bookhou at home

ok so it happened, I turned 40 

yeah nothings changed (ok a few achy muscles and a lot more grey hair, but what was I expecting?)

when I was in my twenties turning fourty seamed like it was forever away and I feel that the twenty years I spent working and figuring myself out has been quite a journey.  I'm an optimistic person, sure life had some hard twist and turns, but I always survived them because I had strong amazing people who always had my back.

my parents divorced when I was a teenager and it affected how I viewed relationships, I knew that the person I spent the rest of my life with had to be someone that I respected and that I could love unconditionally. 

I spent seven years in post-secondary education, back than my goal was to be a sculptor.  I wanted to have my masters degree so that teaching could supplement my income while I made art and applied for grants.  after grad school I moved to montreal and lived there for a bit and eventually moved back to toronto because I didn't speak any french.  I had art exhibitions and made art for a good while after art school and got jobs teaching.  I met john while teaching at the AGO and to be honest I didn't like him at first, I thought he was a know it all but realized as I got to know him that he did know it all - but he's nice about it and knows how to listen.  the more time we spent together the more I knew we were right for each other and when we got married it was the happiest day of my life.

our union inspired us to explore design, neither of us knew what we were doing, but started making things that we wanted in our home or to carry, and slowly and steadily we built our little business with both of us working full-time jobs and on our evenings and weekends we worked hard at making work and doing a craft show here and there. slowly people started to noticed and the business started to grow into what it is today.

the other happy days for us were the days our children were born - we had the hardest time coming up with names for them - I don't know how we decided on lliam but I knew I wanted it spelt with two ll's because I thought when he would spell his name the double loops would be fun to do (I know silly) and his middle name is harper after his great great grandfather harper bass (he always knows I'm serious about something when I call him by his full name) - piper was originally going to be called pippa and nobody liked it and so I decided on piper because I liked that it was different name and her middle name is dylan (after a certain singer). they are truly amazing children, they love each other so much and it's nice to know they have developed a good relationship and it makes me happy to know they have each other.

I'm lucky that my life is where it is today and happy to see how all of our hard work has developed a company and home that we can be proud of.  I don't think I could be where I am without the great people in our lives and I know that the next 40 years will have other challenges and happiness, even though I miss having more energy, the knowledge I've gain the past 20 years is so invaluable.