I should have just gone to D.C....

(This was started on Tuesday) I thought I wasn't going to watch any of the inauguration on T.V., except perhaps on the nightly news, but since I got up this morning I've done nothing but watch this...and cry, oh, good Lord, I've cried more today than any other time in my life. I can't quite figure this out. I, like a lot of people, am excited for the change we see coming...it's exciting, but I've always hated just about everything about politics, so I really don't know what happened. But I have to say, I've never been prouder of our country than today. Knowing that crackpots are out there, I'm amazed that everything went so smoothly. You know, I had an African American man in the shop this weekend, a former Marine, married to a former Army officer and he comes from Washington. I was happily stitching when they wandered into the shop and he decided he had to sit there and talk to me(I don't know why people do that). Imagine how surprised I was when he not only began to give me his opinion on many subjects, but I was particularly shocked when he started bitching about our future 44th president. I couldn't believe that an African American was sitting there telling me I shouldn't be so excited, but should be weary of Obama. He started citing conspiracy theories that I didn't know anything about. The more he spoke the more I thought I should call the FBI and report this guy. He lectured me for about 45 minutes on the problem with Obama in office. At least we know who he voted for...he loved Sarah Palin. Go figure. That's the kind of day I was having...it was Monday, no one in town and I was watching my DVD and stitching my lamb and all of a sudden one right after the other I had two of the most annoying people in town walk in. Good Lord, that's what I get for missing church. I promise I won't ever miss it again if you just don't let these people back in my shop....I promise! I really didn't expect much business this weekend because it's so freezing cold down here (as I'm sure it was where you are too), and who wants to be here when it's 14 degrees. But surprisingly, the stitchers did not let me down. They showed up and shopped...actually many of them came from the D.C. area and were getting out of town because of the inauguration. We got a slight dusting of snow on Sunday, but of course that was it for us. And thankfully the 14 degrees has risen and we're now seeing 32 degrees again with a forecast of 50 by Friday (of course it's going to be here only for a short time but we'll take it). I hate to bitch but I just don't do well in 14 degrees. I don't know how to dress for that and after sitting in the shop stitching I start to feel really cold and then to add insult to injury our pipes froze in the shop so on Sunday we couldn't use the bathroom. Good Lord, I had to tell everyone who called that they had to use their bathroom before coming as ours wasn't working. That's such a lovely thing to tell a customer...but we often see people who come running through the door asking if they can use our bathroom before they look around. I couldn't do anything for them so we thought it wise to warn them. For the 3 days we are closed this week Vernon and John are replacing our ceiling and lights in a section of the shop. I walk in today(Tuesday) to check on something and Sara says, "Watch what you say(apparently I've become famous for dropping a cuss word especially when I think the shop is empty) because there's a customer in here." Apparently closed 3 days a week means nothing to Vernon who left the front door open so he wouldn't be inconvenienced by having to turn the knob to unlock it when he wanted to get out, and a customer walked in and started looking around. The men were so focused on their work they didn't notice her until she said something. Vernon told her she was welcome to shop but he couldn't do anything but ring her up. (would have been interesting since I had the money bag, but Vernon was obviously not worried about that). I ended up waiting on her thank God since she needed fabric cut. Anyway, no harm done...years ago I use to post my phone number on the door and tell people to call me and I'd come over and open up for them, so letting someone shop on a "closed" day isn't that big a deal, but you can bet I let Vernon think it was. Anyway, he and John did a fabulous job of replacing the lights and ceiling in one section of the shop. They are going to do it in sections on the 3 days we are closed, so that we don't have to close down even one day for them to replace it. What this means is that we probably won't see the whole ceiling done this winter since John leaves for Florida this weekend and by the time he comes back next week he won't remember what he was doing before he left. But I'm use to this so I'm grateful for what I get done. We're getting excited about the Superbowl, not the football game of course but our annual once a year sale. We have two groups retreating here and a third group staying with Stacy S.in her condo. Debbie L., Phyllis Y., will be coming with 7 other stitchers from Pa., Kay F. is coming with 3 from Baltimore , and Staci B. is coming up from Virginia. Oh, it's going to be fun. So if you are in the neighborhood stop on by...you know there will be refreshments being served on Sunday in the shop. Oh, yea, I have to tell you a miracle happened today....I got all the Christmas Decorations put away...and it's still January. While yours have probably been put away for almost a month, this is a first for me. If you remember I still had the tree laying on its side in my living room until March, when Vernon finally came and put it in the workshop. But with Sara's old Charlie Brown tree I was able to handle it myself, and it fit in my closet it was so little. Yippie!!!! So now I've got my house back to normal (whatever that means), but my office has gone to hell in a handbasket. I can't get a handle on the mail. I've been working 3 days a week in there and yet it's still a mess. And now I'm panicing because I have to get the taxes done and to the accountant and we all know I don't get that done until the last minute but I worry about it for 3 months prior to getting the job done. We have Superbowl sale coming up, and then we have Nashville. And of course, I'm still fighting with IRS who seems to now be looking at 1997 & 1998 and can't seem to find some of my reports. Honestly, this drives me crazy...but I'm back to corresponding with them on a weekly basis....and this year I've added phone calls to really set my brain on fire. I find it hard to believe that my tax dollars are being used to drive me this crazy. It doesn't seem right that I pay these people to do nothing but drive me crazy. I don't think this is a good use of my money. Instead of driving those of us crazy who pay our taxes, wouldn't it be better to go after the ones who don't pay. I mean look at all the big wigs who have stolen investors money, you know they didn't pay taxes on that money...are they being hounded? Go after their asses for once and give me a vacation...please! Anyway, I've got to run...so have a great day and I'll talk to you later.