Friday, August 15, 2008

One Year Ago

I was hyperventilating, worried that I'd made the biggest financial mistake ever. I'd stopped sleeping and smiling, and lived in fear that I was throwing a party and no one would show. One year ago today I opened the doors to Clementine's Dry Goods and waited.

It's been the coolest year of my life. Yeah, money is still a worry, but word about the shop is spreading. The greatest people have come into my life to help me when I've needed it the most, from dyeing yarn, to website creation, to therapy and creative/technical assistance. I've met great crafty women from near-ish and afar, too many to even link here. There is the Wednesday knitting posse, who have acted as emotional crutches too many times to mention. Thanks for the strong back, Rob. Possibly I am a bigger pain in the ass than I realize, but that's what you have the good drugs for.

This was shaping up to be an anti-climactic week, after Mandi's crazy-good Monday, but, sure enough, I'd asked her to stop by and sprinkle some of her pixie-dust and she did. She's the reason I'm still sane. Friends who pull out all the stops and hold things together when life gets too busy to breathe are how we're still making it. Today got so busy I didn't even have time to dwell on "the birthday". Good thing LeAnn called to check on the old girl. (And no, Clem hadn't been drinking... yet.)

I just heard something wet hit the kitchen floor, and it may have been peas, liberated from their can. More disasters start that way, but it's "fend for yourself night" here at Becher Haus, so I bid you adieu until tomorrow. C

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Yea - Happy Birthday to your alter ego! she's a fabulous woman and so are you. Glad to be able to provide whatever you need. Be happy to sew up some more shop samples - some thing that doesn't have to fit me :) g

LotusKnits said...

yay! congrats on your one year anniversary!!!

RedRhonda said...

Congratulations on a great first year! I'm glad to have been a small part of it. Here's to many, many more!

melly~ said...

I was just yesterday wondering when the anniversary was. Happy Day my friend. I can't even imagine my life without "Clementine".

Annalea said...

Happy Birthday to Clementine's!

That means that I've been reading your blog for just over a year. Wow. How time passes. I'm so glad that things are going well with the shop, and that it has been such a good thing for you. Hooray for the LYS, and hooray for Camilla!

Big hugs off to you . . . and here's to next year being even better!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful, interesting, fun year it has been since we all met. A safe haven to hang out, chat, eat, knit, and roll around in yarn and fabric & ohhh yes, take care of paying customers too. Thanks to Cami and Bill for taking the financial leap to fullfill a dream and perhaps someday add to the monetary value of their lives (does the cost of Xanax get figured in here somewhere). It's a pleasure to enter the crazy world of Clemintine's.
Always, Rob

prairievisiondesign : handmade said...

Thanks for your HUGE part in making me the obsessive, neurotic crafty woman I am! I don't know what I'd do without the wonderful visits to your store.

Knitterary said...

Happy Anniversary!

Stephanie said...

Congrats on your first year!!! I can't believe it's gone by so fast. You are amazing and brave. Rock on Sista.....rock on.

Thimbleanna said...

Holy Cow! Has it only been a year? It seems like you've been there forever. Happy, Happy Anniversary to one awesome little shop. I'm so sad I don't live closer, but I sure look forward to my visits!!!

Marigold said...

Happy Anniversary to Clementine's! Not only has it become my favorite yarn store (really, i don't go _anywhere_ very often) it's become a place that I couldn't imagine not existing in the world. Thank you making the world a prettier place.

Dragonfly7673 (Vicki) said...

Oh my goodness a year! It has been that long, but I just can't believe it. We need to find another time to visit one direction or the other! I love the shop, I wish I was closer

amy wolgemuth bordoni said...

Can't wait to visit the next time I make a trip to Indy to visit that Prairie girl. Awesome that you are pursuing a crazy dream.