It was February of 2017 when our founder Jodee received her first powerful email from Judy. After reading a Cardie Newsletter in which Jodee had mourned the loss of a good friend and special mentor, Judy sent her a lovely little votive candle along with an embroidered handkerchief. “At the time,” Jodee recalls, “Judy and I did not know each other, but she honored my emotions and touched my heart in a way I will never forget.”
Jodee encouraged Judy to “Introduce Yourself” to the community, and here’s what this word wizard had to say. “I feel honored to be a Cardie among Cardies! In the St. Louis Art Museum, I visited the gift shop and THERE were Cardthartic cards.
“I am a woman who feels magical, believes in fairies, loves stories (both to tell and hear), loves all things paper and writing instruments (which lead us to write more letters) loves to read and watch movies, loves people — eccentric, weird, unusual or different is okay, even encouraged — thinks she will live to be 104 years old, loves good food, treats her home like a refuge, loves her bed, adores winter and snow, is an eight on the enneagram (on the bossy side), loves snakes, lizards (I once told a story to a lizard in a park), spiders, turtles and skunks, loves zinnias and trees, loves pins and rings, loves birds, loves the night, loves the moon, loves rainy days, likes to play Scrabble, wants to learn mahjong, can be nosy, whose core belief (one of them, anyway) is ‘Everything works to the good.’ Actually, I myself might be considered a little on the eccentric side.”
Hehe, Judy went on to say, “I knew a woman who, at 92 years old, regularly mowed her own large lawn herself. When I spotted Eleanor down on the ground one day, I rushed over thinking she had fallen. SILLY ME! She was cleaning the mower blades. Having a cup of coffee with her one afternoon, I asked Eleanor what she thought kept her so active at 92. Her reply: ‘I have a glass of Mogen David wine each morning with my breakfast.’ WOOHOO!! She proceeded to show me the bottle of Mogen David, as well as her glass — one of those small vintage genteel wine glasses (it had thistles etched on it)! When she died, I purchased that glass at ‘the sale.’ Bought it for $2. I would have paid $100! Here’s to all the women like Eleanor. May we be those women.”
Always delighted by her writing in even the simplest of emails, we’ve often published Judy’s musings in our Cardie Newsletter. Here’s one:
When I planted my jonquil bed
many moons ago,
I left a space in the middle
where I can lie down
surrounded by jonquils.
The aroma is thought-altering.
I sat down in the middle of
my jonquil bed on Sunday.
Took a stack of Cardthartic cards
with me, one for each of 10 neighbors
and friends, writing their name on
the corner of the envelope
so I would not forget which was which.
The jonquils are beginning
to encroach on that space.
I had to tell them,
‘Whoa, don’t take liberties!’
I left feeling gifted by
the beauty of both the jonquils
and the Cardthartic cards.
A two-for-one experience.
When one of Judy’s oldest and dearest friends, Eunice, passed away in Feburary of 2023, Jodee asked if she could share this most powerful email from Judy.
well, jodee,
grief is living with me now.
he has lived with me before.
we are old friends,
having been companions
several times before this.
i know his ways.
i now welcome him.
“hello friend, come in.”
he gives me a hug, sits down
and stays for a time.
in the beginning, he will
visit often, sometimes
staying the night.
he will leave after
a bit, but he will always
come back.
i realized this time WHY
i stay at home and do not
speak on the phone much
when he is here.
i have a guest and i
do not want to leave
him alone as we
have much to share.
i did go to the coffee shop
a couple of days ago and
left him to sleep in.
he was hurt, as he wants
to go with me everywhere.
he is like that.
i will be in touch when he leaves,
judy
♥
And, oh yeah, she’s earned Contributing Cardie with her card-writing, too. Yay for Judy!
Cards with Messages by Judy
It was February of 2017 when our founder Jodee received her first powerful email from Judy. After reading a Cardie Newsletter in which Jodee had mourned the loss of a good friend and special mentor, Judy sent her a lovely little votive candle along with an embroidered handkerchief. “At the time,” Jodee recalls, “Judy and I did not know each other, but she honored my emotions and touched my heart in a way I will never forget.”
Jodee encouraged Judy to “Introduce Yourself” to the community, and here’s what this word wizard had to say. “I feel honored to be a Cardie among Cardies! In the St. Louis Art Museum, I visited the gift shop and THERE were Cardthartic cards.
“I am a woman who feels magical, believes in fairies, loves stories (both to tell and hear), loves all things paper and writing instruments (which lead us to write more letters) loves to read and watch movies, loves people — eccentric, weird, unusual or different is okay, even encouraged — thinks she will live to be 104 years old, loves good food, treats her home like a refuge, loves her bed, adores winter and snow, is an eight on the enneagram (on the bossy side), loves snakes, lizards (I once told a story to a lizard in a park), spiders, turtles and skunks, loves zinnias and trees, loves pins and rings, loves birds, loves the night, loves the moon, loves rainy days, likes to play Scrabble, wants to learn mahjong, can be nosy, whose core belief (one of them, anyway) is ‘Everything works to the good.’ Actually, I myself might be considered a little on the eccentric side.”
Hehe, Judy went on to say, “I knew a woman who, at 92 years old, regularly mowed her own large lawn herself. When I spotted Eleanor down on the ground one day, I rushed over thinking she had fallen. SILLY ME! She was cleaning the mower blades. Having a cup of coffee with her one afternoon, I asked Eleanor what she thought kept her so active at 92. Her reply: ‘I have a glass of Mogen David wine each morning with my breakfast.’ WOOHOO!! She proceeded to show me the bottle of Mogen David, as well as her glass — one of those small vintage genteel wine glasses (it had thistles etched on it)! When she died, I purchased that glass at ‘the sale.’ Bought it for $2. I would have paid $100! Here’s to all the women like Eleanor. May we be those women.”
Always delighted by her writing in even the simplest of emails, we’ve often published Judy’s musings in our Cardie Newsletter. Here’s one:
When I planted my jonquil bed
many moons ago,
I left a space in the middle
where I can lie down
surrounded by jonquils.
The aroma is thought-altering.
I sat down in the middle of
my jonquil bed on Sunday.
Took a stack of Cardthartic cards
with me, one for each of 10 neighbors
and friends, writing their name on
the corner of the envelope
so I would not forget which was which.
The jonquils are beginning
to encroach on that space.
I had to tell them,
‘Whoa, don’t take liberties!’
I left feeling gifted by
the beauty of both the jonquils
and the Cardthartic cards.
A two-for-one experience.
When one of Judy’s oldest and dearest friends, Eunice, passed away in Feburary of 2023, Jodee asked if she could share this most powerful email from Judy.
well, jodee,
grief is living with me now.
he has lived with me before.
we are old friends,
having been companions
several times before this.
i know his ways.
i now welcome him.
“hello friend, come in.”
he gives me a hug, sits down
and stays for a time.
in the beginning, he will
visit often, sometimes
staying the night.
he will leave after
a bit, but he will always
come back.
i realized this time WHY
i stay at home and do not
speak on the phone much
when he is here.
i have a guest and i
do not want to leave
him alone as we
have much to share.
i did go to the coffee shop
a couple of days ago and
left him to sleep in.
he was hurt, as he wants
to go with me everywhere.
he is like that.
i will be in touch when he leaves,
judy
♥
And, oh yeah, she’s earned Contributing Cardie with her card-writing, too. Yay for Judy!
Cards with Messages by Judy
You are another gift brought to us by Jodee. Love the Jonquil image of you!! Thanks for sharing.