Little By Little

 

I had plans for today.  Goals.  I was motivated.

Until I got knocked off my rails early, for a number of reasons.

Oh well.  The goals can be held over and plans recycled.

The current warp is over half done now, and I have the next warp planned.  I knew I couldn't finish the current warp before I left, so the fact that I didn't get to the loom today really isn't all that big a deal.

It was a pleasant day, weather wise - a bit too warm, but lovely sunshine.  And we were visited by flocks of birds, coming to dine on the neighbour's mountain ash berries.  They would swarm the tree, over and over again, fluttering here, there, round and back again.

I don't know if it was the same flock, or multiple flocks, but they were happy about the berries.  Who knows, they may even be a bit drunk if the berries are fermented - as they will do.

After my initial disappointment that my plans were not going to happen, I did a mental reset, thought about what I could do instead, and finally decided that I could probably press most, if not all, of the currently hemmed towels that needed their final press.

I didn't force myself to work more than my body would allow, just took it in three sessions.  And since my studio window faces the mountain ash trees, I had a great view of the feasting going on.  (I think they might have been Bohemian Wax Wings, but I'd have to look them up to be sure.)

As they flitted and fluttered around the tree, I managed to get all of the hemmed towels done over the course of the afternoon.  They are now on the drying rack to finish drying and will be ready to fold up and put away when I get home.  And who knows, get listed in my ko-fi shop.

My suitcase is nearly full, just a few more things to toss in it, plus my 'activity' bag.  I have another bin of towels that need hemming, so those will come with me as there will be time in the evenings to sit and hem while I listen to music.  I find that we watch tv less when we travel so my ipad gets pulled out and we listen to my playlist.

The rest of the month and on into February will be 'busy' - according to a 'retirement' schedule.  But frankly I don't have a lot of energy most days, so having lower expectations, fewer things on my daily job list is not a bad thing.

But I find myself wanting to write more (I know, more than a near daily blog?  Who knew?) and I have a plan and a possible place to 'publish'.  Ultimately, it will be a collection of essays, about what else but weaving.  

When I finally finished putting Magic together people asked when my next book was going to be.

"Not in this lifetime!"  And I meant it.  At the time.

About 20 years later, what should I do but publish another book.  This time I told my friends I was done.  I was written out.  There would be no 3rd book.

Um, well, maybe?  Maybe not.  Who knows.  Never say never...

Anyway, I keep writing.  On School of Sweet Georgia, where I am teaching classes, so I write project notes, answer questions.  And now?  The Handweaving Academy.  I'm not presenting classes there, but I am hanging out, answering questions, writing blog posts.  And who knows, maybe an essay or two.

The thing is, we think we know stuff and so we write about it.  But then?  Then we learn more stuff, and somehow, it seems honest to let people know that.  How I do that is by writing.  

So part of this trip will be me, thinking about stuff.  Considering writing.  What will I write?  How will I write it?  How much research will I need to do?  Can I make the illustrations I need to illuminate the text?  Which topics?  In what order?

And reading.  I have buckets of books, books that I had expected to read when I retired, especially when covid hit.  Surely I would have lots of time to read then?  Perhaps, but I also had health issues that included brain fog, and frankly trying to read and comprehend complex plots or information was beyond me.  But it's a new year, and I'm feeling a bit 'better'.  It's a roller coaster ride as the injection takes hold and reduces my pain and need for heavy duty pain killers.  But here's the thing - it's temporary.  And this roller coaster will only continue for as long as my body gets relief from the injections.

So I feel an urgency.  I feel the need to gather my thoughts, as mundane as they may be, and write them down.  Because eventually I will not be here.  But perhaps, just maybe, my thoughts will continue to inform others.  

I feel very egotistical openly saying that, but...here I am, thinking again.  Trying to work out a way to keep on, keeping on.  Just in case I can be of help to someone, somewhere, in some time.  Imagine, if you will...