Today I had a craft fair here in Negaunee. My mother-in-law is the Director of the Senior Centere here and the craft fair was held there. I don't usually sell a lot of things but I do enjoy visiting with the people that stop at my booth. Plus they have a soup luncheon with some pretty good soups. Today I actually did pretty good. Several people who have bought some of my cards from other years were back looking for more. That's pretty cool. I've been trying to get my notecards into gift shops in the area without much success so it was kind of nice to have that kind of interest expressed. I have another craft fair in a two weeks at the Dome. It's a much bigger craft fair and cost a lot more to rent a booth. Last year when I did that fair, I only broke even. I debated for a while to do it again this year but decided to do it. I had quite a bit of fun last year even though I didn't make any money. This year I'm sharing the booth with a friend so it should be a bit better and won't cost me as much for the booth. I'm hoping to sell some of my kits at that fair. I didn't today but I didn't really expect to.

When I went to the center last night to set up my mother-in-law almost didn't recognize me. I've talked to her several times on the phone but we hadn't seen each other in a while and she hadn't seen me since I've lost this much weight. Plus I have a new haircut since we last met. When I weighed myself this past week, I met my goal of going below 200#. It's only one pound below but it's on the right side of 200. For so long this summer it didn't feel like I was going to lose any more weight. Now it's starting to gradually come off again.

Next week is Thanksgiving already. My oldest is going to be home for it. She's not coming home for Christmas so I need to get her gift wrapped and ready for her to take home. My youngest can't get home for Christmas either. It will be so strange to not have any of the kids around during the holidays. I'll see my son as we work at the same place and he'll probably come for Christmas dinner but he'll be the only one this year. My hubby doesn't have any kids so we don't have any there to join us, either. Just the facts of getting older.

April in her craft room. 

Most of the time I like my job. I enjoy most of the people I work with and I know that if I didn't work I wouldn't see anyone but my hubby and his family most of the time. There are several people at work, though, that I dread seeing on the schedule. It's stressful and energy draining to work with these people. One of those people worked tonight but it wasn't too bad tonight. The patient load was pretty heavy tonight and so we were too busy for her to be a nusiance.

As I was talking to some of my co-workers tonight I realized that I've become an internationally recognized designer. I've sold my hardanger kits to people in four other countries beside the US. They include Canada, Australia, Italy and Norway. It is so exciting to see my designs going to other countries. Two of the girls (including the one who's draining to work with) suggested that I get a map and mark all the places that have bought my kits. I like the suggestion. Will have to purchase a big wall map of the world. As a goal I'd like to see at least one kit go into all of Europe and all 50 states. I don't think it's realistic to think that much of Africa is going to be interested in my hardanger kits but all those countries that do this kind of stitching.. that's a different story. Shown are six of the ornament and bookmark kits that I've designed and sold.