Have a Safe, Productive, Happy Holiday Weekend

Well, the weekend is in full bloom and the weather couldn't be more perfect, at least for me. It's cooler temps than beach goers would like and the sun is shining brightly, the ocean is sparkling and the beach is pristine (at least this a.m.). Yes, folks, I am once again living in Paradise. Now we've got a few folks I would like to see leave my Paradise, but it is the holiday weekend and that does bring a few rowdy's into town and I've just learned to deal with it. Actually, there seem to be fewer people here this year...weather, gas, etc., have all played a role I'm sure, but we party on as if everyone was back here again anyway. Perhaps "party" isn't the correct word, but let's just say, while we may miss the people we carry on as if they were here. My stitching has taken a back seat, but since I'm back in the shop at night (ugh!) at least for the weekend I'm hoping to get back on track. I got home around 9:00 last night, picked up my stitching basket and got it to the sofa, but never took the lid off until around 4:00 this morning when I took the darn lid off and actually got some stitching in. I'm hoping this is the turn around and I'm back on track since the stitching that surrounds my sofa is just mocking me. And as I worked last night I still pulled something off the new rack and took it home. Honestly there is absolutely no hope for me. I am surrounded in my living room by bags, and more bags and more bags of stitching...it's all the projects I've started in the last few years which for some reason I feel I'm more likely to finish if I leave them where they can mock me. And I do pull them out periodically to stroke them and let them know I haven't completely forgotten about them, but why I don't put them where I don't have to look at them is beyond me. Starting to see some of the summer regulars. It's so nice to see them return and it's great to have stitchers in the shop. You have no idea how many non-stitchers we get in here. It's as if people walk down the boardwalk and just go in and out of every single shop without knowing what is in the shop...and yet we clearly have a sign (yes we purchased a new sign to replace the stolen one) that says we are a needlework shop. Anyway, I do spend a great deal of time explaining that we do not sell our samples but they are there to show you what you can make. And of course that is always followed by the response, "Oh, I can't do that stuff...I just don't have the time." Well clearly they do since they are walking along the boardwalk they are obviously on vacation...ergo..time people you have time if you are on vacation. But rather than explain that I just smile and get back to something else. We're training some summer crew ... of course our idea of training is throw them into a shop and pray. Well, let's just say I need to pray harder. We never let them work the needlework shop (oh, my God, no one works with my love except those who love it)...we always throw them into the gift shop (which I like but don't love) and it is a real "crapshoot" until they get use to our way of doing things. As many of you know we are also in the process of redesigning Salty Yarns. We've moved the fibers (well 99% of them) into the middle room and we're still getting use to that, and we've moved other things as well so if you come to see us please be patient as we try to figure out where we've put stuff. Renee has now said I must stop buying and she can't find anywhere else to put the stuff. So...we'll just test this statement. We have put all our Vera Bradley on sale as I had a disagreement with our new sales rep. who I have to tell you is a complete asshole (and you know if I say it the statement is correct) and after arguing with her she had my account pulled (oops...did I say the wrong thing..chances are great) and so I no longer will be a Vera Bradley store...that means, of course to me, that I must fill up the Vera space. We've already cleared out one storeroom, although Renee has already filled that up with Pine Mountain...but I'm hoping by summer's end to be rid of most of the Vera and fill up those spaces with more needlework supplies, knitting, etc. While Sara and I, as well as my old rep., felt that Vera had reached her peak, we all felt we had some life left in Vera...guess not for me! Anyway, Sara is boycotting Vera and has switched her stitching tote over to a non Vera tote. Of course with each new project tote type I get in she and I are both over there picking out ours first. You know I love project totes and while I stuffed my Veras with project, I was often seen carrying the latest stitching tote we got in the shop. None of us will miss having to straighten up the Vera sections....that was such a pain in the ass every day, which might explain Renee's glee at the mention that they were going out. I won't mess the 43 cartons at once to unpack and get into storage. Anyway, that's the latest here and I wanted to post this since I have worked on other posts and never downloaded them....so I know you were wondering where the heck I got to. I'm alive, well, and overweight in Ocean City, and loving life one day at a time.
Have a great weekend, enjoy your family, friends, and stitching and I'll talk to you later.