Chatting on the Front Porch

Chatting on the Front Porch

The Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 24 has a fun suggested topic today!  If you were sitting on your front porch or in a coffee shop with one of your blog readers, what would you chat about? What would you like them to know?  I have a few ideas but instead of coffee, I will be serving hot tea! I love a morning cup of Sweet Orange tea, Cinnamon tea, Green tea or my favorite India Spiced tea.  I have never been a coffee drinker but I’ll have a pot on hand for those that would rather have coffee while we are chatting on the front porch.

The first thing that comes to mind to chat about would be my great grand babies but I’ve probably bragged about them enough (at least for a few days) or I could chat about how I find great deals on meats and can make a very inexpensive but delicious and healthy meals. There’s always an update on my healthy eating plan but nothing really new so I’ll save that for later. I got it, I’ll chat a bit more about why we are closing our business of 53 years.   Do you have your tea or coffee ready?

My hubby and I have been very proud to keep our interior decorating business going 53 years on just word of mouth and referrals from past clients.  We started small without any loans just doing alterations and dressmaking.  As clients asked if we could do other types of sewing, we always said yes, it was part of our motto.                   “If you want to explore deeper oceans, you first have to leave sight of the shore.”

Little by little we added more options to our business which included men’s suits, bridal and prom gowns and finally slip covers, upholstery and window treatments.  Once the interior decorating side began we know that is what we wanted to focus on.  Each client was different, each home was different and all the window treatment designs were unique to the client and home.

But fast forward to about 12 years ago when my hubby was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. His pain has been intense but he keeps on going.  A few years ago we had thought about possibly slowing down but with a retail shop with a drapery workroom, it’s hard to slow down when clients come in daily.  So we continued on doing what we love.  But then 2018 came and hubby’s health became worse.  We both had major bouts of the flu from January until March which was the worse ever.  Then the end of March he had his right hip replaced.  Recovery was quick on this and he was back to work within a few days.  But in July when he needed his left hip replacement from 2007 replaced, that wasn’t as easy.  Since there was a tumor of some sort near the old implant, the incision had to be through the back of the hip area instead of the front like the right one was. Surgery was extensive since the old replacement hip and the tumor had to be removed, then replace with the new implant. While working on the hip, his knee was damaged so that will need to be replaced soon also.  When he had his pre-op visit, an xray of the hip and spine were done and then he was sent for an MRI.  It was then that we found that the disks in his lower back were pushed one way and his spinal cord was pushed the other and being pinched to were the surgeon said there is a possibility of paralysis. That was enough to scare us both so it was in August when we know health was more important to us.  We let our clients know how much we appreciated them and we will still be here for them if needed.  Closing out our store with 53 years worth of memories brought back even more memories but we will always have them to remember all our wonderful clients who turned friends.

Our interior decorating shop is empty but our new venture of making Minky Baby Blankets at 73 and 70 years old will be interesting.  Rich will be needing back surgery and there is no way we could have kept the hours and speed of fabricating window treatments with him hurting the way he is.  We closed a chapter in our lives and started a new one, a chapter that I’m excited to start!

Oh my we’ve sat here chatting while sipping our tea and coffee and I totally lost track of the time!  I need to get back to our new chapter and order some more colors of Minky fabric to start stitching some blankets up for the precious little ones.   Thank you for stopping by my front porch, hope your day will be blessed!

Some of you chatted with me last year on the front porch, but if you missed it, this is what I chatted about.  This is something that others may have never experienced.  http://themarthareview.com/front-porch-chat/