Some New Year Musings...

Well, I was having trouble gathering the energy the other day to reflect on the past year and think about the new one but I'm feeling much better now!  I am going to take this time to think about all those things in my life that I am extremely fortunate to have.  I'm really a very lucky person to have the life I have and it helps to reflect on that once in a while.

I'm so happy that I added those two little mischievous goats to my life!  I was thinking for a few weeks that I might be entirely crazy to get more pets, but they are so much fun and have such unique little personalities!  They really brighten my day!

I'm also glad that every one of my original 11 chickens is still with me and happy and healthy.  They are so funny and friendly and cheery and there is nothing more comical than watching a big, fat hen with a floofy bottom run across the yard to see me when I get home from work.  A running chicken is just a naturally amusing sight and one that I recommend for anyone who needs a good laugh!  The ducks, as much work as they are, are so cute and so funny, too.  Little Duck's children, who are still here, keep her company and keep her warm at night, so even though the boys are sort of pushy and demanding, I think Little likes them and since she is the whole reason I have ducks, I'm glad that she's happy!  The cats and dog are well, too, and happy and healthy, even though Toby is now 12, Zoe is 12, and Onyx is 11.  The Brother is still only 6, just a baby.   Here is Onyx, helping me put up the Christmas decorations!

I'm also quite grateful that the veterinary clinic is doing well enough in this economy.  I hope our clients continue to think we do a good job and keep bringing their little family members to us.  I am honored by the trust that they place in us and I'm so happy to help pets on a daily basis.  One of my resolutions from last year involved making sure that I practice according to my philosophy and I have definitely seen improvements in this respect and expect it to get better in the new year as we add a new doctor and a new technician.

I am happy to say that I did pretty well with most of last year's resolutions, with the exception of finishing April Cottage!  I'm still stalled on the living room, although it is more complete than before!  The next step is to get the ceiling paper and lights in the living room and finish trimming the room.  I want the finished result but don't much enjoy getting there!

So for this next year, what do I want to accomplish and work on?  Mostly, I think I need to concentrate on making sure that I reduce my personal stress level and this is 100% tied up with one of last year's resolutions to communicate what I need and want more fully to everyone.  I still need to work on this, although it's improving!  I also need to make sure I make time for myself and my own projects and learn how to say NO when necessary.  I can't help anyone by being over-committed and never having any free time for myself.  My crafting goals include making more outfits for the dolls I have and continuing to keep my etsy shop stocked with a variety of things.  I enjoy making doll clothes and it's a big stress reliever for me!  Mostly, in this New Year, I want to appreciate what I have in life, simplify, slow down and really enjoy my days.

Another New Year

Another year has gone by and a fresh, unwritten year is before us all, waiting to be filled with whatever we want to fill it with.  It's time for my annual look back and look ahead.  Here are last year's resolutions:

1. Have a successful starting year for my new veterinary practice.

I seem to have accomplished this, thankfully.  The place is still afloat!

2. Make time to craft lots of things and keep my etsy shop stocked.

I haven't done too badly with this one, although I think all my etsy listings have expired!

3. Visit my family!

Managed to do this in March and at least one of them has come to visit me this year, too. 

4. Paint my darn craft room!

Hooray, this is done and I love the new room.

5. Work on my new dollhouse

I have made it to the living room.  And now I'm stalled...better get back to work!

6. Eat more vegan meals.

Well, I'm glad to announce that I have managed to eat almost entirely vegan.  I do still have a little cheese now and again, especially when I'm eating out, because there aren't too many other options.  I also eat my chicken's eggs, mostly in recipes, but I know they're spoiled and happy so I don't worry about the quality of their lives.

7. Continue to play my dulcimer. Perhaps get a new music book because I am bored with the few I have.

 I haven't played it as much as I would like, but I have picked it up now and again.  I need to get a new song book!  I'll have to add one to my amazon cart ASAP.


Overall, it looks like I've done OK with last year's resolutions.  So here are a few new ones.

1.  For the veterinary practice:  get the practice more into accordance with my own personal philosophy and away from the past owner's philosophy.  The good thing is that mostly, we share philosophies, but there are a few things that need work.  A new sign and logo will help to accomplish this goal, and I have an artist working on a logo.
2.  Be more open with my communications with everyone.  By this, I mean that if something is bothering me, I need to communicate about it rather than figuring out non-confrontational ways of dealing with things.  This should help my management style and my overall life.
3.  Continue to craft and sew and keep my etsy shop stocked.
4.  Finish the interior, at least, of my dollhouse.  The length of time that it's taking me to get this done is getting ridiculous!
5.  Participate in more craft and dollhouse swaps.  These are fun and a good way to motivate me to work on things for myself.
6.  Read more.  I think the lack of reading for fun is impairing my imaginative processes, and that in turn makes me less creative with things like my miniatures and dolls.
7.  Keep working on the dulcimer, as mentioned above.
8.  Sculpt some.  I haven't sculpted in a while and I was not so bad at it and miss doing it.
9.  Make some stuff for myself.  I always make things for other people, but I've wanted to make tons of things for me but I never get around to it.  I want a sweater, a garland of hearts for the mantle, curtain tie backs, etc!

So here's to a fresh new year and all the good things it will contain!

A Year in Review and Outlook for Next Year

Toby Being Cute

It's been a big year. Time for a little reflection. My main resolution from last year involved trying to manage my time better so I am less stressed. I have to say, I've still got some work to do on that, but I've made a great start. I decided to buy the practice I'm working in so I can set my own hours and manage the place the way that I will find to be the least stressful for everyone. So, I've been temporarily MORE stressed but I see light at the end of the tunnel. And I've also found that the amount of stress that I feel is greatly dependent upon my outlook on things. If I feel in control of the situation, it doesn't stress me as much.

Another big accomplishment this year was adding the chickens to my household. Every time I reflect upon what my perfect life would involve, it involves more ethical sources of food and increased self-sufficiency. The chickens were a GREAT deal of work to start up this year, but I enjoy having them both for the previous mentioned reasons, but also because they're just plain funny and fun to be around. The ducks were not a planned addition, but they are pretty comical, too, and I'm glad we have them all. Somehow, I ended up with 11 chickens when I intended to have three or five, but hey, the more the merrier!

Zillions of fabulous eggs

Things that have not gone as well this year: I haven't practiced the dulcimer as much as I would have liked, and I haven't done much artwork or crafting. I haven't had time to visit family ALL YEAR. This practice transition has been very time consuming and stressful.

I have, however, started on my dollhouse that sat for almost a full year as an unopened kit! It's going to be great and large and just what I always wanted.

So for this next year, I have a few goals:

1. Have a successful starting year for my new veterinary practice
2. Make time to craft lots of things and keep my etsy shop stocked.
3. Visit my family!
4. Paint my darn craft room! I intended to do this last year, but it never happened.
5. Work on my new dollhouse
6. Eat more vegan meals. I'm uncomfortable with the lives that dairy cows have in this country, and as a vegetarian, a lot of the fat and calories in my diet come from eating milk products. I think that eating more fruits, veggies and grains will help me be healthier overall. I've gotten Vegan Lunch Box for Christmas so that will help with this goal.
7. Continue to play my dulcimer. Perhaps get a new music book because I am bored with the few I have.

So Happy New Year and I'm hoping we're off to a good start!

Happy 2009

It's the New Year again. It's hard to believe a whole year has gone by. I just reread last year's New Year post. I wonder how I did with my resolutions? Here they are:

1. Be sure to remember my seven habits, especially BE PROACTIVE!

I think I did OK with this one.

2. Spend more time traveling this year and visiting family, especially.

I visited family at least quarterly, and also went to Georgia for CE in September.

3. Always make time for crafting something, anything, at least once a week.

4. Play my dulcimer at least twice a week.

Hmm...could have done better with both of these; only so much time in a week. I am, however, much better overall at playing my dulcimer. Last year I could play NONE of the Christmas songs in my song book and this year I can play all of them, even though I'm slow at some of them.

5. Draw, watercolor or pastel something at least quarterly.

I didn't manage to make a fall artwork, but I did do something in all of the other quarters.

6. Cut down on the number of grocery bags we use this year. Try this instead.

I did manage to cut down on the grocery bags and have the handmade bag made out of Plarn MOSTLY done, but not 100%. I have been saving and collecting bags all year to make it out of. It's time-consuming.

7. Buy handmade or make most gifts this year.

I did pretty well with most gifts for my nieces' birthdays this year, but ran out of time on the Christmas ones. Again, only so much time in a week.

So, on to this year's resolutions. I may add to this over the next few days.

1. Work on time management. I never feel like I have enough time to do any of the things that I want to do, and my life is suffering for it. I seem to spend most of my life chronically stressed. My free time always feels like it's consumed with chores and errands and I rarely get to do the things I REALLY want to do, which are generally craft projects. In my ideal world, I'd love to add lots of things to my etsy shop and become a successful craft entrepreneur.

2. Keep trying to craft something at least once a week. See resolution 1.

3. Finish some of my unfinished projects. Again, see resolution 1.

4. Clean and organize my cabinets in the kitchen.

5. Paint the craft room! I'm so tired of looking at the icky painted kid hand prints on the wall from the last family that lived here!

6. Spend more quality time with Aaron.

We'll see what this next year brings. I intend also to keep working on my dulcimer playing and my artwork.

Happy New Year

Today I am feeling refreshed! It's a bright, sunny day outside and it's only 7 degrees F, as we are in the middle of a COLD snap. Toby enjoys bounding through the drifts, but his feet freeze and he holds them up pathetically. This morning, he had to wear his sweater and booties, as it was -8 outside. He does a most interesting shimmy with his booties on--he thinks he can't use his feet correctly!

He's headed back to the house in this picture, and he doesn't have on his fun outerwear because we only ran outside for a minute for a photo op!

Since it's a new, clean year, in the spirit of New Year's Resolutions, here are a few of mine (this is a work in progress):

1. Be sure to remember my seven habits, especially BE PROACTIVE! I have a bad habit of procrastinating, which is always worse in the fall and winter, when I naturally have less energy due to the shorter days.

2. Spend more time traveling this year and visiting family, especially.

3. Always make time for crafting something, anything, at least once a week.

4. Play my dulcimer at least twice a week.

5. Draw, watercolor or pastel something at least quarterly.

6. Cut down on the number of grocery bags we use this year. Try this instead.

7. Buy handmade or make most gifts this year.