Crazy Old Life Gets in the Way

I need an uninterrupted full day - day & a half, really, counting the candle - to fire the kiln. This doesn't sound like a big ask but you'd be surprised! In addition to my scheduled classes, life often places obstacles to finding an 36 hour stretch of time. Sometimes in a good way, as when my husband has a birthday to celebrate! Sometimes in a tedious way, like auto repairs or vet visits. Sometimes it's neither good nor bad, it just is - but still makes it hard to get the firing done.

I am struggling with this right now. I have enough ware to fill the kiln. I will have enough of it glazed by tomorrow. But I can't fire the kiln on Wednesday, because I'm subbing for a class Wednesday morning. I can't do it Thursday, because I have my own class Thursday evening. (Wednesdays used to be my go-to day, but I now when I am not subbing a class I spend Wednesday mornings with my mom, who is 91, helping her with errands & tasks that are hard for her now.)  I can't do it Friday, because that is Doug's birthday, & we make a point to spend our birthdays & anniversaries doing something fun together. I might be able to do it Saturday, but I have dinner guests coming - a plan I made when I thought the firing would have been done last week, before I had the burner troubles. Sunday is open, but I hate to put it off that long. This firing was supposed to happen in June! Just seems like there is always something that takes precedence.

I suppose the answer is to give the firings a higher priority, but it's hard to choose what should go. Mom needs help, that's carved in stone. My own classes are carved in stone for now, but I suppose I could stop subbing classes - I hate to do that, though, because everybody needs help sometimes, including me. I am considering dropping my Thursday class, but I hate to do that, too - they are a fun group & an easy class to teach, and of course fewer classes means smaller paychecks, & we're struggling enough as it is. My efforts to replace that income with more flexible work have been - well, not amazing. 

I always thought things would get easier as I got older, and tbf some things have. There's no drama in my life now. I am grateful for that. But time & money? Apparently that struggle never ends. 

There's no real point to this post, just putting my frustration to words. Thanks for listening. XO

ETA: Off topic but what the hell?? Where did my blog list go