The Honey House was renovated into a home for my husband's parents in the early 80's. This is what it looks like now:
Anyway, when Marge went into a nursing home my husband inherited the Honey House. It sits right behind our house. Cheryl and Chris were our first tenants. Cheryl was thrilled to be living in the country and was in love with the flock of sheep that lived here at the time. She also loved the pottery. For their first Christmas here I gave her a little creamer. They watched their money closely because they were saving for a wedding and house someday. So, when she asked me to make her a matching sugar bowl I was honored.
Months went by and I would occasionally bump into one, or both of them. One day Cheryl mentioned that she would like a set of dishes made by me after they got married. A few more months went by and I saw Cheryl walking down the driveway- she came to see me because Chris had just told her he was in love with another woman. She was devastated, needless to say.
What struck me about her was that she never said a bad word about him! Cheryl started talking about 'meant to be', 'not meant to be' and I was amazed by the sense peacefulness inside her sadness, if that makes any sense. She told me she would fulfill a dream of moving south- and so she did. They moved out and went their separate ways. We got a new tenant, Margurette.
A few months later, I got a random call from Cheryl! She was happy, renting a room of a house in Virginia and was enjoying her new life. She mentioned the set of dishes and that she still wanted that set someday, but she was not making much money and had built up some debt she needed to take care of. Months later I heard from Cheryl again, she just wanted to say 'hi' and told me she still dreamed of having her own flock of sheep and a house in the country.
I am always surprised to hear from Cheryl. I don't call or write to her, she is not on facebook and, truthfully, we don't have much in common. But she is an amazing woman - her courage, faith, and steady pursuit of a good life for herself. I should be so brave!
Last week my husband came down the stairs holding the phone out to me saying, "Kathy, it's Cheryl " with a quizzical look on his face. And it was Cheryl- She has just bought a house, it's a foreclosure and needs a lot of work but she and her fiance are working to fix it up. The property has 5 acres and he's ok with having sheep someday! She is so happy and would I make her that set of dishes?
Absolutely I will and I will put my heart and soul into each and every one of them.
