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| Arranging a Dream: A Memoir by J.Q. Rose |
In 1975, budding entrepreneurs Ted and Janet purchase a floral shop and greenhouses where they plan to grow their dream. Leaving friends and family behind in Illinois and losing the security of two paychecks, they transplant themselves, their one-year-old daughter, and all their belongings to Fremont, Michigan, where they know no one.
Will the retiring business owners nurture Ted and Janet as they struggle to develop a blooming business, or will they desert the young couple to wither and die in their new environment?
Most of all, can Ted and Janet grow together as they cultivate a loving marriage, juggle parenting with work, and root a thriving business?
Follow this couple’s inspiring story, filled with the joy and triumphs and the obstacles and failures experienced as they travel along the turbulent path of turning dreams into reality.
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| A cup of tea and a "warm, enlightening memoir" |
EXCERPT: Beginning of Chapter 7, Settling In
The next morning, the first wake-up in our
new apartment, a yelp of surprise and delight erupted from me as I surveyed the
snow-blanketed landscape out the front apartment window overlooking the street
below. From our second-story perch, I could see all the way to Fremont Lake.
Tall pine trees bowed with the weight of the snow. Overnight the view had
changed and now reminded me of a painting in a children’s picture book in
grays, whites, and blues.
For a girl raised in the middle of the
cornfields in Central Illinois, the landscape’s beauty was one I had never
experienced. Snow fell in Illinois, but rarely like this.
I heard Ted at the kitchen door stomping the
snow off his shoes before stepping in on the kitchen floor. The sound of the
door slammed shut behind him. I rushed to the kitchen to see him headed for the
coffee pot. Unfortunately, he didn’t remove his shoes and tracked snow across
the floor.
“Isn’t it gorgeous outside?” I flung my hands
to the window that faced the back yard of the shop.
When he turned from the coffee pot with mug
in hand, I nearly gasped seeing his scowling face. For sure, he had no appreciation
for the beauty of the snowfall.
“What’s wrong?” I stepped nearer to him,
hoping our conversation wouldn’t wake Sara.
“Look outside. The U-Haul truck is buried
in the snow. I’ve been out there shoveling. But there’s no way I can do it. I’m
going to have to get somebody to tow it out of there.” He took a sip of hot
coffee.
My happy countenance turned to malevolent
dread. We had to return the truck to the company before noon or pay for another
day’s rental.
“I’m going to call the Ford dealership,
Wiersema Ford, across the street from the shop. I hope they can help us out.”
“Well that’s one way to meet the new
neighbors,” I joked. He didn’t laugh.
After the phone call, the tow truck arrived
and easily towed the truck out of the snow. What a great neighbor we had. We
returned the truck to the U-Haul dealer in town on time.
I had no idea on that first morning that I
wouldn’t see bare ground in Michigan again until May!
Nothing could ruin that day for me. After
the months of planning, the sale of our home in Marseilles, the floral design
schooling and absence from Sara, the packing and finally the trip north, I was
anxious to make our dream come true. I hoped our bright dreams of a smooth road
to success wouldn’t turn into a bumpy, curvy road of regret.
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12 comments:
Great snippet. I grew up on the west side of Michigan and remember all the snow. One time there was too much snow on our front walkway and against our front door for the rest of the winter until it melted.
Snow, snow. Sounds like more than I would want these days. Keep writing
Great introduction! The cover is beautiful.
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Dee
I remember calling my sister one Easter after a late two-foot snowfall in the Canadian Rockies and telling her I couldn't even see our car, just a big lump of snow. So I empathize.
We're on the west side of MI near Muskegon. You would know what I saw that snowy morning for sure. Thank you for stopping in.
Yes, that right was beautiful but way too much tjat morning.
Ooh snow instead of a lovely spring day for Easter. Disappointing.
Hey, J. Q. You are such a good writer and it really shines in this memoir. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the world. :)
Who hasn't been there, with one spouse up and the other kinda down? You describe it very well!
Thank you, Marsha. You put sunshine in this dreary day.
Thank you. That sums up the relationship very well in order to overcome obstacles. Work together!
I know for a fact that is a great snippet from your memoir.
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