A Big Mess

A big mess.  That is what my life feels like right now. 

Major life changes always lead to big messes.  It seems a person really can't re-direct their life purpose, change careers, retire, whatever, without causing disruption and a gigantic ball of oh, what a mess!

The past three months I have been pretty much 'forced' into making some defining decisions.  Yesterday I made another.

By the end of this year I will move out of the annex.  The steam press and pirn winder will go to the scrap heap.  Everything stored up there will somehow have to be crammed into the studio here.

The ripples from those decisions morphed into getting rid of the AVL (being sold for parts, not as a loom), and buying a new loom.

My efforts for the past three years to enter 'semi' retirement have not worked, and one final straw dropped onto this camel's back and yesterday I told my accountant that I trusted her to sort out the issues with my account with GST and that as of Dec. 31 I would be shutting my business down.  I would see her in January to make sure that all my business dealing with the federal and provincial governments are terminated properly.

And hope that GST will not decide to 'assess' me further.

I found myself just completely and utterly done.

Shutting down the business at the end of the year will add another  layer to the mess that my life will be turned into as I will have to close my business account at the bank, probably my business credit card, deal with re-directing direct deposits for things that go into my business account.  Changing my contact phone number to my personal phone number (or change my business number to my private one and then Doug will have to change all of HIS contact numbers - so I guess it will be me that goes through the mess because it is my decision to close the business.)

The economic impact of doing this will also reverberate down our life as I will no longer have that income. 

It is just going to be a huge mess that is now going to continue on well into the new year.

But once again I have been reminded that none of us gets out of here alive and that if we don't deal with our own messes, they will be left for others.  Since I don't have kids to do it for me, I am going to have to deal with it my own self.

On the other hand, the benefits of embracing retirement are legion!  I have been finding lazing around in my jammies until um, late, not having to mad scramble to get stuff done, quite attractive.  Indeed, comfortable.

While I contemplate cleaning up my own, personal, mess, I think about the mess that human beings are making on a global level.

If we are not willing to clean up our own act, how can we expect anyone else to do it for us?

Personally I started 'composting' back in the early 1980s when Canadian Tire offered backyard digesters.  The amount of garbage set out at the curb reduced by 1/3rd.  Several years later when REAPS began recycling initiatives, we saved our newspapers, then all paper goods, and took that to recycling depots.   The amount of garbage we set out at the curb reduced by 1/2.

A few years ago the province initiated province wide recycling programs.  We now go two weeks between garbage/recycling pickup, while garbage alone is picked up weekly.  Frequently we don't have enough to bother setting at the curb for the garbage only pickup. 

I refuse plastic bags when I don't need them, try to remember cloth bags when I need one or two of those.  I try to remember to refuse a straw.

But plastic is everywhere.  It's really hard to live without plastic entirely, so I've been watching with interest the alternatives to petroleum based plastics being developed.   Coffee cups made from compressed coffee grounds being just one.

On a local level?  I just now checked my town's website to find out what is happening regarding sewage.  I switched to non-phosphate detergents back in 1969 after seeing the suds in the St. Lawrence River.  But my town only has primary waste water treatment so I was interested to find out what their plans were.  Seems they have been working towards a better approach and are looking at where a fuller treatment plant could be built and will soon be bringing a proposal to the electorate.

It is time that we human beings stop thinking about sewage once we flush it away.

On a global level, we can look at other initiatives.  There are several groups trying to clean the plastic out of the ocean.  While one of them might make little difference, many hands make light work.  Choose one and support their efforts.

Stop buying so much cheap clothing.  When you buy something wear it out.  Choose clothing made from natural fibres (as much as is possible - seems everything has polyester in it!)

Support local farmers as much as possible.  Climate change is already impacting crops and food is going to get more and more expensive. 

If you own shares in large corporations, ask the board what it is doing to reduce their carbon footprint. 

There are so many things that we, as individuals, can do to take small steps towards progress.  If anyone thinks that they can't make a change, I urge them to remember - Many Hands Make Light Work.  We can do this. We must clean up our mess.  We all need to do a little bit so that all those little bits add up to change.

Many Hands Make Light Work.