tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12204706667075601252024-03-18T21:58:33.838-05:00Tales from the Coop KeeperA glimpse into the life of a rural Indiana farmgirl wannabe.Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.comBlogger707125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-70287180583783650902020-12-17T16:58:00.001-06:002020-12-17T16:58:43.271-06:00How the Heck to You Respond? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCQ50sIB7k1cDHFHcXt7sXHwYXRtudOH1jMjxKP1D580S9_7NPhMDpamUp5Kuute8MaNv8M34tRfqgVFb5PwAoZrqclAsgnNNIDhUmTMWa2_WOB5bKLTvSKU-XhLpexx2dTUN0j00oYB4/s1280/63422D52-4A44-4373-8CA0-3863B9805F1D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCQ50sIB7k1cDHFHcXt7sXHwYXRtudOH1jMjxKP1D580S9_7NPhMDpamUp5Kuute8MaNv8M34tRfqgVFb5PwAoZrqclAsgnNNIDhUmTMWa2_WOB5bKLTvSKU-XhLpexx2dTUN0j00oYB4/w640-h640/63422D52-4A44-4373-8CA0-3863B9805F1D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>How the heck to you respond to comments!? Ha! I'm just stuck in this weird loop - seems that I have responded, but nothing shows up...</div><div><br /></div><div>Just wanted to say THANK YOU for the warm welcome back - gosh was it a balm to my soul to see you guys! Consider this post a response to your comments. I can't figure out how to do it properly! </div><div><br /></div><div>I have just a few more days in the marshmallow mines - then we'll just enjoy a quiet Christmas - and I'll be up on Instagram catching up with you guys.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks again - I've missed you all...</div><div><br /></div><div>Merry Christmas!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a></div>Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-12385414148792206622020-12-12T15:29:00.003-06:002020-12-12T15:29:40.893-06:00Just in Case.....<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCtkGtqqeSZITz5zIBhkE76tfjvC8t3isFi3KX-l6016OO0rPUfcsR5OOJuzgD5d0ssIOPSyg1TjVshOUVIoevDeu-qHXLZKo1nWSx-ZN2IKPNxK_t15ahnei4Nus9vk9P8Ovb_yWCxnn/s2016/IMG_6856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCtkGtqqeSZITz5zIBhkE76tfjvC8t3isFi3KX-l6016OO0rPUfcsR5OOJuzgD5d0ssIOPSyg1TjVshOUVIoevDeu-qHXLZKo1nWSx-ZN2IKPNxK_t15ahnei4Nus9vk9P8Ovb_yWCxnn/w480-h640/IMG_6856.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Just in the off chance that anyone is still here - anyone is still checking - come on over to Instagram and follow me @a.resting.place</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>I'm well! All is so well!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Would love to reconnect.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>-Jayme</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-44144436115546435662018-05-16T20:47:00.001-05:002018-05-16T20:47:36.729-05:00Lessons from the Lilacs<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4073" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s the glorious month of May in the glorious State of Indiana. </span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4079" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What a wonderful time to be alive. </span></span></div>
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<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4082" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: block; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4081" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">May has always and forever been one of my two favorite months. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">May and October, October and May. </span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4083" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Utter deliciousness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Polar opposites. </span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4086" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My love of this fabulous weather and greenery makes a good argument to leave these parts for more temperate lands...but alas, a Midwest girl is what I am. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It takes gumption and moxie to live here, and dadgumit, I like it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In May, every thing is fresh and new, nothing’s been ravaged from the heat and bugs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In October, every thing is nearly gone, kissed by frost's kiss of death. </span></span></div>
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<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4090" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: block; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4089" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Usually by this time of the month, I’m standing on street corners begging for money, so I can go get my next fix at the garden center. This year, I’ve only been twice. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I look around at the work that I need to do, and as usual, it’s overwhelming to me...especially working 24/7 slinging marshmallows. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This year something happened. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The lilacs bloomed as they do every year, albeit what seemed a bit late because of our unseasonably cool temps. I reveled in them as usual, exclaiming to anyone in earshot how I did believe it to be the most wonderful time of the year. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then my analytical, 'let’s think about some morbid things' brain kicked in...and I did the math for the best case scenario of how many more times I’ll witness these blooms bursting. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You guys. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If that doesn’t sober ya up, I’m not sure what will. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’m thinking best case scenario, I’ve got maybe 25 more times to witness this wonder of May.</span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17Vnd_Sq98aoUx65EbbmJncWfdbwgLePKJa8_iYlzqxZDT_90n5FzoOG6BmAToa31ZBK3huMwwN4_qqdWfI5m4Xs-zjXwH2RyRcCRigd9Fe7yAhyphenhyphenHBZKY-_dvcSneZJbjG-qLKNmkf1nS/s1600/backhouse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17Vnd_Sq98aoUx65EbbmJncWfdbwgLePKJa8_iYlzqxZDT_90n5FzoOG6BmAToa31ZBK3huMwwN4_qqdWfI5m4Xs-zjXwH2RyRcCRigd9Fe7yAhyphenhyphenHBZKY-_dvcSneZJbjG-qLKNmkf1nS/s640/backhouse.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I had to have a come to Jesus meeting. I’ve been working, to my detriment, like a fool, for three solid years. I feel like I’ve aged 20 years. I don’t laugh that much anymore. I don’t find the joy in homemaking anymore. I seriously barely recognized myself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKY8iiFpmKefWidIa3_LL26vkG_0WjO5JYMx6ed9JBTmciycE3N9tr-dm8Gz9aYvbiJe-9659aLnTFmgtatjz7Bz3pdXzCTwWw0iKkHOpRFwVb6lStoy0J5vVx8JQVNeTQoqD2-XChrc-t/s1600/walkway.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKY8iiFpmKefWidIa3_LL26vkG_0WjO5JYMx6ed9JBTmciycE3N9tr-dm8Gz9aYvbiJe-9659aLnTFmgtatjz7Bz3pdXzCTwWw0iKkHOpRFwVb6lStoy0J5vVx8JQVNeTQoqD2-XChrc-t/s640/walkway.jpeg" width="478" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I took a day off. I went to the garden center, and I went and bought four young hens. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I took out my calendar, and erased nearly half the markets that I’d planned on doing. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s still going to take a little doing, but I’m aiming to work only four days a week. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOYuIDQlN6UanZf2jUvVlhO10xR_RXPFYCHABKGIJVlI6NbwpZov-e19poLRpVr-Dfj2AEKgFuiDx1oDRfbIJWsgFabXT953h9QQlgkV6Abuw6iPXe1ss-GMii7tAjLf0kfBm_QPbixNN/s1600/viburnum.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOYuIDQlN6UanZf2jUvVlhO10xR_RXPFYCHABKGIJVlI6NbwpZov-e19poLRpVr-Dfj2AEKgFuiDx1oDRfbIJWsgFabXT953h9QQlgkV6Abuw6iPXe1ss-GMii7tAjLf0kfBm_QPbixNN/s640/viburnum.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4093" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I know it’s been said ad nauseum, how fast life goes by, etc, but seriously...I’ve watched the lilac bushes bloom here 30 times this year...and I’d be sore pressed to believe I’ve got another 30 times. </span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">20 Blooms later.</span></span><span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YnscsDYqBYQyAU9IGgQBCVAC25ncecmCULEsgEhAltHA-fO2tR_Ji17AZFJjN-fQCGPxxfSSgFtRnGAF_4V8M2bvXW3VUKhXCgvKp4UNScUD2edRnALmBl-tCRDhCUWetbdV-E1A4L4G/s1600/meandaaron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YnscsDYqBYQyAU9IGgQBCVAC25ncecmCULEsgEhAltHA-fO2tR_Ji17AZFJjN-fQCGPxxfSSgFtRnGAF_4V8M2bvXW3VUKhXCgvKp4UNScUD2edRnALmBl-tCRDhCUWetbdV-E1A4L4G/s320/meandaaron.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="180" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;" /></span></div>
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<div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4097" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: block; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4096" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I pray so hard that I’ll remember this lesson of the lilacs this year. </span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1526519642465_4091" style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The photos dispersed about in here are from my yard! Do you even recognize it? I keep telling myself it’s got good bones...and I’m doing my best to get some things done when I can, and be grateful for what I do have...but some days I’m just mad as a hornet that I don’t have the time!</span></span></div>
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<span style="display: inline; width: auto; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’ve so much catching up to do!</span></span></div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-78464673099121833082018-04-02T14:14:00.000-05:002018-04-02T14:14:01.218-05:00What Everyone Wants to Know....<div style="text-align: center;">
How's Aaron?</div>
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:-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdNym4IN4u6lW6A9Uy9PBmVgbT2QBsdMD86sbYWFNWOJK3nEeqHTCeC84kPbaxdzOuxU2EiBl-eKwEw1h-pe4hcVzm1RGTOGsr5bmusoAdB9VHBgMLogcJ8_-C_cE2XSdwV7rxgDPu6Se/s1600/aaronshelfice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdNym4IN4u6lW6A9Uy9PBmVgbT2QBsdMD86sbYWFNWOJK3nEeqHTCeC84kPbaxdzOuxU2EiBl-eKwEw1h-pe4hcVzm1RGTOGsr5bmusoAdB9VHBgMLogcJ8_-C_cE2XSdwV7rxgDPu6Se/s640/aaronshelfice.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking on Shelf Ice at Kemil Beach, Lake Michigan</td></tr>
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This is the question I hear the most - so I thought I'd talk about it first....</div>
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That...and I really have no idea what else to talk about!</div>
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Life is so very different now.</div>
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I do not presently have chickens.</div>
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Or bees.</div>
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Truly - my house has that 'I think that lady died' look about it now.</div>
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I kinda cringe when I come home - and see alllll the work that we really need to do. I've pondered selling so very often, just walking away from it all, </div>
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but,</div>
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there's just something here that keeps me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcRw7MCaYLer-60Yy3-gbukMfhR6pYoN5v3cAUx3lzE65ym7nd_UDWc_O1Bn_OULzFM9jjCRWereOo2U1zKaTmDH2rLIwHXSbFzfTxA19YK-nR75I84mlG8rTXwIlPWJY4YJiOQKMZGoP/s1600/BabyLouie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="608" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcRw7MCaYLer-60Yy3-gbukMfhR6pYoN5v3cAUx3lzE65ym7nd_UDWc_O1Bn_OULzFM9jjCRWereOo2U1zKaTmDH2rLIwHXSbFzfTxA19YK-nR75I84mlG8rTXwIlPWJY4YJiOQKMZGoP/s640/BabyLouie.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newest Feline Acquisition - Baby Louie</td></tr>
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Now that Aaron has grown the heck up, I haven't much to love on and nurture, other than the three cats, a canary, and</div>
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myself.<br />
And Glenco of course!</div>
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I'm <i> finally</i> learning to take care of myself above all things.</div>
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It ain't easy sisters.<br />
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Aaron is 22. <br />
Do you know that it was Easter of 2009 when I first decided I would blog and talk about chickens, cakes and homeschooling?<br />
NINE YEARS!<br />
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I absolutely couldn't believe that I got comments from my last blog post!<br />
It truly felt like a family reunion of sorts.<br />
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I am so very rusty at this, not that I ever wasn't - but it feels clunky and awkward at the moment, trying to blog - hopefully it'll flow again soon.<br />
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So - this kid Aaron.<br />
He's 22.<br />
He's engaged.<br />
He lives in Chicago.<br />
He still does hair.<br />
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I don't know how this is supposed to work - once a boy grows up, gets engaged and moves away - but if I look upon Facebook enough - at all the big family pictures, and grandbabies, and full houses on the holidays - I'm apt to feel a bit left out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KsdTr7aQ6kcK0yQNpVnxaiXDxQBKznOrHdNaN55hbp8mQeMrNhY1U7G24nbtx_7XDV9pcsAPAg4N1s7LnusL29xP_sTPwZ8JJpnMYgX1oSzLwMklmCa7PvpFjBSp8rFH7CgjYn1K3-iB/s1600/AaronDB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KsdTr7aQ6kcK0yQNpVnxaiXDxQBKznOrHdNaN55hbp8mQeMrNhY1U7G24nbtx_7XDV9pcsAPAg4N1s7LnusL29xP_sTPwZ8JJpnMYgX1oSzLwMklmCa7PvpFjBSp8rFH7CgjYn1K3-iB/s640/AaronDB.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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We go through spurts of talking often, sprinkled with a few weeks of no contact.<br />
At times, the emotional Jayme peeks out and has thoughts like 'it feels like he died! We were so close!' - and then the rational Jayme takes over and remembers what it was like to be 22 - and I get it.<br />
Also, the business has had me so busy the last few years, I'm not sure which way is up at times.<br />
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I did get to see him yesterday, and short of kidnaping him, I enjoyed every stinking second of it. I drank him in with hugs and kisses, and really was able to control myself with firing a million questions at him like 'are you eating enough? did you pay your bills? do you sleep enough? etc, etc.'<br />
We had a fantastic visit.<br />
My heart felt good after seeing him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jBqqd-47blVWC8mF5iIh5WpIQNgw1RCE9IAVs3NmfF6-HCc_83-EYCpyjaJVerJvx0xHkDbEEa5H8TDvHuw5WYQCON8nLQImpx1qKwj0lJTWBn1pQAaS1ByhJoU3fs_16eEJE2k2ApmN/s1600/aaron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jBqqd-47blVWC8mF5iIh5WpIQNgw1RCE9IAVs3NmfF6-HCc_83-EYCpyjaJVerJvx0xHkDbEEa5H8TDvHuw5WYQCON8nLQImpx1qKwj0lJTWBn1pQAaS1ByhJoU3fs_16eEJE2k2ApmN/s640/aaron.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Honest to Pete, I feel like you guys helped me raise the boy.<br />
We did a good job guys.<br />
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I sense that he's going to be ok.<br />
I've learned so so much, and matured in so many ways - Aaron has been the greatest gift in my life.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQP2fUP99fFVz06dkAClEPkmYh96gN3faY3_3vej49k05jG4uETkwK43LpDJ1901UjPS_2TOU2PIbeKsMHDeNhFEx0pH3X8ARLf_mamCJUdzj-yOSlh-qbhGjseVYOZ-KGKnE8QnhbpXS/s1600/aarondiva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQP2fUP99fFVz06dkAClEPkmYh96gN3faY3_3vej49k05jG4uETkwK43LpDJ1901UjPS_2TOU2PIbeKsMHDeNhFEx0pH3X8ARLf_mamCJUdzj-yOSlh-qbhGjseVYOZ-KGKnE8QnhbpXS/s640/aarondiva.jpg" width="452" /></a></td></tr>
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Aaron, Andrew and Diva</div>
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He's engaged, but there is no date set - and for that I feel glad. Honestly, I don't think he's (they) are quite ready. We've come to love Andrew like a son, and we absolutely adore his family as well.<br />
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We've decided to set dates to see each other, every three weeks.<br />
I literally cannot wait til April 15th. <br />
:-)<br />
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So there you have the Aaron update!<br />
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I have no idea what to talk about next.....<br />
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ideas?<br />
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-60418361151656060812018-03-19T11:24:00.002-05:002018-03-19T11:24:17.901-05:00No...Seriously....I'm Back : -)<div style="text-align: center;">
Helllllllllooooooooooo......</div>
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You have no idea how I've missed sitting here....cursor blinking. No idea. If anyone is still here reading this, that would be rather amazing. Perhaps you are. Thank you. </div>
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I have no idea what to say, but on this last day of Winter 2018 - I just wanted to say - I'm well. I'm happy. Business is great. I'm back. I'm so uber determined to blog again. I've been able to meet so many of you in my travels. It's been so humbling, exciting, and sort of embarrassing at times. : -)</div>
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This is just a quick hello - I will be back tomorrow. You have no idea what I went through just to get ON this dog gone blog...ha ha! I mean, I'd forgotten the email address, the password. Almost gave up. I'm just now seeing comment that were posted nearly a year ago.</div>
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Here's a few recent pictures of what I've been up to. Oh goodness, I have tales to tell. </div>
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SO much has changed, SO much has stayed the same.</div>
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I'm really eager to share life with you again.</div>
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Til soon.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-15900867295959843572017-03-09T20:26:00.000-06:002017-03-09T20:28:09.901-06:00Kickin' Fear to the Curb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been approximately 2.5 years ago now that I started selling marshmallows, </div>
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and turned my whole danged world upside down. </div>
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Guess what?</div>
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I am still alive.</div>
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In fact - I'm quite alive, thriving and so happy lately that my face hurts from smiling, </div>
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and my heart aches from joy, much like a sore, overworked muscle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKniXdecqMkh1Rud3CW2YsjGFxWmrBsUH4WSPY7pKJn-NXz-QaAb_fHHon_lUNZYDYFy7MEVEy_-KHyKcB7r6CgKHFUr62gZU5EyWtscLQcVON1Lq92Fk26nJUzILoyFHJkZWF79PzE2A/s1600/wintercampercloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKniXdecqMkh1Rud3CW2YsjGFxWmrBsUH4WSPY7pKJn-NXz-QaAb_fHHon_lUNZYDYFy7MEVEy_-KHyKcB7r6CgKHFUr62gZU5EyWtscLQcVON1Lq92Fk26nJUzILoyFHJkZWF79PzE2A/s640/wintercampercloseup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At times, I've been sure I've ruined my life.</div>
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At times, I've been sure this was the best decision I've ever made.</div>
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Most of the time, I've not been sure of anything, other than being scared half to death.</div>
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But.</div>
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Now.</div>
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At <i>this</i> time.</div>
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I'm rather certain that maybe, just maybe this is a good thing.</div>
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In the last two weeks or so, I've felt more like myself that I have since the first time I set up </div>
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Me Olde Marshmallow Stand at a Farmer's Market.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsu4YcTE2FM-UrPZ9RHXENdljZr5IV44mIT_jO642xmR_cIWbLs3CkUUJuVlCEoCyAJ4Ni_ptvMioez3RZKpDbsNNGy5NBO-Suej_FdLmicvOjdrTSt9o1DJW3kbt09ispGKnHNYrWKXBm/s1600/hotcocoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsu4YcTE2FM-UrPZ9RHXENdljZr5IV44mIT_jO642xmR_cIWbLs3CkUUJuVlCEoCyAJ4Ni_ptvMioez3RZKpDbsNNGy5NBO-Suej_FdLmicvOjdrTSt9o1DJW3kbt09ispGKnHNYrWKXBm/s640/hotcocoa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Land sakes, I've worked so hard in the last couple of years, and sacrificed so many of the things I've loved.</div>
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Nary a chicken in the yard.</div>
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Nary a bee.</div>
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Nary a blossom. </div>
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(I know - it's only March - and I bet if I looked, I'd find a crocus or three.)</div>
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I look back on those years of gardening my fingers to the bone, getting the heck stung out of me by my bees, and chicken keeping with the fondest of memories! The years blogging, raising the BoyChild - what a sweet, sweet time of life!</div>
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(Aaron update - he's engaged! He's 21! Gahhhhh!)</div>
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The house and garden have definitely gotten that 'does that lady live there anymore?' kind of a vibe to it. In some ways, it's quite liberating - and in others, it hurts my heart to see how two years of not focusing on 'home things' has made the house seem sad looking to the passerby.</div>
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You know - it'll be a year next week that Glenco left his truck driving J.O.B. and started peddling marshmallows full time with me. It's been a journey for sure - and this Sunday - we celebrate our 34th anniversary. And - I still kinda like him, after spending every waking moment of the last year with him. Oh, it's been trying at times - but there's been more laughs than scowls (I think, I didn't count). I only fired him twice in the last year - so that wasn't too bad. : -)</div>
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The moral of the story?</div>
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I've survived with hints of thriving.</div>
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The housework has been caught up on, and I can with every confidence tell you that my home is the cleanest it's been in 2.5 years.</div>
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I have industrial mixers and commercial ovens now, and I'm not working myself </div>
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14-16 hours a day anymore.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuZj3gFGcpgijD9xT9dKH0uOKrtaYaJNELDkNaEM0y1lHktWr2hrt1aTd_UYJmFqsvnkoAM5-HxkDbdB9TWML5ikCmw_95DfY3NDzrV16T17LhBfn2RFHjVYP5U-YWAg07SEwUdrjZStN/s1600/grahams.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuZj3gFGcpgijD9xT9dKH0uOKrtaYaJNELDkNaEM0y1lHktWr2hrt1aTd_UYJmFqsvnkoAM5-HxkDbdB9TWML5ikCmw_95DfY3NDzrV16T17LhBfn2RFHjVYP5U-YWAg07SEwUdrjZStN/s640/grahams.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The shows are much easier now that we use the Squirrel and don't have to set up a booth each time.</div>
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I'm happy that she gets to travel so much now. : -) Everybody LOVES her! This is still a very rudimentary set up - I have a lot of ideas! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWpMQW14Ud40r25kTV5o7i0WksIa1AoGkqMATpX7hh3B0D8c_WHbmqEl3GT3bo3lWKK_q7a9qUQ2Xz0hEdEj_BHj_y2_sSYAfT4kPdfUmfKTVu8QAvTj-PF-Kb8RkpGwQc07tzGfq-IA6/s1600/summer+camper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWpMQW14Ud40r25kTV5o7i0WksIa1AoGkqMATpX7hh3B0D8c_WHbmqEl3GT3bo3lWKK_q7a9qUQ2Xz0hEdEj_BHj_y2_sSYAfT4kPdfUmfKTVu8QAvTj-PF-Kb8RkpGwQc07tzGfq-IA6/s640/summer+camper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I came<i> this</i> close to going to get baby ducks today at the feed store today.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUMSg82zZz2fDAragumaPnqJwVkcNjIl5r1-ixIK9eAXsd5o7AQj1CqkhGXjn_QP1vTVxdtSBv8z6EDMeLOwdftNshyphenhyphen0hfY5Nb1W6gtoA7dFeeGb1li9jO7WLy5R8hAmYXIg4iU6W6vtl/s1600/BabyDucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUMSg82zZz2fDAragumaPnqJwVkcNjIl5r1-ixIK9eAXsd5o7AQj1CqkhGXjn_QP1vTVxdtSBv8z6EDMeLOwdftNshyphenhyphen0hfY5Nb1W6gtoA7dFeeGb1li9jO7WLy5R8hAmYXIg4iU6W6vtl/s640/BabyDucks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Glimpses of Jayme are coming back. </div>
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:-)</div>
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I've been able to spend time with friends again.</div>
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There's a good chance that there will be blossoms and home grown tomatoes in my yard again this year.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhnDDQMiq312pfxjpAu1GUBI4QwWGdWKk3OKzp0ZYWsu1jkJgc5kwIXoSO1dNHjKkU9Nn2SbRsU0DNO_2oj527VrSsOWxgpD54m5GJ5mlfJFtBy1hFKq8_geCi4DRgfpiELG5qLAbBiHY/s1600/back+patio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhnDDQMiq312pfxjpAu1GUBI4QwWGdWKk3OKzp0ZYWsu1jkJgc5kwIXoSO1dNHjKkU9Nn2SbRsU0DNO_2oj527VrSsOWxgpD54m5GJ5mlfJFtBy1hFKq8_geCi4DRgfpiELG5qLAbBiHY/s640/back+patio.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really don't think I truly appreciated my garden until I lost it!</td></tr>
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All of that to say this - </div>
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Life balances out.</div>
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I don't think I ever really realized how difficult it would be to start a bona fide business. I really, REALLY wanted to share this whole journey with you here - but good grief, I'm lucky I showered at times. When I look at it - I think - what the heck? I sell some s'mores out of a camper!? What's the big deal? There's not enough time in the world to tell you the work that's gone on behind the scenes. Mind boggling. My ADHD doesn't help things - well, it helps SOME things! </div>
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I don't think we would have gotten this far in two years if I hadn't been a bit whackadoodle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6yQUqQ2ujIccmJfLMk8dEbZJXwL_vT3XN6XqrroZEdpLsrk8ede4lV90aOeTCRr1zcpasvcAhGpA5GSd87VHhzcGiZ8TSkF2E9qhrNrtPhlv39uwalr8WYSsu2F_4aepqHoEU5s6BySv/s1600/mallow+packs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6yQUqQ2ujIccmJfLMk8dEbZJXwL_vT3XN6XqrroZEdpLsrk8ede4lV90aOeTCRr1zcpasvcAhGpA5GSd87VHhzcGiZ8TSkF2E9qhrNrtPhlv39uwalr8WYSsu2F_4aepqHoEU5s6BySv/s640/mallow+packs.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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What most excites me is the emotional journey that this has been for me.</div>
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At times, fear completely crippled me.</div>
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Crippled.</div>
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It manifested in anger, frustration, and worry.</div>
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What if?</div>
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How?</div>
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It's almost like I thought that we'd DIE if this didn't work out - </div>
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when the reality would be - get a job.</div>
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What's so bad about that?</div>
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Well, it seems to be working out - for now anyhow - and my days are spent with Glenco - whipping sugar into cubes, hauling the camper far and wide - and meeting some of the most fun, creative, kind people you can imagine. Don't get me wrong - there are many hard moments, but that's true in any profession. </div>
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My days aren't <i>filled</i> with fear anymore - but it has it's moments where it rears it's ugly head, and I have to remind myself that my worst case scenario is me stacking organic romaine at Whole Foods and that actually sounds fun...</div>
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so...</div>
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fear?</div>
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No thanks.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a></div>
Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-24828820503943260252016-10-26T18:02:00.000-05:002016-10-26T18:02:21.559-05:00A Marshmallow World Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Hi again.</div>
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I'm stunned that I had comments - ha! Amazing. Thank you for still being about the world wide web and clicking here when you saw that I posted.</div>
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I'm here- once again.</div>
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I really, truly, have missed blogging.</div>
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What about it did I miss?</div>
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You guys.</div>
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The laughs.</div>
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The belly gazings.</div>
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The drivel.</div>
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Documenting my life.</div>
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Let's begin.</div>
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It's been a loooonnng time since I've blogged, as you know - and it's hard to just jump back in.</div>
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So much has happened.</div>
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I'm just slapping some photos on here to give you an idea of what we've been doing.</div>
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Glenco did indeed quit his job on March 15th of this year.</div>
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It was all sorts of scary. </div>
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Mallow money is our only income.</div>
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People keep asking Glen how he likes retirement - we both look at each other and chuckle a bit thinking 'they don't get it, do they?' </div>
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We've never worked so hard in all our born days.</div>
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We do take the Squirrel out for many shows. In fact, just this month we gutted the poor thing. I found taking a crowbar to the Squirrel more emotional than I thought I would - tearing out the benches that Aaron and I had our 'Lattes and Literature' at.</div>
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I'll talk more about that later.</div>
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Remember my cousin Jimmy? From Missouri?</div>
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This was last summer, he came up again this summer and helped us too.</div>
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" height="480" src="https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12063746_402696279926767_8061105279410336966_n.jpg?oh=48a21185b7505fc3d641afabf768e362&oe=58A64BDF" width="640" /></div>
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This was last winter at the grand opening of an ice skating rink. See allllll those people? They were in a line to get s'mores. We roasted 400 s'mores in two hours. I.am.not.kidding.</div>
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Our work table looked like a crime scene - except it wasn't blood - it was chocolate!</div>
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" height="478" src="https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12241773_417080945154967_8710718727687393633_n.jpg?oh=cb2293cf21e75b3adf8454b6bd44eeb5&oe=58A3207B" width="640" /></div>
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I've had the logo redesigned somewhat - changed from red and yellow to blue and cream.</div>
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Of course, true Jayme-style - I question this decision on a weekly basis, and still wonder why I'm using a chicken in my logo.</div>
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I applied for, and was accepted by the Indiana Artisan organization as a food artisan. It's rather a big deal! They only accepted two food artisans this year, out of eighty applications, and I was one of them.</div>
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In the midst of the marshmallow mania - I felt the need to nurture SOMETHING. I adopted a pregnant cat. : -) She had five babies, which I then had to bottle feed after two weeks. We ended up keeping one of them. </div>
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I have no chickens, for now.</div>
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I re-homed them - just trying to keep life as simple as possible at the moment.</div>
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"Is that why you adopted a pregnant cat?"</div>
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Don't judge.</div>
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:-)</div>
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I also got zebra finches and a canary.</div>
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So there.</div>
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We do, many, many vintage markets. It's what seems to be our 'vibe'. I did a few festivals this past summer, but don't really cotton to people spillin' their beers upon my Waverly tablecloths.</div>
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There are so many vintage markets in the area - almost too many. It's hard to choose which one to do. I've been blessed with so many opportunities. </div>
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Just because I didn't think we had quite enough going on with our booth - marshmallows, s'mores, and a frozen hot chocolate drink - I up and made a Frosted Lemonade. It was an instant hit.</div>
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The Indiana Board of Tourism stopped at my booth and took some shots - I thought this montage turned out swell.</div>
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Just because s'mores, and s'mores on a stick weren't enough - I upped and made s'mores in a jar.</div>
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Again, and instant hit. Sold them like hotcakes. Then - we were doing a BIG show in South Bend, so I made 50 of them - and sold 3. For real.</div>
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I can't look at these anymore without feeling nauseated. </div>
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I hear that's what happens when you overeat something.</div>
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Not that I'd know a thing about that!</div>
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Fourth of July Mallow Kabobs!</div>
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Blueberry, Vanilla and Cherry.</div>
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Up in New Buffalo MI.</div>
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More adorable customers. These gals are the best. One of them drove three hours to get marshmallows. I'm totally serious. </div>
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I have groupies.</div>
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After burning out four- count them - four - KitchenAid mixers, I bought this.</div>
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I also bought a giant convection oven that I refer to as 'the beast'. </div>
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I can bake 125 cookies in the time it will take you to read this post.</div>
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Wedding favors?</div>
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Of course I do that.</div>
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Mallows.</div>
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Many, many mallows.</div>
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Aaron - I couldn't give an update without talking about him. </div>
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Have you seen this photo? </div>
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Gah. He's a gorgeous boy.</div>
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I have more 'real' photos of him on my phone, but that would require too much computer work to transfer them..ha..maybe next time.</div>
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He's well.</div>
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He's just so danged grown up.</div>
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Today I unpacked the fall décor - better late than never - and found the little construction paper pumpkin cutouts we did years ago. I immediately choked up. It just all went so fast. I want a do over! What a gift it would be if just for ONE day -we could go back in time - knowing full well that it was just for that one day - how we would leave our phones be, and be so fully present with our loved ones - wouldn't we? </div>
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Oh, if I could just have Aaron ONE MORE DAY as a baby - or a toddler - or five, or ten years old.</div>
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Sigh.</div>
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A cute caricature a very talented artist/vendor/friend did of me.</div>
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I got a bit misty when I saw it - to see me through someone else's eyes - you know?</div>
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She didn't draw bucked teeth or anything!</div>
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Our signature hot cocoa.</div>
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Salted Caramel mallow.</div>
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<img alt="Off for a little picking with the girls this morning. Stopped for the most amazing hot chocolate with a homemade salted caramel marshmallow from @motherwilma ! Such a delightful treat from a delightful lady! Makes picking even better! #adventuresinabbyland" class="_icyx7" id="pImage_94" src="https://scontent-ort2-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s640x640/sh0.08/e35/c0.134.1080.1080/14676580_655498477948839_1892700372615561216_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=MTM2Njc1NzEzMzI0ODQ3NDkxMg%3D%3D.2.c" /></div>
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So this month marks two years since I started whipping sugar up into cubes.</div>
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It's by far the hardest thing I have ever done. </div>
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It has taxed me in every way possible.</div>
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<i>Physically</i> - it's exhausting. I have stood some, if not most - for the last two years - for 14 hours a day. My legs bear the tale. My feet sing the song nightly. I've been so cold at markets I've nearly cried. I've been so hot at markets I've nearly fainted. I've been swarmed by wasps. I've been in torrential downpours. I've had the wind nearly take the whole display. </div>
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<i>Mentally</i> - Lord have mercy - it's like juggling 59 balls in the air at once. I think there's a reason many businesses fail in the first couple of years. I just don't think some people are willing to give so much of themselves. It's funny - cause I think - it's MARSHMALLOWS for the love of God. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's paperwork. Finances. Developing recipes, perfecting recipes. Setting up a commercial kitchen. Dealing with the health department. Display. Graphic design. It goes on and on and on. </div>
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<i>Emotionally - </i>well, this is me you are reading about - so of course - I've been all over the board. At times, I feel dramatic and think 'I've ruined our lives!' - and then there are the times - like yesterday - 2pm in the afternoon - and we are swimming at the Y, or it's 7:15 in the morning, and the house is quiet, and Glenco is still wrapped in blankets, sleeping - not up and out at 3am driving a truck - and I think 'alright, alright, alright'.</div>
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:-)</div>
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I still fight fear. A lot. I'm learning. I'm growing. I'm letting go more.</div>
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I've met the most fantastic people, a few I consider dear friends now. I've seen people work HARD. I admire that. I always have. I've seen the comradery of generous, hard working people. I see that more than anything - and perhaps it's because I am reaping what I sow - I'm not sure - but I encounter kindness and love 99% of the time, from 99% of the people I meet.</div>
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Perhaps it's because I sell marshmallows - I mean - how can you NOT be happy?</div>
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If I'm honest - I have to say, things are starting to settle down, even if this IS the last day I have off until mid-December. Perhaps it's my mind that has settled down. I have a good kitchen routine - I have my shows booked for the rest of the year - I know what to expect. </div>
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The chaos seems to be ending.</div>
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:-)</div>
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Hope to see more of you!</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-51736492145150975992016-10-14T22:54:00.003-05:002016-10-14T22:54:19.295-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYWBs4OMU6yP7_W_q6JgT1hm4Nx_X9_igbKbIStqHkjnJ1uzaF34WFJvAYiL4Qy0soT9nf19lILUDFQevuauvBJbsNd2CryQSuMoFQuQ-Nu4ZWZqYBJMhNoo7j_pd8NFVd4f2iOC71hdy/s1600/hutch4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYWBs4OMU6yP7_W_q6JgT1hm4Nx_X9_igbKbIStqHkjnJ1uzaF34WFJvAYiL4Qy0soT9nf19lILUDFQevuauvBJbsNd2CryQSuMoFQuQ-Nu4ZWZqYBJMhNoo7j_pd8NFVd4f2iOC71hdy/s320/hutch4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hello!</div>
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I live!</div>
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Do you?</div>
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Just popping in...missing 'this' oh so much tonight. </div>
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Things are awesome. Exhausting. Still scary. </div>
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I'm glad I took the plunge. </div>
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More soon. </div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-14885970074473985332016-02-18T11:28:00.001-06:002016-02-18T11:28:34.693-06:00I'm Still Scared<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-5yTWFN6EYUoYtrPRENqyzuu4dBV4s1tMdbkiKWKmkPCik8vx8rRin1hdxSIRXLQ1Fe6OPV3X7J3dPXgul19-3Cyg8EKJFjpyCYVdN2E7X2iJfAZZjjm3UcRTaUq0dWj99zNoDwHl5Qk/s1600/needthis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-5yTWFN6EYUoYtrPRENqyzuu4dBV4s1tMdbkiKWKmkPCik8vx8rRin1hdxSIRXLQ1Fe6OPV3X7J3dPXgul19-3Cyg8EKJFjpyCYVdN2E7X2iJfAZZjjm3UcRTaUq0dWj99zNoDwHl5Qk/s320/needthis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let's be honest here. </div>
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I'm still scared.</div>
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It's safe here at home. </div>
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It's cozy. </div>
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There's furry things to pet, books to read and tea to drink. </div>
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I can talk a big talk. I can post inspirational memes all day. </div>
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But when you get right to it, I'm a big fat </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUU3diFDQOEVOcHofji4OIJpK7lj1Ut3G3TANZ8CcAxh5cP60qybBnuwmE1pX59QHW_hdiCXguAFuVpuWKgxqnX87gbSudmLOwc8St0ue6GcSXw47ZtofrBEnlzD5NCatDRrby_nb23Mld/s1600/IMG_8592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUU3diFDQOEVOcHofji4OIJpK7lj1Ut3G3TANZ8CcAxh5cP60qybBnuwmE1pX59QHW_hdiCXguAFuVpuWKgxqnX87gbSudmLOwc8St0ue6GcSXw47ZtofrBEnlzD5NCatDRrby_nb23Mld/s320/IMG_8592.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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You see, right now I'm on the cusp of going all in. </div>
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Full time commercial kitchen of my own.</div>
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Commercial mixers and what not. </div>
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Glenco retiring. </div>
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Wholesale. Retail. Corporations. </div>
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The 'you know what' is getting real. </div>
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What if I fail? </div>
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What if I don't?</div>
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Will I ever have another moment of life for me?</div>
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Shall I work my fingers to the bone?</div>
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Is this what I REALLY want?</div>
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Can you share a story with me of you doing something that </div>
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scared the bejeebes out of you?</div>
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Did you live to tell the tale?</div>
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I keep "worst case scenario-ing" this. </div>
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I sell all my equipment and work at Whole Foods. </div>
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Someone has pity on me and starts a "GoFundMe" page for the poor ole Coopkeeper. </div>
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Why am I so scared??</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px;" /></a></div>
Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-44958756652941846282016-01-26T09:04:00.002-06:002016-01-26T09:04:52.909-06:00It's a Good Day to Talk About Fear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good news!</div>
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I woke up today!</div>
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If you've been around here long enough - you are familiar with my irrational fear of the number 53.</div>
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What started as a thought (read that again!) - turned into a belief - grew into a fear - </div>
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I had some notion that I wouldn't live past 53.</div>
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Completely unfounded.</div>
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But I thought it enough - that it became real to me.</div>
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I fought it often, and really had thought that I'd conquered it for the most part, until this past week.</div>
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As we were on our way to South Bend last weekend, I thought - is this it? A car accident?</div>
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As I tripped a little going down the basement stairs - is this it? An unfortunate accident with the laundry basket?</div>
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Yesterday - I didn't leave the house.</div>
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Last night - I said a silent prayer that I'd wake up today.</div>
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I think I'm safe - I'm 54 today.</div>
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Thankyaverymuch.</div>
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Most people that know me, would consider me quite fearless.</div>
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Go into the beehive without protection? I'm your girl.</div>
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Get 25 chickens on a whim when you know nothing about tending them?</div>
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Why the heck not!</div>
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Drive cross country without a cell phone? </div>
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What's wrong with that?</div>
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I could go on - </div>
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On a day to day basis - some of the things that I SHOULD have a second thought about - I don't - </div>
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yet fear has had a hold on me for as long as I can remember.</div>
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<img height="397" src="http://annejonesblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/What-can-we-do-against-the-war-of-fear.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I had a very clear picture recently of 'eggsactly' what I was doing. It was if I had an idea - and thought 'well let's see what my counselor has to say about this' - and off I went to Dr. Fear - laid on his couch - and let him counsel me of all the things that could go wrong, and why I should fear this situation. He was quite thorough and even thought of scenarios I never would have dreamed of.</div>
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Dr. Fear suggests that I completely book myself with events to sell marshmallows so that there isn't a smidge of time left for myself.</div>
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He asks questions like 'well, if this is your income - don't you think you'd better get after it? I mean - a weekend free is lost wages!'.</div>
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So - I heed his counsel and I book. And I book. And all the while I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach of 'how in the Sam hill?' - but I continue to heed the counsel of this scoundrel - and the next thing I know - my joy is drained. </div>
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And that's the co-pay of his counsel. </div>
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You pay with joy.</div>
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You pay with the very essence that is your life.</div>
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Your soul starts to wither up into a dark ball and you've nothing left to give anyone else - you've given it all to fear.</div>
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A very toxic relationship.</div>
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Most of our fears never come to fruition.</div>
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The fact that I'm still breathing and sitting on my couch typing this - proves that.</div>
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So what do I do today - what action do I take <b>today</b> that can sever this toxic thinking?</div>
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<img height="400" src="http://www.lancerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/breaking_bad___walter_white___fear___by_mangekyou_eyes-d5chr9y.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Today there will be teeth kicking.</div>
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Today I'm pulling out my planner and pulling out of some of the shows I've booked.</div>
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I have to.</div>
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I will pray for a heart and mind that is quick to recognize fear and all of it's faces.</div>
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I will meditate on the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.</div>
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I will breathe.</div>
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And - </div>
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I will eat cake.</div>
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The end.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-54561989825264900912016-01-19T08:48:00.003-06:002016-01-19T08:48:28.364-06:00It Doesn't Take a Brain Surgeon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What? Two days in a row?</div>
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I'm trying to develop a habit here...</div>
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<img height="480" src="http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Whole-Foods-1-1024x768.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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My trip to Whole Foods yesterday was fab.</div>
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We've finally got one in our area - it's still a bit out of the way - but much better than crossing the state line to get the organic kale contraband.</div>
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I've started juicing. The amount of organic carrots I consume is borderline ridiculous - but I tell you what - I feel rejuvenated! </div>
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I went with my old pal Donna and her 24 year old son Kyle.</div>
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As I was talking to Kyle about work and school - I mentioned to Donna -</div>
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'24! What would you do if you were 24, knowing what you know now?'</div>
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When I was asked the question, I think I surprised them both when I said 'I'd do something in the field of neuroscience'. I really think they thought I was joking. I think that because Donna laughed.</div>
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Me? A scientist? </div>
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See, I'm absolutely smitten with the brain. </div>
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Mainly the actual physical organ.</div>
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Also -</div>
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The mind. </div>
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The brain/mind/body connection.</div>
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Fascinating!</div>
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Just this morning I was reading about increasing GABA production.</div>
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I've been reading books by Dr. Carolyn Leaf, Dr. Daniel Amen.</div>
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Brain health.</div>
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Amazing.</div>
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But.</div>
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Math.</div>
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Word on the street you gotta know your multiplication tables and then some to call yo'self a neuroscientist.</div>
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So.</div>
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I make marshmallows. </div>
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Then - I thought - well, since I can't do maths - what other path would I have chosen?</div>
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Do you need the maths for to be a Functional Doctor?</div>
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Dang it.</div>
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<img height="341" src="http://easyexpo2015.com/expo-content/uploads/2015/01/top_5_hipster_places_in_milan-750x400.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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So then I decided I would be a hippie of sorts, living in a tiny house somewhere Northwest - running a microbakery in a cool Portland town, and commuting on my Honda Metropolitan scooter.</div>
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And I'd dabble in neuroscience.</div>
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Which really isn't too far off of my life at the moment.</div>
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Then end.</div>
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What about you?</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-2974441858391781932016-01-18T11:03:00.002-06:002016-01-18T11:04:20.297-06:00Alive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Guess who's still alive?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-k825bwmSAxjVj2V7J4aQPCnQZIdbeTyQMNZblMEPbBMvv2Epm6poEGCu2ySg8qJXTwA8F9GRrcvWwjn-GxtQazuTMOgByoCtmbToU98mqVDwjP8WUt4T7li-oDPkEIyny1p6xh6wm01R/s1600/snowsuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-k825bwmSAxjVj2V7J4aQPCnQZIdbeTyQMNZblMEPbBMvv2Epm6poEGCu2ySg8qJXTwA8F9GRrcvWwjn-GxtQazuTMOgByoCtmbToU98mqVDwjP8WUt4T7li-oDPkEIyny1p6xh6wm01R/s640/snowsuit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've been thinking about you all so much lately - </div>
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Remembering the days of sitting here clicking away - feeling so connected to you all.</div>
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I've just logged back in for the first time since Oct. 7th. I'm just seeing all the messages you've sent me saying you've missed me.</div>
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Thank you.</div>
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It seems my life holds daily reminders of all the love that has been shown here.</div>
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Every day I stand on the rag rug that was made for me by my blog friend Linda - or I'm wearing an apron, or a using a hand towel that one of you have gifted me - or just the memories - so many memories of all y'all. I'm blessed beyond measure to call some of you my true friends.</div>
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I can honestly say, with my whole heart - I may not have gotten through the last few years without you.</div>
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I've had the IMMENSE pleasure of meeting so many of you out at the shows this year - as I travel around and get up in your 'hood. I'm embarrassed to say, that with the blur this past year was - I don't remember all of your names, and didn't get photos!</div>
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(PS - I'll be in So. Bend this Saturday at the Winterfest from 7 til 3 - So. Bend Farmer's Market on Northside Blvd)</div>
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One that I did get a photo of was Cindy and her husband Ernie.</div>
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It was a cool December day - and I was doing a show in Griffith IN - and it was a show that I almost didn't go to. I was so, so, so bone tired by December.</div>
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I went.</div>
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And am I glad I did! Cindy and Ernie showed up and I guess they drove a couple of hours to come and meet me.</div>
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I just have to say - with the way I've shared my heart and life here - it's really an odd feeling when you meet someone that says 'I've been reading your blog for years' - and you are standing there at that moment thinking - 'oh ma ga - they know EVERYTHING!'</div>
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I always feel a bit twitchy, and embarrassed - I'm hoping it doesn't show. I know everyone has a story - dark chapters, happy chapters - and chapters yet unwritten. Many choose not to share it all on the world wide web. I do.</div>
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The show was slow, so Cindy and I got to visit for a bit. I always felt bad when I was too busy to visit you all when you came out.</div>
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We shared some laughs, a few tears and a hug. I'm telling you - you guys are some seriously fabulous people. The connection we felt just reminded me again - that blogging like this is real - there are real people - with real lives - real struggles - real hopes and dreams - real lives - reading this. And that's why I've always wanted to make my blog real. Well, I don't try to make it real - it just is. It's my life without a soft focus lens on it. It's not staged, it's not sugar coated. I've shared just about every ding danged thing here.</div>
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Thank you. Thank you for reading - thank you for loving me, supporting me, encouraging me and laughing at and with me. : -) </div>
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I survived the year.</div>
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I honestly have never worked so hard in my entire life. Working at the steel mills when I was younger? Piece of cake. Moving 10 yards of mulch one wheelbarrow at a time? Child's play. Renovating this old farmhouse? Easy Peasy.</div>
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I accomplished the goal I set out to achieve and more. Debt free living. I was able to help some others as well. It's a great feeling. I'm now more convinced than ever - that any flipping thing is possible. That you CAN find a way!</div>
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I wasn't sure if I was going to continue the business after making the goal - because when I started - it was a means to an end. I thought I would just carry on with my quiet life of library books, knitting, gardening and chicken rearing. I thought maybe I'd apply for a part time job at Whole Foods. I could see myself scootering back and forth - working in the Juice Bar, or neatly stacking those heads of romaine.</div>
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Alas - I kind of like this market madness. I have a quiver full of new friends. </div>
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My only struggle is - calming the heck down. I still try to do too much - too many markets. </div>
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So, I'm still the same Jayme that you've come to know.</div>
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Chronic Overachiever. Stubborn as a mule. Desperately seeking balance.</div>
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But it seems that this Mother Wilma's Marshmallow Factory is here to stay. I've got me a bona fide business.</div>
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I'm really hoping and praying to find the balance in it all, and return to blogging on a regular basis.</div>
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Fingers crossed.</div>
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I'll be 54 in a week. Fifty. four. When? How?</div>
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I have this notion that it's going to be the best year yet. Like ever. In the history of Jayme.</div>
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One of the things I'm addressing as a priority is my health - unfortunately - it was my sacrifice on the altar of my goal. Smart? Nope. Not very. Typical all or nothing Jayme? Yessirree.</div>
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With that being said - </div>
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I'm doing the Leanness Lifestyle again. It really is the only thing that works for me.</div>
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It starts the day after my birthday - January 27th, and I'd be tickled pink if some of you joined me.</div>
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Click here to change yo life:</div>
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<a href="http://lluniversity.com/lifestyle180/">http://lluniversity.com/lifestyle180/</a></div>
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He really is the real deal. Really.</div>
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Enrollment starts today - and this fills up fast. </div>
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Be spontaneous and impulsive like me! Click and join!</div>
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I'll leave you with this. I have to leave in a few minutes to meet my friend at Whole Foods (I'm not applying for the job yet!)</div>
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I found this nugget in a book I'm reading called "You are a BadAss" by Jen Sincero - </div>
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So perhaps it's all perspective? What we choose to think?</div>
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Discuss.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-16039976260327702782015-10-07T14:27:00.002-05:002015-10-07T14:32:07.236-05:00I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really Really Want....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anybody still here?</div>
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I am! </div>
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Just wanting to pop in today with an update, let you know I still breathe - and the goings on here.</div>
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How often do you think about what you <i><b>really</b></i> want? I mean really, really.</div>
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Past - I want Chinese for dinner, past - I want to be out of debt - past - I would really love a new Subaru Forester....</div>
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These may be my immediate wants at the moment....</div>
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One thing I'm learning this year, as I spend endless hours spinning sugar into puffs of happiness are the things I <b><i>don't</i></b> want. </div>
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I think that is a great place to start in order to find out exactly what it is you <i><b>do </b></i>want.</div>
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I honestly can't trust myself
at times to know what I want - it changes way too frequently based on hormones, seasons, and whether or not I've had a Starbucks flat white.</div>
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But what I don't want?</div>
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That seems rather consistent.</div>
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In the consistency of 'what I don't want' I find my true desires coming forth.</div>
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I'm
blown clean away by the response to the mallows this year. I truly
could clone myself and keep the clone as busy as I've been. It's been
rather non-stop - and I have 65 days after today before all this stops
up in here for a couple of months. </div>
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My cousin Jim from Missouri has been here helping for three months!</div>
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We do the big shows on the weekends, and Glen and my sister have been doing the Farmer's Markets.</div>
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Tomorrow a radio station in Ft. Wayne IN is calling me to interview me about the business!</div>
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I'll try to get a link and attach it here so you can hear it - if that's even possible... </div>
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I have much to decide - about where I'll take this, because one thing I don't want - is to work this hard again, like ever.</div>
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Ever!</div>
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I started this with one goal in mind - live debt free - and girls, I think we are going to make it by year's end - there might even be a new davenport in the works as well!</div>
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I'm blessed.</div>
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I'm exhausted.</div>
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I signed up with my Coach again because I want back in these pants:</div>
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I promise I'm not going to go on and on about it : -) - just know it's happening.</div>
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Aaron is well - just got back from a Disney vacation - he's working in Chicago - living in Chicago - and completely far too grown up in some ways and not enough in others.</div>
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And these are without a doubt the things I know.</div>
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Home is my first love, it always has been - and always will be.</div>
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A well run, well tended home and garden is something to never, ever, take for granted. </div>
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Family and friends are the most important things.</div>
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Anything of true value cannot be purchased.</div>
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When I thought I had nothing much - I was so incredibly wealthy.</div>
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Being nearly debt free doesn't really feel any different.</div>
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Things that you thought you wanted, when you couldn't afford them - you find out that you don't really care that much about when you can afford them. </div>
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Your health goes south fast if you don't take good care of yourself.</div>
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Cats are good medicine.</div>
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Chickens are good therapists.</div>
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Blogging soothes my soul.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-54326254897942910302015-08-20T13:11:00.001-05:002015-08-20T13:11:16.844-05:00A Little Sumpin' Sumpin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The autumn winds are blowing up in here today - and it's got me half crazy feeling with the thoughts of apple butter, mums and pumpkins. I know, I know - it's August 20th - but I'm hankering for a Pumpkin Spice Latte like nobody's business.</div>
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What is it that creates such a frenzy in my heart for fall?</div>
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I'm literally aching to get my hands on yarn...</div>
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But...alas...this is the Year of the Mallow.</div>
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Take a gander here - </div>
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<a href="http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/fire-skewers-bring-twist-to-marshmallow-business/article_81ad8e88-9f13-5b3c-8e51-6688a535d3d7.html">http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/fire-skewers-bring-twist-to-marshmallow-business/article_81ad8e88-9f13-5b3c-8e51-6688a535d3d7.html</a></div>
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I reckon the editor of the paper had a s'more at one of the markets, and I got a call...</div>
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how fun is this?</div>
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I feel really humbled, and oh so grateful today.</div>
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I'm doing a couple of markets in Fort Wayne and South Bend, and I heard from a couple of you darlings - so excited that I'm coming that way - and it just warmed my heart SO much - and it made me remember the days that I sat here pecking away at these very keys - sharing my heart and soul with y'all, and oh how I remember those days with such fondness! I just know in my knower those days will be here again, sooner than later.</div>
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But for now - I check the weather, make mallows, load up the Heep and do markets.</div>
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I'm up to five markets a week now.</div>
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I know.</div>
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It's utter ridiculousness - but it's just for a few more weeks, and then the markets start dropping off.</div>
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My next real day off is Dec. 15th, and I'm okay with that. </div>
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I dog-eared this year for all of this - and I will finish what I started. </div>
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I'm enjoying it all as much as I am not - if that makes any sense at all.</div>
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For every achy tired bone - there is a blessing.</div>
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My heart is filled with wonder at the people I've met. </div>
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I hope that I can write all the stories out sometime this winter.</div>
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At times I question myself, and wonder if I've gone completely batty - by doing this - but then I remember 'the goal'. The goal of debt free living. It's been so elusive for us since Glenco's hours were cut a few years back. Oh - and don't it just be figuring that he's been doing overtime since I started all of this mallow madness?</div>
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And so that just proves my theory.</div>
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I have absolutely no control over anything but my thoughts, actions, attitudes and reactions.</div>
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I saw this and thought it was awesome...</div>
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<img alt="Money won't make you happy quotes" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-31691" height="428" src="http://www.verybestquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Money-wont-make-you-happy-quotes.jpg" width="608" /></div>
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I still have a very unrealistic image in my head of life - of a time in my life when I can say 'I'm done'.</div>
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I'm done with the house.</div>
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I'm done with the garden.</div>
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I'm out of debt.</div>
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I'm done working on myself.</div>
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I'm done.</div>
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I think the light is finally turning on in my brain that the day I'm done is the day I enter eternal rest - and will I? For those of you that really know me - you laugh at the thought - me, resting....I'll get to heaven with me sleeves rolled up looking for something to do I will!</div>
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As it is now - I long, and I do mean long - I LONG to clean the house! I look at my stove and refrigerator with a lustful feeling inside - imagining the day I have the time to give them a proper deep cleaning. I long to restore order. I long to simmer soup and press pillow cases again.</div>
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It's hard to believe it's nearing September - and I'm welcoming it with open arms. </div>
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Live life open my friends.</div>
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Open arms.</div>
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Open hearts.</div>
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Open minds.</div>
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Forgive yourself - over and over.</div>
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Stay present - find something beautiful in the ordinary - </div>
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and realize the absolute truth of this statement:</div>
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If you want to be happy.</div>
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Be.</div>
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I miss you all! I responded to all of your comments from the last post - in the comment section...</div>
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Til soon..</div>
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Jayme</div>
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MallowMaster</div>
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(and slave)</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-32285892989326358942015-08-04T23:58:00.002-05:002015-08-04T23:58:47.597-05:00Things I Miss Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm up way late in the night - and I'm not sure why - I'm most definitely ready to sleep - but I just wanted some me time me thinks.</div>
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I've been finding myself quite nostalgic today.</div>
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Missing many things.</div>
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Life is so different this year - and that's okay - but I'm seeing more and more clearly that I really had the life I wanted - and dadgum it, I want it back!</div>
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I miss you guys. I miss my drivel.</div>
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I miss sharing my life with you.</div>
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I miss sharing my trials, my triumphs, my conclusions, and just my little corner of the world in general.</div>
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I really, really, really miss my garden.</div>
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I'm shocked at how left untended for such a short period of time, things quickly go south.</div>
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This applies to many areas - our relationships, our health, our homes, and our gardens!</div>
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All the following pictures were taken when the garden was tended regularly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4lvomskq_glhAK6Awc7NnOY_bnGuS1voBkZAjBzKWhO3jlsz6156IImCaX7ARyusYK2f2V904QVXkCrsBoxcRx20CjBsEQAM1AvlRe-WEDfvGrk6-uO-fmVyIZlYDRb5dutoeGqXgsMf/s1600/IMG2390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4lvomskq_glhAK6Awc7NnOY_bnGuS1voBkZAjBzKWhO3jlsz6156IImCaX7ARyusYK2f2V904QVXkCrsBoxcRx20CjBsEQAM1AvlRe-WEDfvGrk6-uO-fmVyIZlYDRb5dutoeGqXgsMf/s640/IMG2390.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I miss having time to sit in the garden and read - and have my hair arranged so nicely with baby birds in it! I miss nurturing things. People, plants, animals....</div>
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I miss telling you things like 'oh, I have 19 chickens now - two roo's - one Copper Maran - who rules the roost - a fine proud bird that is kind-ish to the other rooster - a Black Barred - who is so lovely and gentle...</div>
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I've so wanted to tell you about HopSing - the crippled bird that I have - and the lesson that I learned from her - that sometimes helping hurts - and some people and things are just better left alone.</div>
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I really, really miss knitting, and yarn, and needles.</div>
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I also miss this scarf.</div>
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I lost it this Spring! It was so much friggin' work too.</div>
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: -)</div>
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I miss having time to be ridiculous...</div>
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I miss having time to wash my dishes and meditate whilst I do. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KELSNMDlTXokKT20xbRVAGx4n9E9nNa8lDImqMk2X54iGb4xXood5KJL3jMs0ks0xthLOjZU9HKyMIf2AM9PuChRklOYmAMFHxctyOBMJfSZ0VOrsDBsFRyEY0lWeEipqQYwlc4KnM4y/s1600/Dishes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KELSNMDlTXokKT20xbRVAGx4n9E9nNa8lDImqMk2X54iGb4xXood5KJL3jMs0ks0xthLOjZU9HKyMIf2AM9PuChRklOYmAMFHxctyOBMJfSZ0VOrsDBsFRyEY0lWeEipqQYwlc4KnM4y/s640/Dishes.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I miss this... </div>
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Oh and I miss these pants!</div>
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They were some of my favorite pants, but now - well - let's not talk about it!</div>
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I miss my bees - they just all up and left a couple of months ago - the yard seems quiet without them.</div>
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I'm certain I'll get them again... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aiIW4B7HttwEkghC57nxno1iujIYojj87buvY7FxBS4BYdym64oTnGTv2-m89KwAkqiXjTclf76kdNwwrnuSqNBvOwyIlsp3YaMgYJgEVD83FVL1PZuc1aTHzVvVhzvkHolW7K4qmRj_/s1600/beeswarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aiIW4B7HttwEkghC57nxno1iujIYojj87buvY7FxBS4BYdym64oTnGTv2-m89KwAkqiXjTclf76kdNwwrnuSqNBvOwyIlsp3YaMgYJgEVD83FVL1PZuc1aTHzVvVhzvkHolW7K4qmRj_/s640/beeswarm.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I miss my sister - nearly gone a year now - the reality is impossible to grasp, she doesn't seem gone to me - and really she isn't...til soon Vivvie...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67zCyScIEWoqywAI2_dQ6vXQR2JElWOYYP-PAGi6R17JbjT-5VaxydZgtQoYOqD8Kq3xUYj01pwWyK3RxtCPzY-AERuPGahhj7Uf950tHdB-TY1e75kiYOH3L0MQ0q_mRjrCRThwKKTk4/s1600/school6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67zCyScIEWoqywAI2_dQ6vXQR2JElWOYYP-PAGi6R17JbjT-5VaxydZgtQoYOqD8Kq3xUYj01pwWyK3RxtCPzY-AERuPGahhj7Uf950tHdB-TY1e75kiYOH3L0MQ0q_mRjrCRThwKKTk4/s640/school6.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I miss outside. I miss taking the time to gaze upon the outdoors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9bolysmomKseM-G-Alvf7O3p2HyM_pTfBWN5xodYyub9pW88uEQOYsFHezOc6F1oJ5k429RUh2xHovjoxn9vmEiWVSnBm_rBe0BIdH7lkxXZLyCk1ktfWdcReq_JA0us-Zfx_x2EG5cG/s1600/IMG3032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9bolysmomKseM-G-Alvf7O3p2HyM_pTfBWN5xodYyub9pW88uEQOYsFHezOc6F1oJ5k429RUh2xHovjoxn9vmEiWVSnBm_rBe0BIdH7lkxXZLyCk1ktfWdcReq_JA0us-Zfx_x2EG5cG/s640/IMG3032.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div>
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I freaking miss my ducks. Maude and Claude.</div>
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I know Claude has gone on to the great big pond in the sky - but Maude? Where she be? There's a nesting pair of mallards that return every Spring now - and they come oddly close to the house - I believe it could be her.</div>
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<img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzRVni3i3rI61VbPS4q40xjhHUsxvCkPHT7Fs0ddNrc-JRkiXzTh6K340vc8L137nOLmzjKo2qZAkSvzUG5yEqXl8EEh2bl1-jNWOGv8wIPZothAR6jISd0sAgok68EmXJ57AhD2txZn9/s1600/IMG_7029.JPG" class="shrinkToFit" height="505" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzRVni3i3rI61VbPS4q40xjhHUsxvCkPHT7Fs0ddNrc-JRkiXzTh6K340vc8L137nOLmzjKo2qZAkSvzUG5yEqXl8EEh2bl1-jNWOGv8wIPZothAR6jISd0sAgok68EmXJ57AhD2txZn9/s1600/IMG_7029.JPG" width="674" /> </div>
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<br />I miss hours spent meandering greenhouses...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbB1ejkyBK6NMUnQBZaiyE7Q8OVRkduxhW9iZJkvIuW4NX3i2xaLYdzv_thxjo3DC5VYHIsWPbXUuGTBPrKtAEaItgTxyPpS0V_no5s1lXCINtPsqpnMNN7oqIKtOJS2ylOI8hbFwkTkq/s1600/IMG_7061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbB1ejkyBK6NMUnQBZaiyE7Q8OVRkduxhW9iZJkvIuW4NX3i2xaLYdzv_thxjo3DC5VYHIsWPbXUuGTBPrKtAEaItgTxyPpS0V_no5s1lXCINtPsqpnMNN7oqIKtOJS2ylOI8hbFwkTkq/s640/IMG_7061.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I miss the smell of my camper - The Squirrel - I miss padding out there barefoot on a gorgeous night like this one - sleeping out under the stars with the frogs singing and the fireflies flitting - </div>
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I miss typing here and figuring out what I think and I believe as the cursor blinks on - </div>
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I miss you guys.</div>
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<img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJUTO6B8FlzTPDRX7_KLYqHxTMLO21PhrkdiE2otUj5_NKfOYyMiUa5uVBmjIqSH9-I2pR-ajd5wEHFzyBGkxMcDNNo58Y1dOgaC5DkSHZM5LY_NJA2M3KIphUQKOymaxlo5enraDbfM4/s1600/i-have-nothing-to-say.gif" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJUTO6B8FlzTPDRX7_KLYqHxTMLO21PhrkdiE2otUj5_NKfOYyMiUa5uVBmjIqSH9-I2pR-ajd5wEHFzyBGkxMcDNNo58Y1dOgaC5DkSHZM5LY_NJA2M3KIphUQKOymaxlo5enraDbfM4/s1600/i-have-nothing-to-say.gif" /></div>
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I cannot say it enough - I miss my garden!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WVVtQTCk3rDaZLQnUx-6YZ2uXSAcMRdx7M0Cqfo30TsXRDjQRR9ux7e7fun-XTkus3IcGEYTnHVcBW2RjPjSZ_7Bt2WqDRowA27HT7UZVC2olroe0ZAT0SFx20KZPzYlztfxBKC7fmge/s1600/IMG_8263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WVVtQTCk3rDaZLQnUx-6YZ2uXSAcMRdx7M0Cqfo30TsXRDjQRR9ux7e7fun-XTkus3IcGEYTnHVcBW2RjPjSZ_7Bt2WqDRowA27HT7UZVC2olroe0ZAT0SFx20KZPzYlztfxBKC7fmge/s640/IMG_8263.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Don't hate - but I'm almost hoping that this comes sooner than later...</div>
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Snow. Frost.</div>
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At least then the garden and it's demise will be out of my control... </div>
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Now it's not all gloom and doom - nay - it's actually all very good.</div>
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I've set a goal for this year - and I do believe I'll reach it - and then I am scaling WAY WAY back - no more three and four markets a week - no more every week - nope - just here and there - and whatever makes me happy. It's just this year that I'm sacrificing so much. I've met the most incredible people and I'm learning so much. Learning what is truly important to me - learning what hard work really is. </div>
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You know - I've never really had much in the way of material wealth - but looking back at my old blog posts from years past, I realize I was the richest girl in the world.</div>
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What an enormous blessing to realize that.</div>
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Til soon... </div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-91907927424854617702015-07-06T20:48:00.000-05:002015-07-06T20:48:01.100-05:00Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="512" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11214050_378218772374518_3672855050867498316_n.jpg?oh=a34445ef72af9ea4c8ceae004b510718&oe=5625B138" width="640" /></div>
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My life is marshmallows.</div>
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I make marshmallows.</div>
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I check the weather.</div>
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I make marshmallows.</div>
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I check the weather.</div>
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Three outdoor markets a week - and now heading to Chicago once a month for the Randolph Street Market.</div>
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I'm happy - tired - excited - tired - driven -tired - grateful - tired</div>
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and missing all of you.</div>
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I have a goal in sight, and it looks like I'm going to make it!</div>
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Do you know that sometimes I just log on here and read your old comments from a year ago?</div>
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I do.</div>
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I miss y'all - until I have time to write again you can find me here...</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/motherwilmas">Mother Wilma's on Facebook</a></span></div>
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Have a wonderful summer!</div>
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xo</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-18889125675618229072015-05-10T12:57:00.000-05:002015-05-10T12:57:01.348-05:00On Mothering<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I awoke this morning in an off mood.</div>
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Nothing in particular - more tired than anything.</div>
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Two Farmer's Markets a week - the struggle is real y'all.</div>
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I'm a tired (but very happy!) girl.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_iLtpddoxYfMdDjMPwP4lsHip8IQT8c8ilK-a6BibIXiRnUYxh9QkEvfBLIi85eN6UYVGUyOCDQs1w_1_D17Kfpb9Ag_BBBz8VcBN7ArtfdB7sv14Q__s7jV-K5Wlh_wsLee4xRikqi1/s1600/59603093-IMG_8313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_iLtpddoxYfMdDjMPwP4lsHip8IQT8c8ilK-a6BibIXiRnUYxh9QkEvfBLIi85eN6UYVGUyOCDQs1w_1_D17Kfpb9Ag_BBBz8VcBN7ArtfdB7sv14Q__s7jV-K5Wlh_wsLee4xRikqi1/s640/59603093-IMG_8313.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have to keep reminding myself that I'm my own boss - and I can arrange my schedule anyway I'd like to - but apparently I'm 'that' boss - and choose to work myself to a nub on a regular basis.</div>
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So this morning comes, and it's Mother's Day - I'm fraught with several emotions.</div>
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My mother is gone.</div>
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I'm not a real mother.</div>
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Or - at least that's what my brain wanted to inform my heart of at 7:02 this morning.</div>
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So let's sort out the truth.</div>
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My mother indeed did pass away nearly 15 years ago - or 12 years ago - or?</div>
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(I think - see, this is the memory loss I told you about. </div>
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I can't remember - I'd have to look it up to know)</div>
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But is she gone?</div>
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No.</div>
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She is not.</div>
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<br />Case in point - look at this photo:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtft7fOTgtEGneRMJJXtlV5A_0nDxBiGi2mrtoPS1m3kgNXS3_CiuKhW77idYLhfOterHZCdIBUzp4ZAAng-KyUkDe5QPMTb6d86aace__ljy8ulbSEnoukJ5x0YyXjUsgEbxLgmgJnkdu/s1600/FullSizeRender+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtft7fOTgtEGneRMJJXtlV5A_0nDxBiGi2mrtoPS1m3kgNXS3_CiuKhW77idYLhfOterHZCdIBUzp4ZAAng-KyUkDe5QPMTb6d86aace__ljy8ulbSEnoukJ5x0YyXjUsgEbxLgmgJnkdu/s640/FullSizeRender+(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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She is right here, with me always.</div>
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Her smile.</div>
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Her hair.</div>
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Her love of holding livestock.</div>
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:-)</div>
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She's here.</div>
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Her generous spirit still guides me, gives me strength and hope.</div>
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And then there's that whole 'see you on the other side' kind of promise we have here that takes the whole sting out of death.</div>
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As far as my brain telling me I'm not a mother?</div>
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Poppycock!</div>
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I am too - heck, my business is even named Mother Wilma's!</div>
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I've had the most high honor of sharing in the mothering of this young man:</div>
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<img src="https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10592776_10205597901484807_4035135602681182133_n.jpg?oh=d087e83200ac23f1d92f383c5a11c622&oe=55C4C5C5" /></div>
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And if THIS isn't mothering....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJPd9wqU6p46LwvscNA_nf1FNHDhF11RMOQZBpAn5aMTKZeW735vKMTLg3XZBferzuTSztrUmeR-EcQNbJ2DmsZj1AL4TAFiDOZ2bKSqM1RdrCk-ql2BaGQ64O-XKwHaI0B1FuR6nFHVC/s1600/IMG_6936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJPd9wqU6p46LwvscNA_nf1FNHDhF11RMOQZBpAn5aMTKZeW735vKMTLg3XZBferzuTSztrUmeR-EcQNbJ2DmsZj1AL4TAFiDOZ2bKSqM1RdrCk-ql2BaGQ64O-XKwHaI0B1FuR6nFHVC/s640/IMG_6936.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I don't know what is!</div>
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In fact, I mother everything and everyone.</div>
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Except Glenco.</div>
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Be careful not to mother your husbands ladies.</div>
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I really do hope you know you don't have to accept every thought that your brain tries to tell you.</div>
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You could live a pretty crappy life if you allow those shenanigans.</div>
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Once my heart told my brain what to think - I was in just a fine mood.</div>
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Realizing I'm blessed beyond measure, I thought I might just take a moment to think about what kind of 'mother' I really am. </div>
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I have absolutely no expectations on Aaron today for Mother's Day. I expect no gifts, no attention. I want him to do what would make him happy today. I want him to know that I think the world of him - I want him to know that I'm so danged proud of him. I want him to know that I try not to worry about him, but instead trust that he can take care of himself, and trust his decisions - and know that I've been loving and supportive enough that he knows I'm always here for him if he needs me.</div>
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I want to be the kind of mother that is gentle with her words. Not critical. Always loving. I want to plant seeds in his heart of joy, hope, love, wonder, caring, abundance and peace. I don't ever want him to feel the obligation to call me, visit me, or spend time with me. I want him to want to do that. I'm over the moon that he does want that.</div>
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So, on a day that honors mothers, my heart seeks to be honorable.</div>
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I hope you seek that too.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-36537726550213361542015-04-28T15:47:00.001-05:002015-04-28T16:14:43.022-05:00This<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtjJRe8YUuugDdfczSptS1cTdYrU7Ev_WAI4TN3CcNrP1ARn2bQvqWGNW2xAZi24nOsaPANkvyGsA7Qzz5Oq-34Dd-nyvPvWOak7avOeZ6FkYr1xyri0g3qM0gJDgtN34VrXKk_VW3A0/s1600/PICT0832_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtjJRe8YUuugDdfczSptS1cTdYrU7Ev_WAI4TN3CcNrP1ARn2bQvqWGNW2xAZi24nOsaPANkvyGsA7Qzz5Oq-34Dd-nyvPvWOak7avOeZ6FkYr1xyri0g3qM0gJDgtN34VrXKk_VW3A0/s1600/PICT0832_1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today Aaron was here for a bit, pulling some things out of storage - and this picture was one of them. I still believe this is one of the best photos I've ever taken - it was a little point and shoot camera. It was the best camera I ever did have.</div>
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It was a complete fluke - I just saw those corkscrew curls and captured them.</div>
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Aaron.</div>
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Three days from the big move.</div>
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To Chicago.</div>
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His own apartment.</div>
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Lease signing.</div>
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U-Haul renting.</div>
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Couch shopping.</div>
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Grown up stuff.</div>
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Wasn't this photo taken just last week?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxMQd_3LjwkkMPI2jf9qSB1p1utmg-wqJJFzeBZuLbyajkN8xIQKuuXlVK-KfXI4U78TI3e0dKrJMOfme_Fv_7gAPHcs5RgSpEDO98BF-ruRLmdZUkzCsF96Qrf3Qh0FHt5SEvn39woA/s1600/PICT0924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxMQd_3LjwkkMPI2jf9qSB1p1utmg-wqJJFzeBZuLbyajkN8xIQKuuXlVK-KfXI4U78TI3e0dKrJMOfme_Fv_7gAPHcs5RgSpEDO98BF-ruRLmdZUkzCsF96Qrf3Qh0FHt5SEvn39woA/s1600/PICT0924.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I'll spare you the 'oh how time flies' schtick.</div>
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But I will tell you - these were, and remain some of the best days of my life.</div>
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The BoyChild.</div>
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Homeschooling.</div>
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Blogging.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk0wAGTeqWiCx1QCkDV_Tj9LSiq_9lWQMFTa-txhkiezIvUgCx_KPbqZSbfmsnrWf5CLNdM_Bg2SL38oNuSL4xSuTg-U5CkDzT0NiAa5O3WKEYQwF0U-kbr8JHfUzbuK8eStNOvaDHKk/s1600/PICT0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk0wAGTeqWiCx1QCkDV_Tj9LSiq_9lWQMFTa-txhkiezIvUgCx_KPbqZSbfmsnrWf5CLNdM_Bg2SL38oNuSL4xSuTg-U5CkDzT0NiAa5O3WKEYQwF0U-kbr8JHfUzbuK8eStNOvaDHKk/s1600/PICT0240.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pouring my life into his.</div>
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He's been the greatest gift to me.</div>
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Like.</div>
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Ever.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuFsHQKeKzvOBnKyhHBPF-wPYPJYFmSHBV2LzCoXBL7X3FnV2lEDz_U7_0SN43Ldzwf1yCou-6Jm7ltK7jtb-i_gHO0a66S0ePwtSYN6IKReNXby1GpQFJyNSxz__8pFaO3p1lOlyJk8/s1600/PICT0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuFsHQKeKzvOBnKyhHBPF-wPYPJYFmSHBV2LzCoXBL7X3FnV2lEDz_U7_0SN43Ldzwf1yCou-6Jm7ltK7jtb-i_gHO0a66S0ePwtSYN6IKReNXby1GpQFJyNSxz__8pFaO3p1lOlyJk8/s1600/PICT0563.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This morning he got up for work - went and vacuumed his car out - came home and sewed a button on his shirt and ironed it.</div>
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I still remember the day that he came in for school and I cut all the buttons off of </div>
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his shirt and taught him how to sew them back on. </div>
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And iron.</div>
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And cook.</div>
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I'm so glad I've taught him all these things.</div>
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He talks about having me over for dinner now, and growing herbs on his patio.</div>
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He's 19.</div>
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I'm so proud of him, I can barely stand it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgRVHx_jGlGo32iHD7jWwHcB8sMNBvqaqoGnvoO5ANAqqa2TbTnrJHDpEIQIaEIUSnOlFbaOv0PRXyPoPyLmIEW7bsa5Q84OUgSUnWI5AkwivItb9_LdkpvjrKGdl7fQyokXz27ysSKQ/s1600/IMG_1433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgRVHx_jGlGo32iHD7jWwHcB8sMNBvqaqoGnvoO5ANAqqa2TbTnrJHDpEIQIaEIUSnOlFbaOv0PRXyPoPyLmIEW7bsa5Q84OUgSUnWI5AkwivItb9_LdkpvjrKGdl7fQyokXz27ysSKQ/s1600/IMG_1433.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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As much as I miss these days, and look back on them with such great fondness, hope holds me prisoner as I believe that even greater days await!</div>
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I'm loving the adult relationship that we share now.</div>
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He's moving out in three days.</div>
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I'm really - really okay with it.</div>
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Really.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-12677974841865151682015-04-17T09:16:00.002-05:002015-04-17T09:16:55.848-05:00The Answer to Everything<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before I begin today's post, I just wanted to thank you once again for all of your kindness towards me.</div>
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Goodness.</div>
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I received so many lovely little notes, and I so appreciated each and everyone.</div>
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I think my greatest fear was that some of you reading would think 'oh, I know this bipolar person....' and you would think that my behavior was identical to someone else that perhaps suffered more than I did - or behaved in a way that I've never behaved.</div>
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But, I can't fix that.</div>
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But I can share with you the answer to everything.</div>
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And that answer is goats.</div>
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<img height="640" src="https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10952351_1602587093290912_167062905222699361_n.jpg?oh=d91fc41d104cfe70f2d832211986a1a6&oe=55E4CDEF" width="640" /></div>
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I had the immense pleasure of babysitting two prematurely born goats this past weekend.<br /></div>
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My neighbor asked me if I could come up and bottle feed them a few times whilst she was out of town - and I thought it <b>much</b> easier if I were to just bring them home.</div>
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Was I nervous? </div>
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You betcha! </div>
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I've never handled livestock with four legs and teeth.</div>
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Was Glenco nervous?</div>
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You betcha!</div>
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He fully realized that this was going to create goat fever, of which there is no cure.</div>
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I don't think words can describe the feelings I felt when I was handed a warm, lanky, needy, baby goat.</div>
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How it soothed my barren womb, my empty nest.</div>
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If I could make a video montage of my feelings - it would include images of pies cooling on windowsills, sheets drying on the line, babies smiling, the hands of a good honest working woman, the smell of roses on the breeze, fried chicken, warm biscuits from the oven, aprons, the taste of a freshly picked heirloom tomato still warm from the sun, the buzz of honey bees, the cackle of a contented hen...I could go on....</div>
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It.was.magic.</div>
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I couldn't let it go.</div>
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However, I did let it go just long enough to go clothes shopping for them.</div>
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This is a note I tacked to the door.</div>
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The goats in house caused quite a stir - there was a revolving door of visitors.</div>
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I laughed at myself when I was in the Goodwill (half price day! Score!) rifling through the baby clothes trying to find 'the perfect sweater' for a goat. </div>
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Imagine my delight when I found the most darling dress for the girl goat. </div>
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Don't think Glenco wasn't in on this too.</div>
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He picked out the following ensemble.</div>
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I may or may have not bought several outfits, and had a bit of a fashion show.</div>
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I'm utterly ruined!</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-17731128627828032482015-04-08T21:38:00.004-05:002015-04-08T21:38:52.400-05:00PS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Quote on bipolar: I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival. www.HealthyPlace.com" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5c/75/23/5c75235edf52f04764297bfe76154474.jpg" /></div>
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I realize that I ended quite abruptly last night.</div>
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It was late - I was tired - and writing that post drained me somewhat.</div>
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The reliving it and all.</div>
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I just wanted to 'shoe horn in' as Anne Lamott says, the following.</div>
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I'm in a very good place now.</div>
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VERY good.</div>
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I feel healed and whole - but as I said in my previous post - I live aware. Aware that poor nutrition, lack of self care, taking any type of a pill - could easily cause me to be symptomatic again.</div>
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In the darkest days I had - I always knew there was hope. I truly never felt alone. </div>
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Surely, you all know how ridiculously introspective I am - and I feel that I do know myself quite well - and I just knew within my core that this was an organic problem - and there was a solution.</div>
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I knew I could be fixed. I knew THAT wasn't me.</div>
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<img alt="If the source is not on the picture, see Bipolar Bandit's blog for source of the picture quote." src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/76/9b/00/769b00c6624a3aa8fb7419ded1376dc8.jpg" /></div>
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If you could see the bookmarks on my computer - you'd laugh - there has to be at least a hundred of them - all related to nutrition and bipolar symptoms...</div>
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Did you know many people are diagnosed bipolar when it's really your thyroid?</div>
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Read <a href="http://hypothyroidmom.com/when-thyroid-disease-masquerades-as-psychiatric-disorder/"><span style="font-size: large;">here.</span></a></div>
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Did you know Jane Pauley was hospitalized for three weeks after taking steroids and anti-depressants (which I took for the poison ivy, and again for tendinitis) - she was in a hypomanic state - and depression followed. It's a fascinating article.</div>
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Read <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/home/article/corticosteroid-induced-mania-prepare-for-the-unpredictable/c2e8b70eb48fb07caabb1f0b255060bc.html">here.</a></span></div>
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Did you know that gluten can cause flare ups in bipolar disorder?</div>
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Read <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/glutenintolerance/a/Gluten-Bipolar-Disorder.htm">here</a>.</span></div>
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I could go on but I won't.</div>
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But I will tell you this. When I stay away from gluten and dairy - I'm as right as rain.</div>
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Food sensitivities are real.</div>
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What I hope you will take away from all of this is:</div>
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Don't stop fighting. Find the answer. You shouldn't have to live your life depressed, overwhelmed, confused, stressed, etc. It's not right - it's not how you were designed to live.</div>
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You have to be relentless, you have to keep digging, and find those answers.</div>
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Don't treat symptoms.</div>
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Find the cause my friends.</div>
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Find.</div>
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the.</div>
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cause.</div>
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Initially, it doesn't seem like it's the easy way - but honestly - in the long run - it is.</div>
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I've proven over and over again in my life that food is an issue.</div>
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Wheat and dairy - I'll say it til I'm blue in the face.</div>
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I think Glenco summed it up perfectly when he said 'This is great - you know what the answer is - it's the food!' - and then in the next breath said 'oh crap - it's the food'.</div>
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It's one of the hardest things to do - to completely change your lifestyle and eating habits.</div>
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Sometimes I have thought 'a pill is easier! Pass the bread!'</div>
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But then I remember the hell I lived through for the better part of two years.</div>
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Get your gut healthy.</div>
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95% of your serotonin is made there.</div>
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Heck, everything is made there.</div>
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This is paramount.</div>
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Be grateful.</div>
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Don't overbook yourself.</div>
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Take hot baths.</div>
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Be around people you love often.</div>
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Eat real food.</div>
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(and some marshmallows)</div>
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Sleep more.</div>
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Forgive generously.</div>
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Always look for the good in others.</div>
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Be kind to yourself.</div>
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It's really simple - we just make it hard.</div>
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Please know I am here - even though I don't blog very often - I'm here, and I read every stinking comment. You all have been a tremendous blessing to me. If you need to, please feel free to reach out. I will return your email. </div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-4104586348551241492015-04-07T23:21:00.000-05:002015-04-07T23:43:33.993-05:00The Hardest Post I Ever Did Write<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The scene -</div>
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I came home from a detox class at my local health food store an hour ago.</div>
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I still have on my Martha Stewart-like quilted jacket.</div>
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I'm on my couch covered in an afghan that I made for my mom in 1983.</div>
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I'm chilled.</div>
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It's my comfort blanket. </div>
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I take it to the dentist with me often, for reals.</div>
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The laptop is almost burning my legs, and the tears are about to burn my eyes.</div>
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It's time.</div>
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The.</div>
Story.<br />
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If you only know how badly I really wanted to just sweep this under the rug - but I feel that I'm supposed to share this journey - this brokenness - lest anyone else is going through it and feels alone.</div>
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With a buildup like that - you may be disappointed by the time you finish reading this.</div>
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Similar to a movie that ends is a most ridiculous way after you've invested one and a half hours of your life into it!</div>
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Before I delve into it - I just wanted to thank you for all the lovely comments from my last post! I really am having the time of my life - being stretched in so many ways - using all of my talents, honing new ones, and learning to ask for help for the things I just can't figure out!</div>
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Aaron IS moving to Chicago in 21 days, and I'm totally fine with that, and I'm so happy for him!</div>
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Please check back in 22 days.</div>
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Many of you still here reading all of this drivel may remember that Effexor nightmare that I went through nearly two years ago. I never really shared the full horror of it.</div>
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I want to do that now. </div>
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I want to explain myself.</div>
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I want to, hopefully, be an arm reaching out to a drowning soul.</div>
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There is hope.</div>
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It's a very difficult journey for me to share with you, not only for the vulnerability it will take to share it, but for the sheer fact that I have had some serious memory loss because of it all, and it's almost physically draining to try to remember things. At this point, much, if not most of my life seems as if it were a dream - or that I've watched a movie of someone else's life.</div>
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I'm not sure when it all started - but it seems I've always had some issues with anxiety, racing thoughts, hypomania, ADHD and mild depression. Of course, I did my best to hide these things, especially the depression - because somewhere, somehow - I'd deemed depression a disease of the weak.</div>
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Life seemed a struggle for me. A struggle to finish things, a struggle to decide, a struggle to calm down. A struggle. I felt as if I were always fighting the good fight, starting over, changing my mind - over and over. And yet many times I got more done, and was more focused than anyone I knew.</div>
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It was quite exhausting.</div>
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This wasn't a daily struggle - it's not like I was always struggling - but it was just a common thread that tied my years together.</div>
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But - I was always pretty happy. I really was. I've always enjoyed life. I love learning. I love doing. I love people. I love love. </div>
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I can assure you that I am and always have been the very person that has been portrayed here on my blog.</div>
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I can assure my 'real life' friends that I am that person they know - I am not someone else behind closed doors.</div>
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I'm not an angry person, I'm not an argumentative person. There is peace in my home.</div>
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Anytime I sought help from Dr's, it was always the same answer - 'try this pill'.</div>
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So I did.</div>
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I tried Sarafem at one time - which was just Prozac renamed with flowers on the package for us gals to take a couple of weeks out of the month when we were hormonally out of sorts.</div>
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It seemed that it initially helped and then of course, I'd go off.</div>
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Fast forward to August of 2012.</div>
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I'm doing great - I've lost so much weight it's not funny - Aaron is grown, finishing high school and is readying himself to move to Chicago to go to Paul Mitchell.</div>
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I felt that life couldn't get much better - I was fit, happy, life was just great.</div>
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But.</div>
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But - my ovaries hurt like crazy during ovulation.</div>
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But - </div>
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I had off the charts anxiety right before my periods.</div>
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One or the other I could take - but not both...something had to be done...</div>
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Again, I went to the Dr, and wanted relief.</div>
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Birth control pills or antidepressants were the options given to me.</div>
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Oh how I wish I would have just come home and talked to friends first, or thought about it some - or researched something.</div>
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But I didn't.</div>
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In our 'quick fix' world, I took the pill.</div>
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I chose the Effexor because I feared the birth control pill would cause weight gain, and I'd never taken them before - but I felt that I didn't want my hormones played with. </div>
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So I chose my brain.</div>
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I started taking Effexor in late August of 2012.</div>
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It worked great - </div>
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but what I didn't realize is that by September of 2012, I was pretty much in a hypomanic state.</div>
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This is where it gets fuzzy you guys - I sort of don't remember the year 2013 and the first half of 2014. It's truly a blur. I almost feel that I will be telling falsehoods if I try to be detailed here.</div>
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I do remember that the Spring of 2013 was an especially hard time - I got a bad case of poison ivy, and had to take steroids. I believe it was sometime in there I got the shingles. I remember that summer stepping on a rusty nail and having to go get a tetanus shot, and it was during that Dr's visit they told me my blood pressure was high - and it was a side effect of the Effexor - so I decided to wean myself off the Effexor.</div>
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And you guys went through that with me - and I thank you for it.</div>
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The things that happened from May to November of 2013 are quite a blur - my brain was not right.</div>
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I was hypomanic or depressed. I was not myself, and it was frightening. </div>
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Withdrawal from Effexor has been likened to heroin withdrawal.</div>
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The after effects of taking Effexor have been equally as devastating. I fell into a serious depression and was suicidal. </div>
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I hit an all time low around Thanksgiving of 2013 and suffered a nervous breakdown.</div>
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Aaron tried his best to get me out of bed at times.</div>
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I was a ghost, I was completely empty inside.</div>
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Upon the insistence of my dear friend Gina, who would bring me Starbucks and let me cry - I went back to the Dr. </div>
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I finally stopped trying to be strong - I simply couldn't.</div>
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I cried freely and often.</div>
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I didn't bathe or dress.</div>
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I was broken.</div>
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My cousin drove up from Missouri to watch me so Glen could work.</div>
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For the first time in my life, I was truly worried about myself.</div>
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At the Dr's office I sat and cried for an hour and explained everything.</div>
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She sent me to a wonderful therapist who've I've been seeing on a monthly basis since.</div>
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She initially diagnosed me as Bipolar II.</div>
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Perhaps this comes as much of a shock to you as finding out Liberace was gay.</div>
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The diagnosis was as devastating to me as the symptoms of bipolar were.</div>
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I felt labeled, crazy, broken, and I would say things like 'I HAVE bipolar, I'M not bipolar'.</div>
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I felt that if anyone knew, they would shun me like a leper, or they would talk about me saying 'I knew it all along' - or just treat me differently.</div>
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And here I am announcing it on the world wide web.</div>
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Nice knowing you!</div>
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:)</div>
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It's been a lllooonnggg, hard road - but I am well.</div>
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I've read about bipolar disorder until my eyeballs have fallen out.</div>
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I've taken webinars - the best one being 'Bipolar INorder' by Tom Wooten.</div>
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I'm not on any medication at all, and in fact I refuse to take anything, not even an allergy pill.</div>
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I'd have to be in some kind of pain to take even ibuprofen.</div>
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I've found out that my brain chemistry is so incredibly sensitive, that I cannot even have a cortisone shot without suffering a mood swing. </div>
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I'm not willing to take chances anymore.</div>
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I've set my mind on treating it naturally with nutrition, lifestyle changes, exercise and mindfulness. I've been very successful, although it hasn't been easy. I reach out now. My therapist tells me I'm a poster child, and in fact has just recently removed the 'label' of bipolar from me, taking the diagnosis down to Cyclothymic Disorder.</div>
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Hypomanic phase of cyclothymia</h3>
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The highs (hypomania) of cyclothymia meet the same diagnostic definition of hypomania for type II bipolar disorder. Signs and symptoms may include:</div>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">An exaggerated feeling of happiness or well-being (euphoria)</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Extreme optimism</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Inflated self-esteem</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Poor judgment</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Rapid speech</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Racing thoughts</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Aggressive or hostile behavior</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Being inconsiderate of others</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Agitation</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Excessive physical activity</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Risky behavior</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Spending sprees</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Increased drive to perform or achieve goals</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Increased sexual drive</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Decreased need for sleep</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Tendency to be easily distracted</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Inability to concentrate</li>
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Depressive phase of cyclothymia</h3>
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Depressive episodes of cyclothymia may include a combination of these signs and symptoms:</div>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Sadness</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Hopelessness</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Suicidal thoughts or behavior</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Anxiety</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Guilt</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Sleep problems</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Appetite problems</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Fatigue</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Loss of interest in activities once considered enjoyable</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Decreased sex drive</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Problems concentrating</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Irritability</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 6px;">Chronic pain without a known cause</li>
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But this I'll always know - I'm genetically prone to it.</div>
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I believe without a shadow of a doubt that genetics has loaded the gun, but my lifestyle will pull the trigger.</div>
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I have to be extremely careful with what I eat, my sleep schedule, monitoring stress, vitamin and mineral supplementation. I do Tapping, I pray, I meditate, I practice mindfulness and gratitude.</div>
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I have the most incredible support system known to man - Glenco, Aaron, my cousin Jim, my friends, my blog readers - I'm blessed beyond measure.</div>
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I'm well. I'm really well. </div>
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If you've gotten this far, thank you - you deserve a chicken picture.</div>
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: -)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLJ2wGDA6IZsrYiqOFl0I-_1j71b_0lV_-Wmzlm0X0F_2PvO8WRg2_CH5NdXjWXf09qu2PzbM5Rr3J0rYidhtiHfDbded4E1vNsRgSEqKM3iSlsxAW_uFkFsItHoc97ymjkEsTfz3D7YT/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLJ2wGDA6IZsrYiqOFl0I-_1j71b_0lV_-Wmzlm0X0F_2PvO8WRg2_CH5NdXjWXf09qu2PzbM5Rr3J0rYidhtiHfDbded4E1vNsRgSEqKM3iSlsxAW_uFkFsItHoc97ymjkEsTfz3D7YT/s1600/002.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/305/6D809086DF56E06DDA9943D54BAA7EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div>
Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-26899068990051930382015-03-25T22:33:00.000-05:002015-03-25T22:33:41.813-05:00The Happiest of Happys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqSqoaSoZg14W8nBgmItWpLaSGRK_ljFgp4AkODHT2xUGKDx5JDIgC9zXWY1GIxn2AG8py2sSjamSlI-mERH1xHMpL3J3gKdfYZgzCBM45RRQ-AbFvcUIkZSlIVg4QD9dDbpQp3fTgn02/s1600/11079686_810064452406214_279928259_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqSqoaSoZg14W8nBgmItWpLaSGRK_ljFgp4AkODHT2xUGKDx5JDIgC9zXWY1GIxn2AG8py2sSjamSlI-mERH1xHMpL3J3gKdfYZgzCBM45RRQ-AbFvcUIkZSlIVg4QD9dDbpQp3fTgn02/s1600/11079686_810064452406214_279928259_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm sitting up in here, my living room, wrapped in afghans, too tired to move.</div>
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I thought it a good time to check in here.</div>
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I've been feeling a blog post stirring for a while.</div>
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It's hard to describe the rhythm that you get when you blog often, and it's no more apparent than when you don't blog often - you feel stumbly and awkward, as I do now.</div>
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A first date.</div>
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A job interview.</div>
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Stuff like that there.</div>
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I've been working 14-16 hour days for quite some time with the the marshmallow venture.</div>
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We've up'd and re-named the business...cause everyone thought I was selling soap at the shows!</div>
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Hopefully there's no misunderstanding now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcejycTbpEXks63GvfNacpELrvlBhnCEid2wTb5V7saATvTsSIW9tQtjENZxEXZ_hpsAX3OsdajmYNi0BeeG2ZC1DCD_FJ5YY3-MDri4ZHm3BcMFewPRcbJkLxDHJElVy0IrLTdStHi2xZ/s1600/MW_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcejycTbpEXks63GvfNacpELrvlBhnCEid2wTb5V7saATvTsSIW9tQtjENZxEXZ_hpsAX3OsdajmYNi0BeeG2ZC1DCD_FJ5YY3-MDri4ZHm3BcMFewPRcbJkLxDHJElVy0IrLTdStHi2xZ/s1600/MW_logo.jpg" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
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And how fun is this?</div>
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We took the Squirrel (our vintage camper) to a recent show - Glenco made this Mother Wilma figurine out of one of my exercise balls. May I just interject here that Glenco has been my right hand, left arm, right foot man? I couldn't do this without him. </div>
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Period.</div>
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I'm kind of having a ball.</div>
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Yes, I'm working 14 hour days - being stretched in every way - but I feel like I'm living a dream.</div>
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I love, love, love meeting all the customers and other vendors.</div>
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There was one point where I was roasting a marshmallow for a customer, and the sun was coming in the window at the venue at the loveliest angle - where it just cast a warm glow on everyone and everything - there was some jazz music playing in the background - and I just thought</div>
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"this is my life?"</div>
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Boom.</div>
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Love it.</div>
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<i>We will be doing the <b>Chesterton European Market </b>in Chesterton IN on Saturdays May -Oct.</i></div>
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<i>The <b>Griffith Central Market</b> on Friday nights in Griffith, IN May - Oct.</i></div>
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<i><b>The Pedlar's Market</b> in Whiting, IN the 3rd Thurs of every month - May - Sept.</i></div>
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<i><b>Hunt & Gather</b> - Crown Point - June & November</i></div>
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<i>AND</i></div>
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<i><b>The Blue Moon Vintage Market</b> - Three Oaks MI - the last weekend of every month - starting this weekend!</i></div>
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And I have to make everything in between!</div>
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This little business venture was just what the Dr. ordered.</div>
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I've been able to quit my last cleaning job.</div>
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Glenco and I work together all the time.</div>
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I'm too busy to be so introspective. </div>
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:-)</div>
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Oh, did I mention Aaron got an apartment in the city?</div>
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Ya.</div>
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I'm okay.</div>
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Actually, I've almost never been better.</div>
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Life feels as if it's got a whole new start to it.</div>
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I feel like a kid on his way to the first day of school with fresh pencils.</div>
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I feel ready to share my story with you. </div>
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The story that I like to call</div>
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"The Dark Years"</div>
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You know how transparent I am here - why, I'll never know - but it's time to share what's been happening behind the scenes here at the Coop.</div>
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I'm not divorcing.</div>
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I don't have cancer.</div>
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Calm your nerves.</div>
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I didn't share all the ugliness of what I went through from July - December of 2013.</div>
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I almost didn't survive it - and that's a true story - and I'm not even being dramatic.</div>
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In fact, the repercussions of those six months were felt until just recently.</div>
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When I scold myself over gaining some of my weight back - I remember to be happy to be alive.</div>
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I lived to tell the tale - and tell the tale I will.</div>
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That's why my life today seems so much sweeter.</div>
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I made it.</div>
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I didn't let it destroy me.</div>
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I hope my story will help someone - for that's truly my reason for sharing it.</div>
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Not to be dramatic or anything...</div>
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stay tuned.</div>
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: -)</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-38220038777011386772015-02-19T11:52:00.002-06:002015-02-19T11:52:31.159-06:00Love Does Laundry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIil3_jRTgQiTQHsRutkyktN5yME7UwObrbNSUE4u1JnInbirI3sLFFfUwbdOUSxbFDxbjEtTuKZYoCrZSfUwaDvnxQVrT3e8tRKNkNe_7gAlGqd4dugQE7wkuaz7GMTJp-tgCTA2An9x/s1600/Laundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIil3_jRTgQiTQHsRutkyktN5yME7UwObrbNSUE4u1JnInbirI3sLFFfUwbdOUSxbFDxbjEtTuKZYoCrZSfUwaDvnxQVrT3e8tRKNkNe_7gAlGqd4dugQE7wkuaz7GMTJp-tgCTA2An9x/s1600/Laundry.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was just up on the stove dropping in some carrots and onions into yet another pot of bone broth.</div>
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Oh, I'm not leaving today!<br />It's like 4,389 degrees below zero.</div>
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Uh uh.</div>
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Today has been working on the mallow business, making sure I'm ready for a show this Saturday.</div>
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Alsip Nursery, in St. John - 10 to 4 - for all you locals.</div>
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As I was dropping the carrots in, I looked at the laundry basket I retrieved from Aaron's room today and realized that I'm doing something I said I'd never do.</div>
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Aaron's laundry after he turned 18.</div>
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I have no idea where I got the notion that the BoyNowManChild should just be doing up his own briefs by that age - and that I would be promoting an irresponsible lifestyle if I did his laundry - where do these notions come from?</div>
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My mom was still doing my laundry until I got married. </div>
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For reals.</div>
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Have I turned out to be an irresponsible oaf?</div>
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I don't think so.</div>
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Truth is, BNMChild is here maybe a day a week. </div>
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When he is here, I like smashing him, laughing with him, kissing him, </div>
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talking with him and feeding him.</div>
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Laundry schmaundry.</div>
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So I'm doing it.</div>
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The way I see it - he's got a good 70 years to do his own laundry, and there will come a day when I'm no longer able to do it for him.</div>
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So for now - I love.</div>
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And I separate colors from whites.</div>
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And I tumble dry, and press things.</div>
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And I fold them.</div>
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And if I'm honest, I will tell you that I kiss his clothes and sometimes hug them.</div>
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I'm so grateful for him in my life that it's impossible to contain.</div>
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Love does.</div>
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Laundry.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-3138160056396267202015-02-12T07:49:00.001-06:002015-02-12T08:30:03.704-06:00Love Changes Everything<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's me.</div>
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Again!</div>
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I wanted to share my Tuesday with you.</div>
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It was an interesting - lesson filled day.</div>
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I still clean houses, well house.</div>
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One house, every other Tuesday.</div>
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An absolutely lovely family - very clean, uncluttered home.</div>
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It's quite an easy job, and I enjoy the people as well.</div>
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This particular Tuesday it was literally painful to leave the house to go - not because it was cold, not because I had to put on a bra, not for any other reason than I flat out didn't want to go.</div>
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It's three hours.</div>
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In a lovely home.</div>
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With lovely people.</div>
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Making good money.</div>
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I decided I needed a swift kick for even THINKING of complaining, so off I went.</div>
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Before I left - I topped off the water on my bone broth.</div>
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Oh, I'm all about the broth these days. All about gut health.</div>
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I had no idea that 'bone broth' was any different than making stock.</div>
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Guess what? You've got to cook that stuff for between 24 and 48 hours!</div>
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I had a turkey carcass.</div>
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It had been cooking for approximately 14 hours.</div>
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I've left soup simmering before, and there was no issue.</div>
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Like I said, I topped it off with water, double checked to make sure the flame was low - and went on my merry, non complaining way.</div>
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As I was getting home from my cleaning job, Glenco was pulling into the driveway as well.</div>
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I was beyond giddy because I was home - but even seeing Glenco, I knew that he was a bit off. </div>
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We both walked into the house together, and talk about something being off - there was the worst smell you can imagine, and a bit of a black cloud in the kitchen.</div>
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My bone broth was charred. </div>
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I've never seen anything so burnt.</div>
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The carcass could have only been identified by dental remains, but that's just the kicker - the head was missing, and hen's have no teeth anyhow.</div>
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I was flabbergasted, and didn't understand how, after almost four hours, it could have done that after simmering all night long and being fine!</div>
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I got the biggest kick out of it after I was over the disappointment of losing a<br />
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broth I'd been babying for 14 hours.</div>
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Glenco - not so much. </div>
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In his defense - the poor man had gotten up at 3am for work.</div>
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He was starving.</div>
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He just needed to get in, get something to eat, and rest a spell.</div>
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I'm going to admit something to you - this is going to SO burst your bubble of me...</div>
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Sometimes when he's crabby, I get a little mad about it, and tend to clam up and pout.</div>
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Sometimes I take it personally.</div>
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I decided that since I was on a roll of going to work without complaining, and burning a broth and laughing about it - that maybe this time I could manage to be mature about my husband being overtired and hungry - and being a bit grumpy.</div>
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So I left.</div>
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: -)</div>
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He was napping, and I decided to go out on a 'let's bless the man' mission.</div>
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I filled up the gas tank, I had the car washed.</div>
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I took care of some bills, and even took the car in for emissions testing.</div>
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Then I went to the grocery store and went on a shopping spree for him.</div>
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I even bought shrimp.</div>
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Girls, I haven't bought shrimp in about 20 years.</div>
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I find it to be Fear Factor food - I wouldn't eat it if you paid me.</div>
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Plus, I'm allergic to it.</div>
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But I bought it to make him a shrimp dinner.</div>
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Polish sausage, butter pecan ice cream, assorted mustards and sauerkraut.</div>
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I spared no expense!</div>
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And then I had another test....</div>
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As I was checking out. I realized I was missing one of my gloves.</div>
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Not just any glove.</div>
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The hand knit, finger-less glove, that I had just finished knitting the week before.</div>
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I was tired. I was hungry. </div>
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Sound familiar?</div>
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Now my beloved glove was missing, and I had to retrace my steps to try to find it.<br />
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Back to produce, back to the meat department. </div>
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I scanned every aisle.</div>
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No glove.</div>
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I found myself thinking that this was one of the worst things that could have ever happened to me.</div>
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I truly believed in my heart of hearts that a king-sized Snickers bar would help.</div>
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I felt that I deserved it at this point.</div>
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The worst thing.</div>
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A lost glove.</div>
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Really?</div>
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I collected myself and just told myself I'd have to make another.</div>
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And I smiled.</div>
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I talked to the cashier, and helped bag my groceries, and decided to be happy.</div>
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And I didn't get the candy bar.</div>
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I stopped at the Customer Service booth, and there, right next to a happy, smiling woman, sat my other glove.</div>
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Glory!</div>
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I left the store and met a very kind woman on the way to my car.</div>
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When I got home - Glenco came out and carried all the groceries in, and was in the sweetest mood.</div>
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"I didn't know you left! I would have gone with you."</div>
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When we came in the house, he had Jackie Gleason Orchestra music playing, and he grabbed me and twirled me around the kitchen.</div>
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He ate Polish sausages and sauerkraut for supper and I gave him a foot rub on the couch, as we Netflixed the night away.</div>
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Love changes everything.</div>
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The end.</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220470666707560125.post-10602657598391947632015-02-11T17:11:00.002-06:002015-02-11T17:11:53.354-06:00Jayme's Day of Happiness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="640" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t31.0-8/s960x960/10499359_1580283712187917_3326994559673613256_o.jpg" width="532" /></div>
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I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate Google and all things related to Google, and yet I'd be lost without the Google search bar.</div>
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I'm torn.</div>
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I don't have the computer knowledge to even begin to explain what happened, </div>
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or what I think happened.</div>
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Suffice it to say, for the last couple of months, I thought I'd lost my blog.</div>
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Every photo, every bit of drivel, every.thing.</div>
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Since this has been more of an online diary rather than a 'blog', I was a bit heartbroken.</div>
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I love going back and reading about my adventures with the BoyChild.</div>
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All I remember is opening a Gmail account for the marshmallows - and it apparently took over my computer, and truly, that's all I know. </div>
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Blood, sweat and tears my friends.</div>
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I'm sure you thought I was gone, but for good.</div>
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Up from the grave I arose!</div>
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As usual - there's always something going on up in here.</div>
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A few of the highlights - I've turned 53.</div>
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I can't think of anything clever to go with 53 as I did with fifty-one-derful, and fifty-two-</div>
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good to be true.</div>
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So far, I have to admit - it may be one of the best years yet.</div>
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Why?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgDOvoILaVCCTBoyuKSifDHuv-ccIbJMxx-JfXB5H-ULQB7E2C5zv9-KrxHQNGQgWVBRyo8eMipa7lsgen7TEejEzCqPIr8MeMXAssMaaUIb-QgthVXHKj_wFTyJmnpYfiW45F1lJR2hi/s1600/10857101_1572078673008421_4614256079799523653_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgDOvoILaVCCTBoyuKSifDHuv-ccIbJMxx-JfXB5H-ULQB7E2C5zv9-KrxHQNGQgWVBRyo8eMipa7lsgen7TEejEzCqPIr8MeMXAssMaaUIb-QgthVXHKj_wFTyJmnpYfiW45F1lJR2hi/s1600/10857101_1572078673008421_4614256079799523653_o.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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Many reasons...not limited to - </div>
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I'm really enjoying my new business venture!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_nL5Db3XdCnzPwlo9s-44Et304vUZSxSpKP0lxNpmoAOIgt4L0C_Jrngo5uGxl_FCeapQlbdSN8lEZ9RPPhF6iym8fcq4Oa0jWU7vwj6jvuaKfI9L6v3ATNAZc7NqB7az4T67LpJSn6m/s1600/10929082_1570759199807035_5025634659034680589_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_nL5Db3XdCnzPwlo9s-44Et304vUZSxSpKP0lxNpmoAOIgt4L0C_Jrngo5uGxl_FCeapQlbdSN8lEZ9RPPhF6iym8fcq4Oa0jWU7vwj6jvuaKfI9L6v3ATNAZc7NqB7az4T67LpJSn6m/s1600/10929082_1570759199807035_5025634659034680589_n.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've added homemade graham crackers to the mix, and ridiculous s'mores.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQezLSB6GFuxnaLCkFcfCvBwy4QsXWr6gjep-bvyMKYvxnM5BomnhJ2ZRW41xib2wzC0ZgLx09msd1TSD-NXQcJJgKZOItBTOuvbqsZtvoD83e2mc4JAh1LmVbfQvUk2Oup6G8xlFHrr0B/s1600/Grahams1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQezLSB6GFuxnaLCkFcfCvBwy4QsXWr6gjep-bvyMKYvxnM5BomnhJ2ZRW41xib2wzC0ZgLx09msd1TSD-NXQcJJgKZOItBTOuvbqsZtvoD83e2mc4JAh1LmVbfQvUk2Oup6G8xlFHrr0B/s1600/Grahams1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4OaHulpBxyaE0gMV7EO1DCiqQ7IjASXKcc4MHWtzLuODxPL06XdSKOVra6e7Qd3Wx3_y-U84Zj3j5rAgwZHHcdoDK6T9lLXVmkRHvAkISRJDRUV4b10_IYzRzn06zD0kUoFgM6m9yBJC/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4OaHulpBxyaE0gMV7EO1DCiqQ7IjASXKcc4MHWtzLuODxPL06XdSKOVra6e7Qd3Wx3_y-U84Zj3j5rAgwZHHcdoDK6T9lLXVmkRHvAkISRJDRUV4b10_IYzRzn06zD0kUoFgM6m9yBJC/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm really loving having something new to throw myself into.</div>
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I've just come to the realization that I really do have to have 'something' going in order to be happy, and there's not a thing wrong with that.</div>
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I've got shows nearly every weekend for the rest of the year! </div>
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I can't get over the reception it's all had.</div>
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I've got my Etsy site up and running too, and a Facebook page.</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/meltmallows" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">My Facebook Page</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MELTArtisanMallows?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">My Etsy Site</span></a></div>
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Another reason it's been such a happy time - we've got snow!</div>
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If it's gonna be January, let's have it then.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOAnb7IKrJmu-IbhTQpamo0vJh0JoWNVVaJmTpBwX0gB4eNeBf4CSVCKKVB8d_HnNup2lBHcqxGlw8hmM0DbWhP0OUMkWtokMbiB__UsiJIS7NpGNI40hbKzAXchDP0l2GOpeIPo_WAPW/s1600/Frosty2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOAnb7IKrJmu-IbhTQpamo0vJh0JoWNVVaJmTpBwX0gB4eNeBf4CSVCKKVB8d_HnNup2lBHcqxGlw8hmM0DbWhP0OUMkWtokMbiB__UsiJIS7NpGNI40hbKzAXchDP0l2GOpeIPo_WAPW/s1600/Frosty2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidf1AlsNXtuwxBpf5tMjYP05jAbenX7D9M6dZFluqKPiyI4zh31jan6lEesmjEW-Kdmi6xMndIsMoHl1o821Ep7qidnEqvFG7CwJ0YpZ-lO5H8a-4EYcCRDQI_S05k9cmmTiGa4ADeEKMP/s1600/frosty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidf1AlsNXtuwxBpf5tMjYP05jAbenX7D9M6dZFluqKPiyI4zh31jan6lEesmjEW-Kdmi6xMndIsMoHl1o821Ep7qidnEqvFG7CwJ0YpZ-lO5H8a-4EYcCRDQI_S05k9cmmTiGa4ADeEKMP/s1600/frosty.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm about to make a statement that I hope doesn't come back to bite me.</div>
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I am about the happiest I've been since Aaron grew up.</div>
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I really think I'm through the empty nest.</div>
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Deep sigh....</div>
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I've started a weight loss/wellness group here at my home every Monday morning.</div>
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I have the marshmallows.</div>
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Everyone I love is happy and healthy.</div>
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Aaron is grown.</div>
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He's in a relationship, for a year now!</div>
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He's working in Chicago, loving every minute of it.</div>
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He's bought himself a bright shiny new Volkswagen.</div>
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I feel like we now have an adult relationship - </div>
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that I survived that awkward stage of not quite letting him go.</div>
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<img height="480" src="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10885186_1573952456154376_7578598857359910174_n.jpg?oh=e411d038e2ecc27664c6e5ed2e9d1a54&oe=555AE324" width="640" /></div>
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He treated me to a fabulous restaurant for my birthday - spent a fortune.</div>
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It was SO hard to see him spending his money - so hard - I just hugged him and said 'oh honey - you just spent a fortune on me' to which he replied 'well Marmie, you've given up a fortune to raise me'.</div>
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Sigh.</div>
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He's such a great kid.</div>
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I just feel like things are really good right now - and I'm so incredibly grateful for it!</div>
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Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16760868033826492236noreply@blogger.com28