Tuesday, February 17, 2009

I Can't Walk

and chew gum at the same time . . . I figured this out yesterday and decided to forgive myself for it. I'll preface what I am about to say with this: I know I am an incredibly lucky person to have the life I do. That said: I am finding it difficult to attend to everything on my plate.

We are in the middle of construction on an addition to our house. Working with an architect is not easy . . . so many mistakes have been made and they are like dominoes -- one leads to the next . . . Thank goodness for our practical, experienced and fair contractor. And all the details that have to be attended to: cabinets and door hardware and all that stuff. It is enough to make my head spin. We have thought about this addition for 18 years -- you'd think we would know what we want already. . . .

I have two shows coming up -- the Peconic Ruggers hook in on February 28 and The Fairfield Grace Show in March. I need to work on new patterns and dye wool and order needle punch supplies, as well as finish a rug for an elderly friend and complete 2 small mats for a special order . . . Then there's my blog, and my ebay and etsy shops which are virtually empty and taxes are due soon. . .

I've got a million phone calls and emails to return to people I know and people I don't, and my Valentine's cards didn't get made. The dryer broke on Friday. The toaster broke on Saturday. A friend has been diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer and is having surgery in 3 weeks. Another friend's new puppy died and she is heartbroken. Clara has room mate issues and our phone bill from Florence could feed a third world country.

I am not complaining. I'm grateful I have a plate that is full. It's just when it gets this full, I freeze. Then nothing gets accomplished. I just need to know how other people manage. I am already a list maker. And I do let some things go -- like the Valentine's -- and I make Pete eat pizza if I don't make it to the market. And obviously, my blog suffers . . . Any other suggestions? I'm all ears . . .

3 comments:

Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups said...

Sarah, I can soooo relate to this post! I have similar struggles with my time and the demands which come from so many sources. But learning to say "no" comes in handy. :) I am still working on that.
Good luck with your shows, the construction, the taxes. . .

C

And btw, I love, love, love the little yellow chick on your Etsy!

Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups said...

P.S. I realized I didn't have your link on my blog--gotcha added!

Tammy Burks said...

Sarah,
As another person who can't help but burn the candle at both ends....I'll share this with you, that someone shared with me. If you burn your candle at both ends you'll get wicked out.
That being said...let etsy and ebay sit on the back burner. I'm thinking I could live without a toaster for a while, but would need a dryer soon.
Tend to your family first, your customers second....it took me a while to figure that one out....customers come and go, but hopefully your family will always be there for you. Don't forget to look at the BIG picture and try not to get too caught up in the details. I've also learned you can also ask for extensions for time with your customers...you'd be surprised how well they understand...at least some of them will.
Blessings,
Tammy