Life unexpectedly

July 22, 2009

I like to plan, organize and take care of the details. I think in another life I might make a good event planner except that I don't like deadlines or dealing with incompetent people. I also don't deal well with change, good or bad. Oh, and I like to be in control. I have some issues.

So the unexpected happenings from the last couple weeks have thrown me a little off course and yesterday I was making my way into a new path for the rest of this month and into the next. Transition, something else I struggle with. In case you mistakenly think I have it all together I can resoundingly assure you I do not.

Things I had expected and planned for this month:

Camping the first and last weekends. The packing, arrangements and clean up that goes along with that.
Preparing for and teaching the soap making workshop this Thursday night. If you're local there is still time to register.
The arrival of a three week room-and-boarder staying with us while she studies at The Bates Dance Festival.
Weekly farmer's market, beach days, gardening and farm pick ups.
The usual once-a-month buying club order and the hours of work I spend on that.

This was enough to fill the days with some time to just stop and enjoy the season.

Things I hadn't expected or planned for this month:

Issues with our tenants of a fairly serious nature requiring mental energies and time. Emotionally drained and worried is how I feel, even though I know I shouldn't be.
The start of a Maine products local buying club of which I'm a founding member. This has been in the works for a long time and I'm super excited about it but is coming together at an inopportune time for me.
A whirlwind weekend visit with my brother and his family, arriving the same night as our boarder (me making up beds for 11 of us). The visit was wonderful but somewhat last minute which is not my strength.
Starting a room decorating project with Celine. Sounds fun and it is but the immediacy of it took me by surprise. She needs this project to engage her growing mind and interests but balancing her needs with the plans and other household obligations is tricky.
The usual buying club order (separate from the Maine group) being delayed one week and shifting around my calendar and plans for this week.

I don't live with my head stuck in the sand, I know life is lived in the unexpected moments and things unplanned for. But all of these planned and unplanned realities hit me on Sunday. I left it all behind and went hiking with my family, which was the best thing to do. Of course it all came back Monday with no mountain top to escape to. But I dealt with it the way I prefer to handle stress - working hard to take care of house and home with a smidgen of ice cream to end the day.

When I went to bed the fridge was once again restocked with veggies, the floor was washed (6 little wet & grassy feet in & out all weekend), the laundry was off the line, the bedding put away from the weekend and pretty handmade candles graced the kitchen table. The situations all remain as they were but with a tidy house and a little bit of beauty I seem better able to manage it all.