Not Enough Time

     I am back to having almost no time in my life for... anything. I am back to struggling to find a balance with things. School started last week and my very first day I had restraint training. Then, the next day was the first day of school with kids. We have two new students this year and they are challenging. Partially because we don't really know them and partially because middle school is just not elementary school. Plus our kids from last year seem to have forgotten a lot of the rules and expectations. So we are working on getting back into the swing of things. I also have to get up at dark o'clock again, so I am kind of tired a lot of the time. But I am working on it. 

     To add to the difficulty of starting a new school year, last Thursday a skunk sprayed outside my bedroom window. My open bedroom window. Which results in me basically being gassed out of my room and forced to sleep on the couch. I could still smell skunk but it wasn't quite as strong out there. Still strong though. Somehow my bag, which was not in my bedroom also smelled like skunk, but faintly, so it kind of smelled like pot. So I went to school last Friday exhausted and smelly. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, and I was ready for it to be over from the first minute. When I got home my house still smelled bad and I was so frustrated that I just left. I went and picked Travis up and we went on our coffee date. At least that was nice. After that we went to Walmart to get more small fans (to stick facing out in the windows) and things to try to get the stink out of the rooms. It was expensive and frustrating. I decided I needed this unicorn clock for my studio, because I have been thinking I needed a clock in the studio. It was a good idea. 

    I am not positive, but I think the only doll I finished last week was this cowboy doll. He's done on a modified Yvonne doll and he makes a pretty nice cowboy. With the added bonus of fitting in the same tack as an Yvonne type doll. He's sold but I am willing to make more of these guys if people are interested. 

    Right before school started I got together with a friend I haven't seen in years and she gifted me this mug she got for me a couple of years ago, and kept forgetting to give me. All the flamingos have on different costumes and I absolutely love it! And I love the shape. I am very into this particular shape of tea cup. 

     The Spirit Halloween stores are open and I Elecktra and I were spending a day together and went to a couple of them. I felt I needed to put this sign above my bar. It amused me. And there was a space on that wall that kind of needed something. But after that I realized I kind of also needed another plant. 

    When hanging out with another friend before school started I decided it was time to get another new plant. So we went out to my favorite plant store, the Painted Stone Emporium (they also have stones and crystals) and I got this one, to add to the other two plants hanging in the kitchen. It's now balanced and makes me very happy. And I have 16 plants. My pink angel plant that nearly died while I was at Breyerfest is being rehabbed and it's actually going pretty well. And I am super impressed that I am managing to rehab a plant. 

         So back to last Friday. I was angry, smelled like skunk, and was so frustrated with everything that I thought about not going to dance. But I had several friends texting asking if I was going and I talked myself into it. I skipped the lessons, and just went for the social dance, but I am glad that I did. It was a really amazing night of dance and I was in a much better mood when I left there. Even though I went home to a house that smelled like skunk, though not as strongly. And even now, a week later, I can still smell it faintly if the house has been closed up all day. But it's close to gone and my stuff doesn't smell anymore. So that is encouraging. 

       Since school has started I am tired and have a lot less free time. But so far I am enjoying myself. School is starting to even out a little bit, the beginning of the year is always a bit weird. Hopefully soon I can get back into getting up early so I am less tired and can potentially get more doll work done. But for now I will just keep on doing what I can, when I can manage it. Fun things are coming!