08/23/2026
In 2023, for Eric + I's 20th wedding anniversary, I gifted us matching tattoos.
In what is a perfect metaphor for marriage, it took us 3 years almost to the day to settle on a concept, actual design(s), then finally book time with Sjeli of Sjeli Pearse || Tattoo artist to actually get inked.
We loved the idea of our home as our castle. It's a private place where we (+ our daughters) can shed our armour, feel safe + protected from the outside world, fall apart + be loved as our true selves.
Anyone that knows us, knows that my left-brained engineer husband's idea of a castle is VERY different than mine! But I absolutely love what we came up with + what Sjeli executed for us.
And really, isn't this what marriage is all about? Compromise, communication, celebrating + accepting your partner's differences.
Marriage is hard, especially after children + decades together, when the rosy, hormone-fueled, exciting early years are done.
It's showing up + choosing each other over + over again.
Eric + I have lived so many lives since we met 25 years ago on a bass-thumping dancefloor in a nightclub downtown Toronto. Three moves, many job losses, deaths, estrangement from my family, my catastrophic mental health breakdown + recovery, raising children - the last of which is off to university in 2 weeks - opening the shop, + countless moments of joy + laughter + tears + therapy in between.
I wouldn't be alive without this man.
So Bounty from the Boonies wouldn't exist without this man.
And I wouldn't know any of you + my staff/customers (some of which have become dear friends) without this man.
I am SO f #&king happy to be ALIVE + creating this shop + community.
And I can do it because of my castle.
Happy 23rd Wedding Anniversary, my Eric (AKA Carly's Husband!).
I love you always.
❤️ Carly xo
(P.S. - marriage is also fully supporting your wife's Heated Rivalry obsession + gifting her homemade merch!)