Reminiscing with my parents has always been one of my favorite things about being home. Our early morning talks in the computer room have always been something that I look forward to. We just sit, each on our respective computers, and play games and chat. After Dad started living downstairs in his suite, the location changed, but the conversation didn't. Now that Dad is gone, Mom and I are back in the upstairs office - I'm sitting on the floor and she's at her desk - and we are doing the same thing - just chatting about all sorts of things...family members, current political situations, the cat. All sorts of topics.

It has been some time since I have been home. Mom has made the place entirely hers, except for Dad's suite. The office has changed. Mom has taken the things that made sense for what she uses the room for now - quilting and cards and crafts of all sorts - but Dad touches remain. Sure, now the filing system has craft magazines instead of client files, but the filing system is still there.

Each time I come home, I am reminded where my penchant for clutter and stuff is rooted. It is apparent all over Mom's house. She likes stuff. So do I. I wonder if there is something about the fact that we moved around lots when we were younger and now do not want to move ever again, if we can help it.

That's been a topic of discussion lately with both my Mom and Sister - our various collections and things that we prioritize when we are choosing how to spend discretionary income. My weaknesses are toys, books, and movies of all sorts and kinds. Sister's is a bit more specific - Cabbage Patch Dolls. Mom likes stuff - the more crafting stuff the better, and the more stuff she can have, the happier she is. There is stuff crammed into every cranny. Does anyone need any potholders? I am currently sitting next to two bins filled with them. There are probably about 50-75 here. Mom likes to make stuff, and she doesn't have (and refuses to consider) an outlet for all that stuff that she makes. We keep bringing up the idea of an Etsy shop, and she is listening more and more. Mom does have an outlet for some of the things that she makes - she crochets things and quilts things for premature babies. She also donates dolls that she has rescued from thrift stores and then dresses and sends them to kids at the Ronald McDonald house nearby. Her joy comes in the process of doing and a bit in the ability to see what she has accomplished.

I have an Etsy shop. I don't do any business there, but it is something that I want to develop more. I have a TPT store (used to be called Teachers Pay Teachers, but now they are simply TPT). I make coffee-type levels of money there. My last payment was $5.56. That's what I mean by coffee-type levels of money. Fortunately, neither of those side projects are things that I depend on for my primary income sources. I have dreams of selling things that I make to people all over the country, but my current ways of doing things are somewhat limited because of the things I have to do to make that primary income. Once I get less need for working full-time, I will be able to devote more time to these side gigs.

For the moment, though. I am going to start my day. I may be making a journal today - just to have something to do with my time. I have some leftover wrapping paper that would make a very cute cover. Mom has everything I will need to make this work, so why not?

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