Simplifying For The Languished
0 comment Thursday, July 24, 2014 |
I know, this is supposed to be a gardeny-blog sort of thing, but it seems to be evolving into a garden/self-sufficiency/disability/parenting sort of thing. I may have to start using those mysterious "tag" things just to keep everything straight.
I'm still in the throes of Languishment; it's been a while since I've been this fatigued, but at least I'm not in agony. This has made me seriously rethink my business approach to the year. The Xmas season nearly killed me, truly; several craft fairs which actually didn't give me all that great returns, lots of running around, lots of stress, and I was exhausted and done in for weeks afterwards - and couldn't get enough rest due to holidays and injuries and even MORE stress. I have more cash now on hand, but I'm trying to use it wisely, finding ways to invest in other crafty ways to add to my business ventures, save money round the house and, more importantly, be able to do all this and still allow me to spend time with my son, take time out for myself, and not feel the money-crunch as the need to push myself further than I can function.
First order of business is, obviously, the garden, for many reasons; therapeutic, self-sufficiency, safety and forward thinking for when/if my mobility worsens. It will help in huge ways, and I'm keeping the faith.
But I'm not stopping there; I'm digging up old skills which I haven't used in a long while and will be putting those to use again. I'm investing in a sewing machine that can handle heavier fabrics so I can sew house furnishings, winter wear for myself, corsetry when I have a wild hair to be fancy, and maybe even sew things I may be able to sell in addition to my soaps, such as towels, dishcloths, muslin face cloths and maybe even extend beyond that into other things to add to Folksy.
I'm going to homebrew again this year; not on the monumental scale Ex used to brew, in which we'd have anywhere up to 150 bottles of different beers and wines all on the cure (though that turned out to be instant barter currency!). But surplus fruits when I go to the pick your owns could make a few bottles, I have every intention of trying my hand at mead this year, and I've even a recipe for ginger wine now. I have (I think - and yes, I'll check first!) an elder bush outside and elderflower/elderberry wine wouldn't go amiss. These were great for Xmas gifts and also quite lovely to open up during a grim winter's day.
Stockpiling food like I used to is something I'm also trying to do; a chest freezer to store meat, surplus veg, dog bones and the like wouldn't go amiss either. Waste not, want not has been my motto for the past month and it really has made a different in my food bills, so I'd like to see how far I can go with things. I'm certainly managing on the home-cooked food front - sprog hasn't had food out of a box in weeks and he doesn't really seem to miss it much. This is a good sign!
The business....well, for the sake of my sanity and my health, I'm doing the sensible thing and not promoting my website quite so much. That is for re-orders from craft fairs and so on. I have good results from Folksy so I will continue to sell there as and when I have stock. I will also add any sewing stuff I may feel would be a good addition, and I will plan WELL in advance of Christmas craft fairs and limit my attendance to two this year. I'm planning on attending one summer fair, but only one. I just can't do any more than that, really, as summer is when I need my energy the most. I'll get in some friends to help with wrapping, labelling, and sorting out so I don't stay up till 11 anymore trying to do it all myself. As long as I'm working regularly per week, I still qualify for tax credits, and the sheer amount of cataloguing, researching, trying new techniques, formulating, creating labels, wrapping, checking ingredients, and all that one has to to just to make some soap which is legal to sell takes up a lot more time than most people realise. I'm working at least that during the day, after sprog is asleep (was just researching how to sell laundry soap legally but it looks like a legal morass, and the EU has banned borax). I thinks I earns my money, thankya.
I will be getting back to the gym, on a more sedate but necessary basis this Friday, and again on Sunday. I'll get more active, even if it means I have to kiss bodybuilding goodbye and stick to machines (meh). More walking, and more ME time, as well as more allowing myself to take those days off if I need them - though a "day off" is still a day where I find things to do, just at a lighter pace; I hung up the laundry, did dishes, and cleaned the pantry today. It felt like a holiday, and that's possibly rather telling.
And now, at the mid-night hour of....8pm...I'm going to bed.

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