When Life Intervenes

 

Here is a nice photo of an elk taken along the road on a trip to Alberta a few years ago.

Why?  Because sometimes we get so focused on where we are going and what we need to do and all the deadlines 'looming' we don't look around us.  

And sometimes Life Happens and we have to set aside what we planned to do, and just do what needs to be done, in the moment.

The one thing I am learning is to not hold too tightly to my plan for the day, but to relax, sit back, take a look around me.  When we do that, sometimes we see little 'surprises' off to the side.  Much like this elk, calmly browsing by the side of the road while the cars sped past.

One of the things I have committed to doing is continue as chair (or president) of the local guild.  As such I need to attend meetings.  Because that's how groups work - they meet at times to brainstorm, work out details, plan events.  And it all seems to happen much more easily if several people can get together and give their input.

Today was such a day. 

With the pandemic clearly not being over any time soon, we needed to address the fact that we were going to have to live with the presence of the virus and how we could still provide service to the guild members, as safely as possible.  

One of the things we talked about today was how we were going to proceed with classes/education/inspiration.  We are privileged insofar as we have our own dedicated space for equipment, library, and space for small 'classes', but we also have to pay the rent on said space.  

We discussed ways of dealing with the reality of budgets and guild member services.  

The group is fortunate in that we have a number of people willing and able to shoulder some of the work and responsibility of keeping the guild running, and who are open to feedback and suggestions.

So this year, 2023, we are booking small educational events.  Some are more informal, some are more structured/formal.  We have booked teachers for workshops/classes, and guild members who will lead smaller groups in techniques that can be done in a shorter time frame.

It took a couple of hours, but I feel like we got a lot done, and forged some solid plans for the coming months.

What it meant for me, personally, was a complete lack of energy to get to the loom and do any weaving.  But instead of going to the loom, I managed to do a few other things I had been procrastinating about.  Things I wanted to get done before our trip.  Things I didn't want to have to be thinking about anymore other than the satisfaction of getting them moved from the to-be-done list to the *done* list.  

There are still a few more things that need to be dealt with, but the day is drawing to a close and I'm out of spoons.  

I have two more scarves to hem, which I expect to get finished tonight, then press them tomorrow.  And then I need to sort through my samples to see if there are other samples to go to School of Sweet Georgia for the upcoming lectures/classes.

But we also need to start packing.  We will be four days on the road (two there, two back) and exactly one day in Vancouver.  But we also bring a lot of stuff with us because we are still dodging covid and will be eating in the vehicle or the hotel rooms, not dining out.  

I won't make as much progress on the current warp as I'd hoped, but I can get some weaving done before we leave, so there is that.

Ultimately my goals are just goals, my plans can be tweaked, I can be flexible in what I get done.

I think I can.  I think I can.  I think I can...