Church-a place to bond

This past Sunday's church find-vintage Irish linen threads, cut-work linen, bone rings (whose bones, I don't want to know) mother of pearl buttons, and wooden spools. All for $3.00.

When my dad was still alive he would call me on a Saturday evening and say, "Meet me at church tomorrow morning? I will bring the donuts and coffee." Growing up church was not the white building with a steeple you went to on Sunday mornings. Church was the the huge flea market in a nearby town. Church was where we bonded over antiques, people's trash-our treasures, sunshine, donuts and coffee. Church was where he taught me the fine art of haggling. Church was where he taught me not everything is at it seems. Church was our place. When we moved back to the area I was happy to get his phone calls looking for a church get-together. He has been gone nearly twenty years. I still go to the huge flea market from time to time. I still call it church. I haggle, find great treasures, drink coffee, eat a donut-and think of my dad. Church was our place.

Ch-ch-changes

With apologies to David Bowie. Why so quiet, you ask? Just life. Shall we do the list....sure. I turned 50 in June, my son announced he is moving to California with his girlfriend (she is a sweet girl), my youngest leaves for college in a month (she is a sweet girl, too), and I have to say it again-I turned 50!!! Now, I know I am not the only person to turn 50 this year. Just about every one of my classmates from ORHS class of '78 turns 50 this year. The time leading up to 50 was a lot of hand-wringing---like I could somehow stop it with hand-wringing---some chastising, some nostalgia, and a dash of Bring It On!. Today I am not quite a month into it and I have to tell you it has been liberating. I had read that happens but didn't really believe it. For me it was true, with a little help from my friends. Four friends got together to raise a glass and ask the important question, "So what gets you juiced up?" Insert lots of laughs, another bottle of wine and some dessert and you have me on a new path. I am still obsessively stitching on large pieces of cotton. But the path now contains freelance work in social media engagement and laying the groundwork for some individual consulting with artists and teaching. Fifty is ok.