Just Everyday Life

So here's why I'm no good at journaling. Every day life. It seems so mundane and boring, why write about it? I always get a good start, then just fizzle out after a few days. Every time. Right now I feel like we are just in limbo, waiting. Waiting for the call with a surgery date. It's torture. I'm a planner. I like to know things as soon as possible. And while we wait, life goes on. All the usual stuff, washing dishes (endless dishes), keeping up with laundry, cooking- always cooking, cleaning house, constant work in my studio, opening and closing my shop every day, and never enough time or energy to play piano. I'm tired all the time these days. I think it's age more than anything. lol.

I've run right out of motivation to work in my Art studio. That never happens. Ever. I love being in there. It's my life. Christmas just gets so hectic in there, it gets overwhelming and every year gets busier as my business grows. I don't want it to get to a point that it's just work. Painting thousands of acorns this fall, got to be just work. It was boring and monotonous. But it was good money and we really needed it. Even the 150 ornaments got to be just work. They start to become an assembly line as well, when they are selling as fast as I paint them. This next year, my goal is to be a little more prepared for the holiday rushes. I really need to be on the ball and paint ahead of schedule. Harder than you might think, because people are always buying for each holiday that comes along. And there's one about every other month at least.

I really like to spend some time in mid-winter doing some oil paintings. I have some ideas tucked away in my head that are just bursting to be put to canvas. Something very different than I've done before. More personal and a representation of what I've gone through this year. I hope to start right after Christmas. Maybe before the Valentine's rush...... stay tuned.

So last night, Randy and Anna and I were able to spend an evening out in Elmira. We ate out, stopped into a few favorite stores to poke around and ended with visiting Twinkle Town Farm to see their Christmas lights. It was beautiful. It was 4 degrees out and the lights were warm enough to create a gentle fog over the snow. It was such a lovely effect! It was a long hour and a half drive home, but we sure had a wonderful evening, just being together, enjoying Christmas and making some memories. There is nothing like the fear of death to make you live in the moment every day. Every day life takes on a little more meaning.

Today seemed a little slow. One customer in my shop, (thank-you!) but I had time to finish up my custom orders for Christmas. It's such a relief to have that off my plate. Don't tell anyone, but custom orders are not my favorite thing to do. lol. It's a lot of pressure to put someone else's idea, from their head, onto a surface of some sort and hope that you have envisioned the same thing they did. I always stress about it. To date, everyone has always loved what I've done for them. And I've done hundreds of orders over the years. I don't know why I stress. lol. Just my nature. I'm so much more comfortable just doing my own thing. Now I feel like I can relax between now and Christmas.

We also had some local friends stop by and bring us some groceries. What a blessing! People have been so kind to us!! We are so thankful to God for everyone around us. We feel very loved and supported here. Anna and Doggy stopped in to eat supper with us. She is a regular here for dinner. It's always nice to have someone to chat with at dinner. She is always perky and has a smile. Randy and I tend to be quiet because we spend all day together. We kinda know everything that's happened already. lol

Tomorrow is my day off. I intend to enjoy every minute of it. I will find some time to play piano.