The beginning of the Story....
It may or may not be your thing, but my husband Randy and I love a good story. Whether listening to it or sharing it, it's part of how we have grown and discovered new experiences and people. Sharing this adventure we are embarking on 30 days from now seems like it has the makings of a good story, and because of how I'm wired, I knew it would be important for me to document the "process" of it all. I'm a big believer in trusting the process....and it has led us to this crazy next chapter. There are a lot of people scratching their heads wondering "what the heck" and thinking we might be more than a little bit crazy, as well as family members and friends who are traveling in spirit with us on this adventure. Hopefully this blog will shed some light on our excitement, at the same time introducing Randy and I to the town of Wabash, and generating some interest in 4Partners In Crime before it opens.
Our adventure officially begins June 15th, 2021. We are leaving California and moving to Wabash, IN. Yep....we are going to be Hoosiers! We are both Californians, born and raised. We went to school here, moved through various rites of passage here, lost loved ones, made some incredible friends that have become family and started successful businesses. Both of us married others here (the marriages didn't work out but we each have amazing children as a result) Randy has 3 and I have 3. All of our kids are grown and all but two are married, I'm eager to share them with you in later blogs.
It wasn't an easy decision to leave here. We have been discussing an exit strategy for a couple of years as this once incredible state no longer feels like the California we grew up in. We have considered Idaho and Montana, Tennessee and Kentucky....all of them lovely places, but nothing that really felt like it could be home.
Fast forward to October 2020 when CoVID and its dark and twisty tentacles started creeping in, that four artists, including myself decided we needed to immerse ourselves in something creative and new and get out of our own heads. Enter an incredible metal working artist by the name of Mary Hettmansperger. Dear friend, and sculptress extraordinaire Kirsten Stingle had taken a class in Georgia from Mary a couple years prior and figured all Mary could say was “no” to teaching 4 crazy women new art mediums. She didn’t say no and invited the four of us to come to her home in Wabash, IN for a week of immersive art. Done and Done.
Some day over a glass of wine, and definitely a future blog, if you’re interested we can chat about all the details of it but the first time we went into the town of Wabash (Mary lives on 500 acres about 20 minutes out) I was grabbed. Not sure what it was...the simplicity, the authenticity of the folks we were introduced too, the possibility of making a vision I have had for 20 years come true. The normalcy, the trees, the open spaces.....the fact that I could actually maybe have a Pygmy goat and chickens....and nobody would think twice. (Further research says probably no chickens but the Pygmy goat is a real possibility.)
I came home fired up and was really excited that Randy agreed to go check it out. As I said before we have been trying to come up with an exit strategy, and I’m going to say it out loud....I am a lot older than most of you and I want a simpler life. I have contributed to the success and wealth of several people/companies and Im sorta feeling like its my turn. We went and checked it out together. Randy had the same feelings around Wabash that I did. He loved it, together we talked about the potential and possibility of it. We started looking at residential properties and a place to create the idea of 4Partners in Crime. Before we knew it we had p
urchased a home and an incredibly cool building in the Historic District of downtown Wabash. Future home of 4 Partners In Crime and Julie and Randy Dickey!!
Wow! Yikes! OhMyGodWhatHaveWeDone! We are committed to the adventure and are excited to share it with you!
Great story. Had no idea Mary H was behind part of the inspiration. So glad you are here in my hometown and loving it.