I hope you’re all doing well and are happy.

I’m sitting at the counter in the gallery and it’s snowing… heavily.  It’s just beautiful outside.  On a day like this, I’d love to be outside playing in the snow with my Helo then once we’re both cold, go into the house, get a bowl of hot soup and then cuddle up and watch a movie.

I tried to do something a little different this year and I made some gift baskets for Valentine’s Day.  They’re pretty cute, if I do say so myself.  And such a deal!   You get a basket with three candles, candies, a teddy bear and a Valentine’s Day card all for only $25!  Who loves ya, baby?!

Pretty soon we’re gonna have a sign for the gallery on the outside of the building!  It’s been designed already and looks great.  Now all we’re waiting for is the zoning permit from the city.  Oy.  Hurry!  Hurry up and wait!!

I wanted to share a little story.  It’s kinda sad, but my intention is not to tell a sad tale, but one that is uplifting and full of love.  So don’t get depressed!

Recently a friend, who was my age, passed away.  It was expected, but it was quite sad none the less.  And it was hard on many different levels and in many ways.  I’ve been closer, however, to the woman (who we will refer to as “M”… no she’s not a spy or in the Witness Protection Program… I’m just keeping her privacy due to the tenderness of this subject) who cared for my friend till the end.  The two of them were in love.  Like all couples, they had their issues at times, but when push came to shove, they were a team, bonded in a way that only true love can create.

M is one of my dearest friends.  She is one of those rare people who live their passion and give more love than most people can comprehend.  She has two teenage daughters and is heavily involved in their lives and they all adore each other.

When it was determined that my friend was dying, all she asked was that M take care of her and be with her till the end.  And that’s exactly what M did.  She didn’t stay with my friend 24-hours a day because she had to care for her children at home, too.  But she spent most of her time at the care facility with my friend.  If I had to guess, I’d say M slept an average of a couple of hours a night because she was so busy caring for everyone.

My friend was a pretty tough cookie.  If she really cared about you, rather than say so, she’d tease you and give you a tough time.  She wasn’t overly demonstrative nor did she throw around her tenderness freely.  She was fierce and fiery and extremely athletic and competitive.  She was as complex as she was simple.  She was as humble as she was devoted.  She was a nut.  One of her greatest joys was Ohio State football; she loved the Buckeyes.  Her other greatest joy was M.

M did everything possible to keep my friend as happy as she could and as comfortable as she could.  And together, they planned my friend’s memorial.

When my friend passed, M was by her side, holding her hand.

The memorial was jam packed with people who cared about my friend.  She would have been stunned and probably overwhelmed by how many people came to show their respect and love and to say goodbye.  As I said, my friend helped plan this memorial, so it ended in typical fashion for her… with a tailgate party!  Hot dogs, sub sandwiches, nachos, pretzels & chips, cookies and soda pop.

Remember the song by Helen Reddy (yeah, I’m asking those of us of a certain age to think way back) called “You And Me Against The World”?  Yeah, my friend and M were like that.  A real pair; a unit; solid.  They were as one.  They enjoyed each other, they respected each other and most importantly, they loved each other.

M did everything my friend asked.  Unquestioningly.  She sacrificed greatly to be by my friend’s side and to follow her wishes… no matter how small or how large.

By the way, if you’ve not already caught on, I’ll spell it out for you… I’m talking about two women.  Is this a story about the need for social equality?  Nope.  The fact that I’m talking about two people of the same sex is completely incidental.  The point is love and life.

My friend died very young.  It’s tragic.  But she loved completely and well.  And my dear friend M is an amazing example of strength, determination, will power and yes, love.  She she went through and what she gave, joyously, is astounding.  It is a lesson to us all.  She is a role model.

Every opportunity you have, show the ones you love just how much you care.  Do things that bring joy to people.  Life is short and goes by faster than any of us can comprehend.  Enjoy it.  Love someone.

One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou.  “No one is perfect until you love them.”

Find perfection in the world.  Cherish it.

Okay, are you tired of my seriousness now?  As Baby Jane Hudson said, “But ya ARE, Blanche.  Ya ARE!”  So am I.  So let’s get to something that really rocks.

Can I tell you that I’ve a couple of surprises in store for all of you?  Yep, I do!!  Will I tell you what they are right now?  Heck, no!!  Will I give you a couple hints?  Oh, stop twisting my arm!!!

Okay, 1st, don’t you think it’s time for some new fragrances?

Second, I think y’all better be getting your party clothes together!!

Okay, that’s ALL I’m gonna spill!!  At least for now.

If you’ve not come into the gallery yet, what are ya waiting for?  And engraved invitation?  Well, here it is!!  You are cordially invited to The Lit Wick Gallery at 123 Ghent Rd, Fairlawn, OH  44333 any time Mon-Sat 10-6.  I can’t wait for all of you to see the amazing art!

And can I tell you about the greeting cards we carry?  You wanna laugh?  Have I got the cards for YOU!!  Here’s a little bit of a teaser…

“At her age, she no longer believed in free love.  But she was hoping for…”  (You have to come into the gallery to get the punchline!)

“If I have two drinks, I can feel it.  If I have four…”  (Yep, you still have to come in for the punchline!)

And those are just TWO!  There are SO many more of ‘em and they’re all hysterical!

Okay, enough is enough.  I’ve been rambling on and on.  Let’s all get back to our lives.

Come in and visit me!  Keep warm!  Love each other!!  Happy Valentine’s Day!!  Enjoy!

See you soon and… Keep ‘em burning!

Candleman

P.S.  I want to share with you a picture sent to me by a friend.  It makes me smile.

How are you doing?  Long time no blog!

Well, things are just beginning to settle down a bit.  Been pretty crazy since summertime.

First off, as I’m sure you’ve noticed by now… we have a new website!  Woo hoo!!!  And ain’t she a pretty one?!  We’ve got a new Web Guru and he’s been workin’ like a dog.  You can also pity him as he’s been trying to teach THIS old dog a new web trick or two .  Talk about a tall order!  Like I keep having to remind him… I world with wax for a living, not computers!

But anyway, ain’t this a grand looking site?

We’ve sure been busy and this has been a year full of changes!  We’re doing some new things online, we’re creating new fragrances for you, we’ve moved to a new city, we’ve opened a gallery, we’ve been featured in a couple of newspapers, we’re being featured in a magazine in January, we’re back at the Holiday Market at Lock 3 in downtown Akron all season… and we’re pouring candles like there’s no tomorrow!

On a personal note, I got the coolest little car.  I’m nuts about it!

And Helo’s crazy about the new Mini, too.  Not as crazy as he is about his new toy SnowBall (a snowball shaped rubber ball – which, ironically, we feature in our gallery in an area we call Helo’s Corner)!

And speaking of Helo, he just turned two-years old at the end of November! (My baby’s growing up!)

I apologize for keeping this so brief but honestly, I’m just trying to figure out how to do this new site and blog and also making sure it works properly.

In the meantime, please visit our new gallery, come see me at Lock 3, order off the website… and please pardon our dust as we’ve got all sorts of work goin’ on.  And if you should find any difficulties or issues with the website… let me know!  jm@thelitwick.com

Thank you for your patience.  And all your incredible support!  You ROCK!

Talk to you soon and…

Keep ‘em burnin’!

JM the Candleman

Come see our new digs!
Check out the new fragrances and all our products!
See my partner’s amazing products; The Upper Room Boutique!

Bacon (by popular request): hickory smoked and full of that bacony goodness!
Blackberry Fizz: another candles to tickle your nose and thrill you.
Cinnamon Stick: awesome cinnamon; you can almost taste it!
Mulled Cider: tangy cider blended with mulling spices; makes you feel warm and fuzzy!
Tusk: (my favorite) cool and refreshing cucumber & cilantro with the tang and heat of wasabi. Ain’t nothin’ like it; and you’re gonna love it!!

These fragrances will soon be available on the website and will be available in at our new retail location in Stow, OH. Our grand opening will be announce very, very soon. So keep watching this space (and our Facebook page) for all the details!