The Unknown Busy Day

I know I'll be busy today, but I couldn't tell you yet what exactly I'll be busy doing.

Most days I go to bed with a pretty clear idea what I'd like to do the following day. A cleaning chore I want to be sure to finish, time on a certain project, or an errand or outing on my calendar.

Today is not such a day. I went to bed last night without a plan for today. I woke up groggy and somewhat uninspired.

As I dressed and ventured out into the main part of my house, I started feeling a little more inspiration. I'm still slowly working on cleaning out our bedroom cupboards and closet, a little time will be spent at that today. We tend to let things go some on the weekends, but I realized even when let go things don't actually look too bad anymore...so I'm inspired to pick up and clean up. It won't take long and I can sit later to sew without guilt.

I made a list yesterday of craft projects I hoped to spend time on. Some will be Christmas presents, others for my own pleasure. It was quite a list! I have one bin that is full of fabric to be cut for scrap quilts and another bin that has the bags of cut shapes and the templates. I keep it all together so I don't have to search if I feel like cutting. The small squares will be used to make 9 patches, which can be used as alternating blocks with another block or with blank blocks for an Irish Chain. The hearts are for applique, I made Ruthie's quilt by raiding my heart stash. Also there is an oblong hexagon, apple core, diamond, dresden blade and equilateral triangle.

Other things on my list are knitting dishcloths, (thanks Bren, LOL), making Humbug bags, making fabric teacups, my applique projects, my paper piecing projects (flying geese and strip blocks), and penny bags. Oh, and yo yos. I'm sure there must be more, but they haven't made their way to the list yet.

I wake up every morning to a day that seems wide open, but it rapidly fills with tasks small and large, time for the children and my husband and odds and ends that come up throughout the day. I sometimes wish for a day where everyone left me home alone, but on those rare occasions when I'm here for a few hours alone, I have so many things I'd like to do in peace that I end up doing very little for lack of deciding.

This is Ruthie's first experience with a discman, maybe I need to use it and block out some of the distractions around me. The truth is, I don't really want or need to block them out, though on occasion the thought is appealing!

Last night I was able to sit with my feet up and knit and quilt (not at the same time!) because my younger ones were occupied. Ruthie has decided Lucas is her buddy and when she's not needing a snuggle from someone bigger, she can usually be found with him. She loves the camera, can you tell?

Today, I'm hoping for more than my usual amount of time for sewing. I usually hover somewhere around the 3 hour mark as I've set that as a daily goal. Many days I'm hardpressed to get that. With what's left of this morning I'm going to run a very quick errand, pick up, get laundry started, and clean up my kitchen. I had a few things left from last night and now breakfast dishes and I've found I feel so much better if my kitchen is clean. I hope to be completely done with chores by noon or so (except for laundry) and then I'll finish the dishcloth I started yesterday and work on the border of the quilt in the hoop. If I need a break from these, I'll choose from my list. I'm sure other things will make their way into that time, and that's ok. It's why I'm home and why I love being home. Days full of promise and people I love.