This Is My Workplace

I've been thinking (always dangerous!) about what I've been doing lately. All I seem to want to do is stay up here in my studio/study space and play. I've only been cooking and cleaning and gardening reluctantly. Have barely been watching television (not that there's anything worthwhile on this time of year) and instead I'm nipping back upstairs to my space. Haven't even been reading — paper at least. I only want to read stuff on the computer screen. I've been exploring the world of textile bloggers and knitting at the same time. I've been sewing some. And I've been collecting a whole bunch of ideas for things I want to try. And my mind is racing.

One thing I haven't been doing is visiting my poor mom as often. I've been feeling drained by my visits lately so I cut out Wednesdays and am down to Monday and Friday. Even then I can only handle an hour but still I catch myself watching the clock. Mom is less responsive than she was and sucks on her fingers a lot, which is annoying. Some of the others on her floor are starting to demand my attention too and it's hard interacting with people with varying levels of dementia. No wonder I feel like I've been sucked dry. Maybe that's why I'm in this odd space where I just want to run to my creative space and stay! It's mom's 93rd birthday tomorrow. I've been going to visit her in the home for 2-1/2 years now.

Another thing happened that convinces me I'm tired of doing things for others. I heard about a job that would be perfect for me and I'm not interested in applying. It's a couple of days a week teaching beadwork at a local private college. They don't need a teaching certificate which I don't have. It's not full time which is the only kind of job I would consider. I have all the prerequisites, experience, and knowledge — but I don't want the job. What gives? Am I crazy not to apply? Granted I already have my Wednesday night teaching at the wool shop which starts up again soon. I'm not really enthusiastic about that either. I still want to hide up here. And everybody else (except maybe Thom) can go away. Email me if you want to talk.

So, here's where I'm hiding out. First, this is The Study. I didn't show the computer desk, which is between these 2 pictures in the northwest corner. The right picture is my work desk for when I need a sit-down workspace. It's usually covered in archaeological layers of stuff. This is pretty clean. That tall drawer system is my beads. It's full! Plus boxes on top. I still don't have enough beads but I'm running out of places to put them.



The picture on the right is my not-so-comfy Morris chair (oddly without a cat) which needs reupholstering and of course Klaus the wheel, whom you met the other day. This is where I spin, do hand-sewing, and knitting when I'm not doing it somewhere else, like on the deck. You're still not seeing all the bookcases; there are more. And that little door to the left of the chair is one of the attic spaces, the spinning fibre one.

Below is the lovely view out my study window. Isn't it great? That's the green roof of the house next door. There's actually a huge pear tree to the left but I can't see it unless I crane my neck. This roof was more interesting before it got re-roofed. At least the moss and wrinkled shingles had a certain shabby-chic or wabi-sabi or something. I get a lot of afternoon sun in this window, when we have sun. But it gets hot in summer!

Here's the other room, The Studio. See the slanty ceilings? Please admire the yarn cones because they're finally off the floor. The table is actually a table top on two chests-of-drawers with boxes of fabrics in the middle. The top has two rotary cutting surfaces (because I couldn't afford one big enough to cover the whole thing) and it works really well for laying out large projects, drafting patterns, and cutting fabric and paper. The loom to the left is my little 12-shaft Woolhouse Carolyn.

The right picture is my sewing space. Looks so inviting, doesn't it? Why am I not there right now? The sewing table is twice as long as this shows. You can just see the back of the big loom to the left, which is currently acting as a place to hang things. She's an 8-shaft Woolhouse Gertrude 45" wide countermarche and she really needs to be used, poor thing. It's hard to photograph in this room without getting Gertrude in the way. So you aren't seeing the whole thing. What you're not seeing are more yarns in baskets hanging from the wall up near the ceiling and more yarn shelves plus a large closet. Also the view out the window in this room is much nicer: trees, shrubs and the house across the street. The view out the south and especially north skylights is obscured somewhat by green algae and grunge. I can't get up there to clean them from the outside. The main thing with this room is not to bump your head on the slanty ceilings. It helps if you're short like me. No wonder I get to do all the ironing around here.

Well that's the tour. See why I don't want to be anywhere else? All that's missing is a bathroom, a fridge, and an endless supply of my favourite hot tea. Good thing I don't have room for those, or I'd never come downstairs.