March 9-15, 2008

Stress seems to sneak up on me these days. I remember when I was younger stress caused me to loose weight (why can’t I be so lucky now?), or caused me to loose sleep, now stress sneaks up on me and I blow like a volcano only instead of spewing smoke and lava, I spew unkind words and tears. I wonder if it is the hormone changes that come with age, or if it is the way I live- at some heightened level of stress that I no longer recognize- so that a simple word or action can push me over the edge? Is working from home, owning my own business, and trying to balance life more stressful than I give it credit for? Or maybe I am just a wimp now, a bundle of hormones and emotions stewing in this body just looking for a way to escape, like that alien in the “Alien” movie. Well, what I can tell you is the prospect of a parent coming to live with you for an indeterminate amount of time is a lot more stressful than I expected it to be. It brings out your baggage from childhood (my room was never clean enough), and it heightens your maternal/paternal instincts (because at some level we do parent our parents when they live with us) and it can make you be the kind of person that you think your parent thinks you are (great another bar set too high).

And spinning around all this emotion and stress my week was full of stuff:

Sunday: I cleaned the kitchen-I mean really cleaned- rearranged food in the cabinets, moved silverware and plates, rearranged the pantry, and ended up with one heck of a headache that took up most of my afternoon trying to get rid of- it was a “I can’t even watch the NASCAR race” sort of bad…

Monday: K came to work and a lot got done. I did laundry and ordered supplies, cut soap, made soap, and we got the newsletter mailed. Dad was flying from Dallas to CA to start his trip home.

Tuesday: More soap, inventory for a store wrapped, inventory for a show labeled, and started wrapping inventory for another store. We did lots of show applications too.

Wednesday: Meltdown day. Ended up getting one batch of soap made and then went with K to the yarn store for some retail therapy and then out to lunch. Much better after a gluttonous amount of fiber was purchased.

Thursday: Meet with B for our meeting and lunch.

Friday: Errands, gardening (planted peas and started other seeds) and went to Stone Soup for and event that was cool but ended a little too early due to a power outage.

Saturday: Cleaned the bathrooms- rearranged cabinets, threw out old prescriptions, and scrubbed the entire room- walls and all. Something about my dad coming soon made me want my bathroom to be “cleaner than a truck stop” which it probably was even if I never touched it, but I needed it to be pristine. I also worked on more seed starting, some knitting and finished the kitchen (mopped the floors and scrubbed the counters)

March 2- March 8 2008

Sometimes when something terrible happens it doesn’t just show you what others mean to you, but what you mean to others. This week I had the unfortunate chance to help friends after a death in their family. I have always felt close with these two people, but they allowed me to help them in ways that showed me that just maybe I mean as much to them as they mean to me. You could say that I am making this “all about me” but really the week was “all about them” and not only what I could offer them, and what I could do, but what they felt comfortable enough to let me do and to trust me to do. It goes without saying that people, friends, like this are few and far between and I consider myself very lucky to have them, and after this week, I appreciate them even more. For some it is hard to ask for help, and I am honored that I was asked.

Sunday I downloaded books for dad from his Audible account, knit, helped C put up pictures and artwork, and we had dinner with B & M.

Monday I mailed out boxes, sent out taxes, and did housework

Tuesday I answered emails, helped B & M and worked on some orders

Wednesday I mailed out the orders, made soap, wrote and e-mailed the newsletter and printed it out so I could get it mailed

Thursday I made lists of things I need to buy ASAP, and made soap

Friday I did the usual errands (grocery, post office, etc) I also placed an order for some stuff for my garden, and went and got some crafty supply stuff. I also cleaned my van out and knit.

Saturday I went and did a craft show with B while M borrowed my van for the day to do some things he needed to get done. It was sort of odd to be at a show and not be selling soap, it certainly is a different experience.

February 24-March 1, 2008

I haven’t been this productive in a while. Between moving the computer out of my direct line of sight (therefore removing my desire to check my e-mail and Ravelry 100 times a day), and learning that I can boost my production by one batch a day (it is amazing the difference, new hot crack pots can make), I got a ton done. This as usual is just in time for life to stick out its foot and trip me up again. Oh well, at least it was one productive week.

Sunday: Ikea, Trader Joes, work on office move more and watch the race- which got delayed till Monday.

Monday: Lots of soap making! Almost done with the patchouli (yeah!!). Also did a bunch of laundry. I started making some glycerin soap- I had a bunch left over in a box and it’s time to get rid of it. Paid some show fees, caught up on some sales tax and that kind of administrative stuff.

Tuesday: more soap! Ocean tides, plus bills and cleaning the house some.

Wednesday: Lavender soap (not my favorite to make)

Thursday: basic soap, class with the kids (lip gloss and bath salts) and had a terrible migraine. Really need to get my eyes checked.

Friday: Updated my calendar, pics for Ravelry, posted some stuff for sale to a few soap newsgroups, meeting with B. Went to Ollies for some way cool, cheap yarn…

Saturday: Blocked knitting, went to Target, CVS, Joanne Fabrics, and lunch with C. Knit some, and went through boxes of artwork we have to figure what to keep, what to toss, and what to sell, as well as what to hang on the walls.