After approximately two and a half years of feeling exhausted, I feel as if I am coming back to life. No, I don't know exactly what caused the exhaustion. Neither traditional nor alternative medical providers have come up with a definite cause, but I have a few theories which involve more than one factor contributing to the problem.
But that's not the subject of this post. Rather, it's all about signs of spring and two weeks of craziness. As @generikat put it, I've been hurtling through life.
The last week of March was spent at my sister's house in Montana. I try to get there for a visit each spring and fall. I had just recovered from a bronchial infection, and felt up to the drive. As usual, we spent plenty of time drinking tea, visiting, and doing a jigsaw puzzle.
I also brought along a crocheting project. Thanks to a three-session class at the local library, I finally learned how to crochet! I didn't think it was possible, but by the end of the third class I had made this funny little octopus.
I became obsessed with making more of them. I bought the necessary supplies prior to my trip, and proceeded to plague my poor sister with questions the first day I was there. It had been two weeks since that third and final crochet class, and I had already forgotten a few details. My sister has been crocheting for years, so she was able to get me going again. I actually made five of them while I was at her house.
It was a relaxing week, but when I got home I hit the ground running for two weeks. I took my husband to Urgent Care twice (nothing serious), and to two appointments. I had one granddaughter over for a day, and the other one overnight at another time. I attended a baptism, went to see a local youth production of a musical, got a haircut, spent a day mucking out one daughter's apartment, got the winter tires changed to summer tires on two vehicles, and had a dental appointment.
And whenever I wasn't busy with all of that, I was prepping and pricing items for a huge consignment sale held at the fairgrounds. My youngest daughter is a single mom and doesn't have the time for all that work, but desperately needs the money. So I did it for her. I kept rough track of the hours I invested in that project, and it came out close to thirty.
Today was my do-nothing-but-rest day. I have had two naps, and tea at a neighbor's house. I do need to go pick up the leftovers from that sale this evening, but that's as ambitious as I am going to get. Needless to say, my house hasn't gotten cleaned properly for three weeks, but I'll think about that tomorrow. Not today.
And I need to make up my mind whether I am going to plant a garden this year. If I am, I need to start some seeds ASAP. Will I have the energy all summer to take care of the garden, harvest produce, and preserve it? Will the ground squirrels and/or pocket gophers eat everything up? Will I be able to afford the water bill? All these unpredictable factors need to be weighed and considered before I set up the pop-up greenhouse and buy seed starting soil.
Meanwhile, the rhubarb is up, as are the garlic, daffodils, and tulips.The hyacinths and the grape hyacinths are just starting to bloom. I used to have a few crocuses, but either the deer ate them or I accidentally pulled them up. The squill is nearly done blooming already.
I actually started this post two days ago. The pop-up greenhouse got set up today, so I guess I'm going to start some seeds. Wish me well!
I've gone hurtling through various phases of my life, so I absolutely understand what that feels like!
So glad you've got renewed energy and are taking on projects again! Thank goodness for spring as your winters must be harsh. I'm in the southern hemisphere, live in a subtropical climate, so winter is actually a very good season here!
I just love your colourful little octopusses, happy crocheting. Great to find new hobbies although your schedule has been rather full.
Happy gardening, and enjoy summer @scribblingramma!
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I can't imagine living in a subtropical climate, but I am sure I would like your winters very much. Thanks for your encouraging words.
I hope you do have the energy to grow some veggies for your family this season. It should certainly save you some money at the grocery store. I put up a years' worth of produce every season. Canning and preserving is a daily event in this house. Happy gardening, hope you feel stronger.
Thank you!The irony of gardening is that I often spend more on soil amendments, replacing ancient hoses and broken sprinklers, and an increased water bill than I would ever save at the grocery store. It's just nice to know where the vegetables came from and how they were grown, I guess.
Delighted to hear you're feeling more like yourself again. You certainly need the energy for all that hurtling! Even when you're relaxing you're being productive.
I've often said, I don't idle well! But I'm trying to teach myself to sit more often, even if that means crocheting lots of little sea creatures. Now I need to get brave enough to try another pattern.
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Thank you!
Glad to hear you're hurtling!
I've found the sun has made a big difference this year.
Always tricky with a garden. Maybe plant half what you plan to hedge your bets?
Yes, I'm going to try to garden in moderation.
Boy do I understand! Starting up a garden is like getting onto a luge that will have you hurtling downhill for months after. Can you keep it smaller this year, so perhaps there will be less preserving? Give more away? I'm hoping to do this myself, to keep my expectations a bit more realistic and less abhorrent. I loathe canning!
I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling so exhausted, although it sounds as though you can still get an awful lot done.
The octopi are cute as can be!
Aw, thanks! I'm pleased with how the little critters turned out. I am going to try to garden in moderation this year. Hoping to plant more than last year, but less than in 2023.
I would be happy with just rhubarb and garlic in a garden!
It is great to hear you are getting more oomph about you!
The challenge is to not overdo right away, now that I feel a bit better.
Yeah baby steps I call it. hinay hinay little by little
Nice to see you posting again, please send me some of your magic potion. 😍
I used to crochet many many moons ago.
My sister showed me how to crochet about 50 years ago, and I made one hat. I had forgotten everything I learned 'way back then, so it was like starting from the beginning.
You are master of your craft.
Well, I'm still learning, but hoping to get better.
When I was a librarian, I saw a lot of people borrowing books about amigurumi, which is a similar kind of knitting or crochet cute stuffed animals and crafts.