am ready and excited for this very special move. I am thankful for one more step on this very joyous journey; a very significant one for sure.

Thanks again

Day 1487 - a good day at the store. I keep thanking the planet for everyone who comes in, for everyone who buys. I know this month is going to be better than the last few and I hope it will be our best ever. That our store is getting on the right path.

A very special Saturday

Day 1486 - we drove to the big city today to show it to my son so he'll get familiar with it and just to breath some fresh air after days of storm. It was a lovely day and we had a good time. It's always nice to change the scene again and especially to absorb some of the very vibrant energy of this city. I keep debating if I should move there or stay here in our dormant but very peaceful and beautiful city. In any event, it is only an hour away and if we miss it we can always drive there. So for now it's good and if things change we can reconsider. For now we can enjoy a drive there and a lovely day and coming back home at night. We ended the evening here at home with my son doing his magic on his guitar. Oldies and some newer songs and I was sitting there, enjoying the music and still finding hard to grasp that he is here for real. I am thankful more than I can express in words that he is here, that slowly he finds his direction band I am thankful for such a wonderful day.

Another day at the mall

Day 1485 - another day at the mall and with about the same outcome. I did the math today if I can live off that if I decide to close the store and the answer is no. I have to find a way to increase the total sale volume. I probably have to start playing with what are the things I sell, what can I bring that will still be in the same spirit but will attract bigger crowd. The truth is I am not sure of the answer; what I am sure is that going to the mall is still crucial for the store and is not enough. But the past few days were good and if it will keep going in the same pace there is some hope we can make it. But for now I am thankful for every sale, I bless my merchandise that it will bring happiness to those who bought them and I keep thanking the universe for every person who approach my stand and even more so for every one who buys something. I am thankful for the past two days sales that made a huge difference to our bottom line.

A very productive day

Day 1484 - yesterday was very stormy with very strong winds and heavy rains and no one came into the store. No wonder of course but its not good for our bottom line. Knowing today is another such day weather wise, I decided to leave my partner in the store alone and I opened my booth in the mall. It's a long day and usually it's a good idea for both of us to be in the store but there are exceptions and today was one of those. And the decision proved to be a good one. I had a nice day there, not amazing but good and for sure much better than yesterday. So I was happy for this last minute decision. Tomorrow is Friday and I am always at the mall on Friday so I had easier job packing my table at the end of the day. I left almost everything there, under the table, like most others do. I also took with me my eisle and paints and in the lull hours had time to paint a picture. Not yet done but almost. I just need something to tie it all together. In short a very productive day all around.

The scream

Day 1483 - I came back from work and started painting again. I forgot how special it is. For too long I neglected that special hobby and list my touch so it became very difficult to start again. I'm so thankful that after few false starts I actually found my footing again. I know that this creative part of me was screaming to come out and be in the open once again; and that's what got it out - a copy I am making of this very famous painting - the scream. It's the first time I am trying to make a good representation of a painting and its going pretty well. I can't take it to class tomorrow since I cannot go tomorrow but I will go Sunday and hopefully by that time I'll be almost done and my teacher's comments will help me finalize it. And for now, I'll go to sleep tired after a short night and a long day tomorrow but I'm so happy for the progress I made, spiritually more than physically.

A late night session

Day 1482 - I came home late from my class today since I went to meet some family members with my kids. The drive back was very slow due to the storm and some construction work and I arrived almost at midnight. Oddly it seemed like a good time to start painting, so I set my eisle, brushes and paints and got busy for the next two hours. I decided to stop and go to sleep now just because of the time. I cannot paint all night and then go to work. So reluctantly I put my stuff away and called it a day. I hope to get back to that tomorrow or the next day at the most. I really enjoyed painting today, I was in a good place and it came from my soul, just as it should. And I also feel like I am getting better control of my technique and that's really portant. I want to be able to paint as I want and not as I can or cannot. This painting is a very special one, its a present, and I am very excited about that.

A very special lunch

Day 1481 - my son cooked us lunch today while we were at the store. He is a certified chef but worked in hi-tech for the past two years so he's a little rusty and was very in pleased with the results. I, on the other hand, enjoyed it very much. True, it was not his best ever but it is so much better than we usually eat during the week. And most important of all, I love seeing my son at work. He loves it and you can feel it in his food, and for me it's a sheer pleasure. I enjoy his first steps here in this country and I know we'll look at it fondly.

Oblivion

Day 1480 - an evening with my son learning for the first time in death about the chaos in the region, about the extremist groups in the countries surrounding us. A very sombering topic indeed. I know it is an act of hiding my head in the sand when I refuse to read or hear the news, but it's not like I can do anything to change any if that now that I know what's going on. So I prefer my fool's heaven. To go on in this oblivious mode. It's really to scary even to think about it. And I am planning to go back to my numerology and crystals and leave the politics to others.

Family

Day 1479 - we celebrated my mom's 79th birthday today with my sister and her family. My aunt, her sister, came to join the little party. They are all getting old and a day like today make it so much more apparent that time is clicking away and we have so little time still together here on this planet. My aunt is very frail and very sick by now and my uncle is getting older too. At this age every celebration, birthday or else, might be the last, thus has to be fully enjoyed. I am thankful for every such event we get to enjoy; I am thankful the three of us now a part of all this. For ever we will feel pain for the list years and the lost memories (or never created)but at least now we are here and part of the family and we try to make up for it. I am thankful my son and daughter are here as well and that together we might be able to build something for years to come.

My mom's birthday

Day 1478 - a visit to my parents house with my son and daughter; how very special. And it's my mom's birthday so even more so. My dad's health news are not so good but I hope it will not become an issue. At this age things progress very slowly and that is a good thing. I have to admit its becoming difficult to see the slow decline and to realize that time is getting shorter. But this is the natural way of things and one is slowing down as a/he gets older; but its not easy to whittness. I am thankful for a wonderful day. I am thankful for the opportunity I still have to see my parents.

Plumbing issues in the store

Day 1477 - at the beginning of the week we had to bring in a plumber due to a leak in the store below us that seemed to come from our store (thanks god for insurance). He opened the wall and took out the kitchennet cabinet but did not find anything. To make sure all is fine he left it all open for a few days and scheduled a visit for today. So for a whole week we had no access to our kitchennet and found out how important that feature is in our every day routine. So today he finally came back decided that we are not the source of the leak and closed up everything. I doubt that this is the end of the saga since they have a very serious problem there so the search will go on for the source, but for now we have a place to eat again or boil water or work. And for now I am thankful for that. We are a mystic store so we always tell people how important it is that there will be a source of free flowing water in a house, but really not this kind I much prefer to have a house water fountain than a leak from the ceiling!!

An early bird

Day 1476 - we opened the store very early today about two hours before opening time, and two women walked in, one at a time, and each made a very nice purchase. We keep debating weather we should open earlier since we do get up early anyway and we love being in the store. Well, a day like today shows the merit of such decision. It just also means working even longer hours. But in our position, when the store is still struggling it sure is a nice boost to our bottom-line. I am thankful for a good day at the store. I am thankful for a nice reward for opening early.

First steps

Day 1475 - slowly this new reality is settling in. I have two of my kids here in this country. I see my son making his first steps here and it reminds me of how I was in the same place few years ago. It's amazing to realize that four and a half years passed since then. All this creating a big turmoil of course in all lives involved but turmoil of the good kind. I am starting to think family again in a broader way. Now it's the three of us and maybe their significant others as well. I hope my son will find his footings soon in the form of work and housing so he will be able to really make that commitment.

A bitter sweet day

I am clueless as to what is going on. I saw it posted and a few minutes later it reverted into draft. Sorry about the mess. Day 1474 - we met today all the four of us and one of my kids cousins and my youngest daughter's bf for lunch. They were still nursing a big hangover after a superb all party they had last night. Still it was so nice to be all of us together share some laughs and just enjoy the company. Trying to forget that my oldest daughter is leaving in a few hours. But of course that moment had come regardless. Few more hugs and goodbyes and she drove to the airport back to her daughter and wife and away from us here. And now it the beginning of a new reality for us all and everyone is trying to get his/her footing again. She is there with her family but no siblings and we are here. My son has to decide in the next few weeks where he wants to live and what kind of a job he wants to do here. My daughter is struggling with her upcoming trip that she was so looking forward to it until she met her bf and now she doesn't want to go. And I have two of my kids here now, an ex-mother in law that is doing poorly and I don't make the effort to see her more because its not easy so I let life get in the way. I have a store that is still struggling and I still hope to make it work. But tonight I am so sad to see my oldest daughter leaving and with so much pain. Life is not always easy and too many times we don't appreciate things until they are gone. It's so

A wonderful day

Day 1473 - I was in the store today but my kids came to visit me there so even on a work day I was able to spend some quality time with them. And tonight my son, my youngest daughter and her boyfriend were here for dinner. That was so wonderful, having some family time, after so many years we didn't do that, and of course meeting my daughter's bf, the one she thinks IS The One. It was a lovely dinner and despite her worries all went well. It's stressful for a girl to bring her bf to the family, what will they think, how will they behave, will her brother behave or embarrass her... But all went well, and he "passed the test". A very sweet kid and well behaved; and I'm so happy to see my daughter blooming... So many reasons to be thankful, more than I ever expected to have on a single day. I am so overwhelmed by all this. It will take awhile to comprehend it, but I am thankful right now beyond words.

One more blog that went into draft instead of being published. And now it's out of order but still, i want to publish it even under these conditions. Day 1471 - an evening with my daughters. How very special. And in the middle my son called from the airport, few minutes before boarding the plane, en rout here as well. We didn't meet the three of us girls since we left and moved here and the atmosphere then was very different. So much have changed since then, so much we've all grown. Such different atmosphere. I had such a pleasant evening! I am so thankful for something I didn't think will happen any time soon. I am thankful to both of my daughters for coming here and for spending such a nice evening with me.