Grateful

Taking some time today to feel grateful for my new job.  I had bought these placemats at April Cornell last summer and the most I did with it was take one out.  I took it to Boscov's and used it on a shelf in my stockroom that I used to write on.

I always appreciated everything April Cornell.  The clothes, the linens, the flowers and even the blue and white bags I would get with a purchase. The last time I really purchased dresses for myself and daughter was when she was about seven.  We had put a second floor on our house at that time and purchases like that became a memory.  When we spent a few years getting our house ready to sell, I started purging, donating and selling what we had. It was depressing.  But, life has been full for us watching our children grow up and owning our store, our focus shifted away from our home and my wardrobe.

I actually told a friend at work once, I just want to be a hippy.  I want to wear clothes that I love, are comfortable and make me smile.  I want to fill my home with flowers.  I want to concentrate on planting a beautiful garden at our home we have been in for three years now.  I even said to Glen about a week before I got this job.  I want to have nice clothes again and decorate our home and have a happy home.  So, along comes this job and it has been a true blessing.  One of the best perks of working at April Cornell is a very generous discount.  And......as a store manager  I am given an allowance for each season and receive free  outfits!  Every time I take a tag and button off a new outfit, I wish I had something pretty to put them in.  So, this morning I made this box to put the tags in.   I love when I take the time to create something and take the time to feel how grateful, lucky and blessed I am!

I love you, baby, like the flower loves the spring

I love the line I used for the title of this post, it is from the song Mountain High River Deep which Darlene Love sings on her new album.  I have seen her perform the song live probably four times in the last few years.  On Monday night my son, Ian Gray, performed with Darlene Love.  He is pictured on the right of the horn players playing the trombone.   Ian told me last week he would be playing the gala in New York City and it would be a private event.  I was thrilled to see Darlene Love shared it would be the first live stream show she would perform.  Our cable went out on Friday and I ran to the cable store on Monday after work to get the new box and a half an hour before the performance we were able to hook up to the internet and by the time I found the right link it was one minute before the performance started.  

I was so happy she performed Among the Believers and Sweet Freedom.  They are very inspirational songs that have become on my list of songs to listen to.  Darlene Love sings from the soul and lifts you up.  She is 75 years old and brings all of her wisdom to life in her performances.  Sweet Freedom is a song for women.  I can't find the lyrics yet to share.  But, you can listen to it on her album Introducing Darlene Love or you tube.  Freedom is sweet and should be celebrated and this song shows this.  Sometimes it is just freedom from being fearful and we need to be released from the chains of what holds us back.  Fear no more.....sweet freedom is here!!!

One step up......two steps back

This year like many of my life comes with a bit of irony.  But, when I saw Ian play with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes as a substitute in New England I KNEW 2016 was and  is going to kick ass!!!!  The picture above is a picture that my son made sure I got and I am holding a flying saucer that the venue threw out to the audience before the show.  I was very lucky to get a ticket to the sold out venue, because I only decided to definitely attend that morning.  As I sat and watched the frisbees being thrown into the air I was thinking like I normally think.  There is NO way one of those 10 frisbees is going to make it to where I am sitting.  As they threw the last one, it went to the far left and bounced off the wall and literally landed in my lap.  Wow!   Below the pic of Southside and me is a signed set list from a 4th of July show at the Stone Pony.  I think it may have been the year Billy Walton played and they did a  meet and greet at the end.  But, what is that brown stain on the top right corner?   Well, that would be water damage from Sandy as the list was showcased in our store.  So, hence, my attitude of feeling like if something good happens to me, something is going to take that away and change the way I feel.  So, I try to have a good attitude and say life is like a roller coaster with it's ups and downs.  2016 has not been that different for me, except I have had some pretty amazing life changing experiences already.

  I would have written about how I got the job at April Cornell already, but at the very same time as I started the new job, my brother landed in the ICU for almost three weeks.  So, with the good I am still enduring the bad and really haven't felt like writing.  And, even writing today is a challenge.  I do believe this is longest I have gone without writing.  But, I will have a lot 

 to share this year.  But, as always I wait until after it happens so I don't jinx anything!  Love to share the one step up, but no need for you to hear about the two steps back!!!!  Oh yeah, ... and it is the year of the monkey.....so as I believe in magic or whatever it is that makes really amazing things  in my life happen......so stay tuned.