And the Holiday Season Begins!

 We broke out the red tape yesterday. These are the first four boxes to go out for Christmas!

We made a MAJOR change this year to the business and started using SQUARE to process payments. While it was interesting to receive all those letters with checks as payments and heartwarming  to receive personal notes, it seemed like going to the post office less during the Time of Covid was probably wise. I miss seeing all of the different stamps. I tried to save them over the years (not in an organized fashion, but in a large wooden box). Who knows what I will do with them.

ANYWAY..... Philip does still like talking to customers on the phone though, so don't hesitate to call him if you have a question or just want to chat. 

THANKSGIVING TAMALE CONTROVERSY

 So what's a holiday family meal without a little controversy? Well this year the discussion was about the tamales. 

The long standing purchase of tamales for the entire extended Dewey family (including the branch that currently resides in VA) is to dine on tamales from Delicious tamales. 

We have always driven all the way into downtown San Antonio and purchased several dozen at Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have packed them in our luggage and taken them on an airplane to VA more than once. They indeed live up to their name. 

This year, however, a new company has come to town. Delia's Tamales, has an outstanding reputation from folks who grew up in the valley and therefore grew up with these tamales. Needless to say, they were thrilled when Delia's "opened shop" in San Antonio.

Now, I have NEVER eaten a tamale I didn't like. We ate tamales from Delia's this year and by tonight (Saturday), only a few are left out of the four dozen we purchased. So, obviously, everyone liked them.

 Makes me hungry just to look at this picture. 

 

ALMOST THANKSGIVING 2020

 Everything is different this year.... for all of us. 

We do have a turkey and a ham and all the other foods for traditional Thanksgiving meal. 

Another family tradition is to have Mexican food on Thanksgiving eve. We are prepared for that one too, except for purchasing the tamales on Wednesday morning. 

The difference this year will be that both meals will be eaten outside in front of the house so that we can include the part of our family that lives next door

These will be our newest additions to this year's celebration.

                                                  More about these little terrors later!

 It's a grey, cool and damp morning outside. Good day for computer work. However, we do have orders to get out to customers, so we will be out in the shop in a little while! This was Philip, yesterday working in shorts.  A little too cool for that today! 

                                       

August 2020

 Perhaps you've seen this? Felt this way? I am thinking of ordering this shirt. Think that will work? 

It's September now. August flew by, but a lot of things happened here. We both got sick, thought we might have Covid, got tested.... were negative. School started here in Boerne. Our oldest daughter had to go back to teaching. One kiddo went with her; the other one sits in our house every day and does his work as an E-Learner. 

We had one really good rain but everything is now brown. Wells are starting to either run dry or pump out nasty looking water. Too many people in the Hill Country now.

Bells are doing ok. People still need gifts. We touch base with our fellow artists periodically. Everyone is worried about everyone else. Some art shows are trying a virtual show. We haven't participated in any of those. As it stands right now - no shows for us for the remainder of 2020. 

Philip is reworking some of the areas in the bell shop. I'll take pictures and post them soon. 

TOO BUSY TO POST??

Well, we have been busy - just with lots of things not related to bells!

However, first, let me say the bell shop is still open. We are shipping bells to customers who need birthday, retirement and graduation gifts. We still had folks who needed bells for Mother's and Father's day as well.  We have had a few customers who mask up and drive out to the shop also.  

We have missed doing the shows. Six to be exact - were cancelled.  But we are all in this together. Our wonderful "family"of fellow artists have called and emailed each other to keep up with how everyone is doing. 

So.... like most of you, we have gone NOWHERE!!  I have learned to use the HEB online grocery  pickup ordering. I have learned how to "e-deposit" a check. AND... we got a kitten. Hmmm. That was not planned, but he is a cutie. Sheila (the dog you have seen in earlier posts) is still adjusting. 

We named him Dr. Fauci (or just Fauci for short). We are trying to train him to open the mail. 

                                                He is a handsome boy. Pretty coloring. 

We are doing lots of landscape work. Trying to fight off the deer and armadillo that are eating everything in sight or digging up the ground looking for food. I'm gardening and baking bread (that's a wonder because I hate to cook.)

Like everyone else, we watch a lot of Netflix/Amazon Prime, read, do puzzles and work on the computer. We will keep plugging along, wearing our masks, social distancing and having homemade margaritas!

Stay safe everyone. 

NEW TIMES - Hanging in there.

                                                We may look different, but we are still here!

We hope everyone is doing well. Having to go through something like this while living in the country at least gives us the opportunity to get outside! We know we are missing so many past customers and not getting to meet new ones because of the show cancellations. This was going to be our year to come back to The Woodlands!! Oh well.

We have been shipping bells to people who order online. We know that birthdays, Mother's Day and other gift needs still exist, so we will hurry to meet any deadlines someone might have.

I have been making masks for family and friends.

Philip has been organizing a family pickleball game several times each week.

The grandson has been learning to do some windchime "piece work"....

...... and to clean off the acorns and leaves from the top of the bell shop. 

Like everyone else, we are reading, browsing the web, working on puzzles, working in the yard and watching lots of TV. 

Keep us posted (make comments below or send us emails) and let us know how you are all doing. Send me pictures of you and your bells and I will post them if you like. 

We care about everyone in the large Windsongs family! Hope to start seeing everyone again soon.  

Taking a Break from Bell Making!

At the end of October we took a break from bell making and went to Mexico for a week. We timed this trip so we could be a part of the Dia de los Muertos celebrations. It was our first time to successfully utilize the services of Airbnb AND Uber. So we....

ate,

drank (a healthy margarita, ha),

took a class to learn about the Mayan calendar,

learned how to grow and make chocolate,

visited the Yellow City,

participated in the Paseo de Montejo

and saw lots of  Catrinas.