Monday- Balance is sometimes impossible

I strive for balance. That delicate line between working too much and goofing off too much, worrying and throwing caution to the wind, eating chocolate or lettuce all day, family obligations or time for myself. It is called balance for a reason, many days it is like walking a tight rope over the Grand Canyon. (nearly impossible)

I have had a hard weekend. C came home late of Thursday night and I wanted to work Friday am (until noon) to get things accomplished in the workshop. So I got up uber early and met dad, and started. I was cranky, miserable, and just shouldn't have been down there. It ended with me just walking out of the shop, fearful if I spent any more time with any thing human or animal, I would do or say something I would regret for life.

Saturday I spent just a few hours, enough to finish up Friday's work, and then I needed a break. Dad and I have been going day after day since I returned on the 10th. Long days with no breaks. I have gotten so much done and I am proud of myself, but the lack of balance took its toll and my attitude needed an adjustment. Yesterday afternoon C and I talked about balance. He busted some myths that I had about him. He doesn't need me to cook ever day he is home (it is nice and appreciated, but not necessary). He would like for me to take weekends off if possible (or at least take it easy when he is home so we can spend time together),and it is OK for me to make plans and do things while he is home.

I know some of these things sound odd, but he travels for work. All. The. Time. Out on Mondays, home on Fridays, sometimes away for one or two weekends at a time as well. So when he is home, I try and plan around him. Make it special. Have his favorite meals, don't have plans with anyone but him, only work till Noon in the workshop (even if this means I have to get up at 4 am to get the day's work done). I figure that he deserves the time and attention since he is home so little. But one of the main reasons he comes home is to see me be happy (not just hear me be happy on the phone), so I need to do whatever will make me happiest.

So what I have done this week to relieve some stress is to sleep. I have been getting up very early, using my alarm clock to have things done in the workshop by Noon. It leaves me the rest of the day to do other stuff, like labeling, or paperwork. But I just don't do well waking up to an alarm clock day after day after day. I don't sleep well. I wake up multiple times in the night worried that the alarm hasn't or won't go off. So I am back to getting up when my body feels like it. Oddly , today that wasn't more than fifteen minutes past when my alarm would have been set for. But I already feel better. I am more relaxed. My body got to finish its sleep the way it wanted and needed to, and I can tell the difference. I naturally wake up pretty early, so it is not like doing this makes a huge difference. Most days I will still be done by 1 pm. But listening to my body is a huge part of my stress relief. So this was my little way to strive for some balance this week.

Fiber Fridays

I finally got the opportunity to knit some this week. Not a lot, but some. Last Friday at K1C2 Knit Night I knit a heart washcloth for my swap partner. It was well received and it was actually a pretty cool construction technique. One of those times, you doubt following the pattern will really give you what it says it will.

I also knit a stuffed cube for C's dad. This should give him a way to exercise his hands without too much resistance. He is one of those people that is constantly playing with something in his hands and I hope he likes the soft cotton texture and the size of the cube. This one I didn't follow the pattern. I did for the four sides, knit in in the round on dpn's. But the top & bottom were confusing to me, picking up stitches and stuff, so I just knit two more squares and seamed them on. I figured it wasn't going to get a lot of rough abuse (the pattern was originally for baby toys and needed as few seams as possible to reduce choking hazard should one break).

Last night I started a shawl for C's mom. It is a modification of an existing design that I am making double wide with a slit for her head. Kinda like a poncho, but not a poncho. It is the first time I am knitting with Knit Picks yarn and it has a great hand feel. One kind I am using is a little splitty, but as long as I pay attention it is no problem. I like knitting with it even though it is black and sorta hard to see the stitches. I think this is going to be a faster knit than I expected and I hope to have it done in a few weeks.

I have also decided to go through my knit projects, take pictures, and start an Etsy site for them, for extra supplies I need to sell, and for old displays that need to be sold. I was going to put them up on my web site, but I prefer to keep the knitting split from the soaping. So no more up here for sale either, but I will let everyone know when the site is up and when it gets updates.

Hope to see you this Monday night at the Pints N Purls Knit Night at the Bethlehem Brew Works at 6:30. Its downstairs by the pool tables :)

Workshop Wednesdays

This week it doesn't seem to me that I have been as busy, but I have a feeling by the time I finish this list, I just might be mistaken.

Soaps: Lavender and Lemongrass done (8/20). Lip balms- all made, 1/3 labeled and shrink wrapped. Lotion bars 1/2 made, none labeled or wrapped. Fizzys-1/2 made and 3/4 of those wrapped and labeled.

Paperwork: Kept my book keeping up to date. Learned how to run credit cards using my I Pad at shows, Fixed web site- pickup option now works. Co-op web site up to date. Delivered soaps to homeless shelter.

Personal: went to two knit nights and lunch with B. Dropped off dry cleaning. Started to exercise (Wii Active 30 day challenge).

OK, I do guess I can wish that list was longer, but realistically it is as long as it could get.

This week: Finish labeling and wrapping lip balms. Label and wrap lotion bars. Finish, label and wrap bath fizzys. Make soap. Mail newsletter for Jan/Feb out. Write Feb email newsletter.