A New Chapter

Well, the shop is Officially Closed!

It was pretty weird seeing everything slowly dwindling away. It was really disturbing to have all of these other shop owners kind of converge on me, wanting my displays, my yarns, my needles, my patterns...and when the first day of the sale took place I had one person coming in pointing at my swift, ball winders, looms, spinning wheels, asking, "How much for that? You selling this?" THOSE are mine, thank you very much. But I was glad to see everything find a new home and I wish my fellow shop owners many blessings.

It amazes me how I could barely make it thru the week for months on what few sales I could make and when I announced I was going out of business? MAN! I have made record sales just about everyday! LOL that's the way of the world I guess. I can't complain, I got what I wanted first and I have a goodly stash. (Unfortunately, that means anytime I go shopping out of town on my travels my husband will remind me of the stash I already have at home!)

What really amazes me is how I am feeling. It's not anger, it's not melancholy or remorse...it's almost a sense of relief. I have always been that way though. When I decided to go on to something else or close out the last chapter and go to the next...I have this tremendous sense of relief. Yes, releif...that is a good word for it.

So, now, I am here at the library, because my dial up at home is excruciatingly slow and painful and my computer hasn't been hooked up since Monday. LOL I am catching up on my Ravelry and other sites, except banking...LOL I will suffer through that at home in private.

I have enjoyed this year of my life and learned a lot about the business world, life and myself. Who knows? I may yet revisit this chapter in the future but with a more "happily ever after" ending. This somehow, was a tragedy of sorts. No hard feelings though, I have great friends that I have made and will continue to see.

People have been asking, "What will you do now?" Well, truth be known, I am glad I didn't get as much debt as most folks do when they open their own business but I will have to take on a part time job. I have found a great part time job that pays very well and I can still be home with the kids most of the time. I will be a flight attendant for a commuter plane. I know, I know, it's weird...but of all of the applicants that showed up to interview the same day I did only 5 were hired and we were all 40+ women. LOL! I guess there goes the stereotypical idea of flight attendants. I go for training in Minnesota in April. It will be a weird ride but I like to fly, I like people and the money is decent.

Well, I am going to scope out the knitting books and see what is here ( all the good books are in Oxford!) and I did bring my knitting. From now on I will be focusing on my knitting and flying...weird combination but at least I will have something to do on layovers! LOL

later!

kathy

A Good Cry Makes Everything Better

I am feeling a ton better now that I have had a good cry (the sobbing, gasping for air kind of cry) and could stand back for a bit and reevaluate the situation.

1. better to know when to stop than to keep going and get in a hole I can't get back out of (financially speaking that is)

2. Better to have tried then not to have tried at all.

3. I did something I always dreamed of doing and may yet try again, only now with eyes wide open.

4. I have the best friends in the whole world who have come out to support and love me, who could ask for better than that?!

5. I am opening up a whole new chapter of life!

6. yeah baby, have I got a yarn stash that rocks!

7. I have made lots of friends!

8. A good cry can be cleansing to the soul!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the great emails and support, I am doing great and looking forward to the next great adventure. I fill you in on that next week.


knit on y'all!

kathy

It Was A Great Ride...

while it lasted.

Someone once said, "You can't get to second base with your foot on first." and it's true. Life is made up of trials and errors, risks and success, risks and failures.

Look at Harland Sanders. He was 60 years old, broke, living off of his social security in his car, trying to make a lifelong dream come true. It finally did and now we have the beloved KFC to show for his efforts. But goodness knows, it came after years of failure.

I look back at my 41 years and can't help but be remorseful. If only I had done this, said that, taken that job, made more money, didn't do this....it goes on and on until I can't sleep nights. Does anyone else have this problem? I have brushed over my accomplishments only to dwell on my failures, and boy let me tell ya, I have had more than my share of those.

OK, to the punch line. Where is all of this going? Well, it is with great sadness (and I am sure to a lot of people who said , "I told you so, I knew she wouldn't make it, I knew she couldn't make it." you know who you are, I am sure this will make your whole day worthwhile.)

Sorry, bitter grapes...

I am closing That Yarn Shop down at the end of the month. March 31, to be exact. We will keep the website and turn it into an online store. Here I can narrow down what I truly want to carry and no overhead, since I already have established acct. with certain companies.

If you have any store credit, you need to redeem it before March the 21st, of this month. I have called about orders already placed (aka the Cascade Great American Aran books and yarn) and you can get a refund on your books by next week March 21 (or you can take it in store credit towards the yarn you want, before then.) Cascade said they were waiting on the reprints and they won't be in until after March 24th.

All consignments need to be picked up and I will be making arrangements for those as well.

I am sorry, but I have to do what is best for our family and I have exhausted every resource I possibly could. I am sure Hank of Yarn will be happy to have your business and I know you will be well taken care of by Henrietta. She is a good knitter and has a lovely little shop.

I got to live my dream, although it be brief and I am happy to have had that much. I am sure people will say, that I didn't have enough new yarn, or whatever, but, you can't buy new if the old yarn isn't moving. I made a good go of it and that is what matters.

My only fear is the rumor mongers, the back biting and gossip that will probably ensue because of this. For the record, I loved each and everyone of my customers, y'all were more than a billfold to me. You were friends and family. For the first time in years, I felt like I could relate to people and make friends.

Artists have a tendency to be loners and see and think about the world differently than other people do. "Normal is a setting on your dryer." I was never normal.

Tony told me,"Not to take this personally. It's just the economy and times." and that "He was proud of me." I know it is the times...I have a friend who owns a scrap booking business in another part of the country and she is having to close her shop too. "What we sell is luxury items Kathy, we are not a commodity. People can't afford luxuries right now and I am having to put so much of my own money into the shop, well, it's just an expensive hobby." I agreed with her, but it still hurt.

I am sorry I have let y'all down. I know that it was nice to have a place here and who knows, maybe someone else with more resources and smarts, will open another yarn shop here in Hernando.

well...that's that...I can't think of anything more to say, other than, It was great while it lasted, I love y'all and I will miss you all dearly.

sincerely,

kathy & amanda