what's been up with me?

As usual, I haven't posted in a very long time.  Life has been so busy the past few months, but things are about to change in a very big way soon.  After 29 years as Director of Senior Citizen Activities for the City of Galax Parks and Recreation Department,  I will be retiring July 31, 2014.  I am so excited!  Not only am I closing one door behind me, but I'm opening a new door to a new career as a full time caner and weaver of woven furniture.  I took steps this past week to expand my caning business to Fayetteville, NC, my hometown.  The ad for my caning business will run in the Fayetteville Observer newspaper on March 16 in the Sunday Life insert and on March 17 in the city wide circulation.  The ad will run again March 30 in the Sunday Life insert and again on April 1 in the city wide circulation.  If my last trip was any indication of how good business could be in that area, then I think things will work out great.  I was at a stop light waiting for it to change when I got a phone call.  I answered and the gentleman asked if this was the caning service and I of coursed replied that it was.  Then he said, "I am sitting in the  car next to you."  I turned and we rolled our windows down.  His wife, who was driving, stretched across the seat and said pleadingly, "Where is your shop?  I have a house full of antiques and I need you badly."  The next day as I was leaving a restaurant another man from Winston Salem, NC stopped me and asked if I could repair his rocking chair.   So what do you think?  Am I making the right move?  I have the logistics worked out for transporting chairs back and forth to Galax, VA and have a good central location for people to drop off and pick up their chairs in Fayetteville, NC.  Here's another thing about expanding to Fayetteville, Mom will be 85 this July.  Now I will be able to spend more time with her and help out when she wants.  She can be a little stubborn sometimes.  She still likes to work her garden.  Thankfully she has downsized considerably so I don't have to worry about her working in the ungodly heat of Fayetteville in the summertime.  It will be good to catch up with other relatives too.  I've been away from home since 1977 with only a few holiday and funeral visits made during that time.  It's hard to stay in touch when you live far away.  Of course today's technology is making it a lot easier.  Easier still would be all your relatives getting computers and the internet so one can stay in touch!  I don't see that happening anytime soon.  My older relatives still long for the days of the "party line" telephone.  You know what?  Some days so do I!!
     Okay, here are some pictures of what I've been doing since my last post.