2020, a year we could have never imagined would turn out this way. 2020, a year of loss and a year of hope. 2020, a year of pause & a year of working harder and longer hours that I've ever worked in my life. Curbside pick up at a gift shop - who would of ever thought it would come to this. Having four letter words hurled at me for asking someone to leave the shop when they were not allowed to be inside, who would have imagined. Asking time and time again for folks to pull their masks back up over their noses, never crossed our minds in 2019. Life is different now. Some of our favorite businesses are gone, and more will likely close. Some of our favorite family members and friends are gone and we didn't get to say a proper goodbye or hold their hand, or wipe away a tear. Putting my face in front of the tablet and being the goofball I am on a daily basis. camera rolling, to save my business, who would have ever thought. Things are different now, some good & some bad. I've had a blast reconnecting with the shop and my customers. I'm loving getting to know everyone and sharing my life. The woodchucks have not yet won the war of the garden, another good thing & I may not get to stop & smell the flowers, but I do get to see them, and that is good. We take the good with the bad. It is what it is and it will be what it will be. The only constant in life is that things are always changing, and change can be good. God has a plan in all of this and I am just along for the ride! Guide me Lord & keep me heading the right direction. Thanks to all of you who've come along for the ride, 2020 has been an interesting and unique experience so far, and it's only part way through! Rambling thoughts for a crazy rambling year! We pause we pivot, we pause, we pivot, we pause & we give thanks! Blessings & joy to you all! - Patti
Christmas is coming way to fast this year. Yikes - it is already December 8th, now just when did that happen. 12 batches of cookies made already for the shop, 2 Christmas pageant rehearsals done at church, Candlelight night in the village of Kinderhook has come and gone and I still haven't put up my outside Christmas lights at home. The 18 inches of snow in my yard could have something to do with that, but on a positive note all that snow is keeping the trees outside the shop from tipping over in our flower beds. Mr. & Mrs. Claus are perching happily on the bench out in front of the store to welcome holiday hurried & harried shoppers, and perhaps give them a moment to pause and smile. Now don't get me wrong, I am not complaining at all. I love how busy we are this time of year. I love all the happy faces when we can help them find just the right gift for the hard to shop for Aunt Betty & Uncle Peter. This year is just zooming by. With one less week between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year the time to do the extras we're accustomed to just are not there! But that's ok, because before we know it it will be Christmas once again. I have a friend who says 'Christmas - 4th of July - Christmas' It goes just that fast. No matter what fills your days, it really doesn't matter if you bake all the right cookies, buy all the right presents, or get every decoration out or not. The memories we make along the way are simply the best. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season, that is what we remember most! Blessings to you all! - Patti
October 1st of 2017 is the start of our 24th year here at the Cross Eyed Owl. Just where does the time go? Taking a look at all the awesome Cross Eyed Owl crew we realize that 3 of them were not even born back in 1993 when the Cross Eyed Owl began. Just where does the time go? Sara will be getting married next spring. Just where does the time go? Customers who used to come in with their mom's and grandma's to collect beanie babies all those years ago are married with children of their own now. Just where does the time go? One day at a time, 24 hours per day, every moment counts. We know our mom's were right to tell us that the older we get the faster the time flies by. It was New Year's Day, then the 4th of July and now it's almost time for Halloween and Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye. Just where does the time go? Remember the good from the past, enjoy today and dream for tomorrow because time flies by at the speed of light. Every moment you have is a chance to be a light in someonelse's day. Choose joy. Choose peace. Choose hope. Choose to make a difference and choose to do it now. Why? Because one day you will sit back an wonder......... Just where did all that time go?