Art + Clothing = communism

Don't you just hate it when people are silent in praise and quick to cry out with criticism? Oh did I get my earfull yesterday!
Everyone who has any contact with me (yes I am a broken record at times) knows full well that I am chairing the Cedar Creek Lake Festival of the Arts to be held in Mabank, Texas on May 23. I have been ruthless in promotion to the best of my abilities and have become a one man army in my obsession and resolve that a town with very little interest in festivals, the arts, or celebration can will (if it kills me) pull off such an endeavor. I'm not complaining, it was my idea. I know that no one will ever be as passionate, driven or supportive as the planner, I get it. I'm not looking for a big bear hug or pat on the back at the end of the day. What I would appreciate though is silence with criticism from those who are not doing anything to help.
So it went down like this. I decided that it would be a great asset to this event to have a festival t-shirt made, raise some extra revenue and enhance the event, class it up a bit (and yes, even a t-shirt classes up an event on Cedar Creek Lake!). The theme of the shirt was woodstock inspired as this is the 40th anniversary of the great music festival that defined the generation preceeding my own. I worked very hard to find graphics that were Woodstock "inspired" but not plagieristic in nature. The guitar, dove and "hippy" like fonts were so well recieved by the public that pre-orders for the shirt have surpassed my hopes of total sales. Feeling happy, proud and successful I patted myself and moved on, no time to celebrate as there were other victories to be won in the following days.
How surprised I was indeed when a business owner across the street confronted a fellow business owner and launched a tirade of unbelievable proportions. The slogan (Make Art..Not War) is said to be an insult to all veterans. A slap in the face to patriotism, this country and every man who died in service to our proud nation. Seriously? I mean seriously? A slap in the face? Against this country? I seriously started laughing, out loud. It was incredible to me.
1. It's a freakin t-shirt folks...let's keep this in perspective.
2. If I'm going to be painted as a USA hating commie bastard it should have been done prior to my last project of placing American flags in front of every businesses on Market street.
3. I didn't even know the accuser of my treasonous acts was even involved. Their record was of silence, no participation and without care (or blame) until they found an opportunity to make a ruckus.
I love this country and am proud of my veteran family members. One of my grandfathers nearly froze to death serving in Korea and the other came home from WWII highly decorated, wounded and carried schrapnel in his body until he died in the 1980's. I am proud of their service to this country regardless of the fact that in my life I have never been so inclined as to follow their paths. Hey...wait a second here. Didn't my ancestors fight for the right for me to express myself? In any way I wish? To defend the constitution of this great nation. If I'm not totally off base here there is an article in that constitution that allows for my self expression? I was not making a political statement by printing "Not War" on a t-shirt. Actually the person who cried out against said shirt DID make a statement. I would assume the he believes all soldiers are Pro-War, which is preposterous.
I am using this as my only source to vent my displeasure at above noted ignorance. I am not going to mar my event by this unfortunate little flap and lack of judgment on the part of the ignorant. I just wanted to bring my town a sense of sorely needed civic pride, increased visibility in times of economic hardships and enjoyment to visitors. Maybe that makes me a bad American. I need a t-shirt to wear so that others will be able to see me coming.

Here's to good friends.....

Isn't it great when a friend does something unexpected for you, however big or small? The best treats for me are when someone I know stops by just to say hello and has coffee with me or just good conversation. Let's face it, if I had coffee with everyone I knew that came to visit me at work then I would be a caffiene-created lunatic! I'm halfway there already and I know it so keep your wise comments to yourself lol.
Last night a friend ask me to go have a beer after work in a neighborhood establishment and as a rare treat, I said yes. It had been a long week and I thought....why not. Good times were had by all and we ended up at her place on the sofa just chatting and playing with the dogs. Total decompression from the busy week that had ended. I love these times and I really hope my friends know how much I appreciate them.
OH, I have to do a shameless plug for Kashi GoLean Crunch with Honey and Flax. OH MY GOODNESS, I think I have found the secret to happiness. I'm a big fan of Kashi products, it at least gives me the feeling of doing something better for my body, despite the fact that I may have an unhealthy diet. Check it out folks.

In it for the long haul

Well here we are at work, week 3 of my Mom's broken arm. She really isn't doing much better and so when she told me that she would be out for a week and I optimistically entertained the idea of that reality I was mistaken. Oh I knew she wouldn't be healed in a week but people work with casts all of the time. I didn't take into account her facial swelling from the fall or the pulled groin which would be enough on it's own to take someone out of commission for a few days.
I'm not complaining....really. I'm just getting tired....very tired and I'm making stupid mistakes. This job isn't physically taxing, we're not exactly in heavy construction or digging ditches. There is something to be said though for how fatigue affects your attitude, creativity and willingness to put up with customer's endless array of personal drama that they feel the need to "confide" to you.
So here I am complaining about people complaining but I mean seriously...I just want to tell them to get a grip. It is not an isolated thing, it's many many customers who come in and tell us their problems. DAILY. I learned not to ask a long time ago but now it seems the question need not even be uttered. This is their dump place, their baggage check for that of the emotional kind. I've even gotten so blunt as to say, in my charming way, that "You just have way too much drama in your life." Maybe I want them to "get it" because I did a long time ago. I can empathize with a person's situation but I do not take it on as my own because when it really matters the people I had invested myself in did not return the favor. I have boundaries in friendships now and I don't take anyone's actions personally. I wish everyone could learn this lesson. You take care of you...be there for your friend but don't become your friend. You will be a much better asset to the person in need if you just stand tall and extend a hand to them, you are of no use if you're on the ground wallowing in the mire next to them.
So okay, I'm not wallowing but I guess I wish that someone would stand over me and extend that hand from time to time. Let me dump on them for a change and actually ask how MY day is going.

If that ain't country.....

Well after 5 years in business we had just about decided that we had seen it all, literally. The ups, the downs and everything in between...customers off all shapes, sizes and backgrounds.
As any of you know that have visited my store, The Hydrangea House, we have a habit of leaving the front door open. The space doesn't have the greatest windows, so we merchandise the front porch and leave the door open to make the store more inviting.
It was early in the day this morning, about 7:00 when I heard the "clicking" of something moving on the hardwood floor near the doorway. I just sort of looked out of the corner of my eye expecting to see the cat, Dexter from the antique store down the street. Quickly I remembered that the store didn't open until 10am and if it was in fact Dexter then there was certainly a problem. Ah, I digress. It was long until I realized that what I was seeing was not in fact Dexter the cat but some unamed and less than welcome Possum. Yes, a possum. The kind of grey hairy, toothy thing that nightmares and roadkill are made of.
Oh my little country town with all of it's charm, for better or worse. You'd have to see it to believe it really, fortunately a place of little surprise. The possum and I were in a close race to capture the most startled title but it didn't last for long. I was much scarier than he was and I hope that was the most excitement that I will endure today in my little sleepy town.

I can't believe it happened on Cedar Creek Lake

I really can't believe it happened right here on Cedar Creek Lake! What a treat to discover Red's Oyster House. Imagine what a surprise when I walked into this neighborhood eatery in Seven Points, Texas and saw the specials board with an offering of Sesame-crusted Yellowfin Tuna served with parmesan green beens, a light soy sauce and wasabi. For those of you not indeginous to the area I must tell you that this is not a run of the mill offering at a local restaurant in a land where everything is deep fried and salty. I hope everyone soon discovers this place, I would rank it right up there with places such as my own, The Hydrangea House coffee shop for places on Cedar Creek Lake that are a special treat when visiting the area or living here full time.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

There is nothing like a Sunday morning. The anticipation of a Sunday morning even keeps me awake on Saturday night! Most Sunday mornings I am at the Presbyterian Church but having coffee, in the quiet morning with no one else awake...seeing the dawning sun come into my breakfast room window and seeing the birds feed outside of my window has it's own spiritual benefit.