Gratitude.

"In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past, a bridge to our future." -Alex Haley

{"Swingset" by Trobs, DeviantArt}

If I could freeze a moment in time, in my memory, where it is summer in life's blossom and The Farm is as it always was, I would happily be penniless.  But as life waits for no man's fancy, the farm and warmth of my memory has long since cooled, and we are left without it in the present.

There is no conceivable way I can possibly articulate gratitude for the gift you have given me, but as my heart cries to voice it, I will try.

I am so grateful to have some relief of my financial burdens, and cannot tell you how positive a change it will make for my life.  Having just an extra $200.00 a month means I don't have to live paycheck to paycheck, in fear of the unexpected.

I love you both, and hope I've managed to convey how much this truly means to me.

~Danielle. 

Overwhelmed.

I'm a bit overwhelmed. But not, like usual, in a negative way.

Some time ago I wrote of my Grammie's passing and the selling of the farm I grew up on. Well it is about to pass. Pass hands. Lifetimes. Into oblivion? Demolition? It's not in our hands. But my mother knows just how painful my monetary situation is and has decided to give me and my siblings each $10,000.

$10,000.

For me, that's half a year of work. Half my yearly salary at this point. Crazy.

I'm just overwhelmed. I don't know what to say or do. And also, it's really a gift from my father, who I will have an infinitely more difficult time communicating with.

Mom's going to pay off my car loan and then just give me the rest. That extra $200 a month means so much. I don't have to be a paycheck to paycheck wreck anymore. It seems so silly that such a gift can change me so substancially.

I just don't even know how to process all this.

Snowed In.

I suppose today is as good a day as any to write an update.  Especially since I can't do much else.  It looks like we have a decent foot at least of snowfall.  As a side comment, kudos to Dominos for 1.  Being open, and

2.  Delivering me their tasty goodness!

I definitely gave a $10 tip to my driver and his 4WD.  Praise him.

Life after Faire has been interesting.  At first I was like, I don't know what to do with myself over the weekends, but then the soft semblance of a social life emerged from said Faire, and I've been hanging with some of the best.  Faire has just truly enriched my life in so many ways . . . I'm so glad I put myself out on a limb and got back into doing what I love.

As an extension of said involvement, I am now part of a group of players who are putting on That Scottish Play for the spring.  I didn't express interest well enough in time, I think, to be cast, but I will be stage managing, which is different but still engaging and challenging.  And really, if not for the challenge, what for?  But it's a group of people brought together by Faire and an independent act of sorts that came up with the idea, and it's been around for about 10 years.  A small group, with any profit feeding back into the group.  It should be fun.  The read through was hilarious.  Keeping all these dominant, extroverted personalities in check and focused for rehearsal should be interesting.

In other news, it is almost the holidays, and I can, for the first time since my leaving the caretaking of fuzzy, homeless, friends, travel to my extended family and true "home" for Christmas.  It really isn't Christmas if not at Gramma's.  I spent every childhood Christmas there, big get-togethers; and although the people and format have changed a bit over my years, it is still the very soul of Christmas.  I'm so excited to be able to spend the time there.  I'm a bit worried considering the recent weather and said travel, as it is around 800 miles, but I'll get there.

And that is all for now, I suppose.  With infrequent updates comes infrequent readership, but I know those that truly matter will be delighted.