I’m afraid 2019 has not been a good year for me and mine. I kept getting what I called wandering tendonitis, which kept me from activities I usually enjoy. Then a lung illness Illness struck me. After multiple tests, waiting periods, and a lung CT, the doctor finally diagnosed me with autoimmune disease- as a form of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Who knew the condition could be soo complex.
My web designer and her partner also dealt with multiple bouts of colds and illnesses. I think they both work too hard, setting up their new business, which knocked back their schedule for a few months.
But the most devastating occurrence of 1919 was the sudden passing of my life partner, John this past December. John was the backbone of woodnwhimsey.
We found out his illness and prognosis this past Fall, and I returned to Ireland in October to be with him as I awaited my testing in America. Even knowing the inevitable, I completely fell apart when he died.
I fell in love with the country when I first came to Ireland a year or so before I met John. I actually met John through a website while I was looking to find my ancestors in Ireland.
Irishmen are a bit different. Irish people, in general, are very kind and helpful to strangers and new acquaintances. They seem so trusting. Conversations become all about you, and they are really interested in your story. They want you to have a good time.
Like most Irish people, John had a great sense of humor. I think it may be genetic to the country. I shared his love of quips, fast retorts, and general enjoyment of laughter. God, how I miss that laughter.
John took me everywhere to help me find my family, and I was able to obtain my Irish Citizenship via my grandmother. From then on, John and I traveled back and forth every four months or so. We did that for nearly twelve years. My illness cropped up a couple of years ago, and that slowed me down a bit. But we still maintained our furniture building and woodcraft business. I still managed to mess in my multiple gardens.
In Ireland, I added an art craft side to the business by creating pebble art from our trips to Irish beaches. I collect pebbles, sea glass, and driftwood to make the pictures.
John was the backbone of woodnwhimsey. His woodcraft prompted the business and the blog as we traveled back and forth to Ireland, creating wood pieces and searching for antiques.
Now that his talents are no longer part of the business, I decided to change the focus. At first, I thought about just closing down the shop and the blog. But, I really , really need to do something to deal with my loss of John, the grief, and the loneliness. I also grew to love working on the blog and sharing what we were doing, hearing about readers’ adventures; you know. My boys are great. They both cared deeply for John and are very helpful. Someone calls daily. They came over and helped me take down John’s woodshop and made an art room for me in that space.
John and I rarely separated. Even if I was in America by myself, it was only for a couple of months, and we spoke by phone every evening. So I now need to find a new life path.
I have multiple reasons for the blog relaunch. I am using the blog and artwork to fill my time and to engage in life with others who share my love of handicraft. I realize it is also a way to deal with my grief, but I did love writing our old website and want to continue that occupation.
I decided to call the new blog Pigment N Paper to represent my new adventures in Crafts and Art. Pigment to embody color in paint, nature, photography, and paper to signify my blog writing.
As I said, John’s work was the main focus of the old website and blog. I still have many of his wood items for sale and will continue to sell his work.
So please bear with me as I try to find my footing and a new path by this blog relaunch.
I still love all things home, so I still will continue with home decor, food, and recipes, gardens, and travel.
My condo still needs upgrading. I just started the new craft room and an update in the guest bathroom. I have plans to start on the remainder of the lower level of the condo this coming summer. I would love for you to help me with those endeavors.
It would be great if you could send me some ideas of what you would like to see in a new blog. As I stated in the new blog about page, I want to have a different kind of blog, not a selling something blog, but more a sharing stories type of blog. I might not know how to do this but I’d like to try. here’s hoping you guys can steer this blog in the right direction.
The new blog is almost completely up and running. I’m sure I’ve got a few bugs still, but stay with me, it will all come together soon. I’ll have a shop on the blog and will reopen the Etsy page. Hope to hear from you guys.
Thanks, guys, take good care.
Dara
