Long Day

I slept soundly and for a solid 7.5 hours last night.

I woke up feeling bright eyed, bushy tailed and keen to bound out of bed!

We even opened the shop 20 minutes early.

I vacuumed the floors, emptied the bins, washed the dishes, stapled biz cards to the bags, served customers, created an ad for the aromatherapy workshop that’s happening at the shop on Thursday and posted it on Facebook as well as printing it out and pinning it in the shop.

I created a ‘to do’ list for the weekend and gathered all the paperwork that I needed to bring home before packing up and preparing for Adoring Husband to pick me up.

We left with our freshly made coffee right on 1pm.

I couldn’t wait to put my feet up and we watched a couple of Netflix movies together before switching over to the football.

I made Hainan chicken for dinner with a big batch of mixed wild mushrooms, which was delicious.

My day has been busy, productive, relaxing and long. Actually, my whole week has been that way so I’m looking forward to my weekend off.

It’s almost midnight so I think it’s time to sleep.

Nite all.

Got it Done

I ended my day with a sense of achievement.

Good sales.

I removed the old “Happy Abode” stickers from the walls and counter cupboards and created new “Roz’s Happy Place” signs, laminated them and used double sided tape to attach them to their new positions.

I created the replacement ‘opening hours’ sign to stick over both sides of the A-frame sign that sits on the footpath. I used double sided tape to stick them over the top of the old hours.

I ordered some new bag hooks for displaying bags.

I wrote out my new Jenny Jazz order, ready to submit next week.

I steamed and priced some pre-loved clothing that’s been hanging around for a couple of weeks.

I securely wrapped a piece of art in tissue paper and then protective cardboard in preparation for its new owner to pick it up and transport it next week.

I gift wrapped a parcel that had been left behind for exactly that purpose.

I spoke to the macrame lady whose work has been sitting in a box in the training room for months. Thankfully, she is willing to leave the macrame wall hangings with me for another little while and Adoring Husband and I will find space to hang her work in the newly arranged Art and Craft corner next week.

In between all of that, I had customers and visitors and more enquires about art workshops.

I still have a few items remaining on my ‘to do’ list, which I might get to tomorrow.

I started some embellishing on one of my art pieces from last weekend. I have some other ideas that I might play with over this weekend so that I can show it as an example in the next workshop.

Meanwhile, I need to rest my weary brain and get an early night. I’ll probably fall asleep watching the footy from bed.

Nite all.

Another Busy Day

It’s verging on crazy!

So many peeeeeeeeople 😳

I still haven’t found the time to unpack and display everything that has arrived this week - which is ok because I choose to NOT work outside of my advertised hours. 

I want quality of life and I refuse to allow work stress to nudge it’s way into my life.

Everything can wait.

Because I’m the boss 😬

Great sales today!

I need a bigger shop - to put all the new Sassy Duck Handbags. 

Adoring Husband and I have made plans for the Art and Craft area of the shop. I’ve ordered new display shelving and I’ve got single tall glass cabinets to display the hand made jewellery so by the end of next week, it should be a lot better organised and looking fab. 

I could have filled an art class with holiday makers this weekend - 5 enquires - but I’m looking forward to my weekend off and hope to spend Saturday afternoon floating in the pool and adding more to my commissioned art piece.

I almost went for a swim this afternoon. I changed into my swimmers and THEN dipped my toes in the water ... but the water was too cold, even for me!

We had leftovers for dinner and watched a very disappointing end to The Bachelor.

I’m going to fall asleep listening to a book tonight.

Let’s hope tomorrow continues along the busy thread and I make enough money this week to lodge my order for all the lovely linen and silk clothing that I’ve been drooling over this month!

Enough for now.

Nite all.

Almost Frantic

Inside work hours, there seems to be non stop activity at the shop.

I haven’t had enough time between customers and visitors to unpack, check, price and display everything that has been delivered at the shop since Monday.

I tell myself to ‘just breathe’ because there is no rush to get all of that done!

So I’m deep belly breathing and keeping calm.

Today started the usual way for a Wednesday ... with a great meditation class. The Gypsy was able to stay for a little while afterwards and we had a catch up.

A few of the ladies stayed for coffee after meditation and when The Gypsy left, I joined them because they were stroking my creative artistic ego and it felt good! They raved about how much they love the art workshops and then they swooned over the pictures of my other art that I showed them.

There weren’t as many customers today but sales were still good.

I had a lovely visit from Aggie and we sat for a while to catch up with our news.

I paid a bill and worked out what else I can order before the end of the month ... oh the clothes 😍

Suddenly the day was over and I felt very grateful that I could put my feet up and forget about work ... until another supplier lured me into her web of lovely clothing and I began making a list of everything I wanted to order!

I made creamy garlic chicken, mushroom and spinach for dinner followed by leftover mango coconut cream ice cream that I’d made last night..

The Bachelor took my attention for the evening and now I am absolutely ready for a good nights sleep. 

Tomorrow will be another busy day!

Nite all.

Snowed Under

Adoring Husband and I arrived at the shop just after 8am to rearrange the training room for morning coffee with the girls and the journaling workshop in the afternoon.

The paintings from Saturday were not yet dry so we lined them up on the side unit to safely continue the drying process.

The silicone mats, some of which have large puddles of colourful paint in them, were also not quite dry so I moved them into the kitchen away from prying eyes and poking fingers. They should be dry by tomorrow when I will peel the puddle off the silicone in one piece and set them aside for their owners.

School holidays have officially begun and the longest period of time that I could sit down today was about ten minutes! There was a constant stream of people through the doors.

Sales were amazing, including a large interstate sale for a lady who would usually be here on holidays at this time of the year.

Four different stock orders arrived but I only had time to unpack one and a half boxes.

The journaling workshop ran smoothly and was, as always, enjoyable and inspiring. It has become another  one of those “look forward to it” afternoons.

At the completion, AH and I set the room up for meditation.

We decided on dinner, purchased what was needed and then scuttled home.

I immediately got changed and and parked my butt on the couch, electronically raising my legs to horizontal position and let out a sigh of contentment. 

Less than an hour later and we were preparing an early dinner of lamb and salad.

It’s now 9pm and I’m in bed ready for sleep.

Two days in a row of non-stop activity and I’m done! I need to pace myself a little better.

More stock will arrive tomorrow - on top of meditation, the morning tea ladies and the small craft group, it’s going to be another big day.

Right now, the sleep fairy is calling my name.

Nite all.

Why? I Ask Ya!

It was my day off and the shop was closed, but I was expecting deliveries, so while Adoring Husband took our only 🙁 remaining psychotic dog to the vet for a check up (she is very well, thank you for asking), I rode my trike to the shop to wait.

There are usually two different times for courier deliveries. 10:30am and 12:30pm.

I unlocked the doors at 10am.

I cleared the kitchen of all the clean art tools that were washed on Saturday.

Removed the tea and coffee station from the training room.

Put away the aprons.

Removed everything from the main display table, cleaned it and created a new display.

Moved almost all of the hand made arts and crafts to the ‘arts and crafts’ area of the shop.

Sprayed peppermint oil/water mix where the ants were travelling through the back door.

As I was leaving the shop at 2pm-ish, Adoring Husband drove past to our car park.

Good timing!

While he purchased our coffees and some salmon steaks for dinner, I collected the mail, which contained three parcels of stock! So I took them back to the shop and tag teamed AH as he returned to the car with our coffee. I took mine and peddled home.

Colli welcomed me home, so I gave her a cuddle and together, we checked the water temperature of the pool. It was delightful and while I was tempted to dive in fully clothed, I decided to change into my new swimmers first.

At my request, AH handed me a scrubbing brush and while I was enjoying my dip, I scrubbed the Winter ring along the water line. We’re not sure why the ring appeared, but we may have been a bit remiss with our monitoring of magnesium requirements.

I swam a few laps and enjoyed the Spring sunshine for a while, then sat under the Bali hut until it was time to go inside.

I spent 90 minutes working on the art piece that I’ve been commissioned to paint.

An easy dinner of salmon steak with salad, guacamole and wafer crackers.

So the day has been highly productive! I feel quite energised, although my arm muscles are a bit tender from scrubbing, but I’ve enjoyed my day very much.

It’s going to be a busy week with three deliveries due.

I should sleep now.

Nite all

Blinded by the Light

This will be brief because I can’t see properly out of my right eye.

Imagine this arch shape smack bang in the centre of your vision in the right eye - but where it’s white, imagine flashing silver like a strobe light.

My vision has been like that for the last 30 minutes so it’s time for me to rest my eye and listen to an audible book with my eyes closed.

I’ve had a blah day.

It started badly - nothing catastrophic, just annoying stuff. Stayed pretty blah all day. I achieved nothing. Nonexistent productivity. Low motivation. Nil enthusiasm. Zero care factor. 

I watched the latest version of “Little Women” which I enjoyed.

Monday will be better!

Nite all.