Lets try this again, I like these expressions. You can tell my baby is a Daddy's girl!

That is one hairy baby!

I have been meaning for so long to get back on here but............ Oh well, no excuses, I'll just do it.
The last couple of weeks we have been working hard getting ready for the show at Riverfest at Leavenworth. I was thinking that after the show we would be able to slow down and mellow out a little but, I think not. I got so many orders for signs that the next few weeks will be a bit hectic again. Well not "so many" orders, I think it was 10 or 11 but some of them want more then one sign. I only sold 4 signs but Terry took about 15 benches in different styles and we sold 5 of those I think. We brought home $440 with another $135 coming when they pick up their orders. That just paid the deposit on the insurance for the shop but at least it is paid now. I made a bunch of business cards and a lot of them went out so we may get a few more phone calls. Someone that bought one of the wide benches is calling it a coffee table and called and wanted to know if Terry could make them a couple of end tables to match it. Some one came in the shop and bought 3 benches yesterday for $85. They said they would be back for more. A lady left a message on the phone yesterday ordering two. She doesn't want them put together, she wants to haul them in the trunk of the car. Terry makes the peices, includes the hardware and wraps it all in the plastic wrap and they put them together when they get home.
Sis went with us and took one of her friends and we didn't see much of her all day. It was down by the Ohio river so their was a lot of exploring to do. David, Terry's helper went too, to help us haul stuff, load and unload. We took our new little pup, Mickey so he will get some socialization but that went a little overboard, I think. You know how David likes the girls? Well he found our that that cute little pup was a perfect Chick magnet. He would take the pup and disappear for hours and every time you would see him, he always had a group of girls around him ohhhing and ahhhing over the cute little doggie. He was in Heaven. I had to take the poor baby from him and tell him to leave it alone long enough for it to get some rest, some sleep. It was really hot that day and that baby was tired when he got home but by the next day he was ready to go again. It was really hot too. We had some shade where we were set up but some people only had the shade from their tents. I ventured out to look around a little and I was feeling sorry for those poor folks. The festival was not as big as I thought it would be, maybe 20 to 25 booths and Terry thinks we were the ones that probably made the most money that day. Everybody loved out stuff but in these days and times they are hard to seperate from their money. Terry was hoping to make about $1000 that day but that was not to be, it was mostly local folks there but we did get the word out about what we were doing.
Well that is what has been keeping us busy this summer. Can you beleive that the summer is just about over? Here it is almost August and time to start collecting wood for the winter. NOOOOO, I don't want it to be over. I'm not ready yet but that is not going to stop it.

Well, it is definitely summertime. Remember wishing for this time back when it was 35 degrees outside? I like this much better and am not looking forward to that again. Sis saved her money this spring and managed to get enough to buy her a swimming pool. It is 13 ft. across and about 4 ft deep. She spends a lot of time in it and is brown as a berry now. I've been in it once and it really felt good after a hot day at the shop, working in the sun.
I just made a pound cake, it is in the oven and is smelling really good. I found some almond paste at the salvage store and looked up some recipes on the internet. I choose the pound cake recipe and am waiting anxiously to try it. Lois and Timmy are here at the park, fishing and they are supposed to come back when it is done to try a piece.

I have a new baby sleeping here beside me on the couch. Haven't named him yet, haven't known him long enough to pick one out. He is my payment for the use of my male dog. He is only 1 lb. and is really cute. I didn't know if I was actually going to get him because the mortality rate for puppies where he came from is very high. He was one of only two and his sister died. Irene became quit attached to him and made me promise not to sell him later of if I did, to sell him back to her. He looks just like the little pup I raised on a bottle last year. I saw that dog this week, he is about 5 lbs. and very hyper. He turned silver like his daddy.

We are signed up to set up a booth at the Leavenworth Riverfest the 26th of July. I have been busy trying to get enough signs made to take along. I want Terry to make some of his nice benches and a table or two. I don't plan on getting rich but it might be fun. It has really kept me away from home and at the shop a lot. I counted it up the other day and I am at home only 24 hours a week, not counting sleeping and if I go to bed at 12am. Maybe when this festival is over it will get better. I hope so. Sis is helping me keep the house livable and I really appreciate it.

I love it when Sis plays her music LOUD. Not because I like the music, I really don't enjoy that part but there is a lot to love about the moment. Think of the alternative, if for some reason she was not with us, how much would I wish that she were there to turn up the wild music she loves? What I love is that she is there, with us, singing, dancing, laughing and having a great time. The music is loud, sometimes crazy and not what I would choose but she wants to share it with me, dance with me, laugh with me. The alternative? She could be the kind of teenager you hear so much about, sullen, untalkative, secretative and moody. She could be glued to her room, alone and dressed in black, talking on the phone to friends that I don't know. Maybe she does always leave her dirty dishes in the living room, forget to do her chores, leave her wet clothes laying on my bed or not get her school done on time, but when she gives me that unexpected hug or tells me I'm the BEST Mom, it is all forgiven. When I hear her loud music and see her in the kitchen with me, dancing, singing, laughing and just wanting to spend time with me I want it to last forever! You go girl, be yourself! Never let me try to change you into what I think you should be, always be who you really are, who God made you to be!