The Space In Between

Since last Thursday, when I first learned how serious Theone's medical condition was, I have lived in the space in betweeen. I wait for the final call, the final text, the final email, the final blog entry. I try to find words that will convey the finality of the process. Part of me demands to say the actual words, yet being sensitive seems the more gentle and loving path to communicate reality.

I ache at times for those sitting with Theone. Then the stuff of my life distracts me and the ache subsides. But in the quiet and when I truly feel what's in my soul, the pain of loss seems bottomless. I think each one of our journeys is different. Yet, the common emptiness and helplessness at these times is universal. I believe there is a passage somewhere that says through death we are reborn. I don't know about that, but I do know that I have been given amazing gifts through these losses. It's that moment of clarity when you know nothing can be destroyed. It is simply transformed.

Life is tenacious, precious, precarious, joyful, sorrowful, painful, humorous, serious. It's a mystery that we know. I once had the honor of being in the delivery room when a friend of mine had her baby. I cried. No other response seemed more apt. All of the sudden there was a new life in the room. I have had the honor of being in several rooms when lives have ended. I cried. No other response seemed more apt. It's about the cycle. Nothing is destroyed, it just changes, it's just transformed.

I could not have written this without Theone being in my life when I was a teenager. It wasn't about what we did or where we were. She saw me. She heard me. She told me that I deserved to be here. She just knew when I needed to be seen and heard. I new I was her favorite, yet I have a suspicion that many people felt that same way. No, she wasn't a saint, but on the other hand she was my Patron Saint. My Patron Saint of knowing that life is worth living.

Sadness

Most of you probably know that Theone is in the hospital in Fargo. She will start hospice care tomorrow either at home or a different facility. I don't know many medical details other than her lungs and heart are failing. Donald will arrive in Fargo tonight. Effie and Lara plan on getting there Tuesday. I have been texting with Tonya and spoke to her this afternoon. It's a hard process as most of us know.

Theone holds a special place in my heart.

I will update the blog as I know more. If you want to add anything you know, please do.

Canton 4th Friday Artwalk

We had a nice event last night in downtown Canton. The store was full at times. Sales were actually pretty good. People love the masks. Some of the artists canceled because they thought it was going to rain. Every time I talk to someone they say the rain is supposed to start at a certain hour. The next person keeps saying a different thing. What's a boy from Seattle supposed to do?



Jim and Liz with masks.

Where is everybody

Thanks, I love Whitney, one of my favorites is I didn't know my own strength.

Where is everyone?

No comments? I guess everyone is too busy these days.

Breath and say OM with me.

Listen to this and then return to whatever multitasks you are doing.



Peace y'all

More Commerce

Okay, as promised, some of our products are now on-line. You can access the site here:

feltandwireshop

There are products from other designer's on the site as well. Of course, ours are the coolest. ;-)

The Halloween merchandise will start coming on-line tomorrow. Ask Monna how awesome it is.

Jim

That Impressive Mr. Grant

Bill is speaking at a conference next week in North Carolina. Here is some nice press on the conference. It's a quick read.

Piedmont Triad Partnership Presents Second Triad Design Leadershop Program with Designer Bill Grant

When It Rains...

Unfortunately, Monna did not get to experience the Sunny South for her birthday visit! Instead, she was here for the Great Atlanta Flood of 2009. Some parts of Atlanta had up to 18" of rain over 7 days. We had around a foot here in Canton. We had some water in our basement at home, and the office has been leaking all week. However, we are fortunate compared to many people in the ATL Metro. We were taking Monna to Going Coastal for her birthday dinner, but the restaurant was flooded! So, she got to dine at Canton's newest fine Italian restaurant instead! Supposedly, more rain is on the way through the weekend. This photo is from Heritage park in Canton. There are usually walking trails and grass in the park, but we may have to replace them with canoeing and boat ramps!

Welcome to the South Debby and Ronaldo

Welcome to the South Debby, Ronaldo and family. It's a little different (understatement) than Seattle. The people are crazy, but that just gives you permission to also be crazy. One thing I learned early is that if you establish eye contact with a true southerner you may be in for a long conversation about their life. Transplants from the North and Left Coast are safe. I am still not used to living here, but the sun shine so much, I forget all about being home sick. Although, this week the sun has not shined.

It sounded like Monna enjoyed her visit with you.

Perhaps we can visit with you one of these days.

Francesca, if you send your email address to jim.wilson@yahoo.com, I'll add you to the blog as an author and you can you can update your family back in Seattle. I am pretty sure Georgean reads it.

Enjoy Charlotte and your big beautiful new home.





Jim

Happy Birthday Monna

Happy Birthday to Monna. We are going to Goin' Coastal for dinner tonight.

Monna went to downtown Atlanta today. It took her 3 hours to get home due to the flooding. Is would normally be about an hour drive if there is traffic. I-575 is closed due to flooding.

Our building always leaks when it rains a lot. A 100 year old building with a flat roof. However,because of the drought we really haven't had any problems the last few years. Well, that changed today.


This leak isn't even from the roof, it is water leaking through the window casements on the 2nd floor.

I'll get a video of the Etowah river and post it.

Sunday Supper with Monna

Monna is visiting this weekend, so tonight's Sunday Supper celebrated her birthday which is tomorrow. We had a great dinner on the side porch on a rainy night in Georgia...

http://billssundaysuppers.blogspot.com/

Denise's Photography

Link to Denise's photography on the right. -------->

Or click here

Finally

Buy Boo!

Here is a link to our Halloween merchandise.

Trick or Treat

You can call and purchase directly. Next week there is another site launching that will have some of our products on it including the Halloween merchandise. You'll be able to purchase on-line via that site. The Halloween stuff may not be on it until later in the week.I will post that link once it is live.

Denise, if you are selling your photography on-line and have a website for it, send me a link and I will post it to right along with others.

Jim

Good Guesses, but wrong

Clue #2: It was a very "revolutionary" movie. Heath Ledger was in it.

What house is this?

Debby and I took a road trip today. Anyone know what movie this house was in? Hint...it is in South Carolina. We started out with two navigation systems Debby's iphone and Monnas vz navigator... Quite the adventure..my battery went dead and Debby's was low. I am enjoying my visit with the girls. Juliana and I cooked dinner while Debby & Ronaldo went to open house at Mads school. there are 970 kids in her elementary school. Tomorrow Juliana, 6th grade is spending the day at Lowes International Speedway. They get to watch a race and meet drivers and tech guys. 500 kids going. There is some rain forcast though. Francesca has joined key club and culinary club. she is a freshman and adjusting (sort of) missing everybody and everything from Seattle. She did buy a sweatshirt with the school logo. The schools they are attending are rated the top in Charlotte...Debby (former PTA pres) said the PTA budget is $151,000 Amazing hers was $17,000 in Shoreline. Ronaldo likes leaving work GMAC promptly at 5pm. He was puzzled at first but now has adjusted.
There is lots of shopping and corporate business parks

around here.

My Wednesday

I went to the first day of my 3 day training (Sept, Oct, Nov) for planning and zoning officials. One would think that it would be required for planning and zoning officials to be trained, but there were only two of us from Canton interested in attending. Oh, well. It was a very informative day.




My Wednesday at 12:30 am.

Both Bill and I dreamed about Calvin last night. I think mine was more than a dream, I felt him come under my arm and try to get under the covers. I miss him desperately every day.

Boo!

From the Joe (the office cat) line of Halloween products.

Stuff

Bill forwarded an article around work today about social networking. click here if you want to read it. It's a quick read. I found some of the findings particularly interesting: gender differences in social networking, photos versus text and paying attention to social strategies instead of social media. On the business front, we secured a new client and project today based on a continued dialogue, or, at least, an on-going connection on facebook. The new client is in Arkansas but we met through a friend in Canton. We became "friends" on facebook which kept us in front of them. Pretty fascinating.

I am playing fantasy football for the first time this year. I like football and I have heard so much about fantasy football that I thought I would participate this year. I am in a league with Matt and Greg at work. Should be fun.

Monna will be visiting this weekend for a few days after she visits Georgean's daughter, Debbie, in Charlotte. It will be good to see her. We'll be celebrating with her on her birthday next Monday.

We are losing one of our huge old White Oak trees from an Ambrosia Beetle infestation. It's probably 100 feet tall and it literally died in a few weeks. It's due to come out the end of this week or the first of next. Sad.

We got hooked on True Blood. The finale was last night. It is great. Raunchy, but great.

Glee may be our new show. Last week's episode was pretty fun.

Now, here are a couple of photos to keep us all interested in the blog.



Detail from a candelabra in Cabo San Lucas.



From Sammy Haggar's restaurant in Cabo San Lucas.

I need another vacation

I'm kinda down and reflective today. I would love to back to Lopez for another few weeks or even move there. I just got my first order for my photos and this was the first, so I should be happy right?

09/11/09

It's been eight years since that fateful day in 2001. The world has changed tremendously. In 1993/94 I was working in New York and lived about 10 blocks from the World Trade Center. I used to walk by it every day on my way to work. I was working at Chase Manhattan Bank right on Wall Street. GNA had a joint project with them. It was fun, glamorous and burned me out beyond belief. It was the one of the best years of my life and one of the worst as mom was dying.I spent 3 months living in a hotel right across the street from the towers. All of the memories and excitement of that year came back to me when the towers fell. At the same time, a tremendous sadness as our innocence was somehow lost. We now have an opportunity to get that spirit back as we climb out of the last eight years. In many ways, the attacked succeeded. However, I still believe hope will overcome cynicism if we all just work for the common good.

Here's to the average American. We can all get along if we want to.

Here's to abundance.

Casa

We are back home from our 9 great days in Mexico. We made it home last night about 11 pm. Our luggage made it home about 3 pm today. We had to run to our connection flight in Houston last night so our luggage didn't make it. Now that the airlines can track where one's bag is, it's a lot easier to be calm about it.

We flew down on Delta and returned on Continental. Continental was hands down better than Delta. Unfortunately, Continental only flies to 3 cities direct from ATL or I would switch.

We went to several restaurant that served Mole. I could live on the stuff.



mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmMole

I also had the best creme brulee I have ever had in my life. Creme brulee is absolutely my favorite desert.

Back to reality tomorrow!

September

This is for Jim stuck in his hotel room waiting for Jimena to pass. Last I heard from him the pool was back open tomorrow at 9 am. Looks like they boys braved the storm.