Focus on the Positive

As you may have guessed, I'm a worrier. A person who feels intense about her work, about getting things done efficiently and early. As a former high school, college and adult ed. educator, I think it's normal to grade 120 essays a week, teach 5+ classes on two campuses a day, and juggle a lot of bureaucracy too...of course, along with managing my household, a part time teaching gig or two, and all the other things I used to do. I'm used to assuming responsibility.

That said, my freelance life, well that took some adjustments a few years ago, but the book publishing industry, with its photography expectations, its financial crunch, its moveable hurry up and wait deadlines--it makes my eyes cross and my blood pressure rise. I'm trying as hard as I can to make things work out for Fiber Gathering. It's been worrisome. Stress is popping out everywhere.

On Wednesday, I headed out into our garden, to dig the cr*p out of some dirt to take out my frustration and aggressions. It was 104, according to the "real feel" temperature, which combines heat and humidity. We've had a terrible drought, so digging was hard. I harvested these potatoes, and a few fava beans. Maybe there are a few more potatoes lurking in there, but I couldn't find them. I made them for dinner, roasting it all with olive oil, carrots, onions, some chunks of beef hot dog (high class, huh?), and a splash of cider vinegar. I ate my dinner. Then, because the professor is burning the midnight oil as well, trying to do two jobs at once AND jury duty, I put the rest of the concoction back in the oven. He ate after 8 pm, when he got home. That was our potato harvest. Most all of it. Woohoo. Good thing I'm frugal, because it's not like I'm making money off the book! Maybe I'll plant more potatoes.


Yesterday was our anniversary. We're a good team, and we're celebrating 9 years. I'd had more work stress, but with an odd respite. At 4:15 yesterday afternoon, there was a big thunderstorm (rain finally!) and the lights went out. I spent 45 minutes spinning and knitting, cause what else could I do? No computer. No internet. Lovely. Even managed to sew some of the professor's sweater up. Sally is modelling with it patiently. We managed to go out to dinner at a high end restaurant. Before dinner, we dropped by the drugstore to pick up my film from Black Sheep Gathering. (Inhale. deep breath now.)
They lost my film.
Ok, they were very nice about the mistake, offered me lots of free stuff, and these things happen. Let's just say that by then, the lights were on again...back in my #*$^%%^ , ahem, challenging-- worklife. I had a big glass of wine with dinner. Then, we went through the professor's 830 photos from Black Sheep Gathering, after dinner, until bedtime. (good thing he takes lots of photos!) These are being narrowed down to show the publisher before the professor leaves again on Saturday for his work trips. I may show you some BSG photos if mine are found...but then again, maybe not?


We tried on the professor's sweater, which, according to the pattern, just needs me to finish the collar. Yup. Except that I'll now be knitting underarm gussets to give the poor man the extra 3+ inches he needs to get the sweater around his shoulders and upper arms. This thing is endless, and the professor's no muscle-bound wrestler. Good thing I'm a designer. I can improvise...and there's leftover yarn.

Meanwhile, Sally is wiped out from all the thunder. (very stressful for a nervous highstrung girl)!
So, here goes, I'm focusing on the positive:

I love your comments. They keep me cheery and let me smile, and I visit the blog to read them often and feel encouraged and reassured.

I am writing a book about fiber festivals, and I love fiber festivals.

The professor is doing an incredible amount of work to make this happen, and I'm lucky to have him.

The potatoes tasted good. The only way to get fresh fava beans here is to grow them, and they were great.

Please join me in worrying and sending positive vibes that I can make this book a reality. I believe the worrying helps...along with turning all my first materials 3-4 weeks before the deadline, which I've already done. While I'm doing the hurry up and wait thing, I'm considering going outside in the 90+ temperatures to chop the heck out of some weeds and beat them into submission. Maybe this is why nice Southern ladies with good manners have such nice gardens?