Tomorrow is It!
Tomorrow is really our last day open.
The kids did the windows. Did I even need to say that?
Have you heard those commercials from Henrick's Jewelers? First they were closing ... huge sales, everything must go, blah, blah. Now ... if we, the consumer, buys enough from them they'll be able to stay open! What an amazing twist of fate. I really really really don't like being misled, especially when it feels pretty dang intentional. Jason and I always joke that those businesses are just like the "going out of business" t-shirt shops on Duval Street in Key West ... that never go out of business.
Oh, anyway, tomorrow is our last day open. I've been asked so many times how I feel about it but I don't have an answer. I haven't let it sink in at all. Wait until next week when we're moving everything out ... that's when it'll hit me and the tears will really fall.
I miss my store being pretty. I do know that. It's so ... generic right now. I miss it having some personality (at least I thought it had good personality!). Hmm ... maybe I'll take that desire for pretty and spring clean my house ... yeah, probably not.
I'll miss getting a bit of a break from the kids. Really.
I know I'll miss all of you, my customers and friends. That's the hardest part, without a doubt. Thinking back over the last nine years ... such wonderful memories.
See me taking the picture? There was an image going around the Internet and e-mail of a dining room set someone was selling. Nice picture, nothing unusual ... until you looked closely at the dining room mirror. The guy taking the picture was naked as the day he was born (see it here, scroll to bottom of page). I'm not naked ... but everytime I take a picture of the store windows and see my reflection I think of that and giggle. edited to add: ok, maybe you can't see me, on my computer I'm cut off the side of the picture ... kind of blows this whole little story, doesn't it?
But the time has come to move forward. The biggest thing, of course, is that I need to be home with the kids ... our family needs me to be home. Jason and I have always had a lot going on between the five kids, home schooling, Ditto Kiddo, his full-time job, sailing, etc. and we're all ready for this change. I will say though that the last time I tried to stay home we opened the store ... I'm not good at not being crazy busy. I am, however, convinced that this is the right move for us and even though we've all (yes, each of the seven of us) brought up new business ideas over the last few weeks I'm not even looking (but the ice cream shop idea did sound really fun!).
My new adventure, Because I'm Me, is taking shape. It's a fun creative outlet and very rewarding. We have another project in the works, still in the early stages, that I'll mention either here or at my other blog in a few weeks that, if all continues to go well, will keep me very occupied ... for a very long time (I so want to spill the beans right now!).
Oh, onto a new subject, don't forget to enter the drawing at my other blog to win a Because I'm Me tote bag!
We do still have many fixtures and hangers left. Call (239-495-1055) or e-mail if you'd like more information. We'll be around quite a bit next week and would be meet at the store with any interested parties.
Thank you for your support, encouragement, and friendship these past nine years.
Jody
