Five Things: June Afternoon Edition

It’s Saturday afternoon again and I am patiently waiting for one of my employees to get here so I can leave and enjoy the the sunshine. Telfer is at the hospital and the girls are with Papa on a park adventure. It’s been another good week but boy, I am looking forward to a day off. (Monday!) Training a new employee is a necessary part of small business ownership and I am taking notes on what is working and what isn’t and how I can best support her learning with time and and kindness and patience. 1. Last Sunday we went on the boat and it was SO FUN. I love being out on the water with Telfer and the girls. We boated into a little cove and saw five (5!) Great Blue Herons and then motored on to Boston Harbor for ice cream and wine. The girls played in the water and Telfer and I sat and chatted. Summer is here. 2. Yes to 14 years together. We had a lovely time together on Tuesday. We met at the restaurant which for some reason, feels both grown up and romantic. We shared a few small plates and arrived home in time to put the girls to bed. Also romantic in its own way (and full of reality). 3. Yesterday was a bit of a wash, full of work and necessary things but nothing on my agenda actually finished. Cate had early release and spent the afternoon with me. I picked up Jane later than planned but we finally made it home. The girls made pumpkin leaf soup. Jane stirred. I regrouped, Papa brought by lamb khorma (my favorite) and the girls and I watched Brave (also my favorite) cuddled up on the sofa. 4. I finished Daybook: A Journal of an Artist by Anne Truitt earlier this week. I am most definitely not an artist, but my work is creative in its way. Or said another way, I find meaning in approaching my work creatively. Building a small business, parenting, running a house is such creative, life-sustaining work but it is work. Truitt is so inspiring to me here:

The second major decision was to increase my energy output and to use it as wisely and as fully as I could. Again fortunately, during the years from 1948 to 1961 I had formed the habit of working in my studio almost every single day. Rain or shine, eager or dragging my feet, I just plain forced myself to work. This habitual discipline came up under me to support my revved-up schedule. I simply got up early every morning and worked straight through the day in one way or another, either in my household or in my studio. Before I went to sleep, I loosely organized the following day’s schedule – loosely because there were, of course, always unexpected events. But I tried to hold course in accordance with my values: first – husband, children, household; second – my work. The periods of time left over from my practical responsibilities were spent in the studio. If there were fifteen minutes between shopping and carpool, I used them. If I had an hour, or two hours, I rejoiced, but didn’t even waste time feeling happy, just worked…One element is clear, however, and that is that the capacity to work feeds on itself and has its own course of development. That is what artists have going for them.

5. I am the happiest when I am reading lots of great stuff. These are all my current reads. Still Writing is a reread because I love it so much and needed to revisit. I really don’t have big dreams of writing but writing books are the best for reminding me to live my life with intention and creativity. A lovely pile of books, no?