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News Of Friends

Hello all and hello Friday!

You know how wonderful it is to make friends on the world wide web? How it makes the world that much smaller? Connects you to people you wouldn't have met otherwise?

Me too.

I feel lucky that way. I've met some incredible people since I opened Bates Mercantile Co. on etsy and started blogging here on the Muse.

So, I thought I'd share some news of friends..............

Reshma from Ahkriti

I don't know how I missed it, but Reshma, who lives in Canada opened her own online storefront in addition to her etsy shop 6 months ago. She makes lovely Indian inspired jewelry that any woman would be happy to wear.

via ahkriti

Latrina from of trees and hues

Latrina is a talented young woman I just connected with this year. I stumbled onto her blog and loved her aesthetic immediately. She also takes wonderful photographs.

This week she has traveled from Califorinia, home to Tennesee for a visit, but has some really wonderful contributors filling in.  Today's post features a really pretty note card printable from Victoria of Oh So Pretty.

designed for of trees and hues by victoria of oh so pretty

 

Do stop by and be sure to tell Latrina I sent you.

 

Cari-Jane of Hybrid Handmade

 

Ah, the talented Ms. Hakes. My across-the-deep-blue pal who was living in France, but is now back in Yorkshire, England (where my Gram and Gramps were from) and who recently took part in the etsy Metal Challenge. She cut, she sanded, soldered and made a beautiful statement necklace that gives a nod to Downton Abbey. 

 

 

via hybrid handmade

 

Well done mon ami.

 

Stunning as always.

 

 

Freeform Friday

 

It's weekend. I'm very happy about that. It's been a crazy week and I'm glad it's done. Almost. For now, I'm going to kick back for a minute and sing along.  Love this song. Click here if you're reading via email.

 

 

 

 

Tonight it's campfire and pizza with our good friends the Harringtons.Tomorrow, dare I say, my 30th High School Reunion. Oh yes, I'm going right down that scary road.  I know there will be lots of laughs and lots of 'do you remember that'. It will be great to see people I haven't seen in a long time.

  

Enjoy the day, it's a great day to have.

 

 

Ciao for now,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing But A Heartache

So Long, Too Soon

Boy, this year just keeps throwing curve balls. We learned Sunday that our very dear sisterfriend Cin had passed away. She'd been fighting lung cancer, but I think we were all still in shock, not expecting the worst or at the very least, not expecting to lose her so soon. I know I was in shock. 

She's been my sister Gloria's best pal since high school and an honorary part of our family. A third sister, an extra daughter. I just mentioned her last week in my Mom's birthday post.

She could always make me laugh whether she was being silly or irreverant.  Her and my sister raised a lot of hell together. I was too young, but boy could my sister and my brother tell you some stories. So could my parents.  In fact, one that still cracks me up is my father going to 'retrieve' his daughter Gloria at a house party. Well, when he got there, he didn't find Gloria but he did find Cindy who we barely knew at this point. He said, 'don't I know you? you're coming with me" despite her pleas, and promptly removed her from the party and brought her home. 

Cin and Glo had to drag me around with them at times, and dubbed me Diddle Bain. Yup, you guessed it, their code for 'little pain'.  To this day, Cin called me diddle.

I will truly miss that, but what I will miss even more is just Cin.  She could brighten my day with an email or a Skype call like nobody's business.

I will remember her learning to drive a standard in her Saab and jerking back and forth as we left Cumberland Farms....must have been the 'diddle bain' tag along that day. I'll remember our day trip over to my sister's college with another chum who's gone, Dean (another 'diddle bain' day). I'll remember doing the Texas two step with her around Gloria's house when she was visiting from Louisiana one year. When Mack the Knife plays, I'll think of Cin because it was her and my sister's song. I'll always think of her at Mardi Gras, as she lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana for years now and always did it up right starting with black tie formal dress up for the Mardi Gras Ball. I'll think of her whenever I tailgate because she loved to tailgate for a football game. And I'll definitely think of her when I enjoy a beer or two and when my pool is open and I'm floating about, two more things she loved. 

She suffered her fair share, but always looked on the bright side and knew there was always someone worse off.  At the time of the unexpected death of her husband Ron (who I called R2 since he was 'ronnie ray') last August, she joked through it all, and somehow muddled through the loss of her one true love. She was amazing. In the end, I think her broken heart made it too hard to fight the cancer.

I understand, but it sure doesn't make it easier. 

I am so grateful that her niece Susie had been with her in Louisiana to help her, to be Nurse Susie, and to simply be with Cin in the end. It's a true blessing.

I'm so glad you were a big part of my life Cin. So, so glad.  I couldn't have loved ya anymore.

Love ya always, 

diddle

Sunset Meadows

Oh the sunset the day we learned that Cin has just passed was striking.  I'll just say, whenever I get 'bubble's of light' in a picture they seem to appear around the sun. Not in this one. This bubble of light is ascending towards the heavens. Enough said.

Peace out my friends and be well,