I Get By With A Little Help From My Friend

I have a mug that reads “Behind every successful woman is herself.”  I love that sentiment.  I believe strongly in home-grown, women-owned businesses ~ or women being successful doing anything they love.  It does take drive, ambition and good old-fashioned hard work to be successful.  

But today it occurred to me that as a one-woman show I really don’t do all that I do without a little help and support.  (Scratch that - a lot of help and support.) I often forget that in essence I’m not totally a one woman show.  This handsome guy does a lot to help me.

We met thru mutual friends in 1991.  Yup, we’ve been together 20 years – married 18.  I knew the first night I met him that I wanted to know him.  He made me laugh. 

He engaged in conversation.  He was clever and smart.  He was so damn cute.   He had an MBA in finance from the University of Denver (which came in handy later when I started my business). 

Fast forward to 2011.  He is a partner in his own IT Consulting business.  He is a Type A workaholic.  (He is quite often up with me on those 3 am work mornings - doing his own work.)  

And yet before he leaves every morning he asks me, “Do you have anything for the Post Office?” -  and at the end of the work day he texts me with “Do you need anything from the grocery store?  Need wine?”  

He does 98% of the grocery shopping and cooks 98% of our meals.  If not for him I would live on chocolate, chardonnay, hummus, carrots, chai lattes, English muffins and peanut butter.  Seriously.   He's not opposed to washing a dish or two. And once in awhile even a wood floor.  He happily walks the dog in the early morning hours when I'm slammed with orders.  He puts gas in my Jeep.  He takes care of all the household finances.  He passes out my business cards like candy to his business associates and clients.

So that "one woman show" thing?  It's a myth.

Sundays

I think the answer to unblocking my creativity is to totally remove myself from my work space. To actually stay away from my studio.

Movie night out last night (literally out – an outdoor double feature in my son and daughter in law’s side yard!); a relaxing morning walk in the park today with my mister and my dog and a scrumptious breakfast prepared by aforesaid mister… All of which has served to relax me, make room in my head for some ideas and remind me that awhile back I had promised myself to take Sundays off. Everyone really does need down time to renew, refresh and not burn out!

I am also reminded that when I was growing up Sundays moved at a relaxed, slow pace. Stores were closed; the only one working on Sunday was our minister. Sundays meant church, followed by a big noon meal, visits with family, “The Wonderful World of Disney” at 6:00 and popcorn for supper. A little different from Sundays of 2009... So the mister and I are making an effort to slow down our Sundays. Our church is nature, so we walk together. A late morning breakfast is our noon meal. Watching “CBS Sunday Morning” (which we tape) is our “Disney.” And rather than family visits, we visit each other – something we don’t take time for during the week.

And because a little free time not only sparks my energy level, but also my imagination, I jot down ideas to implement on Monday. Take the catnip pictured here, for instance. I did a little clean-up in my garden-on-the-deck this morning (fall is definitely in the air) and decided it was time (perhaps past time) to harvest my catnip. I grow it every year for my cat, A-choo. During the summer she likes to roll around on the leaves I bring in and drop on the floor for her. As summer winds down, I harvest what is left of the catnip; I dry it; smush it up with a pestle and mortar; store it in a covered bowl; sew little pouches; stuff them with the catnip and there ya’ go ~ A-choo and her friends are set for the winter.

Three people have suggested I should add a line of pet toys to my shop. I have been designing dog toys in my head and now I’m expanding… (she jots a note) ~ this year A-choo will be sharing with a wider audience. ;-)