Simpler and Simpler.

In my effort to purge all the fabric from the barn, and to share some of my stash with the rest of
the fiber world, I have given away a bunch of huge fabric rolls, weighing from 30-50 lbs each.
Today the third random visitor, from my Facebook posts on weaving sites, left with a CARLOAD.
And still there is a lot of fabric up there, at least 20 big rolls, and a lot of smaller ones.  It is what is left from a huge purchase that I made several years ago, huge as in about 3000 lbs of fabric.
I have too much, and it needs to go.

I have been pacing myself.
I guess that is what you would call it.  Doing a little of this, and a little of that.

For some reason, I have experienced more than usual "migraine auras", in the last few weeks.
Not sure what that is about. I now have Excedrin in the house, and the car.
I am hoping now that the stress of the "old house" is gone for me, things will even out.
I don't have to go over there at all, ever.  Ahhh.


 I feel like I have entered the next stage of my life.
Today, so unlike myself, I sat on the glider on my screened porch, listening to the wind chimes, eating
watermelon, drinking ice tea, and reading my second book in two days. 
What is happening to me??
I find myself staying "home" for days at a stretch, and loving every minute of it.
When you work where you live, it is so different.
Instead of doing all my chores when I got home at 4-5pm, now I can fit them in in small bits whenever I want.
Throw a load of wash in, do up some dishes, go back to weaving.
Do some sewing, throw an asparagus quiche together.
Spend an hour pulling weeds in the labyrinth, have some lunch, back to the loom.


I find that I get so much more done, and it doesn't seem that I've expended any more effort.

It's all part of my downsizing, simplifying mission.  And it's also part of Lois and I  being semi-retired.
I have to say, I'm so far enjoying it immensely.

We've started some 4x6 rugs.

The Toika is in the front bedroom upstairs.  We decided to use the fabric that is already IN the room.
There seems to be enough of it.
Roy is taking notes.

Our new schedule is Lois working 3 days, and I've decided that 3 days works for me, too.

WOW.  
Have I experienced a head injury or something???

 

I love the Toika.  And since my efforts to sell it were less than stellar, I decided to listen to the universe, and weave rugs on it.

The 4'x6' rug  is usually a good seller, now I just have to figure out where to keep them once we get a stack done.

 

 Read another book today, and I highly recommend it.

Leaving Time, by Jodi Picoult.

Going from 16 looms to 8, has been like taking this huge weight off my shoulders.

It's like hearing a voice in my ear saying, "you don't have to do it all, it's ok."

I feel calmer, and more focused.
I may have to change the name of my biz.  I'm not feeling so crazy these days.

Just breathe.

 The other day the window washers came.   I decided to hire someone to take off the storms, and wash the old windows, 4 in the living room and 2 in the kitchen.
We have done it before, and it is a bear of a job, so I thought it might be really nice to have someone else struggle with them.

It was a fantastic decision.
My windows have never, ever been this clean.

They truly sparkle.

The living room is brighter than ever, and it is amazing to be able to see so clearly out the windows.

And it was reasonable, too.

It was one of those times when you just pat yourself on the back, if you know what I mean.

 

I am totally enjoying the day.  Dismissing the little voice in my head that says I should be doing something more productive.

I had a crisper full of cauliflower and broccoli, so I decided to make a Roast Broccoli/Cauliflower cream soup.

 

I must say it was super simple, and has no right to be this good with this little effort.

But I'll take it.

Yum.

It was very cool outside today, but Roy is loving his big yard, and feeling a whole lot better on an antiinflammatory and glucosamine and condroitin.  The antiinflammatory is short term, just until the other two kick in, but the difference in him is noticeable.

He also loves the sun, and has decided that my garden is a comfy place for a nap.

I must say that  I am enjoying myself, 'staying home', not driving back and forth every day.
And being done, at least for my part, with the old house, is a relief I can thoroughly get into.

Today, I did not accomplish much.
I did, however, read a book, and somehow that was enough.
I highly recommend it, too.
"Remember Me Like This"
by Bret Anthony Johnston

Getting it together.

Well, after two back to back head colds, I decided to look at my diet.
According to google, most people don't get enough protein, and since I eat no meat, I bet I really don't get enough protein.
So I am adjusting.
First, a Greek yogurt every day, 20 g of protein.
Next, a protein powder that is 23 g of protein a day, that I can add to a shake, or to the yogurt!

Google also says that the other deficiency that leads to frequent colds is a Vitamin D deficiency.  And I know I have one.  In fact, every one in the north country is Vitamin D deficient.  We don't get enough sun to be otherwise.
So I am starting a daily D3.

My youngest daughter grew up on plain yogurt, bananas and wheat germ.  She thought it was a treat, and she eats it to this day.

Now that I can stay "home", there is a lot of straightening up and organizing that needs to be done, before we can get back to work in the studio.

So Lois and I first dragged out the loft, took all the fabric that I don't want, out to the barn.

I had some new shelves built,  here is all my chenille, except for the bottom 6 cones on the right.

Over here is all my cotton.

More cotton over here.

And some miscellaneous stuff over here.

The pantry/bath got some rearranging too.

Bit by bit, things are getting put in their place.
It's funny, even though I have half the number of looms that I used to have, and basically HALF the space, it seems somehow that the studio is starting fresh.  It not only has a new look, it has a new feel, more focused, more peaceful, more inspiring.
I'm liking it.

Day by day

Exhaustion has set in, and seems to hang on.
Moving, even 10 miles away, and getting organized at the studio, emptying the old house, and getting it ready to sell, well, these two tasks have been overwhelming at times.

But we are down to the wire with our previous home.  Empty, cleaned, for sale sign out front.  A few things left to do, but mostly ACCOMPLISHED.

At the studio, we are settling in.  DH, thankfully, seems to be making the transition well.
I, of course, feel like I have come home, finally.
From city living to  country living, where I have wanted to be, dreamed to be.  It just doesn't get any better.

I have a list of things to do, still some boxes to empty, chores that need addressing.
Part of the work load has involved shifting my weaving studio to the "old" part of the house, giving us room for living space.
Part of that was downsizing, from (what?) 16 looms, to 8.  The fiber sale, getting rid of a LOT of stuff, and another sale imminent.
Making my weaving life simpler, less stressful, less complicated, more what I envisioned in the first place.
"Be careful what you ask for."  When I started here, I wanted a peaceful, lovely place to weave, and create, and explore my vision.  But what I got was eventually a full time job.  People who haven't worked for themselves don't know, but to make money, you have to spend money, and you have to be 100% present, so that eventually, it can take over your life.  And sometimes it does.
I am being more careful now, because boundaries are necessary, mandatory, to keep the "business" in its place.
I don't want a crazy, fall into bed at the end of the day, all encompassing, career.

No.  Been there,  more than once.

I want to enjoy my "retirement" years, I want to weave what I want, and have a good time doing it.
It's true, that the closer you get to the finish line, wherever that may be, the more precious the journey.

Lois and I started what we hope will be a stack of 4'x6' rugs.
This is the first.

Taking it a day at a time, finding my way.

Isn't that what we all do?

A little alcohol.

Summer means ice tea at my house.   This will be full all summer long.

 

One of the gifts of my gene pool is arthritis.  Both my mother's family, and my father's, had plenty of it to pass along.

It doesn't help that arthritis loves to settle in anyplace you've had an injury, like my knees, and my NECK.

Oh, and I have it in my hips, too, and heaven knows where else.

I am adamant that keeping moving makes it more bearable.

And compared to my 3 year headache, arthritis does pale.

But still, if there's help for it, why not, right??

So there's this home remedy that has apparently been around for quite some time.  I just heard about it.

And since a couple of the people who have vouched for it, are pretty well known to me  and reliable, I thought to give it a go.

OK, call me crazy.   Unless it works, then you'll be all over it.   Tell me you won't.

Here goes.

 First you get yourself a box of golden raisins.

Then you pop in the liquor store, and buy a small bottle of gin, I think this is a pint, and I bought the cheapest kind.
It's not like I am an expert on gin.

 

 I put the raisins in a glass bowl, and poured in the gin, you want the raisins to be just covered.

I covered the dish with plastic wrap, and let it sit for 3 days.

The raisins get big, soaking up the gin.

 

Then I put them in a quart canning jar and put the top on.

Then every day, you eat 8 raisins.   It's barely a teaspoon.  They do not taste like gin, but they do have a bit of an alcohol taste, kind of like cough medicine.  I have my coffee right near by, to wash them down with.

I am going to finish this jar, however long that takes, and then I will report.  I have enough arthritis to be considered a reliable test subject, believe me.

What's arthritis, Mimi???

 

Quick Stop

While I am not really able to enjoy my studio quite yet, I can still dream.

 Soon, I hope to find time to organize my downsized weaving space, and get back to it.

 While I've been busy moving, and getting the old house ready to sell, Lois has been weaving up some blue jean rugs, wich is good, because we don't have any in stock.

I'm really just stopping in to say hello.  I am exhausted beyond words.

I am counting the days until I get to see this little dreamboat.

Soon, I hope, I 'll be blogging about things more exciting than moving.
Toddlers and weaving, perhaps.

Change.

Today I was thinking about my hip pain, wondering how come my hip(s) are causing me so much pain.  My mother didn't have her hip problems, and subsequent hip replacement until she was 80.

Hmm, I am not yet 70, and even though that sounds older than dirt, I thought my hips would last longer.

Then it dawned on me.
I have NEVER been kind to my body.  Not ever.

When I was a kid, I went everywhere with my father,  while he was searching out good deals.  He was a dealer of furniture, antiques, and pretty much anything that would make him a dollar.  He was the original "American Picker".  I was his sidekick, and he had me lifting things before I was 10.
My mother was always yelling at him, reminding him that I was a girl.
 I know I hauled on things that were way too heavy for me, because I was always looking for his approval.

I always had horses, so I was comfortable with carrying bags of grain on my shoulder, throwing bales of hay into the loft.  I also got kicked, thrown, and otherwise hurt.

When my ex and I were building our first house, I shoveled gravel, poured cement, insulated, and cleared the driveway with a chain saw.  It was a long, uphill driveway.
I never thought that I was hurting my body.  I was young, and strong, and I wasn't afraid to tackle whatever was in front of me. 
I worked out, lifted weights, ran miles and miles and miles.

I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with being active, but I probably could have had  added some balance to my life.  I could have taken it a little easier.

It's no wonder that in spite of my vehemently declaring I wasn't going to be a production weaver, I ended up being just that.
Big surprise.
So now I'm paying the price.
I tell my three daughters all the time........be kind to your body, kinder than I was.
Do you think they'll listen??
Probably not.

I guess my point here is this:

I've been worrying and fretting and overthinking this retirement thing.
I've been resisting.  Dragging my feet.
When the truth is, that one way or the other, we ALL have to slow down.  We all have to "adjust" to getting older, to our less than perfect bodies.    All my downsizing,  selling looms, making changes........well, it's time.  That's all.

I am working on it, every day.
Practicing.

Like having my lunch on the screened back porch.

Taking the time.

I did some yard work, but then I amused myself and made a "playpen" for the girls.

Gave them a little change of scenery, and some greens.

They were very happy.


One of the Araucanas laid this GIGUNDUS egg.   OUCH.

Is this even normal???  Should I "call the midwife"?

Still cleaning out the "old house", but getting closer and closer to being done.

Then I'll have more time to practice this semi retirement thing.
You notice that I've already added SEMI?
Ha!!

Home Sweet Home

I am kind of pinching myself.
After wanting to live at the studio for the last ten years, I can hardly believe that now I do.

I love living in the country again.  I love going to bed, looking out over the fields drenched in moonlight, waking up hearing the birds outside my window.
In the city, you have your blinds drawn. 
I won't pull my shade in the bedroom, because I love to look up and see the stars filling the night sky.  Even when the moonlight floods the room in the middle of the night, I still won't pull the shade.
I close my eyes, and go back to sleep.
There is such peace here.

 I am an early riser, and I love the quiet of the morning to myself.
The first sunshine of the day is so special.  There is nothing quite like it.

A cuppa coffee, and daybreak.  Perfect.

I don't know what to do about Roy, though.  He is so obviously stressed with this move.

I have to get him to calm down.

JOKING.

The cat situation is changing every day.
I have taken to putting their food in the loft, which is actually the second story of  the old part of the house.   That way they can relax while they eat, and not worry about Roy coming around the corner.
(he loves cat food)

But this morning there was  a breakthrough.  If I didn't know better, I would think that my cats have had a little pow-wow.  I was sitting on the couch with Roy tucked along my side, when Miss Puss jumped up on the couch and SNIFFED him.  And he never budged.
Then, Kizzy, the most timid cat in the world, came into the living room, first time with Roy in the room.  He proceeded to jump up on my lap.  I think  I gasped.  I petted him for several minutes until he jumped down.  He and Roy were about 8" apart.  Roy turned and looked at him, and went back to sleep.
Meanwhile, Jinks and Miss Puss were playing on the chaise lounge, while Sydney looked her usual placid self.
I think all my critters are going to be ok.


So, this is where I live now, in the "hamlet" of Kingsbury.

The Parish House.

 This is the village green, or the park, complete with a tractor on lunch break.
And the Baptist church.
There is a small cemetery on the left beyond the tractor.

If you look way down the road, you can see my house, the one with all the windows.

The Kingsbury General Store.  I think it has just been sold, and we will all miss the present owners, who make the BEST SUBS AROUND. Seriously.

And my good friend, Karen, of This Old House  sent me this lovely, and PERFECT gift.

It is hanging in my kitchen, where I can see it every day.

It's true.
I'm home.