I know the holidays are rapidly approaching when I see Phoebe rapidly approaching our store. She is a wonderful glassybaby life-er, not to mention a very well organized holiday shopper. She was in today, in all of her glory, to purchase seven single glassybaby, that will be dispensed 6 weeks hence (eek,) coinciding with the red and white guy's deliveries. Our yearly mirth was exchanged. She lives one block from our new, Main Street, Bellevue, glassybaby store. Forsaking this proximity, she drove right past our Bellevue store, tradition bound, to find us in Madrona. I love it. She would not dispense of her yearly pilgrimage over the 520 bridge to find us on the West side where glassybaby are born. Her tradition is immutable. Her die hard presence at glassybaby today led Phoebe to lament the conversion of our local voting to absentee ballots only. No more bake sales, no more bad coffee, no more church parking lots, no more dutiful civic volunteers in comfortable clothing sitting at folding tables in folding chairs, looking helpful. Phoebe...your glassybaby tradition is safe with us. Great to see you in Madrona.
This week our prayers and the prayers of so many surrounded Sarah Hughes, who inspires our giving glassybaby set named Sarah's Strength. Her strength carried her through a difficult operation; and we learned, in vigil and support, many glassybaby were lit for Sarah, throughout her loving community. We wish her continued strength and healing. Simultaneous to the surgery, a very dear family friend to Sarah entered our store to purchase sets of Sarah's Strength, they were to be gifts for her 3 grown children at Thanksgiving. The great impetus behind the Strength set is to raise important research funds for Pediatric Brain Cancer. It is our honor to partake in this effort.
Another moving store passage occurred just yesterday...a lovely customer entered our late afternoon, sun bathed store. She perused colors carefully and navigated the store adeptly. She landed upon an orangesicle and a cashmere combination, really lovely. We talked as I boxed her gift. I learned that the set would be given to a dear friend...a friendship born out of the profound caring relationship between nurse and patient. This nurse would join in celebrating her friend/patient's one year anniversary since receiving a stem cell transplant and remaining cancer free. What could be more of a harbinger to Thanksgiving...which knocks at our door.
End note. We have a plethora of autumnal and winter glassybaby...think pumpkin, harvest, great oak, ripe olive etc... For months we have missed our beloved cabo, a very aquatic, sunny, beachy blue. Clarion call...it is back. Ryan, our treasured Production Manager, sleuthed out a match. If you need to balance the warm with the breezy...cabo is back.
Until Next Time, Nicola
