Back in September, I wrote about having clarity about what I wanted. The dreams I wanted to pursue. That clarity is still there, as is my drive and ambition. I am working towards my goals steadily, intentionally, and I am thrilled about what is coming to fruition. It will still be some months yet that I can really grab hold of those reins and gallop forward, but for now I am happy to walk, trot, and canter.
Tuesday before last, I underwent surgery - a hysterectomy. Now, I don’t have a particular attachment to my uterus—we’ve never wanted kids, I’ve never had a spiritual attachment to my cycle, etc.—and by the time surgery came around I was just about begging for it to happen due to various issues going on. We had a particularly nasty ice storm in Oregon and my anxiety was sky high as I waited for word about any cancellation…thankfully my Doc is realistic and the weather cleared just in time. I have been recovering well since, and it has been quite the experience. Luckily, I have a great caretaker in my husband who has been humoring my need for him to lift every remotely heavy object around the house (as a fiercely independent woman, having to ask someone else to do a lot of things I would normally do myself is…uncomfortable).
Prior to my procedure, I had the foresight to take advantage of my recovery time—I photographed jewelry I had in stock, researched websites, listened to podcasts, built a new workbench, etc. Once I felt up to actually moving around, I’ve been able to edit and list items for sale, revamp my website and get my newsletter in line, and have been relatively productive. Occasionally, it has knocked me out the next day (or after a few hours), but I am learning how to manage the recovery issues and am still taking it easy. I try to get a walk in each day (above, we got caught in a random hail storm on Mt. Tabor) for bloodflow, but am definitely listening to my body when it tells me to rest.
One saving grace this year has been my Link-A-Day project! I have them all saved on my instagram in a highlight, and post each link every few days. Before the new year, I knew I wanted to do a one-a-day project for this year, but I knew making a full piece of jewelry would be far too much work each day while holding down a demanding full time job. I’m not sure where the link idea came from, but I have always loved chains, so it made sense. I’ve had so much fun making these! One of the things I’ve always loved about these type of projects is the freedom—I can play with technique and style, make items that I would never make in production, and generally have fun. I also try to use up materials that I won’t be using in my normal mode of production as well—odd metals, random scraps, various stones, etc. There are times when the links I create DO spark new ideas, which is fantastic—for instance, different ways to link stones rather than just wire wrapping. Best of all, this project has kept me connected to my bench, to the act of creating.
Speaking of creating, the bench is calling again, and I must go. Thank you for being here!