Big changes headed my way!

Yes indeed, folks, change is in the air.  Some of it is planned, some is happenstance.  But regardless, change is always going to be a factor in our lives.  Some change is good, other changes bring challenges which force us out of our neat little lives.  I'm facing some rather important changes over the next few months.  Some days, I'm excited – some days I wonder if I'm making the right decisions.  Only time will tell….

Thanks to a chance encounter with an old school friend that I had not seen in forever, I found out that I might be eligible for widow's benefits based on my late husband's social security.  I figure there had to be some good come from the death of my friend, my partner, my encourager, so I investigated and – sure enough – I was eligible! That made it possible for me to retire a lot earlier than I had originally planned!  So my target retirement date from the law firm where I've worked almost 10 years is set for March 1, 2012. 

As the time gets closer, I'm working on plans for what to do with the rest of my life.  I have worked somewhere for most of my adult life so this will be a definite change for me.  My sisters have come up with a plan and I think it is a good one.  It's just going to take a little work.

Over the years, I've had people ask me if I taught – first painting, then polymer clay which is my current passion.  Since I really did not have a place suitable for teaching, I always said no or invited them to visit a meeting of our polymer clay guild.  So earlier this year one of my sisters suggested that I clean out one of the storage buildings on my property and open a teaching studio.  In addition to giving me a place to teach, this will also give me a place to display my body of work.  So the planning begins.  And the clearing out of the accumulated "stuff" that has found it's way into the building I plan to use.  

So by this time next year, Harrison Hollow Designs will have a home separate from my home studio.   I'm stepping out in faith like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams – If you build it, they will come!