C'mon Mom!

My baby is a freshman in college. My baby called home today to tell us that she has her classes registered for the spring and oh, by the way, I've filled out an application to transfer to a school 5 hours away from home. Gulp!

I can't handle the truth! My baby girl not 50 min away but 5 hours! ( And that's if there's no traffic or construction!)

Panic sets in, and in my selfishness I go right to the down sides of being that far away...in that big cold, snow laden city, where nobody knows your name, you can't come home for the weekend spur of the moment, where students have been known to actually lose fingers to frostbite just walking up the giant hill in subfreezing cold temperatures to class (I was banking on this one as she hates cold weather) and you definitely can't wear your Philadelphia Eagles gear on football Sundays nor Flyers swag in the winter. Why oh why????

baby: Mom, you are being ridiculous!

me: Do you think it's a good idea to speak to someone like that who you are counting on to help you get financing?

baby: But you are being ridiculous!

me: Did I mention the frostbite?

As you can see it didn't go very well. I don't even know why I'm getting so freaked out over this. I went to school in North Carolina, a mere 9 hour drive from home...even drove by myself in a VW Beetle with not even a cell phone to keep me company, but it was different then right? ha.

Who am I kidding. I'm scared. I know it's not fair for me to try to convince her to go closer to home. That I know. And I know that I have to let her make her own choices, it's part of growing up. The thing is the more I watch her growing up, the more I remember her as a little girl. A little girl. An independent, Snow White costume-wearing little girl, who every time you tried to help her do something she would stop you and say, "I do it myself!"

I keep hearing that little girl's voice more and more the older she gets. I guess I will have to start remembering what my response was, "Okay, Alexa, you can do it, mommy will just watch"

Timmy!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's no other way I could type his name. It's just his personality. I have so many stories about Timmy, he's smart, fast, has OCD, lives in his own world and can grab a bacon wrapped scallop off of a dinning room table (including full-sized toothpick) faster than you can say, well, NO!!! (And pass it whole btw, not the scallop but the toothpick, thank gawn!)

He doesn't bark at people when they arrive but only goes crazy barking and growling when they leave, including us. That's Timmayyy!!! See, I really can't do it without exclamation marks, seriously.

There's no business like show business!

The first 4 years of my soap and candle business was spent doing as many craft fairs and events as possible. Building up a customer base wasn't easy. My display is huge and heavy. Thank goodness for a wonderful husband who puts up with me!

6 years later I only do 2 shows a season. I've graduated to mainly wholesale in local shops and repeat retail sales. Thank gawn! In this economy buying supplies and making products on spec is dangerous. I've really cut down on the amount of product I make and take to these shows and then make things that I know my wholesale customers would want to purchace if things don't sell. My dear friend and customer, Brenda has a gift shop, Tender Touch Gifts. She purchases as well as allowing me to put items in her shop on consignment which has been keeping me afloat during these down times.

Tomorrow is my last of the 2 shows for the season. It's one that has always been dependably profitable so I'm hoping this year is no exception. Fingers crossed!