So What Are You Saying, Maggie?

I retired from 25 years in the nail biz in March 2017. 

I packed up my supplies, sold off most of my stuff, gave the key back to the landlord, took my glitter and moved to Tahoe.

I spent a little over a year in an authentic cabin near the lake, working in the independent publishing industry-- writing, editing, proof-reading, and creating cover artwork for indie authors.

Then I got bored. 

I guess "bored" is a good term.

After 25 years of holding hands, laughing and talking to other people ALL DAY LONG-- I thought I'd love the solitude and the sound of nothing but my mechanical keyboard as I type.

And for about a minute, I did.

I did love the opportunity to embrace my night owl nature. I went to bed with the sunrise and woke when darkness fell like a true vampire.

I also loved not being tied to a schedule. As long as I had my trusty laptop with me and could find wifi for at least a couple hours a week, I could go anywhere! And I did some of that as well: I chased the solar eclipse all the way to Seneca, Oregon; I spent 10 days in Cartagena, Colombia; I got in some hiking and some camping and a good, long trip to the Rice Shoe Fence out yonder past 29 Palms, CA.

Then a friend of mine-- one of those people who emerged at the last minute and elevated from "random person who was always sorta around but not close" to "one of my closest friends on the planet despite being one of the most unlikely candidates" decided to raise cattle full time.

Now THAT is an entirely different adventure! And primarily someone else's at that. But-- after months of hearing about his attempts to make it work, I finally got a tour of the ranch while I was passing through the Valley on my way to Disneyland.

And I never left. (Well, I did go to Disneyland. Duh!)

Partly because when I showed up that April morning, I was immediately put to work.

And then I did something that NO ONE WHO HAS KNOWN ME FOR THE LAST 48 YEARS WOULD HAVE SUSPECTED: I volunteered to come back to the ranch the next morning-- at 6 AM.

Late spring and early summer of 2018 has been a lot of trips back and forth between South Lake Tahoe and a small calf operation currently located somewhere in the Devil's Triangle of the Hanford/Goshen/Kingsburg outback. 

So just this week, I did something else that I never expected to do: I moved back to the valley. To get up at 4 am and work on the ranch 7 days a week for the foreseeable future.

So what am I saying?

Why am I telling you this? 

On my NAIL BUSINESS website? 

Well maybe-- just maybe-- I miss talking to people.
Maybe-- just maybe-- I miss the smell of monomer.
Maybe-- just maybe-- I'm thinking I could probably handle a few clients a week again?

I have some ducks to get back in a row before I can make any promises-- but maybe-- just maybe-- the appointment book is about to get dusted off.