Slowing it down

Happy New Moon! According to my astrologer, "This new Moon is one for starting healthy habits. Consider what you can do to better your personal best. However, since Mercury is retrograde put your intentions on paper and wait to put them into action after September 12."

What a busy last 10 days! Work has been crazy due to a hold up at the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. All the carriers had to file and receive approval for their October rates as a result of changes due to health care reform, so we brokers were left scrambling to get things done on time. Couple that with my honey spraining his ankle right before a bunch of really important gigs (equals me having to load his drums in and out of rehearsals and gigs, and drive him everywhere because he can't depress the clutch) and helping one of my bestest friends move this past weekend ... I'm just glad things have gone back to their normal pace.

Autumn has hit the Inland Northwest. Normally I crave autumn. Some of it is nostalgia for the back-to-school times of my yester-years, but mostly because it's heralds a time to slow down. Busy summer days are over. The growing season has come to a close, and it's time to sit back and enjoy the bounty. Us lazy folks love being able to sit back and enjoy, preferrably with a nice cabernet.

But the past two years we've had long winters and short summers. My burning bush started turning red the last week of August, and I wasn't quite ready for it this year. One day it was summer, and the next summer up and said "I'm outta here!" I missed it through Labor Day weekend. I'm over it now, and am welcoming autumn with open arms! Time for inside stuff, like sewing and reading and glasses of cabernet.

Speaking of slowing it down, I have had zero time to create the past few weeks, and I am looking forward to an un-busy weekend during which I can sit down at my sewing machine and play. I have been trying to brainstorm about what I can make for my friend Esther's birthday at the end of October. Having just moved this past weekend, she's going to have a housewarming/birthday/Halloween party, so I thought I'd make something housewarming themed for her, with a little witchy pizazz. She's very crafty (she made me a quilt!), so I need to come up with something good. I have a few ideas, but would love some more!