Time passes at the speed of a hummingbird's wings

So it is now January 2018 and I've noticed a pattern in my Lollypups Petwear blogging endeavors. They started out as monthly entries, filled with excited business discoveries or pathetic failures and  became woefully diminished to only one a year!!  Yikes.  Proof that things are definitely winding down even as life itself is moving ahead at breakneck speed. Doing less craft events in 2017 has paid off as far as my sanity and torturous booth set-up anguish, but naturally not as far as my bank account, although etsy sales have been moderately productive. I never set out to be the female counterpart to Jeff Bezos in the pet apparel métier so the fact that Lollypups consistantly earns enough in the 7 years we've been in existence,  to keep the enterprise going without relying on loans (or dipping into our personal bank account),  seems a satisfactory achievement for someone who never had an entrepreneurial bone in her body.  I've turned 70, earned another grand baby (that makes 4) still fiddle badly but who cares, bicker with my husband about whether to let Ginger sleep on the bed or not, and have tapered off creating textile designs with the intent getting back into painting in this the start of my 71st year. 

So what to do at the dawn of a snowy, frigid 2018?.......purge and organize my studio in an attempt to eliminate any chance of a guest appearance on an episode of "Hoarders".    First time I've seen the top of my drawing table in a year!!
I became  uber-inspired to paint once again following a spectacular jaunt to the Amalfi coast of Italy in mid-October, and sparked by some 367 photographs taken. So that, and coming up with a new collection of vests and leashes will keep my creative juices juiced. Already on the Lollypups drawing board, some updated recycled denim harnesses which had sold out rapidly last year. And I'm in talks with a local vendor about creating more sweaters in Peru, though sadly, not alpaca, but equally vivid in color, comfort and warmth. So stay tuned.

One of the most peaceful days spent in the warm Amalfi Sun

Amalfi terrace

Ginger has been having an exceptionally stellar life herself,  and I just love her to pieces.  I've never seen a smarter dog and that being said, a more mischievous one. Stealing hors d'oeuvres from off the cocktail table for the first time last night!!  She's also started to stand by the kitchen door when she needs a potty break, although, only if I'm in the kitchen so I have to pay close attention to her movements at all times.  Today I let her outside and she pooped in record time (the biting cold had a lot to do with that) but I knew she hadn't peed since she woke up this morning.  As she ran back to the door to be let in, I said, "no, you didn't pee pee yet" and low and behold, the little genius turns and runs back to her spot, circles twice and pees on demand. Am I  ready to remove the wee wee pads from the bathroom floor yet??? Only time will tell.

Good girl Ginger, this looks to be another interesting year!