06/03/2025
To all my faithful, patient followers and admirers of my work…
It’s been a long haul, y’all…
From the separation in my marriage, causing the closing of PinkDane Studio in Waynesville NC, and the consequential moving back to my home state of Wild, Wonderful West Virginia in June of 2023.
In November of 2023, I started working through the state’s Medicaid program, and became my Daddy’s caregiver. He had two types of dementia, vascular & lewy body, so by January of 2024, I had to move into the family homestead with my sweet Daddy to care for him full-time. Also, as many of you know, PD, my beloved Great Dane, was up there in age, and not doing well, so I was taking care of him, in the same manner as I took care of Daddy, in some ways.
My beautiful, master billiard instructor, master carpenter, master rock mason, hilariously funny, the ultimate jokester, my sweet 🥰☺️ Daddy, passed from this earth, Heaven bound, April 10, 2024, and it took a beat to recover from that.
Then, July 2024, brought the loss of my sweet PD, my sweet love. 💔 😔 He would have been 11 that October, that is pretty old for a Great Dane, and so, again, my world was a jumble of sadness anew.
I was in a daze for a couple of months, heart broken 💔 😢 and exhausted. After sleeping for about a month and staying off the radar, I went back to work, still in the caregiving field bc I love to make people feel loved and cared for…
I was then blessed with many sleepless 💤 nights, puddles of piddle to clean up, and many laughs 😂 at my new BabyDane’s antics. Tav Cillian came into my life on August 26, 2024. 37 # of voracious energy and fun.
There were tough times, my friends, and some very blessed ones as well… the good Lord held me up through it all; even when it was knuckle dragging at times, my feet dash against the stones. Thank You, Jesus for Your mercies every day… 🤲 He gave me smiles and reminders daily of His love… ❤️
In October, hurricane flooding devastation hit NC, the area where I used to live. Many died and lost so much… My youngest son and his family still lived there, and many friends, were in dire situations. I am so thankful they were saved and got to safety. November brought my youngest son, his wife and my three grandchildren to my door, from NC, in need. Now, you know, this Lita opened her arms wide and her home to her sweeties, along with the grandbaby animals.
Finally, in December 2024, the much desired closure and release that I had to wait a year happened: divorce. Those who know me personally, know that there were many, many years of sadness for me there…
November-January 2025, consisted mostly of the kids settling in, with the busyness of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years sandwiched in between.
And then, February 6, 2025… Another JOLT ⚡️ of horrific sadness, turmoil, and hardship. Lightning ⚡️ struck and caught the poolroom on fire burning away priceless memories and mementos of my brother, that can never be replaced. Chan Whitt Jr. “The Prince of Pool”…
We are still at work restoring the poolroom. The wall has been erected and the damaged roofing replaced, with so much more to do, so many thousands of dollars in damage; bit by bit though… 🙏 my Daddy’s and my brother’s Legacy will be restored. ❤️
Whew! 😅 April 18th rolls around… I pull into work, cut off my sweet lil red Mini, “Criani”, and walk into the apt… Seven minutes later, a knock on the door, “Is this your lil red car on fire?!” Instant migraine. Disbelief.
Thankful to my brother in law for leaving me his vehicle, and my sister, until I was able to find another lil red Mini almost exactly like “Criani”, except with black stripes and a black roof, instead of white.
May 14th, my first Amtrak ride!! To NYC. IT WAS FABULOUS! The city was GORGEOUS!! All the sounds, sights, and smells…. Tip: (I learned the hard way) 🤣 Do not use Waze for walking directions!!!! It took me round abcs round, back tracking, right back to where I started, the morning I left the hotel. My legs were so tired!!!!! Where!!!! Finally, I asked for directions, that’s what we woman do, you know… 🤪🤣 When I got to Penn Station, I took the Long Island Railroad to Long Island to pick up my new Mini at Twins Motors LLC in Wantagh. I named her “Twinsy” after her soul sister, “Criani” and she is beautiful…!!!
In the midst of all of the above, I feel as if I have lost something of myself this past year and a half, not having my studio, and with all the things that have kept me from being able to shoot in studio, as I soooooo looooove to do!!!!
HAPPY THOUGH …!!! I am in the process of putting together Studio space. I have a few things to move around, set up, etc; but it will come together. I really need to shoot. In studio. That is my HAPPY PLACE!! & I have a goal… By my birthday, mid-July, I will have a place to create, for me, in my own studio space, even if it is only a space large enough “for me”, my strobes and my table top. 😂 ❤️
In the meanwhile, I am posting old work to give myself a visual dream… a reminder of the future and ideas of what I want to create once my lil studio ready!
P.S. My website is down at the moment. I had to let it go bc of the poolroom fire. All my $ had to go to getting it under cover and weather proof. It will be back up when my studio is back up. ❤️💕❤️
