Sunday, April 6, 2008

Changes at GG Studio

Well it's official GG Studio is moving to California! I cannot tell you how thrilled and excited I am, this is such a great adventure for me. It's a loooong story but basically it comes down to this - last year my sister encouraged me to come to Alaska to be with her, at the same time the housing market took a tumble and I just couldn't seem to sell my house. To be honest we had thrown around the "move to Alaska" idea for years. Unfortunately the final decision to take the plunge came at the same time the housing market took a plunge!

Sooo...the long story continues - lol. I told my brother, Doug about my decision to move - which was difficult as I basically stayed here in NY to be near him. But, I told him I was putting the house on the market...and that I was sorry but I had to move. It is difficult to be the primary caretaker of my mom at times and my life would change drastically. My sister would be living with me and I could go out once in awhile. Two days after I told my brother about my plans I received a call from him telling me that he needed a liver transplant (he NEVER drank a day in his life) his liver failed for unknown reasons. So we began a journey that spanned 5 very difficult months. I was to be put on as his living donor and hopefully he would get a liver from me. That never happened, after 5 months of fighting to live, my brother came here to my home a day before his birthday on January 29 -
on Feburary 1st he passed away.

Doug was in and out of the hospital and I was in a constant state of stress - my sister Carol spent hours on the phone encouraging me and just listening as I had a few mini break downs :). Of course my plans to move were put on hold during this time as I knew that Doug would need to live with me for at least two years, as he recovered from his transplant.

During this time I spoke with niece Tracy - now this gets complicated - lol - my nieces are close to my age - as my sister was grown and married when I was born - I was a little middle life surprise baby to my mom - who at 41 realized she was expecting me! So my sister could be my mom, and my neices could be my sisters lol. So Tracy says I sure wish you and mom (my sister) would come and live in California to be near me and my family - and I said well, I will go where your mom goes - but I am not sure we can afford to live there....now this is where the story becomes a MIRACLE.

My neice tells me well maybe you can convince my mom to come to California. My husband and I will purchase a home near us and you, my mom and Grandma can live in it and only pay the taxes - say what!!! Yes, for the TAXES - no mortgage payment. So I call my sister and she tells me that she would love to go to California - then the phone lines really burned up. Of course Carol was astonished - we all were - this is such a wonderful gift.

So now here is the kicker - lol - the house is bought - they closed on it last week - it's located in lovely Murrieta California - and that is ALL I know - except it has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths and I can still make my beads there! My neice and her husband Nigel purchased tickets for my mom and I to fly to California in a week or so. We will meet up with my sister , her 2 other daughters Kelly and Michelle and my neice Tracy and her daughter - my GREAT neice Grace. The excitement is unbearable!!!

It looks like my home in NY is going to stay in the family for a bit - as my son and daughter-in-law will be the new owners and I am off to Southern California to the Golden Triangle! When I return from my first visit - or maybe when I am there - I will post pictures of my new home! I am looking forward to living with my sister and being close to my great neice - Grace. So through all the darkness of the last year or so a wonderful light has appeared and I am so excited to be making this change. I think my glass art will be effected in a positive way in the coming months and I am looking forward to seeing what I am inspired to create!

One neat thing - I won't be packing my snow shovels!!!

Hugs
DeMarie

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