What I'm NOT doing today ... and other ramblings

I'm not sure where I am going with this blog post however I am hoping that it has a purpose by its end. We will see!

Today I had hoped and planned to be packaging up beautiful bracelets and clearing a large backlog of orders from customers who have been waiting very patiently (thank you). My shipment of bracelets left the US on 17 February, via priority international post, delivery guaranteed 4-6 days. It is now 7 March (18 days later) and tracking information says it has now just arrived in Australia. I have contacted the shipping company about the delay and was politely reminded that there was a global pandemic. Okay, I get that and I feel very blessed to be living in Australia, however they were still happy to charge an exorbitant amount for priority delivery. So, what I'm NOT doing is packaging bracelets.

What I will be doing is burying Nibbles, one of my daughter's pet guinea pigs, and it's a little bit (or a lot) my fault. I decided to give the guinea pig cage a big clean out, including removing a family of redback spiders in one corner. The dogs were 'helping' and in all the busy-ness Nibbles escaped. There was a lot of dog excitement, Nibbles raced under a bush, chased by our feisty miniature dachshund who true to her nature hunted her down and took a few bites. I managed to rescue Nibbles, and start emergency first aid ... it was all too late and she took her last breaths in my hands. Then there were the tears and my daughter's accusing look. Why and how? Her friend's mum had just accidently killed their cat, is that what parents do? (Perhaps too broad a generalisation on her part as I don't think there is a secret parent society dedicated to killing our children's pets!) So today I WILL be burying Nibbles in our growing pet graveyard - one dog (snake bite), one baby chicken (less than attentive mother hen) and now Nibbles (inattentive mum moment and pet on pet violence).

Note, I still can't look our super cute miniature doxie in the eye, and in my head I have renamed her Killer (see photo of 'Killer' dismembering her toy meerkat and perhaps I should have heard warning bells).

I will NOT be wearing a dress or skirt to a BBQ this afternoon. This week we staged two properties for upcoming sale - a two bedroom apartment and a four bedroom house. Working for a small boutique business means that we are also the furniture removalists. So despite much care, attention and correct lifting procedure, furniture bumping shins, legs, arms is unavoidable, and I have a range of bruises from deep purple to yellow on my legs and one arm. Despite the bruises there was fun, hard work, bad jokes, creativity and a sense of achievement. So, overall I'm okay with wearing long pants!

So what am I trying to say? Life is not always what you plan (dead guinea pig). That it has its ups and downs (bruises but sense of satisfaction). That you may be frustrated but it's important to see the bigger picture (pandemics and postal services). 

Take care. Hugs. L x