Thursday, July 25, 2013

THURSDAYS CHILDREN: INSPIRED BY NEW HORIZONS




 When I was in the seventh grade, my father who had been vice president of a major company in Massachusetts and had invented many cutting edge electronic devices, left the corporate world and opened a small greenhouse and retail business in Vermont.  We sold antiques, made and painted wooden furniture and signs, and even created creatures out of driftwood and sedums.  My life changed dramatically.  I also learned something that had a profound effect on the way I choose to life my life. 


Life is about taking chances and following dreams. I’m not talking about flitting from one profession to another. I’m talking about knowing when it’s time to reassess life, put fear aside, take the chance and move in a new direction.

I’ve been in retail since I was a teen. The awards in this photo are some of the ones I've won for professional floral design. Okay, I’ll brag some more. I’m damn good at it. I’ve owned and run my own retail shop for almost twenty years—freaking six days a week. A fifty to sixty hour work week is normal.  Every weekend of the summer is filled with brides and weddings. Every holiday is a work day for me. And I have other dreams.



So, come the end of October, my husband and I are closing the florist end of our business.  We are remaining in the antique business and plan on doing things we both love, like more antique shows, picking, flea markets and eBay.  We are keeping our shop and going to be open for antique sales by chance or appointment—man, will that be freeing. And if you do happen to want to buy a Vermont country store, you could probably talk me into selling the building.

Needless to say, my writing time is about to go from stolen hours after work and Sundays to something much more expansive.

A year from now, we’re going to reassess. I may open a wedding-only florist business in 2015. But for now, we are grateful that we can afford to give ourselves one year to breathe and enjoy new dreams.









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15 comments:

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    1. The good thing is, my husband and I have worked together for years so we're used to being around each other a lot.

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  2. WOW! That is so incredibly exciting! Bravo and woohoooooo!!!!

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    1. Your example did come to mind. But NO chickens in my future :)

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  3. Very awesome that you will have more writing time, Patty! Personally I hope you don't sell your store yet...at least until I make it up that way one day! :) Best of luck w/ your new ventures!

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    1. Thank you. Your support means a lot to me. It's scary, but we'll never know until we try.

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  4. I would love to see your store too! Alas, I've never been up your way. Best of luck to you!

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    1. Thank you. If you ever get up this way, let me know. It's still going to be an antique store.

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  5. Awesome! Change can be really, really good. You'll never know how great you can be at something until you give it your absolute all. Clearly you gave the floral business your all, and I bet you'll be no slouch when it comes to nearly full-time writing. Best of luck for a super year ahead!

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  6. You hit the nail on the head. Whether it's flowers, antiques or writing, over time, the best way to do things changes and I need to change too--in order to give it my absolute all.

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  7. Congrats on such a big decision!

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  8. Good luck! I think that's a fantastic move, and I'm secretly envious of you for having the guts to give it a go.
    All the best.

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    1. The trick is to announce it all over the place, then it gets easier to follow through :)

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  9. I think this is something a lot of us struggle with, but don't always know how to name. Awesome post! I'm glad you found what we're all looking for!

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