I'm Back

Back to farming and fiber Yay! I was a guidance counselor in two elementary schools for 6 weeks filling in for a guidance counselor who was on family leave. I enjoyed working with the kids and playing professional (all dressed up) for a little while but I am glad to be back to my REAL life where I can stay home with animals and wear blue jeans (the same pair for two days).

I can wake up by the light of the day- not in the dark. I can let the animals out earlier and spend more time with them. I can play with fiber again. I was too tired after a full day at school and then taking care of the animals and making dinner. And then with all the Saturdays in September scheduled to be away, places doing things, it really made it impossible to get anything done.

There is a long list of things that have been neglected and new things that have been put on hold but the weather is beautiful and I will just keep whittling away until all the important things get done. It will be interesting to see how much the school system pays me for all those weeks away - not a lot I am sure, but maybe a bit to do a project or two.

I am on to my next fiber adventure. It is actually called NEXT. It is an after school project to get kids to interact instead of going home and vegetating. They are going to pay me $20/hr but it is only 2 1/2 or 3 hrs. per week. Tonight, was the kickoff; where the kids got to check out all the activity groups they could sign up for. I will be doing a fiber puppet class. The students who choose my group will learn to knit, weave, and felt and design a puppet incorporating all three. I am excited and I hope a few will sign up and get excited too. I was talking to a woman who is doing photography and she told me when you get to 6th grade it isn't cool to look like you are excited so not to get discouraged. I have been working with K-5th for so long that I forgot about that. Oh well, I still want to do it.

Now I will be able to give the animals and the farm the best part of the day and then hang out with the kids at the end of a couple of days. That is what I call a balanced life.