A few things ...

I'm keeping busy getting through things day by day but feeling a bit lost. The girls are home on vacation this week. We enjoyed snow tubing on Monday and the MFA on Tuesday. The snow on Monday had me thinking back to the day of Mark's burial. I had fun while tubing but the rest of the day was tough. I can't say this is going to be easy in any way. Still trudging through paper work and probably will for a while yet.

I've got a several custom orders filling up my schedule for the spring. This should keep me busy a bit.

These lovely treasuries made on Etsy include some of my work.

'nature and birds!!' by hobilium

nature and birds!!

white iron love bir... LucyandEllen $34.00	3 magnets with wild... KelimPottery $24.00	Bird Nest Pendant N... seragun $15.00	Colored girl's ... myknittingworl... $20.00
Vintage Harry M Pat... jenscloset $24.50	Butterfly necklace hobilium $25.00	Ring bearer lily pa... Rainsend $28.00	Migrating swallow s... nihanatakan $30.00
Little house living... Rainsend $25.00	Personalized Chocol... andiespecialty... $30.00	Peace Birdie Love I... ayatasarim $16.00	Amigurumi happy lit... hayalce $18.00
Blossfedia - Color ... gemagenta $22.00	Linen 4 Sandwich Ba... Evgene $19.00	Chillin - Fine Art ... Crystalphotogr... $4.50	Circuit Board Tie T... TheBlueKraken $9.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

and

'flowers in spring and!' by hobilium

enjoy!

Leg Warmers Angel&#... SockBox $41.00	Romantic Country st... Iovelycrochet $39.00	SPRING SALE floweri... leapinggazelle $20.00	Fuchsia Flower Dre... secdus $43.00
linen and lace -sto... Tuuni $	Ring bearer dish an... Rainsend $28.00	Pair of vintage glo... satisfind $100.00	Fairy Shoes Wall Ar... humblebea $18.00
Pale Pink Chrysanth... mycolorfuldrea... $18.00	$	4 pcs- Crocheted C... nezoshop $	PINEAPPLE DESIGNED,... DEMET $60.00
Hand knitted, Braid... elemegibere $40.00	Lucinda Bloom And B... BlushEnvy $50.00	SHABBY CHIC HEARTS ... OldNewAgain $24.00	In A Dream - Fine A... DovieMoon $14.99

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Snow

This is the winter of snow. Piling up on the roof top ... burying my backyard in a think blanket of white. Six foot berms of snow flank the driveway and front of the house making this more like a wintry fortress. Icicles like daggers turn to swords and lances as the day progresses guarding the house with icy teeth. Walkways are like skating rinks instead of safe paths.

Its been a difficult few days with all the busy-ness of the burial and service preparations finished and guests departed. I miss Mark so much and it seems to catch me off guard so much of the day and night. As his caretaker for the last year I am currently missing the simple things like holding his hand or just the smell of him when I rested my cheek near his. And I've realized that I'm not at all prepared emotionally for his physical departure from our home. As much as I knew what the outcome might be it still feels unreal. The memories and photos seem like pale imitations to having the real thing by your side and will never be enough. Even in his poor health and limited mobility he was such a joy to me. Yes there were difficult times but he was always generous in his love. Always giving me a sweet smile or sending me a text message when he could no longer talk.

We have been enjoying the sympathy cards and in particular the stories that friends and family have shared with us about their time with Mark. Thank you for sharing your memories with us.

My best friend, husband, and love

Mark Kane Culotta, 47, of Townsend Massachusetts died at home, surrounded by his family, on Saturday, January 29, 2010.

Mark was born on March 12, 1963 in Detroit Michigan, the son of John and Lynn Culotta. He grew up in Plymouth, Michigan and graduated from Plymouth-Canton High School in 1981. He studied Electrical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a member of Chi Phi Fraternity.

Mark moved to Townsend with his wife in 1989 and worked as a software engineer. Most recently, he worked for Acme Packet of Bedford, Massachusetts.

Mark was a member of the Townsend Congregational Church. He often played piano during worship service and led the children’s choir. Mark was a member of the music committee and was a past leader of the church’s stewardship campaign.

Mark loved music and played the violin in the Nashua Chamber Music Orchestra. He had many hobbies and interests, including art, beekeeping, maple sugaring, woodworking, gardening, reading and playing music with his children.

Mark leaves his father John Culotta, a Consulting Architect, and his mother, Lynn Rundell Culotta, who worked for many years as a bookkeeper in the payroll department of the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.

Mark also leaves his wife of 23 years, Carrin (Passaro) Culotta and three daughters, Cailley A. Culotta, Emma X. Culotta and Isabelle R. Culotta, all of Townsend. Mark also leaves his brother Kent S. Culotta of Glendale, California and his maternal grandmother, Margaret S. Rundell who is 102 years old and lives in Chelsea, Michigan.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, February 1st at 11AM at the Riverside Cemetery in West Townsend. A memorial service will be held in celebration of Mark’s life on Thursday February 3rd at 5:30 PM at the Townsend Congregational Church, 3 Brookline Street, Townsend, Massachusetts. There will be a reception immediately following the memorial service in Fellowship Hall of the Townsend Congregational Church.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Culotta children’s education fund. Checks should be made out to the Townsend Congregational Church with “in memory of Mark Culotta” written on the memo line.

And the year goes round again ...

Getting the Christmas tree!


Mark stayed warm and cozy at home on the couch. Grandma had suggested a fake tree this year but the girls protested and insisted on cutting their own. So Cailley drove us a few miles to the local tree farm.


Hot mulled cider was delicious!


Townsend tree lighting on the common! Isabelle was there early singing with the girl scouts.


and then there was light!


Guess who ... pays a visit on the town fire truck?


... Santa of course hands out candy canes!


Warm hobo stew after the choir concert at one of the local churches on the town common.


Mid-December finds us enjoying the girls recitals and concerts. Isabelle played second chair in her orchestra and enjoyed dressing up for the concert.







Postcards of Christmas!







Our Christmas card for this year. Each girl made their own snow globe.






The Christmas table ...


Santa pays a visit ...


Singing Christmas carols after dinner ...


Our very own "Elf on the shelf" arrived late in the season and will stay until New Year's Eve!

November days ...

Our oldest daughter turned 17 and enjoys her birthday morning breakfast in bed!



Thanksgiving dinner was a success with the help of the girls. They really helped with the cooking this year.


Mark wasn't able to enjoy any of the food though due to his radiation side effects. But we did get him to the table just to say grace and show him our table.

Halloween

I'm exhausted and sad. It's just takes so much energy to be doing EVERYTHING. And getting another cold hasn't helped much either. But mostly I'm just sad about my dear husband and his medical issues. Its difficult to get him to eat and he is loosing weight too fast. I'm so worried too. We are going into the hospital daily for radiation. I'm hoping he will get some relief soon. I just feel so angry that we waited so long to address these issues and yet I have been worried about them since the summer. Who is listening to me? Anyway I am looking into a clinical trial type option and am hoping I can get him over this last bit of radiation ok.

But life is just continuing its rushing along. Isabelle wanted a witch costume hand sewn by me so I cooperated. Her little hat came out darling. Mark wasn't able to participate in the pumpkin carving (which he usually orchestrates) but his brother Kent helped out.



Mark posed with the girls and the pumpkins a bit ...





Halloween was a zoo as always (trying to do too many things at once) but the girls had fun.


Isabelle is on the right hand side and her fried (also a witch) on the left ...

Fall

Ok so I didn't get out in the yard much this last month. But I did enjoy the fall colors each day on the drive into Boston to the hospital. I try to keep reminding myself to enjoy the beauty -- because soon I'll be looking at grey and maybe snow!


Etsy Treasuries ...