I Almost Had a Real Post, But Then I Got Distracted by Life

A new teapot for West Coast Haunters Convention

Life has just been entirely too filled with adulting, lately. (Adulting? Worst decision I ever made!) 

Mr. ShellHawk and I recently did a re-fi of the house to drop our interest rate, there have been a number of event applications to fill out for this year's shows - along with digging up the money to pay for the booth fees, there's the "regular" job, household things, rehabbing my dog's leg and running her back and forth to the vet for physical therapy.

Just thinking about it makes me want a hot bath and a nice bottle of champagne.

My birthday came and went, with a wonderful surprise visit from my dad and a day trip to Napa, not to mention a wonderful birthday/Easter brunch with friends. The weather was stunning, so all around, it was the perfect birthday weekend. (Mr. ShellHawk even bought a wine club membership to Tamber Bey Vineyards for me for my birthday, which was a splendid gift!) We now have a problem common in the wine country: We only have the good wine in the wine fridge! We're out of the inexpensive, everyday stuff! *gasp*

I'll try to soldier on through that last one...

I've been working on some custom orders and trying my best to get some stock ready for West Coast Haunters before I leave for vacation next week. (Nearly two heavenly weeks in Hawaii!) I got a new point of sale system and have ordered some generic bar codes so I can track my inventory more easily and streamline the checkout process for my customers at my shows.

I got invited to show at RuPaul's DragCon, but had to turn them down this year because I just don't have enough stock. :'(

This post was supposed to be following one of my pieces from start to finish, but it's going to have to wait for a bit!

It's only 6:00 AM, but I have to run and get back to making stuff so I can start the kiln before going to work. 

A potter's work is never done. :D

Thankful

Thanksgiving is a day away. It's our day to give thanks for what we have and gorge ourselves into a food coma.

Here are two people I'm thankful for. We went for cocktails Monday night and they came up with the brilliant idea of going to Apple Hill the next day, do some wine tasting and grab a pie. We had a blast, and since girls talk about, um, interesting things, we were cracking other people up along the way. I'm glad we could spread some Holiday Cheer.

I'm thankful for these two for making my move from my hometown of 39 years easier, and making me feel like one of the girls.

Thanksgiving is also a time I'm thankful for what I didn't get, or don't have anymore.

I'm thankful that I divorced husband #1 and #2, so that when Mr. ShellHawk came along, I would be available and know the difference between being married and being happily married. Another bonus: I topped my personal best in "length of marriage." Personal best never made it past three years; it's four and a half, now. Whoopee! (I'm also glad I chose NOT to go to my local pub that night and went to the one in Santa Monica to meet a friend for dinner, because I met him in Santa Monica and never would have if I'd gone to the other place. I'm also glad that when he left his ex and he had a choice of turning left to L.A. or right to Oklahoma City, that he chose left.

I'm thankful for the jobs I didn't get in this job search I'm on. I found out later that one doctor has a reputation of being verbally abusive to his staff (And what a shock! They're underpaid, too!), and I would have had to work Saturdays (and be away from my hubby) for another job. I hate working Saturdays.

On that note, I'm glad I got downsized from my last job, because of the stress that shouldn't have been a part of the job in the first place. And I get to work on other projects so maybe I won't have to go back into dentistry, if I'm lucky.

I'm thankful I don't live in L.A. anymore. For more reasons than I can count.

I'm sure you have your own list. Take a moment to reflect on what you got, and didn't get.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear Reader.