Hello Fall, You Came Too Fast!

           

Hello fall. But wait, I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer. How did things go so fast? Speaking of summer, I had a good one. Did I sail the southern ocean or wake to sunrise at the pyramids? No, but I did wake in our van in my uncle’s driveway, boogie boarded cold waters and had a few trunk shows, but the moral of this story is, that is enough. That is quite enough as you will see.

 

Last fall my uncle lost his partner of fifty-seven years. In 1970, my uncle and his partner purchased a small cottage in Kennebunkport, Maine. The idea at the time was Kennebunkport was just far enough that the family would not come to visit. (The family proved otherwise.)  For fifty years Uncle John and his partner “summered” at the cottage. When his partner died, the cottage went from a getaway to a place of sadness and memories gone by. 

 
Uncle John asked if we would consider coming to Maine to help him liquidate 50 years of collecting antiques, his household, the works, the place of our small family wedding, (as the cottage sold in 24 hours), I wanted a last chance to be there. Little did I know what we were getting into. “Sure,” I answered. “We would love to spend a summer in Maine with you.”
 
My uncle is a creature of habit. Wake, feed the dog, walk the dog, read the paper, go the beach and then at precisely 5PM, happy hour. Two drinks and two drinks only. During the summer, gin and tonic with the rare martini making an appearance and margaritas on the really hot nights
 
Our goal was simple. Sell, then use the proceeds to enjoy the best of coastal Maine eateries. I thought our plan was easy and something that would leave ample time for exploration. I was wrong because I quickly realized what I had volunteered for was beyond yard sales, there WAS a lot of stuff, but it was a voyage traveling the history of our family.
 
There was so much I didn’t know. The details of my uncle and his relationship with family, friends and his career, which saw him venture far from home only to return where he would spend his entire adult life. I learned of feuds and favorite foods. I learned of my childhood and the stresses and successes of my parents.
 I also learned that families are complex. The hidden, the forbidden and the unknown chapters can get lost unless we meet, talk, spend extended time with one another and work through the pointy parts of life.
 


I know now that my gentle, kind uncle loves Game of Thrones. I know he is a social man who is our family historian. I know his life had many challenges and family was his anchor point to find his bearings when things got tough. I know he and his partner would walk the neighbor’s children to the school bus on the first day of school and I know his Boston accent is too strong for Siri to understand. The best part was teaching him how to use his new iPhone and help me research his treasures for the multitude of estate sales, kind of like a Seinfeld episode. 
 
I know that our time together this summer was better than anything I could have asked for, I was grateful for the opportunity to learn so much about our history while he was among us, not as he likes to say; “when his eyes are closed” A reminder to ask those questions, to keep the stories alive, which I continue to do with my Adorn Reborn jewelry. 
 
Back In Santa Fe, it’s truly fall and I begin the next chapter of my work life, Holiday Markets.  Here is my upcoming schedule if you find yourself in the City Different

May you have a wonderful and healthy holiday season wherever you are on this planet.
 
Nov 19 Saturday 12:00-4:00 ArtWalk Santa Fe Paseo Pottery 1273 Calle de Comercio, Santa Fe
 
Nov 25, 26, 27 Friday 11:00-5:00 Saturday+Sunday 10:00-5:00 NM Artisan MarketHotel Albuquerque 800 Rio Grande NW Old Town
 
Dec 3 Saturday 9:00-3:00 Los Alamos Winter Art Fair Los Alamos Middle School  1300 Diamond Drive Los Alamos, NM 87544
 
Dec 10 Saturday 9:30-3:30 MIMS Art Show and Crafts Fair 1604 Agua Fria Rd Santa Fe
 
Dec 17 Saturday 10:30-4:30 Cerrillos Station Winter Holiday Market Cerrillos, NM

Photos by @BrandonRemler

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