Many-Colored Days

Although the skies have been almost uniformly gray this month, our life seems to have taken on many colors.

Days often start now with a rush, instead of our usual leisurely pace. We used to get up early enough, but we'd take our time getting moving--having our tea and coffee, reading Facebook and emails and blogs, then making breakfast and having coffee as we planned the rest of the day. After breakfast he would go outside to take care of chickens, pets and birds, take ebay packages up to the mailbox, and putter around with whatever he wanted to get into. I would usually clean up the kitchen and go back to the computer to finish up the morning's reading or list new things on ebay.

Now we get up, get the bed made, get dressed, hustle to get coffee and tea, sweep the floors, get laundry going and hopefully get breakfast before the home health nurse or the physical therapist is here. They don't come every day or even on the same day, but 3-4 days a week one or the other comes to see Larry. So we have to be ready because they like to come early. And honestly, we don't mind because that leaves the rest of our day free.

Lately I've been back into painting furniture, and have finished a few projects with a few more in progress. It's nice to get back to it after a long hiatus, although we're getting crowded up as pieces get finished.

I've been working harder on ebay too, and it's paying off in sales. Lots of sales, everything from faux  fur coats to Fenton glass to vintage jewelry to glass lamp shades. Almost every evening I'm packing something. Pretty cool.

The other thing that's kept me busy is writing and storytelling. I'm writing more poetry than I have in a long time and it feels good. I'm also reading more poetry, and last night went to a poetry reading to share some of my work. It felt good. On the storytelling front I am working on new stories for the Celtic programs coming up in March and April, and also learning to use a data projector so that we can show photos as part of the program. Being a non-techie person this is a learning curve for me but I'm getting there--and I'm happy with the projector I bought which seems to do a very good job and have good quality images.

Today was one of those days filled with variety. First we had both the nurse and the physical therapist come to see Larry. Then I worked on ebay while Larry went into town to get a load of gravel. I also worked on a story and when he got back, I went out to help him unload the stone on our muddy, muddy road. So much rain, along with freezing and thawing weather, had made a mess of our driveway this winter. When we finished we stopped for a glass of wine as a reward for our work, then he went to the chicken house to fix a better way to let the hens out into their yard, and I went back to writing, this time a new poem. And now I am writing this blog. Later we'll pull apart a pork roast that's been cooking all day to make into pork barbecus. Then maybe I'll do some painting on a couple pieces of furniture that are waiting for me.

I love these days. They will end soon enough. The nurse and the therapist will soon stop coming and we'll miss their young company. The Celtic programs will commence and I'll be on the road a bit for that. The grass will start to grow and we'll be busy keeping it cut. Gardens will need to be planted. The year will roll on and we will roll with it. But this time of year, when we can choose what to do and when, is just about my favorite, I think. Even if it is gray and rainy almost every day.



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