When Corey invited her followers to share their stories,
it seemed like the least I could do in thanks for all the beauty,
positivity and joy she has shared with us.
I have not had the pleasure of meeting Corey in person,
but it could have happened more easily four years ago.
Let me explain. My husband, Mick, teaches at Savannah College of Art and Design.
SCAD has four campuses. One of them is in Lacoste, France.
Mick was offered the chance to teach there for a quarter in January 2017.
Prior to leaving for France, a friend, Rita Szarka, who had met Corey
when she owned an antique shop in town,
mentioned that I should follow the Tongue in Cheek blog.
I’m so glad she did!
With much preparation and excitement, my husband and I
left the day after Christmas for nine weeks at the SCAD campus in the medieval town of Lacoste.
Lacoste is relatively near Corey’s home by car.
Unfortunately, we did not have a car at our disposal.
We used school vans to transport students to local markets in Isle Sur la Sorge and Apt.
We traveled to Nimes, Paris, Avignon, Lyon, and Marseilles.
It was an amazing experience.
While my husband taught, I volunteered in the school library
and helped drive students to various events.
The experience will stay in my heart always.
I hope to return to France one day and finally
meet Corey and thank her for the daily reminders
of that special time in my life.
A street scene in Lacoste.
Mick and I in the Opera House in Paris
Mick and I on the aqueduct in Nîmes.
Views from our apartment and from the hillside of Lacoste.
What was my life like before and after Lacoste?
I was born and raised in beautiful Ohio and was the third child in a family of six kids.
My 97-year-old lively mother and four of my siblings still live in Ohio.
One sister resides in North Carolina.
Carol, Mark, Paul, Mom, myself, Anita, Janet
I met my artist husband in college in our first class, an art course.
Later we married and raised two sons who are very talented guys.
Both live now in California.
I am a retired Language Arts teacher. I loved my 34 years teaching middle school students
and stay in touch with many of them still.
In 2008 my husband applied for a job at SCAD and was accepted.
We left Ohio after living there for over 50 years and made a home for ourselves in Bluffton SC,
across the river from Savannah, Georgia.
This area is filled with beautiful history, nature and weather,
but I admit my heart sorely miss seeing our sons and my original family.
It took a while to adjust to my new location. Time has helped.
I eventually began some volunteering with two groups that had special meaning for me.
Born to Read is an organization
that encourages new parents to read to their babies starting at infancy.
Reading to children has proven to be one of the best ways to build vocabulary,
thinking, and listening skills. It truly prepares children for school.
In my volunteer role, I visit new mothers at the local hospital and share a bag filled with information,
books, a shirt, and a bib to promote the Born to Read program.
Sadly, I cannot visit the moms during this coronavirus time.
Of course, both are on hold right now.
Besides volunteering, I love to cook, read, sew, golf, walk, and ride a bicycle.
I prepare meals daily and have been reading a lot during this homebound time.
To remain creative and productive, quilting has become an interest of mine.
I usually make baby quilts for family members and other items for people I love.
This quilt was started in 1979 and finished over 30 years later!
T- a quilt for a nephew; B- a quilt for a guest bedroom
This is a spare baby quilt that I made just to play with these colors.
My family – Max, Mick, myself and Justin
Our family members are always described as creative, and they truly are.
My husband is a very hardworking, handsome, and good man.
He rides motorcycles, golfs, boats, bicycles and is always busy.
He paints contemporary canvases in his spare time.
Chris and her sons.
Our older son, Max, was born an artist.
He worked for years as a special effect artist for commercials
and movies while living in Santa Monica.
To relax from his long hours at work,
he would unwind by drawing on his iPad using the Procreate app.
He has a big following worldwide and has been
featured in magazines and invited internationally
to make presentations.
Eventually, Max created more usable digital brushes for the app.
He is self-employed with his company, Max Packs.
Our younger son, Justin, lives in Encinitas with his lovely girlfriend.
Justin has a very outgoing personality and is a salesman for a living.
He has always had an artist’s eye for photography.
We are so impressed by his zest for life,
his love of animals, and his beautiful photos
I’m very proud of all of my guys.
We have not been able to visit our sons in a year.
They were scheduled to visit this past March but canceled
when the virus became so threatening.
Other than missing my sons so much, it is no secret
that there is something else I long for.
At age 69 I am not yet a mother-in-law or grandmother.
In my hopes to invite those special people into my life,
I purchased an antique baby rattle from Corey
and had it made into a necklace.
I hope when I wear it that this sweet item inspires the universe
to fill that void. Dropping hints with my sons has not worked!
Thank you for reading my very long blog submission.
As a former teacher, I love words and writing.
I have greatly admired all the women and men who have shared their talents
and stories earlier!
May you all stay safe productive and have a purpose that fills your heart.
Sincerely, Chris Ulichney
I can be reached at chrisulichney@gmail.com
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