Have you noticed how many people now countdown days/sleeps before an event?

It seems to be a marketing phenomena that has caught on with the general public.  Generally I can’t stand the idea of people wishing away their lives through counting down one more day until Xmas, or Easter, or a holiday.  Children have always counted down days to a party or a friend coming to stay, or Christmas and their presents, but adults seem to be doing it all the time now – on the tv and radio presenters are always saying ‘One more day closer to the weekend’ – ‘just one more day until the weekend begins’ – ‘ten more sleeps before Xmas’ etc.  It drives me nuts!

But….

This year has been a year of events for us.  Moving from our house to a temporary house.  So many ferries to catch to take (mostly) weaving stuff to France.  Builders coming to do work on the French house.  More ferries to and from France.  An exhibition in Holland.  Xmas with our family and ensuring that all the redirections are done.  Another ferry trip to France.  And maybe two or three more to pick up the final bits and bobs – and baby jacquard looms – in the New Year.

I confess I have been counting down the days to various key points, in an effort not to lose track of where I should be at what time, in which country, at which port, with what stuff!!  I have managed to leave keys behind in France for the UK, miss one ferry by 24 hours, and forget my essential tool box for the exhibition in Holland!

I started off the year knowing where all my yarns were in storage – which box/which building – and am ending the year not knowing where anything is as it has all been moved around so much in packing vans, repacking the storage to fit more furniture in, etc.

In other words, my life has become infinitely more complicated!  And in trying to keep up with everything that is going on, I have found myself falling into countdowns.  Two weeks to go before I need to be there, with that, ready for the other!!  One week to organise this before we have to travel…  Two weeks in France with the plumber coming on Monday for 3 days, the builder on Tuesday for 1 day, the electrician hopefully on Wednesday, and not sure for how long, and we have to leave next week…..  One month before the exhibition …. yikes, three days before I have to leave for the exhibition – but what is in France and what is in England?  Which pieces am I taking?  Where are they?  Where are my tool boxes?  Did they come in the last vanload, or are some tools still in England – and are they in storage or our temporary accommodation?  Are my artworks in temporary studio 3 or 4 in France, or in England?  Oh boy!!

It’s no surprise that countdowns, and lists, can help in these situations.  If you know how long you have got to do something, you can work backwards to find out exactly what you need to do and when in order to complete everything you need to do/organise/pack.

For us, the end is nearly in sight.  We move at the beginning of January to start our new life.  We will still have a few things to come back and collect but we will be based in France.  Countdowns have been helping, but I must confess that I am looking forward to a life without countdowns, where I can get back to living each day mindfully, from the moment of waking until the moment of sleeping, enjoying each day for what it brings, rather than panicking to fit everything in, living with lists all around me and boxes of half-packed belongings wherever I look.

And I am looking forward to being able to settle down, breathe calmly, and start unpacking my life and hopefully making it a little bit simpler in the process.

A very happy Christmas to those of you who celebrate it, and a happy holiday season to everyone.

And, of course, Happy Weaving!!!!