When do the long lazy nights of winter start? When will I finally get to read those books, sharpen those tools, watch those movies, talk to those long-distance friends? I've created wonderful diversity and, in a strange way, balance, but it sometimes adds up to too much of a good thing, or at least too many good things. In this past week I've been involved with:
- facilitated Cowichan Fundraisers Exchange, then typed and distributed minutes to over 80 non-profit members
- meetings with two new prospective non-profit clients
- started a year-long once/week job at OUR Ecovillage
- work sessions and follow-up with two ongoing clients - Glenora Farm and Biodeisel Coop
- two Bikram yoga sweats
- Social Health Committee meeting (agenda, facilitate, type and distribute notes)
- arranged caller and fiddler for spring Barn Dance
- worked with electrician to finish running wires to new rental cabin extension
- teleconference of new fundraising committee for Canadian Friends Service Committee
- finished boiling first batch of maple syrup, plus picked up 29 new collection bottles from friends and drilled more trees
- had a tree guy reduce a towering 100-year-old Douglas Fir into 20-foot lengths, and arranged for a portable mill to turn it into beams for the rental cabin reno
- attended a full-day school workshop on enrollment and fundraising
- family hike with another dear-friend family; other family here for dinner
- lotsa dealing with parents, faculty, self and son about bullying issues
- hot tub, final garden planning and seed order with sarah and crystal
- submit grant application for community centre development
- neighbourhood association meeting
- plan ski trip, writer's retreat, and March Toronto trip
Plus of course all the un-bulletable parts of housekeeping, cooking (including a fabulous upside-down apple-strawberry cake), parenting, firewood chopping, chicken-tending, writing, etc etc.
'Twas a good week to practice being fully present for each activity, but a challenge to then do the proper follow-through even while shifting to the next appointment or task. I wrote this time last year that I refuse to use the word "busy", and that's still not my complaint here. The entire list of things I did this week are worthy and I don't see any that I want to cut. Just need to keep on top of everything, tend to details, follow through, take time to absorb learnings and challenges, let the water carry the good stuff down to the roots before shooting off in another direction. And somehow find time to read a book and still get one of those blessed 12-hour winter slumbers.
Write to Renew
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One of our previous graduates, the talented Jay Nahani, is leading us in a
Write to Renew workshop June 14th. For writers and non-writers alike, this
one-d...
let the water carry the good stuff down to the roots before shooting off in another direction.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a wonderful way to look at it, Rick! So perfect...and so perfectly hard to do most of the time! We had a lovely family hike today in Lynn Valley and while I thoroughly enjoyed inhaling the fresh air while walking, as soon as we arrived back to the van, my first thought was, "okay, exercise and fresh air; check. What's next?" I wish I had spent a bit more time just relaxing into the wonderful feeling of walking in the woods with my family.
Maybe next week...