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This is beyond humiliating.
(Part of my image was borrowed from the internet.)
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I was really surprised when my neighbor told me that our local JoAnn’s store had closed down. I had been there just a few weeks before to buy supplies for gifts for my niece’s coming twins. When I was there, I noticed updates to the store from the last time I had been there. Even though I couldn’t afford to shop there often, I presumed others were able to.
I got curious and checked online and found out that the entire JoAnn corporation had gone out of business. Ours wasn’t just an isolated closure of a store that wasn’t doing well. What mixed feelings this brought up! While I disagreed with the direction the chain had been taking, I didn’t wish for their failure. I wished they would get better.
Just as this area is a Pet Black Hole, it is also a Retail Back Hole. There used to be several fabric stores in the county, but now there are none. You can buy a few calicoes or a bit of fleece at Michael’s (there is no Hobby Lobby in this area), but you’re up a creek if you want to do any upholstery work or make outerwear. There are some online sources for fabrics, but I hate to buy without being able to touch and see the fabric in person. What is “heavy” to you may not be to me.
On top of this, recent news has featured shipping companies’ use of non-English speaking illegal workers to drive trucks in the country. More were hired during the shutdown because there was a sudden increase in the demand for goods shipped to homes. While these drivers are to be commended for finding work, it turns out their lack of familiarity with the country’s language(s) has led to an inordinate number of accidents. Now authorities are cracking down on drivers without proper qualifications. This means shipping companies will no longer be able to abuse their workers by making them live in their trucks or monkeying with the logs so that they work more hours than they are allowed. To us, it means that shipping costs are going to go up. Hooray, first our B&Ms are pushed out, and now we will have trouble affording shipping costs.
This news comes at a time of my own personal identity crisis. Last year my PT recommended that I go to OT. He said, “Wouldn’t it be nice to do some exercises and be able to go back to doing the things you love?” Yes, that did sound nice. My OT, however, said that I need to avoid activities that put stress on my joints. It turns out that most of the things I do/did put undo stress on my joints. In other words, I have to stop doing them.
Since OT, I’ve been trying to figure out who am I? What do I do? Working with my hands was my way of dealing with legs that don’t function properly. Now no hands? As I go through my One Thing Each Day challenge, I’m trying to figure out how much fabric I should keep. Is sewing even a part of my future? If it isn’t, what is?
Even though I may no longer need JoAnn’s services, I am saddened that the business is gone. Maybe with the country’s focus on making goods in America, we’ll find ourselves in a position to open fabric supply stores that have goods people will actually want to work with (natural fibers!!!) and be able to afford.
The gifts I made from my recent (last) trip to JoAnn’s.
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For beautiful, made in America, tariff-free gifts, come visit my shop at L Bowman Studios!
The Adventures of Bitey Dog 
The dog looks really modest with those outfits
Geordie put up with a lot from me over the years! 😂
I SO FEEL FOR YOU
OK WE HAVE A HOBBY LOBBY AND A MICHAELS BOTH TAKE POSTAL ORDERS IF YOU SET UP AN ACCOUNT. BUT YES I LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT I BUY ALSO !
THE OTHER BIT I UNDERSTAND TOTALLY
THE STROKE STOLE SO MUCH FROM ME AMD THE SPINAL PAIN THREATENS TO STEAL THE THINGS IT LEFT ME WITH.
I AM SO SUBORN I DAMN WELL REFUSE TO ROLL OVER THERE ARE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS HANG ON TIGHT LADY THE RIDE HITS TURBULENCE BUT JUST DEVELOP “ATTITUDE” AND DONT BE ASHAMED TO CRY . HE ACTION OF CRYING ACTUALLY RELEASES PHEROMONES THAT HELP YOU. HUG YOUR FUR BABES THEY TOO WILL HELP
IF ALL ELSE FAILS YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO USE MY SHOULDER AS WELL
ALL SHALL BE WELL
LOVE AND HUGSSS
ME AND THE TRIBE
Thank you so much for your words of understanding and compassion! If I had the ability to cry, I would be crying tears of gratitude.
I know you understand better than most what this is like. We both must wonder how much can be taken away before there isn’t any of us left?
I may take you up on that shoulder idea. In the meantime, our puppies had better watch out – they are in for some fierce hugs! ❤️
I love the different dog outfits! What a lot of handsome models you have.
So, in reading the description of an OT, it made me pause.
“Common examples of what they do include:
helping people going through physical changes to carry on working
….
design a custom intervention, or plan, that will help the person perform their everyday activities and reach their goals
check to see whether the person is meeting their goals and make any necessary changes to the plan”
Maybe you need to see a different OT? This one didn’t seem to meet the description of an OT.
Hugs from me and a snuggle from Nox.
That was all my poor Geordie wearing those different outfits. He got to the point where if he saw me coming toward him with fabric, he would play dead. 😆
I guess I can’t really say if my OT was good or not – having only seen one. Unfortunately, like the Pet Black Hole and the Retail Black Hole, I also live in a Medical Black Hole. Access to resources is limited. ☹️
I am so sorry that you don’t have access to good health care.
I’m not sure it would make a difference in this case.
I am so sorry to hear that it wouldn’t make a difference.
It’s a bummer when fave and good stores close. 😦 Mixed feelings when they change for the not-so-good.
Love love love the doggie duds! So cute! Especially the Dorothy and the Scots outfit! 😀
Is that Geordie the fab model?
All of your sewing creations are marvelous!
So sorry to hear about your continued health struggles and the struggles related to PT and the OT.
Continued prayers and bestest wishes for you to have some healing. I understand a bit about not being able to do things that could be done in past years. 😦 It is a bummer.
One day at a time…hopefully finding new joys and keep enjoying Mr. Murphy. Give him gentle pats and pets for me, please.
(((HUGS))) 🙂 ❤️❤️ 🙂
Yes, Geordie was my supermodel! 😆. I miss coming up with Halloween costume ideas for him. (Toby had no patience for modeling, and neither has Murphy.)
How did you cope with the changes you had to deal with? It feels like not just one thing has been taken away but many. There is so little left that my body can tolerate doing. What kind of work were you able to find? I’m at such a loss right now. 🤷♀️
Murphy has been very sweet lately. He has been extra cuddly, plus he has decided to assign me a new daily task: teaching him tricks. 😂. (It doesn’t hurt that he gets extra biscuits for doing them.)
Some things I sadly just had to give up altogether. 😦
Others, I’ve tried to modify what I do…one example…because of arthritis I can no long go on long walks and hikes like I used to do even just a couple of years ago…so instead of two long walks a day I’ve had to take multiple shorter walks. So far, so good. But I know that might change again if I live long enough. 🙂
Yay for sweet Murphy! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing that! So many people have the attitude that you just have to “push through” pain, but for some conditions you need to stop lest you cause more damage. Lately I feel like I’m in a maze, and all the corridors are dead ends. I don’t know where to go next. 😵💫
I keep hoping that there will be a little someone to go on those walks with you. Murphy says if he weren’t such a scaredy boy, he would love to go with you. ❤️
My mom used to say “getting old is not for sissies,” and I would laugh. I’m not laughing now. If I woke up and nothing hurt, I’d look for the angels because I must have died in my sleep. I do all the crafts, and lately it hurts. It is heartbreaking. And I feel like you do, what more will be taken?
I’m lucky in that I have a huge stash of fabric, so the closing won’t affect me too much. I actually have a boatload of trims that I’d love to pass on to someone who might use them – any suggestions?
I don’t have any suggestions for the trim yet, but I’ll keep my ears open.
We’re going to be quite a collection of vegetables across the country….not able to work yet not able to sleep. Maybe we need to dye out hair purple and get upset about nonsense in order to find purpose in life? 😂
Yeah! Let’s protest something!
😆
If it doesn’t sell electronics no store can staff open
That’s true. But these days it seems like all things have chips in them. Perhaps “electronic” fabrics will come into fashion? Then we can have B&M stores again! 😆