Reignited

Sadly, there hasn't been much "progress" on the Work in Progress blog this past year (or more). I'm going to blame it on Facebook. It's just so much easier to jot a note on what you're doing on there than to get into your blog and write. If it takes more than a sentence or two, then it gets put on the back burner until it's old news...and too old to write about. Except for our trips last year, I barely posted once a month. Well, things are gonna change!

The fire was relit under me this morning. I got an e-mail from my life-long friend, Jackie. She's getting ready to retire. (In Georgia they would say she's "fixin'" to retire.) She's getting old and will be going on Medicare this year and all of that.

For the past several years she has been very busy. Besides being a wife, mother and grandmother she has had a full-time career which required her to travel a great deal. In the time she did get to herself, she has been indulging in her hobbies of cooking, reading, painting and her latest -- jewelry making. This morning I got an e-mail from her that said she is starting a 2nd blog (!!). Her first one is where she posts all the beautiful jewelry creations she makes. That one is http://www.crowsfeetcrafts.blogspot.com/ Check it out -- she's amazing!

This new blog is http://www.ayearofdefiningnormal.blogspot.com/ She will be writing about this year of transition for her as she leaves her "business suit" behind to discover who she is without it. She started by sharing a Yiddish folk tale about a young man and his suit. I was glad she didn't choose the story of the Emperor's New Clothes! I can't wait to follow along with her this year as she shares this adventure. I have a feeling she will be equally as talented at writing as she is at painting and jewelry making.

Her energy puts me to shame and looking at her blogs made me miss my own. So here's to a year of better (at least more frequent) blogging for me. Thanks, Jackie, for getting me fired up to write again.

Before going, I wanted to share this picture. We collaborated on a project for charity a couple of years ago. With the help of some of my friends, I made a bright quilt with tulips on it as a donation to a fund raiser for the hospice that Jackie was associated with in Mt. Vernon, Washington, where she lives. Mt. Vernon is known for its tulips. She did a group of painting to go with the quilt to make a "package" item for the the auction. I thought she did an awesome job!

Best of luck on your new venture...and adventures, my friend.