Carla is going to Juilliard

Well, Carla was accept to the graduate program at Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard School. She's graduating from Manhattan School of Music this spring and chose Juilliard for grad school. She's 1 of about 8 accepted to their vocal program and 1 of 2 Mezzos accepted so it's a really big deal.

Of course I'm extremely proud but not surprised. I've always believed in her talent. Unfortunately, tuition and expenses have taken their toll on our finances getting her through her undergrad school, so we are appealing to her friends and fans to help her finish her studies before embarking on her professional career. I can no longer support her financially as I am facing retirement soon and plan to buy a home in the very near future, so anyone who would generously contribute toward her continuing educational goals would be much appreciated. You can contact me at DewOnAPetal@gmail or her at CJVoice@yahoo.com if you'd like more information about her career goals or life in NYC. And it's you'd like to donate a few bucks to offset the cost of tuition, check out her link at http://www.carla-jablonski.com/juilliard.html

Thanks!

Things, they are a-changin'

I'm about to set off on a new adventure sooner than I thought: retirement. We've found a house in Whitney Point NY which fits our needs perfectly. Big spacious contemporary house with all the amenities I could ever want on 2 acres, half wooded.

The living room is a huge vaulted room with an entire peaked wall of windows facing a humongous deck with flower pots, benches and a hot tub. There are 4 bedrooms, some with decks. An awesome Italian kitchen with a commercial stove with 6 burners, 2 ovens and grill, and cabinets I will never fill. The counter tops are a dark gorgeous mottled marble. The floors are all marble, ceramic and hardwood. And there's a sauna.



I can't wait to lounge on the deck in the cool summer evenings, sitting in the hot tub with a cocktail, listening to the noises of the country above the gurgling of the tub.

During the day, I will tend to my garden. I'll have vegetables galore that I will can in the fall, and flowers littering the yard everywhere you look. There's a pond in the back yard that I will perhaps make into a koi or lily pond. Maybe I'll even add some goldfish or a turtle or 2.

In the fall, I will rake the riot of leaves and put up food from my garden for the winter. We'll stack wood for the fires we will have in the wood stove to heat the house when the wind chills the air outside. We will be cozy.

In the winter, I will sit at my knitting machines and make scarves, hats and sweaters. I will sew to my heart's content. I'll make my candles to build up my inventory for the craft shows I will sell at in the spring. Maybe I'll get my torch up and running and start making lampwork beads again. I'll read a lot and watch the snow outside on the deck. I'll run out to the heated hot tub to bask in the invigorating winter air.

In early spring, I'll set up a planting station to start my seedlings for the garden. And start the cycle all over again.

Ahhh, retirement.