One year ago today at this time, I was busy preparing to walk down the aisle and marry my best friend.

Happy first anniversary, Nick.

I love being busy and productive.  I think sometimes it makes Nick a little bit crazy, but for the most part, I can’t just sit still.  For instance, when I sit down to enjoy some primetime television, I’m always also knitting, working on my computer, doing craft project(s), or something.  I can’t just sit and stare at the TV.  It makes me completely bananas to not be doing something with my hands.

I think I’ve mentioned here that I’ve started teaching some knitting classes at my local yarn shop.  It’s fun and I’m beginning to feel more confident in my teaching, designing, and knitting abilities.  I recently helped a friend at the shop come up with a “Charlie Brown” sweater (I’m knitting one along with her and I just started knitting the sleeves onto mine) and I also designed a sock that I’m going to be teaching a class on later this month.

As if that’s not enough, I’ve also been helping some friends and contacts with some web design and development.  I recently helped a friend launch his new Internet talk-radio network, and I’m really excited to see how that grows.

AND…

I’m starting a home-based business, and it’s probably not what you’re expecting!  Not knitting, not anything computer-related.  Nope.  I’ve started making soap.

For the most part, up to this point, I haven’t technically been making soap.  I’ve been using premade melt and pour (MP) soap, adding color and fragrance, and pouring it into decorative molds.  However, I also recently got all the supplies and equipment I need to start doing cold process (CP) soaps “from scratch”.  These soaps are all-natural, and in most cases are all vegetable-based (vegan-friendly).  Unlike soaps you buy at the store, they do not contain any petroleum by-products.  They’re safer and gentler on your skin and kinder to the environment.  I’ve also started developing different fragrance blends that will be unique to my line of soaps, so that’s another fun selling-point.

Anyway, it pretty much happened by accident: I wanted to make some cute soaps for Christmas gifts this year.  I’ve been really big on the idea of making a lot of handmade things for the holidays, and I thought that soapmaking would be something I could try in addition to my knitting.  I quickly found out that it was really, really fun!  When I showed what I’d done to some friends, they were interested in purchasing some from me to give away as gifts too.  My initial thought at that point was that I should probably check into some of the legalities of selling things like this (taxes and such) just in case — ’cause I’m that type of girl and “Murphy’s Law” always applies to me.

So I started doing research on the Internet and I wound up making an appointment with the local small business development center.  They were incredibly helpful in walking me through the steps, and now I’m in the process of writing a business-plan and financial documents.  Though I’m not seeking any loans to finance this little venture, they still advise taking these steps to “get things in perspective” and focus your efforts.  My eyes were really opened and now I’m even more excited about this opportunity than I was initially.

I’ve started Monkey Bubble Soaps online where I’ll be selling my soaps (right now you can go there to sign up for the e-mail newsletter and be notified when the shop opens).  I’m also planning to get to a few local craft fairs and such.

I don’t expect this to be a career or even a significant source of income.  I’m just hoping it will be something fun that will also earn us a little extra money that we can squirrel away for a rainy day.  Plus, I also see it as an interesting and fun learning experience.  My ultimate goal later in my life is to own my own business (though not a soap-business) and I see this as a baby-step toward that.  There’s less initial investment so I’m not taking on that much risk, but at the same time I’m learning about all the processes involved in creating and maintaining a business.  It’s fascinating, honestly, and everyday I work on this (along with all my knitting projects, freelance work, etc.) I feel even more energized and just plain alive.  It’s an exciting time in our lives — there’s so much opportunity and I really feel like I’m finally wrapping my arms around it and embracing it rather than letting it slip past me.

Also… I had good news a couple days ago: I got a raise at work!  Of course, more money is always nice (especially in tuff economic times like this), but it also was a great affirmation that they’re happy with my work.  It’s just all-around been an awesome past few weeks!

Whew!  What an exhausting weekend!

Nick’s parents came to visit us for the holiday weekend.  They arrived on Thursday and stayed till Monday morning.  We had a heck of a time — busy, busy, busy and FUN!

We checked out a lot of the bars and clubs on 2nd Avenue and Broadway in downtown Nashville.  (Even though we’ve lived here over a year and a half, I’d never gone!)  We got to hear lots of great music.  Nick and his dad shot some pool.  Just good times.

We also went golfing — or rather, Nick and his parents golfed, and I just went along for the ride.  (Heh.)  It was nice getting to spend some time in the fresh air, though it was really HOT.

There’s lots of pictures from their visit here.

Today is a sad day at our home.  Our pet ferret, Shenanigans, passed away last night.

Nick bought Shenanigans for me (along with his “brother” Shady) as a Christmas gift back in 2002.  Shady passed away several years ago of lymphoma cancer.  Shenanigans, though, lived to be quite a ripe old age.  Neither ferret was young when we got them, ‘Nanners had been with us for six years, so I’m guessing he was around 10 years old.

I was really very attached to Shenanigans.  He always had a very different personality than Shady, or the ferret I adopted 2 years ago (Bink).  ‘Nanners always had this endearing “grumpy old man” sort of personality.  He was happy to do his own thing most of the time, but when he grew bored he also loved to be cuddled.  He was my baby.  Shady and Bink always favored Nick, but ‘Nanners and I bonded.

I sort of knew he was getting to be an old man.  In the last year or so, he had really slowed down a lot.  He also started to lose some weight.  (Though he’d always been rather overweight, so that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.)  The last few days he’d been very sluggish and I had an appointment to take him to the vet this afternoon.  Unfortunately it was too late.  I’m glad I spent the last few evenings cuddling him in my arms and saying my “goodbyes”.  I hope he knows how much we loved him and enjoyed his time with us.

I’m also glad, in a way, that it didn’t come down to taking him to the vet and having a long, drawn-out treatment.  When Shady had lymphoma, I spent the last week of his life force-feeding him medicines.  It was miserable and after that experience I decided I wouldn’t do that again; it would have been kinder to have him put to sleep.  I’m thankful that I didn’t have to make that call with Shenanigans.

Later this afternoon a very kind gentleman from South Central Pet Services is coming to pick up Shenanigan’s body.  I’ve decided to have him cremeated and have his remains put in a nice wooden urn.  He was so special to me, I couldn’t bear the thought of burying him at our apartment complex and then leaving him behind when we move.

So tonight will be difficult.  Getting through work today has been tuff, trying not to cry — I don’t want to have to explain that I’m crying over a ferret.  Most people don’t “get” that ferrets are more like dogs or cats, not a goldfish you just flush.  I’m truly heartbroken over my little man being gone.  I just want go go home and hold Bink-baby close.  (And our dog and our cat too.)

Goodbye, sweet Shenanigans.  Mommy loves you so much.

(Photos © Erica Bickel)

As you’ve probably guessed, I’m back from my trip home to Pennsylvania now.  The week still wasn’t long enough, but it never really is.  I’ll post some more photos later, but here are a couple of my favorites from my visit:

I got to see so many of my friends and family members while I was home.  It was really great.  In particular, I got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents, which was the real reason for my trip — I just felt like I needed to see them.

As I’m typing this, my mom is on her way here to Nashville.  She left (driving) this morning and should be here around 9:30 p.m. tonight!  I’m so excited.  It made it much easier to say goodbye last weekend, knowing that she’d be here this week!  We’re going to the AQS quilt show tomorrow at the Opryland Hotel.  I’m also thinking if she’s interested that I might bring her in to my work and into the capitol building and stuff.  I think she might like that.

Next weekend Nick’s parents will be staying with us, and the weekend after that my friend Melanie may be flying in to stay with us too… so we have a steady stream of loved ones visiting over the next week, which is great.  The house isn’t exactly as orderly and neat as I’d like it to be for company, but oh well, they’re family.  They may as well know now that I’m no June Cleaver.  ;)  (Though I do try.)

Hopefully I’ll get my butt in gear and get some new pictures posted soon.  Really.  I promise!