What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Thursday, October 06, 2022

Hey, Hey, Hey. It’s ME

 Hello out there. I don’t know if anyone ever even looks here anymore.  I thought I would always blog and then I slowed down and then I seemed to have stopped altogether.  But, I miss my people and I miss writing. So I ordered myself a handy little Bluetooth keyboard to attach to my iPad, so here we go!

Losing my Mom hit me really hard.  My life suddenly changed. I lost my best friend that I had my entire life. It was so unreal to me.  And then I had to go to her house and start going through her things and sorting and throwing away and donating and all those other terribly hard things that must be done.  

In November I did a show in Conway and came home with Covid. The Bean had it really bad. I called to check in on my stepdad and he was sick too.  After nearly three weeks in the hospital, he died of Covid on December 3rd.  It hit me all over again. Now the house that was void of my Mom was just empty,  I loved him very much and he loved me too,  I still cannot believe they are both gone. The house has been emptied, we had an Auction and now the house has sold.  Finished  

Last weekend we had the Fall Junk Ranch. It was a record breaker in sales for me and almost everyone else too,  I’ve started selling more of my handmade creations and only Holiday vintage instead of so much random vintage.  I love making vignettes and pretty displays.  

I started making only Christmas, but I have evolved into Halloween, Thanksgiving and Patriotic.  

Christmas creations.



I still like going to the Goodwill bins and digging for treasure.  I don’t have my booth anymore. So I have to be careful of what and how much I buy.  I mostly look for things I can use in my creations.  My other mental health escape is to go to the casino and listen to the music and sleep in the hotel. Last week I went and played $55. I hit a jackpot, which was QUITE the thrill.  It was a once in a life time thrill.  But, my first thought was that I wanted to call my Mom and then I started crying.   Grief is a strange thing. I just sneaks up on you. No one ever asks how I am doing now that a year has passed.  It still hurts.

I’ll do my best to get back on here, share my finds and see what’s going on with you. And be more upbeat. 

Shara





14 comments:

  1. I'm glad to see you writing again. I watch your fun finds and creations on Insta, but you don't get as much narrative there. I'm really sorry to hear about the losses in your life. They sound like beautiful people who were worth knowing. I hope that every day your heart hurts a little less, and that what remains is the joy, love, and knowledge you gained from your relationships with them.

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  2. Good to see you back , my mothers currently in the hospital with Covid though so far shes fine its just that shes frail elderly and thats what they do here

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  3. So happy you are back, I would check once a week to see. I just got out of the hospital on Friday after a weeks unexpected stay. My girls like you thought they had lost their mother, my husband (their father) passed away in Feb., and they were thinking they lost me. I have survived and had a chance to get on the computer this morning. Was so happy to see you were back. Have thought of you often, especially when I see things that you collect. Please know I am thinking of you.

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  4. Anonymous12:51 PM

    So happy to see you writing again. IG is fun for quick posts, but writing is an art and you are quite the writing artist.

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  5. Anonymous8:58 AM

    I am glad you are back. LOVE hearing your junking adventures . So much fun. Sorry to hear about your parents. I am glad you and the Bean survived Covid. Looking forward to your new adventures.
    Barb

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  6. Anonymous4:18 PM

    Oh, so happy to read your blog again! I love to hear about your show experiences and thrifting trips. You have been missed but when you go through sad things it takes time to recover. Do what you can. We feel for you. Teri

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  7. Janet in PA6:07 PM

    Oh Shara, it is wonderful to see your words and hear your voice again. I was worried that you were gone (from here) forever. Please keep writing. I am so sorry your stepdad died and you and the Bean got so sick. You will never get over your Mom, but you will tolerate the pain better. Remember we all love you. Janet

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  8. Anonymous6:16 PM

    Glad to see you are back here. Really prefer the blogs to places like Instagram but they don’t seem as popular anymore. You aren’t alone in a very tough year, my sincere condolences at the loss of your mom and stepdad. Happy to hear about The Bean too, have always enjoyed hearing about his adventures.

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  9. Anonymous6:12 PM

    So glad to see you again. I certainly miss all of your lovely treasures and displays. Loosing someone you love is the hardest thing in the world. Please accept my sincerest condolences.

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  10. Now it has been way more than a year... 'How are you doing Shara?' I just moved my Mom into an assisted Living home. I miss my 'Mom'. I miss a lot of things.

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  11. I have always enjoyed your blog, finds, and anecdotes very much so I check your site periodically just in case. It's good to hear from you again. Very sorry to hear about your stepdad and of course still sorry about your loss of your mom. Glad that you are finding some small things to bring some enjoyment. Take care from Sarabeth in Boston.

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  12. Anonymous9:20 AM

    I’m so sorry about the loss of your mom. Grief comes in waves & sometimes it just crashes upon you. I’ve read & enjoyed your blog for years. Hope you find time to write more. - Dena

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  13. Anonymous11:58 AM

    I just found your blog but am truly sorry for your loss. After the initial mourning hits you people say the grief gets less. I don't know that it gets less or if one just gets better at dealing with it. Somedays you laugh and smile with a memory and somedays you are rocked to your core with grief. But youkeep pressing on one day at a time and live the life your loved ones would have wanted for you. That's the best way to honor their memory, I think.

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  14. Anonymous7:28 PM

    I have missed reading your blogs. You always had fascinating news to tell your readers about. I am sorry about the deaths of your mom and dad. Both of mine have passed, and it’s hard.

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