We are not going out of business, but... for a number of reasons, explained below, we have decided to close our store, Mooseland Tours & Gifts, in Norway, Maine, and to suspend moose tours for this summer. It is our sincere hope that our friends who have returned (for several years now) to take tours with us will bear with us as we make some major changes.
Many of you know that last summer was devastating for us. My mother (85year old) recovered from one hip replacement operation, then suffered through the same procedure twice more because of an infection deep in her hip. She was back and forth between the hospital and rehab at a nearby nursing home and my brother, sister and I were at her side daily. She returned to the rehab a few days after the third surgery weak, confused and stressed. Not surprisingly, she was back in the hospital a week later with a heart attack.
While Mom was making her journey through all these traumatic events and eventually was regaining her strength, Leon's father was admitted to another nursing home. Mom was allowed to return home on August 25, and was visited regularly by home nurses and therapists. Lewis remained in the nursing home, failing over the next two months. His brother Francis (Leon's uncle) died October 13 and Lewis died a week later on his 94th birthday.
I had put my own hip replacement off for a year and a half, and planned to have it done in the fall. After seeing what Mom had been through I will admit I was not anxious to rush out and have mine done. We were all exhausted too. Having Mom home and being responsible for her well being and protecting her new hip was a HUGE thing. Doctors haven't diagnosed her with altzheimer's but she does have some form of dementia. No short term memory. The day after her surgery she didn't know why she was in the hospital and pulled out her IV. Even two months later when she came home, she couldn't fathom why we fussed at her about crossing her legs or bending over to pick things up. She cannot be left alone.
Last August we moved the computer home and I have worked from home ever since. Leon kept the store open for a couple months. We normally close for a week or two after Christmas, but this past winter we decided to close for the winter so we could both rest. Then too, I had come to the conclusion I couldn't put my surgery off any longer. I can hardly get in and out of the car. My first appointment with the surgeon was in January and I expected to have it done by end of March. Instead I developed cellulitis in my (bad) leg and had to work through antibiotics and circulation tests. My next appointment was in April. Surgery originally set for May 30th was moved to June 19th when we learned my daughter's graduation was to be June 1st, and I didn't want to miss it.
Add into this mix the fact that I also need cataract surgery, my daughter's baby is due any minute, we need to make repairs to Mom's house, I need time to recuperate, and I may just have a breakdown if I can't stop and rest, get things straightened out! It was time to sign the new lease. I couldn't do it.
We are sad to let the store go and to put off the moose tours, but it feels necessary at this time. The online businesses will stay in place, and hopefully another year, we will reopen and resume the moose tours, probably from a new location.
I'm going to be making some changes to the Mooseland site. There will still be moose stories and wildlife pictures, especially moose, of course. The Gift Shop will be reworked and should be fresh and new looking with lots of wonderful new items, mostly New England handcrafts, starting with a lovely line of quilted hot mats filled w/balsam, balsam draft dodgers, and quilted wall hangings. Also available soon in our online gift shop -- moose wall hangings made from our exclusive designs, our own seasonal wreaths, reproductions of antique toys, original craft patterns, and many wonderful ornaments, clothing items, and dolls. We hope you will visit us there!
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