Watershed(s)

 

One is told that life is a straight path to your goals.  You go to school, get an education, determine what you want to have happen, work hard, and voila, you get to the finish line.

No one tells you that the path isn't as advertised.  No one says that the 'goal' is made up of a multitude of smaller goals, smaller achievements, along the way.

Some days, just getting out of bed and getting dressed is about all I can manage.  Because the road has been long, hard, rocky and in some cases, washed out entirely.

But - and here's the thing - it has always been 'interesting'.

Some days that's 'interesting' as in the curse 'may you live in interesting times'.  Some days it's 'interesting' as in 'huh, I did not know that - wow'.

When I chose to retire in 2019 (from selling at craft fairs and travelling to teach) I had no idea how much my life was to change.  The warning signs had been there for a number of years, but I figured I was just...exhausted.  I thought that some rest and ease from critical deadlines was all I needed to get back into the saddle and charge on.

Apparently bodies come with 'best before' dates.  And it seems I have been bumping up against mine.

So, I take the good where I find it these days.  Right now, it's the realization that I am still in an unexpected remission from cancer.  I take it in the fact that the medication I take for cholesterol is keeping my LDL at a 'good' level and I don't appear to be having any cardiac issues.  (And no, I've never had a heart attack - I've got a good strong heart, crappy plumbing.)

Yesterday I had massage and my therapist tweaked my exercises again, and poked and prodded to try and get more muscle spasms to let go.  I'm aching today, but I think I can weave at least one session.  I'm eager to get more of this warp woven because I think it's going to turn out really nice.  Nice enough I might just be tempted to buy more of this very fine linen!  (I know, I know, my mission is to weave DOWN my stash, not add to it!)

I keep mulling over how I might continue to teach, how much I want to promote my remote seminars/guild programs.  I was going to raise my prices, but now I'm not so sure.

I also need to sell some of my inventory.  It isn't enough to weave the yarn, now I need to sell the textiles!

So I'm doing a limited 'sale' on ko-fi - two designs are on sale with a Buy One, Get One Free.  There are a limited number of these towels, and first come, first serve, until midnight May 9, which just happens to be our 54th wedding anniversary.

In the meantime, I continue to juggle personal maintenance appointments.  I really did not understand just how *much* maintenance an aging body requires!  Of course, most of my family died long before they got to my age, so maybe I just didn't have anyone in my life to show me how it was going to be.

Anyway, I'm going to get dressed now that I'm done my second cup of coffee and go fire up the loom.  And vow to actually DO the exercises my massage therapist gives me.  Because when I actually do them, I get better.  Who'd a thunkit?