Super Bottle Sunday

Oh, what a productive day! After a slow start to the morning, the MAN and I decided to spend the day doing necessary individual projects on Sunday.The MAN had his work cut out for him by bottling recent batches of Bucktown Brown Ale, Pughtown Pub Ale, New Year's Lager, Mahoney Light, and Stiff Neck Pilsner. While he contended with that task, I sifted and sorted through many years worth of fabric purchases (I save every tiny scrap) along with patterns, books, quilting pieces, thread, embroidery floss, yarn, unfinished projects, etc. Surely you must know the deep satisfaction that comes with touching and re-evaluating the things you have accumulated over the years ((please say you do!?)) This empty nest thing has me evaluating everything that comes through my hands these days: from the socks I put on my feet in the morning to the yard sale duvet that I don't especially like, but keeps me warm at night. If it doesn't have a place, or if I haven't used it, worn it, loved it, dusted it, or cooked with it in a long time...it's gone!! It took me all afternoon to go through that one space but it's finally all been reorganized and will be ready to move into the newly painted sewing room when it's time. Right now, that pretty yellow room is being used as our temporary bedroom until our own bedroom has been repaired and painted...which may take a little bit longer than expected ....sigh.The fellas were here today to start what was to be a simple job, repairing a few cracks and painting the room. In my gut, I knew it wouldn't be quick or easy. The ceiling is soft (which my gut didn't tell me) and the walls needed more than a few patches to the plaster. Once they started, two whole walls crumbled in a matter of minutes. I knew even though the door was closed. I heard three grown men sneezing and coughing and heard shovels scooping up debris and watched it drop past the window below. hoo boy. I'm pretending, for the moment, that it's a trendy Manhattan loft. But essentially, it is a simply a mirror of my own life...getting down to the bare bones of it. Leaving what is solid and real while shoveling all that has cracked, crumbled and become useless, right out the window. It is quite a cool look at the bones of this old house, dontcha think? The old wood, bricks and mortar are rather beautiful. Whatta way to bring in this new year, this new way of life. I'm digging it and going with the flow. Even if it means setting aside what I "should" be doing. This is absolutely necessary for my psyche, right now. It's my balm. my warm bath. my comforting cup 'o tea.
Guess this is just one of the things that herbalists can do during the winter months while they wait for the spring thaw. As much I as I look forward to getting back in the fields and gardens, I suppose I can be grateful that the growing season does come to a standstill here in PA for a few months out of the year. Otherwise, I'd never get anything done inside the house!