Catching Up

Oh my where did 2013 go….oh yes it was a crazy and busy one and my computer, stitching and quilting time were limited.  To start things off, I procrastinated getting our camper ready for camping in May due to starting a part time job at a local vacuum and sewing shop a couple weeks prior to camping.  By this time in the year, my stitching was starting to collect dust.  I did quilt several quilts on the longarm quilting machine at work, which is how they recruited me for work.  Prior to starting work, I could quilt two quilts in a day but that dropped to one after the customers realized I worked there part time. 

Next thing I knew it was July and my health took center stage.  Almost 6 months later it is looking like fibromyalgia is behind things, but I have to go through all the hoops before an official diagnosis.  So I have been trying to slow down, not over commit myself, avoiding situations that cause me stress, changing eating habits and just knowing that if I do overdo it or eat something that cause “episodes” that I have to let my body rest for a couple days.  I think what I am most thankful for is my husband, who is very patient and most of all very understanding about all of this. 

With this said you would think I would focus more time on the things that make me relax.  Oh no there are too many things to do around the place and my volunteer commitments.  To help around the place we finally bought a little tractor with a bucket, brush mower and tiller. 

We are now thinking that we will also buy a box scrapper for the driveway project and some landscaping projects.   Our latest project is the house siding that seems to have led to several other projects like replacing windows and possibly the doors, fixing problems that the cement porches have caused, replacing the exhaust fan in the kitchen, and removing my roses, daffodils and other perennials that I want to save.  There is probably more but that is all that my brain can think of at this moment.

By the end of October, we decided that me working part time was just making me further and further behind and neglecting things that are important and enjoyable to me like my husband, cooking, canning, quilting, stitching, gardening, blogging, and having time for my book and quilting groups. 

Next thing we knew it was time for the holidays, and since I never sent out my 2012 holiday newsletter, I started things rolling and finished my 2013 holiday newsletter and had both in the mail the Monday after Thanksgiving. 

Now I’m trying to get back into a routine after the crazy workweek that my husband has had over the holidays.  He worked on the Mondays, then had Tuesday & Wednesday off and worked the last two days of the week.  I asked him as he left this morning if he would be able to handle working a third day in a row.  He did not think it was too funny especially since we had sleet and freezing rain during the night. 

So all in all there were some highlights, lowlights and those in between times.  Now looking forward to another year and all the possibilities that it might bring.  Cheers!