A Business Outing

Yesterday Lisbeth and I drove to Portland early to fetch a few of her newly printed tee shirts for her Etsy shop. We are trying to get her involved in the various aspects of her business, like running errands such as this. Because of her disabilities, which include chronic physical pain, high anxiety, behavioral disturbances, and uncontrolled seizures, Lisbeth is unable to work a daily job like some folks with special needs are able to do.
When I arrived at Lisbeth's house, her helper informed me that she'd just given Lis a half of a lorazepam because Lis was having strong seizure auras. Lis had her water bottle and PRN meds ready to take with us.

Lis likes to be very warm, so she bundles up and we crank up the heat in the car. Because of her TBI, she can't tolerate layers of sound. No radio, Mom. Can't hear the noise!

It's about a 40 minute drive to State of Mind, the print shop that silkscreens Lisbeth's shirts for us. I like that a place called State of Mind prints Lisbeth's brains (how Lis refers to her snowflake/mandalas...)

Lisbeth has been here once before, but it is not left in her brain (Lis-ism). Today it feels brand new and strange. We take it slow...

A nice woman named Sharon Putnam greets us and gives us the finished shirts. She is minding the shop for her son, Paul Mitchell, who does all his silkscreening by hand. Sharon brings out Lisbeth's designs printed on mylar. These are the images that get shot to the screens. We spend some time making sure that we have the correct title on each mandala. Lisbeth enjoys seeing her snowflakes all black. She calls this the scary way of it and remarks that her friend Charles would like them (Charles was a fellow student in the Special Ed department with Lisbeth at Brunswick High School. He wore tee shirts with skulls and scary stuff on them, and his favorite color was black). Lis wonders why there aren't more of her designs here - I assure her that we will soon be making new screens with more of her wonderful designs!

Sharon lets me sneak a peek in the back where the printing happens. I try to get Lisbeth to come with me, but she does not want to. She is getting uncomfortable now and wants to leave. We've made plans to get lunch out and she is ready to roll.

The drive and the lorazepam take their toll.

Lunch revives Lis somewhat...

Business partners.

Back home it's time for a nap. Milkweed tucks Lisbeth in on her couch.

I kiss Lisbeth and Milkweed and head home to photograph the new shirts in my backyard just in time before snow starts to fly...