It’s now the beginning of 1998. I had just started a new business with Robin from Shalimar Imports called the I Am Collection. I had immersed myself in product creation before visiting my Dad in Norwell for the Holidays. Robin visited me in Hansville in early January while Geddy was still in Florida with Opportunity. We planned to launch our new products at the Winter Seattle Gift Show coming up at the end of January. Robin returned to Phoenix and immediately backed out of our evolving business. I was truly floored. I had too much time and money involved with new products to quit the project. I decided to push forward on my own. Along with symbolic T-shirt designs, aromatherapy synergies, and candles, I added sand-casted cement garden art.
In the Fall, Geddy and I met Nick Young in Fremont with his sand castings. Nick lived and produced his art in Mount Vernon in the Skagit Valley. Initially, I started to sell his art and provide him with Asian art pieces he used to augment his designs. Later, I began to make pieces in clay that we used as molds for new designs. Here are a few examples below. I was ready to include the new I Am Collection at the January Seattle Gift Show and I had a great response.
In March, I trained to be a respite Hospice volunteer in Silverdale. I decided to do this shortly after my mom passed away in 1992 because I was so pleased to have had Hospice help. Their help allowed me to care for Mom at home. Interestingly, my first Hospice patient was actually not nearing the end of her life but somehow managed to convince everyone this was the case in order to get morphine. I really liked her but a few weeks in, her deceit was discovered and she was let go. After that odd beginning, I had a series of legitimate patients. It was so rewarding, and I was grateful to be giving back to this amazing organization.
Geddy returned to Fort Lauderdale at the end of March to prepare Opportunity for a sail to Panama. In early May he got caught in a hurricane. It was wild! He strapped little dog Starr to his body under his rain gear allowing him to keep her safe in the intense seas. He and Opportunity were damaged, however. Opportunity had a broken rudder and other damage. Geddy had 3 broken ribs and a damaged hand. He drifted for four days before a fishing vessel, Marque 22, found him in the Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatan Peninsula. They towed him to Cabo Catoche, Quintana Roo. From there the Mexican Navy took him and Opportunity to Isla Mujeres for repairs. He needed time to heal and complete the repairs. During that time, the charm of Isla Mujeres seduced us into staying there for a couple of years.
Here is an article from the Quintana Roo News about the rescue at sea. Fortunately, Geddy healed, Opportunity was repaired and Starr was fine. I was on a month-long road trip when this happened. I left to exhibit at the San Francisco Whole Life Expo on April 21st. I was getting on I-90 in Seattle with my Yukon full to capacity when I realized that I was carrying too much weight. I returned home to lighten up the load. Continuing on the second time, my Yukon performed normally. This show was 100% alternative. My booth neighbor, a horse chiropractor from Wyoming said out loud, "Where on the earth do these attendees get their clothes?” Well, I was hoping from me! On the last day, while I was working with a customer, I heard an unmistakable voice in my booth. It was cousin-in-law Dara from New York. I hadn’t seen her since 1985. I visited with her and her sister, Fern in Mill Valley after the show. It was such a lovely visit. I continued on up the coast camping along the way with stops in St Rafael, Petaluma, Sonoma, and Mendocino.
Dad flew back and forth several times from Norwell during the year working on the new house which was shaping up as you can see. One of the unique features of this 5000 sq ft house is what we call 'the Big Room' on the first floor. It is a huge room that opens up in the middle of the room to the second-floor ceiling. On the second floor, there is a three-sided hallway with a railing all the way around it allowing you to peer down. Dad designed this room as a furniture gallery for 4Creature Comforts. On a visit to the Barn store, I often walk interested clients over to view the goods for sale in the Big Room. Another attraction here are two planter boxes at both ends of the room measuring 13.5’L x 4.5’ W faced with sand cast lion pieces that we made especially for them. They are topped with exotic wood planks. The planters have no bottom allowing the roots of plants to go deep. Our plants are exceptionally happy! The original thought was to grow our own vegetables here but over time we have gone for the jungle look.
Bonnie Raitt came to Seattle to perform at the 5th Street Avenue Theater in May. This came to my attention too late to invite friends so I attended the performance solo and visited with her backstage... always a treat!
The August Seattle Gift Show was the first time showing the I Am Collection jewelry designs. I had just the mock-ups to show. On the second day of the show, I discovered that they were all stolen. I was one of the last people out and one of the first ones in, so I knew they were stolen at night after hours. Nothing else was taken from my booth or anyone else's. I reported it to the show management and the Seattle police but nothing ever came of it. The consensus was that someone wanted my new designs and paid a security guard to take them. It was curious because the thief had emptied a briefcase I had in the booth and clearly used it to remove the jewelry leisurely while sitting on my chair. I was devasted after all the hours of design work and having the samples made in Thailand. I took it as a sign and I did not attempt to recreate them. I simply moved on with a heavy heart.
Geddy, I, and of course, Starr went on an eight-week road trip in September in our Yukon pulling our 16’ trailer. Our goal was to exhibit at a Whole Life Expo in Austin, TX. We took our time doing sales along the way in Salt Lake City, Steamboat Springs, and Fort Worth before arriving in Austin. We stayed with friends along the way and in Austin. Austin was our kind of place. We sold a lot of our goods both at the show and to retail stores there.
We continued on to San Antonio where we stayed with Jesselyn, our friend Priscilla’s mom. Over the years Jesselyn had become a dear friend and an avid collector of our Thai and Burmese art...especially antique Spirit masks from Burma. In the picture to the left Jesselyn is wearing one of my I Am T-shirts... you can see some Spirit masks on her wall behind us.
At the Sante Fe craft market, we found a man making furniture out of old barn boards. We loved his work. Many of his pieces used quaint folk-art wallpaper on the doors...just charming. Since our trailer was now almost empty, we bought about 25 pieces wholesale from him to bring back to Hansville for sale. They sold very quickly. I thought we would go back for more, but life didn’t bring us back to Santa Fe. I always wished I had saved a few pieces for us.
We stopped in Tucson for a visit with Ginia. We bought some of her Philippine furniture pieces as well. Now the trailer was full and we were ready to head home.
Geddy returned to Isla Mujeres and Yacht Opportunity on Dec. 9th. I was deep into holiday shows at that time. Dec. 21st, I headed to the Norwell home for the last time. Our new house in Hansville was ready for us and my Dad had sold the old historic home in Norwell, the house I had grown up in. Actually, it sold on its first day on the market! The house was in our family for fifty years. My parents bought it in 1948 and sold it in 1998. I consider myself lucky to have had a solo family home in my life, providing great stability. The original part of the house was built in 1670 while the front of the colonial house was built in 1700. The impressive tree here is a buttonwood. Growing up I could see where a previous owner had used a large chain to hold the two major arms of the tree together. Years later, that chain was buried in the heart of the tree. This has always been my shamanic meditation entrance to Middle Earth. All these years later, I still go there when I am in Norwell to visit the lovely people who bought it and treasure the antiquity of it. The house was full of antique furniture and goods. It was a daunting task deciding what would travel to Hansville and what would be sold. We planned to have an estate sale in January before the exodus across the country. My Dad and I hosted the last Christmas Eve party for the neighbors, a tradition since my early childhood. It was a grand farewell party.
Our next Open House is just around the corner! Shop for the perfect presents for that special, unique person in your life and save BIG!
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