You read that? I warned you not to. I told you it would make no sense.
Because everything I'm whining about in that crazed spin-y place comes from a majorly amazing blessing in my life.
I haven't shipped work to my galleries? Well, I still have time to do that. But even if I don't, the work isn't going anywhere. It will still be here when I'm up and around after my surgery. Maybe I'll even have some new work ready when the time comes.
I can't find enough materials for my new body of work? That's just me trying to have total control of a project at the outset. The truth is, I have enough materials to start the series, and play, and experiment. I don't have to have everything figured out, and materials for a hundred pieces, in order to get started.
I can't do my summer show? My main income builder, and the only way I see most of my customers and collectors? Actually, it's kind of a relief to take a sabbatical this year. It's a wicked hard show to do. Nine days of retail sales, outside, in the August heat. Weather-dependent–if it rains, I'm toast. Plus set-up and break-down. I'll miss my customers–they inspire me and support me. But they won't forget me overnight. I'll invite them to my open studio in the fall. And I'm also curious to find out what will appear this year, when I make room for it. I've been given the gift of time–time to think. Time to be open to new possibilities. Time to make new work. Time to (gasp!) truly relax and enjoy summer in New England, for the first time in fifteen years.
Long days. Man, do I really look that grumpy??
Scary surgery? 500,000 people a year have total knee replacement surgery. Some of them have complications, but most of them don't. And a lot of pain for a few months may mean a lot LESS pain for the next 20 years. Not a bad trade. And I'm not going to be able to clean the house OR the studio for awhile. I have the perfect excuse to have a messy house and a messy studio!
The crazy dogs? We currently have three dogs in house. All were Turks & Caicos rescue pups. Tuck we brought home with us from our vacation there three years ago. One we fostered last fall, and adopted out to a young woman. We are babysitting her for a few weeks. And Nick was adopted out to a family in Boston last year, but they can't keep him. We thought we had a home for him, but it's beginning to look like he's already home. HERE. He's a goof, and he's still a pup (9 months old.) But he's also sweet-tempered, cuddly, and loving. He and Tuck are already best friends. Yes, dogs are a lot of work. Any pet adds to your daily chores. So do kids. And spouses. Yep, everything would be so much easier if we didn't have all those other people and critters in our lives. Easier. Definitely cleaner. More calm.
So what's the burning question?
It was the perfect question for me to ask myself, today.