Where Has the Time Gone?

 

I was so proud of keeping up with my posts on a regular basis...even if it was only once a month. How on earth did I go from August to DECEMBER without realizing I'd missed posting?

Well, it has been pretty busy, actually. I was thinking about it a couple of weeks ago and I realized that I've been working like I did when I was in my 30s over the past few months




.

I guess that isn't exactly accurate either. I'm working smarter than I did when I was in my 30s. I'm getting more than 2 hours of sleep most nights. I'm taking better care of myself and my health. When I'm feeling really, really broken or exhausted I stop for a bit. I've said “no” to a few things. So maybe not quite like I did when I was in my 30s, but...long days, 7 days a week most of the time...working hard, working constantly.

There is another difference. More of the work is either “for” me, or what I'm increasingly seeing as the “right” kind of work. That also means there is less money involved – certainly for most of it there isn't a financial paycheque, but it pays in other ways.

August, September, October, even into November there was a chunk of work going into the yard – the building of my little permaculture paradise. The harvesting of what was a pretty meager bunch of stuff this year – for all the planting I did, all the annual seeds, with the crazy weather and the extreme wet, very little thrived. The trees and the perennials did, and that was more important to me this year. But not so much the things I thought I'd be harvesting. There was also the things I did to help a neighbour or two in their gardens, and what they so generously let me harvest from their bounty. Or what they harvested and then gifted excess to us. All of that needed to be processed or packed away so that it didn't go to waste, and as little as there may have been it ate up a lot of time. The more of your own food you create the closer to a full time job it becomes, but hey, eating is of pretty prime importance on my list.

Circumstances and events also have me providing more care for some local animals, chief cook and chambermaid as it were. This is something I'm happy to do, no matter the time it takes. The time spent is invaluable, important and has its own set of rewards. It won't be forever, and I have the time to give, so it is what I choose to do. No obligations, no expectations, it is just the right thing to do. And there is no questioning the appreciation I receive in return – I'm making a difference, however small.

I had thought this was going to be a quiet time, so I decided to take a course as well, during this period. Well, it turns out it wasn't a quiet time, but I'd already committed to the course, so...

Then there was the fact that I lucked into a really great part-time job, which also does provide a paycheque, and makes a difference in my day-to-day. I get to work with some great people and it offers me a lot to learn. It gets me introduced to a bit of the local community. Not to mention it is in an absolutely delicious environment...cheese has always been one of my favourite food groups!

I've even had a little bit of wig building work – again, grateful for that for both the income it provides and for keeping my skills intact. Plus knotting is still something I very much enjoy.

 

Through all of this, I've been putting in a lot of work on Elfworks. I've been trying to get some things photographed, supposedly for getting more things up on the website, which hasn't happened, but I'm not giving up just yet. I was accepted into the Museum of Dufferin's annual Holiday Treasures show again this year, and I was determined to have at least a few new designs beyond a few new pewter pieces for it. I did, in fact, manage to design and execute some new product, and a few new designs. I've been trying to keep up with photographing things in process, both for publication here and for more detailed articles that I put up on my Patreon Page https://www.patreon.com/elfworksstudios . 

 

So, I have been writing, I've just missed writing here – I put up at least 2 things per month on the Patreon page, though I strive for more. I have a number of half-researched articles I'm working on for that being kicked into shape, if more slowly than I'd like. And while I did miss a few weeks, I've also been trying to keep up my social media posts on Facebook and Instagram as best I can. 

 

So all in all, I guess it isn't all that surprising that this blog got away from me, though I certainly didn't mean to let it happen. I'm picking up the torch again, and will strive to keep up. I'm not sure things have quieted down all that much, but I seem to have a slightly better handle on some of them. A few things are finished up and some have just become a little more manageable. I'm working on an exciting new project for Elfworks, that I can't talk about just yet, and I'm very pleased with how well it is coming along. I have plans for a number of other projects once it is finished, and we are continuing to work on the forge space. The winter months will likely also see some more space renovations get underway, opening up lots of new opportunities and possibilities for making.

 

I look forward to telling you more about the ups and downs here, and whats going on. I'll make every effort to get back to regular postings and keep those who are interested in following along in the loop. If I don't get back here before then, I wish everyone the happiest of Holiday seasons, whatever you celebrate (even if all you celebrate is having some time off.)