Pining For My Smokehouse 107/365

The year was 2004. I had been living in Chicago with my mom and aunt and working for a wrought iron supplier and fabricator. Things were not going well. At work I was being asked to do telephone sales among other things not in my job description. At home I was choking to death on cigarette smoke (couldn't even open a window DO NOT get me started on this). I was traveling 120 miles one way on weekends to see Jack and mourning when I had to go back north. Not happy, not happy.

Then in June I had to come back downstate for my oldest son's wedding. Jack took the incentive to see that I stayed there.

This is "The Smokehouse" that sits behind Grandma Halley's house. Jack fixed it up for me and made a rule of NO KIDS ALLOWED. Eventually we decreed they couldn't even come on the steps leading up to the door. It was my haven. I decorated it in my favorite Cowboy and Indian theme. Everyone who saw it loved it.

My mom came over after the wedding. I showed her my smokehouse and she said  "You're not coming home are you?"

Nope.

I had to leave the smokehouse behind when I moved to Colorado. That's OK, it lives in my heart.

My 365 is me getting ready for Gabe's Wedding. I called it "I am not amused" but I can't remember why.