Signs of Love

A Haunted House

As I have mentioned before, Lou and I promoted a craft show that traveled the east coast from MA to FL catering to Longaberger basket consultants and their basket loving customers. We also participated for several years in the street fair held in Dresden, Ohio called Dresden Days. If you follow Dresden's Main Street out of town, you travel through a small town called Trinway. Lou and I noticed this large brick house which was in disrepair as we would head to our hotel, and always hoped that someone would take on the task of restoring it. We were surprised to see it featured on Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. You can actually rent the place for a night if you want to go ghost hunting.

Prospect Place or the Trinway Mansion was built in 1856 by abolitionist George Willson Adams and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Below is the link to the website about the mansion. Be sure to check out the interesting history and ghost hunting stories. There are also many other sites, if you do a search for Prospect Place, with information and pictures.

http://www.prospectplace-dresden.com/

Lucy Update...Big Birthday...Time with the Boy

An update on Lucy Girl...the vet called to let us know the results on Lucy's biopsy. It seems that the lump wasn't a tumor. It was scar tissue from an injury. Lou and I are trying to remember how she could have hit that spot so hard to have caused this. The lump was located on her right side, just where her back right leg meets her body. I guess that really doesn't matter how she did it...I'm just so thankful that it wasn't something worse.

On Saturday night we attended a surprise birthday for Lou's brother Charly, given by his wife Jen and his children. He turned 60 this week. The party was at his daughter's house. This time he didn't have a clue. When his wife threw him a surprise party for his 40th, he somehow found out. So Charly...did Jen do better at keeping it a secret, or is the old brain slowing down? You're only as old as you remember you are.

I spent two days this week watching my darlin' Dylan. It is just so much fun being Mom Mom. We sing together and dance. We read books and play with the new Christmas toys. But what he likes best is his jumpy seat. It hangs on a door frame
and is good for 30 minutes of pure jumping joy.

I'm dragging my feet about getting back to work. I'm finding it hard to make myself go up to the shop. I think this is the hardest part of what I do. I have been filling the orders I've received but not really working on stocking up on merchandise. I'm thinking that we'll be doing more shows this year, but we do need to have lots of product
to make it worth while to set up for a show.

Looks like most of the country is in the deep freeze...so to all, keep those tootsies warm.

Lucy Again Has Surgery

Several weeks ago, while giving our Lucy a bath, my husband found a lump on her side. We took her to see our wonderful vet, Dr. Cujdik, and were told to wait and see if it stayed the same size or got larger. Well of course it grew larger. We took her in at 7:30 this morning by 10 the operation was done. The tumor was even larger than the doctor thought so it took many more stitches and will require a longer recovery time. We're supposed to keep her from running and jumping to keep her from ripping the stitches. That's going to be some great trick. Maybe we should tie a cinder block to her leg to keep her still. Won't get the results back from the pathologist until next week. Keeping our fingers crossed that it is a fatty tumor and not anything worse.



Yesterday Lou and I took a ride to Lancaster County, PA to pick up a piece of furniture that he had built for Diane of Basket Accessories as a display piece in the Akron shop. After 18 years of selling merchandise for those who love and collect Longaberger baskets, Diane is closing the retail shop at the Akron. The Intercourse store will remain open. Check the website www.basketaccessories.com for winter hours at that store or to shop online for painted lids, liners, protectors, Amish wrought iron and more.

Baby Boy A True Gift

Here is one of the latest photos of our amazing, brilliant, adorable, grandchild. He made Christmas even more wonderful than normal. We were so busy with getting out orders this year (which is actually a good thing) that I was not too very merry as I didn't get much done in decorating for the holidays. We didn't even have time to put up a tree, which I so missed. Most of the ornaments for our tree hold precious memories. As I handle each ornament, memories of special times and special people flood my mind. But one look at this little face I know all those family members who are no longer with us really are with us. With the birth of this child, the family lives on.

Thanksgiving or Christmas Cactus?

Almost 30 years ago, my sister-in-law Jennifer gave my a tiny Christmas cactus with about 4 or 5 blooms. I remember that it was that long ago because Jen was expecting my nephew Nicolaus who will be 30 in March. This is the same plant. I put it outside every spring and let it spend the summer on my porch. It was much larger than it is now, but one morning on my way to the shop I noticed branches from the plant scattered all over the yard. The squirrels must have had quite a party pulling the branches off. I leave it outside until I hear the words "frost warning". Within a week this wonderful old plant just bursts into bloom, but it is always finished its show before Christmas.

Craft Show At Liberty High School...

Yesterday Hubbie and I set up for a show at Liberty High School in Carroll County. The entire school is filled with vendors with crafts and gift items. Not all vendors had handcrafted items but I did know that as I've participated in this show for the past several years. Nice show and great people to work with. There are kids and parents from the school who help with carrying the vendors displays and merchandise in for set up and again after the show to help when it's time to break down. Setting up for every show is different due to time restraints and we had to set up completely in 2-2 1/2 hours so we ended up using only half the display.

With every show we've participated in this season, I keep thinking, "We're getting too old for this"

I met fellow Estian Mary Mahoney at the show. She makes quilted pictures of people's homes.
This is such a wonderful gift idea, I thought I'd share. Her Etsy shop is http://www.stitchingirl89.etsy.com/

Also at the show was my friend Shar, who was actually set up directly across from us. She sews table runners, pillows, eyeglass cases ( I use one of those as a case for my camera so I can toss it in my purse). I think one of her cutest items is a fabric teabag holder which will hold the teabag, sweetener, and powdered creamer so that all you need is a cup of hot water. You can find her things at Christmas in Perry Hall, the Among Friends show in Kingsville,
and at Jennifer Crafts in Marley station Mall in Glen Burnie.

This is Shar's husband Bill..."watching" her booth while she was out checking out the other vendors...Great job Bill