A Real Week Behind the Heart of Brushwood Corners

(Nov 16th–26th)

Every time I sit down to write one of these Behind-the-Heart posts, I hope this will finally be the week that’s uplifting — the kind with a clean storyline, something light, something that feels like a break. I imagine I’ll be sharing wins, not war stories. Progress, not pressure. A stretch of days where everything finally smooths out.

And yet, here I am again telling the truth about the season I’m in — not falling apart, not “boohoo,” just… life.

This week’s blog spans Sunday evening, November 16th through Wednesday the 26th — truly Behind the Heart: A Real Long Week at the Corner.

Sunday, November 16 — The Text I Knew Was Coming

My Family home 2020, My sister and her children had moved in after the death of my mother in 2019.

Around 8:30 that night, I saw the message that rocked my world — the one I knew would eventually show up, but still hit hard when it did.

The house my parents bought in the early 60s.The house I grew up in. The home layered with memories, laughter, grief, and loss — including the last breaths of my sister and niece.

It was being torn down.

One thing my Sister and I both loved was our Cabbage Patch Kids. We could not wait to be moms.

Cindi and I, rocking the matching perms in the late 80s, why were we ever in a hurry to grow up? Perms and porch swing what could have been better.

My instinct wasn’t even to cry — it was to move. I started texting people right away… I knew in that moment I better get anything I could possibly want out. I had so many people offer to help move some of the heavier items when I got confirmation on what day demo was to start,

Monday, November 17 — Computer Work & Making Calls

A full day of computer work, calls, and trying to make arrangements to salvage the last items from the house.

Production? Barely touched. But the business side never sleeps.

Still no solid date. Still no answers.

Tuesday, November 18 — A Salon Win & A Rare Hour to Myself

Tuesday had two bright moments I didn’t expect. First — I met with our local salon. And I officially got a little area to display Brushwood Corners products. I ordered a great little Amazon shelf for it… and I’m still waiting. Holiday shipping delays are very, very real right now. Second — I did something I haven’t done much in the past year something for just me. I went on a “lunch date.” Quotation marks on purpose. It was just an hour and a half — a burger, some conversation, a little break from the weight of everything, although i did edit and post 2 TikTok video while i waited for food. Nothing dramatic, nothing serious. But it felt strangely good. Like remembering a part of myself I haven’t checked in with for a while. The rest of the day slid back into computer work and content — because that’s my rhythm now.

But that small moment of air? I appreciated it.

Wednesday & Thursday — Screens, Content, More Screens

Website updates. Photos. Files. Sales planning.

The digital side of Brushwood Corners is its own full-time job. I never knew how much was needed to be honest I am the laborer who enjoys creating and getting stuff done.

Friday, November 21 — The Day Everything Tried Me

I woke up with sheer motivation; I have had 2 new fragrances waiting for a home and 2 bars needing to be replaced yet again. Re-Energize was yet again this week's top seller. And although I want to just jump into Production Day pajamas and all I know this is a missed opportunity for that vital content I try to keep creating. SOOOO..

Production day — 150 bars plus a specialty six-bar order.

• Hair curled.

• Tripod ready.

• Phone angled just right.

• Record

Batch #1 recorded 47 seconds before the phone filled up. I spent an hour deleted old videos voice memos emails photos anything to make space for the next batch. I deleted a 20min video hoping that would give me space for another 20minute video.

Start Batch 2 still feeling motivated still trying

• Tripod ready.

• Phone angled just right

• Record.

Batch #2 only captured 4 minutes before the phone was full again.

I gave up batch #3, and hooked phone to computer to drop photos onto and clear 90% off the phone. Love when that tells you "No internal space." Well with all the wasted time that was the end of Production Day and clean up and dinner before work needs to begin.

I washed dishes, packed everything away, switched gears for the outside job — and carried the trays downstairs to the fridge. I stopped into the bathroom to wash my hands and catch the tub in the vanity mirror.

The bathtub was full of standing water from the soap dishes from the upstairs sink.

And the quote of the week wrote itself:

“Shitter’s full.”

The Weekend — No Flushing, No Drains, No Peace

No flushing. No sinks. No dishwasher. No laundry. No showers. Constant monitoring.

And not one single pump truck available on a weekend.

Sunday Night — News I Learned Too Late

A friend asked if I got what I needed out of the old house.

I said no one had called me — so I assumed demolition hadn’t started.

My daughter heard me from the other room and said the school bus drove past and the house and there was a bulldozer in the yard Friday, and her cousin was up there during the day working.

My stomach dropped.

The house as I last saw it after the fire boarded up waiting for its demise.

Monday, November 24 — Finally, Relief

Thank God — Blake Sanitation came out and cleared the line. The bill was minimal. Stress eased.

I bought an external hard drive at Best Buy because everything — phone and computer — was filled to capacity.

Then I drove to the property.

What's left!!

Everything was gone.

A brick home that stood more than half a century was now just a basement — a hole.

Tuesday, November 25 — Shipping, Outside Work & Soap Reality

Shipped orders. Outside job. Went to work and finally got to cutting the 150 bars waiting from the weekend.

Discovered 50 gelled internally — a first for this recipe.

Exterior color: perfect. Interior color: unexpected.

Wednesday, November 26 — Ten Days Straight

Ten days of nonstop everything.

Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Still moving.

This season has been heavy— truly Behind the Heart: A Real Long Week at the Corner — but I’m still here. Making. Shaping. Building. Digging myself out — one bar, one day at a time.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. Thank you for sticking with Brushwood Corners through the honest parts of the story.

— KariAnne