I know I’ve mentioned this before but it keeps popping up and surprises me like the first time I realized it; I have a lot more time on my hands these days.
It’s very, very strange.
Yes there is always laundry and cleaning to be done and figuring out meals happens on a regular basis. But the impetus to be busy in these ways, to devote copious amounts of my time to the thoughts and actions, is significantly reduced when one goes from a household of five to a household of one daily, two regularly and three rarely.
I was never really on my own, all alone and the only adult in the house except for about a year between when my daughter’s father moved out and two others moved in. Except for a short time after I graduated college, I’ve always lived under someone else roof or a shared one. And even then it was more of a communal living situation as I knew people in 6 out of the 8 apartments in the building.
It’s funny the things that pop up and need to be radically adjusted when living circumstances change.
Trying to learn how to adjust the food in the chest freezer is driving me mad. I know it’s more efficient to keep it full but with dollars the way they are these days I have to shop especially carefully. I’ve been saving gallon milk jugs and filling them with water for the bottom of the unit but even that is problematic. We just don’t go through milk all that quickly anymore.
I bought two pounds of prosciutto for $8 recently and separated out, vac packed and froze it. Gave some to the eldest to take back to school with her and the remainder will feed us for 26 meals. Yes, I’ll need some other ingredients like pasta, heavy cream, Parmesan or maybe mooz and thin sliced chix cutlets but these things are cheap in comparison to what prosciutto usually costs. We’ll probably make use of this for at least 9 months, possibly a year.
Do most people have to think this much about prosciutto?
I sure hope the fuck not. But this is my reality and I know I’m not alone.
I have a list in my phone now with a full inventory of what’s in the freezer that is current at all times. That’s only possible now because I’m the only one who pulls stuff out of the frozen tundra.
What a strange way to spend so many of the precious minutes that make up a life.
So in my copious spare time that is not being taken up by hustling for cashy money I’ve been playing with creative stuff.
I can’t work all the time.
Came across a length of vintage cloth and wanted to see it go for some use other than rags. It was too good to waste, probably a mix of cotton and linen with a lovely texture to it. But I’m also determined to find new homes for those things that serve no purpose. The house needs clearing and everything must serve a purpose or at least a purpose in the near future. Trying a bit of Morris meets Marie to whip things into shape. So the fabric needed to be used or it needed to go. But use it for what?
I have some basic crafty skills. I’m not an artist by any means, just a dilettante. I can stencil, silkscreen, paint something that’s already traced on the wall like letters or a basic pattern, sew a straight line, crochet as well as do various types of needle work like embroidery and such and recently I’ve begun playing with beads. I like playing around with new materials and methods but finishing things is not my forte’.
I really need to finish things. Lots of things.
Here’s the start of something.
It’ll be interesting to see how it works out. And I’ve promised myself that I will actually finish it.
Part of the craftyness has been realizing that it’s okay to take up hours sketching something out that I later discard. It’s part of the process. And then, when it’s ready, it’ll come together. I just need to be a bit better about following through.
But I also have more time, and brain space, to follow through now so maybe I actually will manage to finish this thing, whatever it actually is.
It’s very strange.
Life is very strange.
Just focusing on the next stitch.
