Lost Time

Saturday was pretty much a lost cause. I know I made a nice blog post and even included a book review, plus knitted some on the paper wrap. But I had the worst migraine I can remember in some time and I barely stirred out of bed all day even though it was lovely and my garden was calling me.  My eyes were watering and my stomach churning and no amount of Advil was working to make the jack-hammering in my head just Go Away. Ugh.

Sunday was better and the Ravelry meetup was enjoyed in the sunshine (and occasional shadow) outside Bean Around The World coffee shop. I love that it’s only 3 blocks from my house though the staff could use an attitude adjustment. It’s a busy place anyway even though there are many similar coffee shops in the area to choose from. I still had a bit of a migraine “hangover” though which extended to yesterday as well. All the knitting that I did on the Hot Spring Socks got frogged so I might as well have just sat there instead. Sigh.

Yesterday I got some gardening done in spite of the continuing migraine hangover but there’s still tonnes left to do. The broccoli got transplanted. Only the carrots are left to put in that bed and they are still growing under the lights. They won’t go out until they’re 4” tall in an attempt to foil the rust flies. Hopefully. And I got the sunflowers, nasturtiums and squashes started. I’ve also been trying to prune the pieris which are about 10-12 feet tall. They were badly damaged this last winter and many dead branches and twigs need to be removed. I can only reach partway up even with a step-stool so I only got about half done. Since they are right next to where the new side fence is going in, I thought I’d get as much done on them as possible before the fence gets in my way.

Then today I woke up with the Dizzies! If it’s not one thing, it’s another, hey? Or are they related? Don’t think so. I still spent some good garden time and got the parsley and the winter leeks planted. That bed, which also contains the asparagus (nearly picked enough for dinner already!) and the walking onions, is now completed.

I read something recently that made me think: workers often do less work when they aren’t being observed by the boss. Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But what if you don’t have a boss? In my many years as a dedicated avoider of the “Regular Job” I’ve rarely worked for anyone else and even then it was only on a part-time, very temporary or casual basis. I’ve actually found the boss hanging about to be a detriment to my performance and I prefer to know what I’m supposed to achieve and then be left alone to get on with it. Am I an even greater oddity than I think?

As a creative/artistic person, I’ve always been a self-starter. To an outsider, I probably seem to be scattered all over the map. But then my “real life” is inextricably linked to my “work” and my workplace is my home as well so there is no separation. I tend to have more than one creative project going at once, plus the housework and the garden. Interestingly the latter is usually one or the other – I don’t seem to be able to keep both inside and outside work going at the same time. (In other words, while I’m working in the garden, the dust bunnies have full reign of the house!) However, I can keep maybe 3 creative projects going but after that something gets left to languish, maybe just until I finish something else but sometimes forever. And those 3 projects have to be 3 different levels of difficulty: one easy to transport, one no-brainer and one that takes more concentration or that doesn’t travel well. Lately I’ve been trying not to start anything new until something else is finished.

I also have volunteer jobs. Just a few little chores for my weavers’ guild: helping with the library, schlepping chairs and, once a year, getting the membership booklet set up on the computer and taken to the printer. Not much compared to the newsletter that I used to do! That was a huge job. I’m taking it easier these days. I’ve always gotten involved with various groups, everything from a family centre when my kids were little, the school parents group when they were bigger, and my guilds when I finally had more time available. I like that you can choose what job you will be responsible for when you are a volunteer. You can always say no if it’s not up your alley. Though once you say yes, you had better come through!

I don’t need or want anyone overseeing my progress or lack thereof. I can do that really well all by myself. I try not to be self-critical but I do seem to have my very own internal quality control person as well as an internal boss. Hmmm…it’s getting kind of crowded in my skull! (No wonder I get headaches. Heh!) I’m glad that I’ve finally learned to pace myself better than I used to and I’m much happier and healthier for it. Can you do that with a boss peering over at you and demanding immediate results?

See what happens when my head is acting up? Only babbling and no photos. Hopefully things will be better next time.