Posts for category ‘me & mine’

Some years ago when I was a vendor on the small Renaissance Faire circuit here in our tri-state area of California, Nevada and Arizona, we were doing an event in Corona, California called the Koronenburg Festival, held at the Crossroads Riverview Park. We had been doing events with Crossroads for awhile, but this particular event was only in its second year at the new permanent site in Corona. A couple of good friends of mine, Cyndi and Darren, vendors of wonderful magickal and mystical items as well as some East Indian resale goods, had a booth next to my stained and leaded glass set-up, where I sold and demonstrated the creation of a wide range of stained glass items.
At set-up, the day before the festival opened we were given our vendor packages which included a hand drawn map of the festival grounds. It was a simple, if nicely done black and white drawing and as the promoter handed them to Cyn and I he said sheepishly, “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t remember the name of your shop when I was drawing this up and had to rush it to the printers” as he pointed at a corner of the drawing. I looked and saw “A Hartjoy Design”, the name of my shop, clearly printed in the space that designated my spot, but beyond my place, where Cyn’s should have been, there was only an empty square with the words “more fun” and an arrow pointing in the direction of her booth.
Cyndi, a good natured gal just smiled and told Tom not to worry about it. We laughed a lot about it throughout the event. It was pretty funny, because Cyn actually was more fun. That girl could have fun doing anything and we all had fun with her.
Well, until it came time to pack up and go home for the weekend. I tend to lose some of my good humor after a weekend on my feet, working hard in 90 degree and up heat, without a shower. When the gates closed I was ready to get the hell outta there and home to a nice hot bath and my extra firm king size bed. But before that can happen all of the glass that didn’t sell had to be carefully packed and loaded onto the truck along with the myriad ice chests and dirty clothes and bedding and myriad stuffs that I just couldn’t live without for the weekend.
So come time to pack up, yer Thornie got pretty serious… focused, I like to think.
Cyn, on the other hand, managed to keep being silly and playful and I had to face it, more fun.
I’ve been a bit less than exciting, silly, fun or anything else for some time now. Winter doldrums, life crap, whatever. But I have this neighbor… you have simply got to check out what Shelly has been doing over at This Eclectic Life. Her Bare Nekkid Ladies are definitely “more fun“!

Tempered by joy and gratitude.

Those of you who have been visiting thornesworld for awhile; specifically those of you whom I gratefully call friend, know that two years ago this month our family was devastated by an unspeakable tragedy when we lost our beautiful Lil Pharaoh to SIDS.

My Baby and our Lil Pharaoh 4-23-07

In memory of that precious soul, I offer you all these wonderful tidings. My babygrrll is pregnant. Those precious parents, my F and A, are going to have another baby! Yay!!

I got this wonderful image as a text message on Friday, with the simple but expressive message from my daughter which read: “Yay!” This morning her pregnancy was confirmed at Planned Parenthood. We are overjoyed.

Peace, out.

The Storm
(a haiku)

Come thunder, lightning, rain.
Come storm, to heart-wise mirror;
inside weather- out.