Goodbye January, hello work

Hi everyone! I've been around, promise. I know it's been forever but we made it through the holidays and then the clean up took place, and it seemed like every time I had a spare minute to post or create something I found myself buying more and more piano music (and then spending hours practicing) and borrowing more and more books from the library to read! :) 

and then I took on a job that I had heard Peter talk about for the past few months. I didn't realize what exactly the job would entail, I had a good general idea, but nothing really prepares you for when you have to organize the physical contents of another persons life.

When my grandparents passed away 3 years, I took on the job of cleaning out their home along with my mom. That was my first summer going up to the Oregon house with the kids in tow. It was beyond what words can describe as stressful, physically draining and challenging and sad. I've never worked harder in my life than I did that summer. I think I cried every night because of the amount of work that still needed to be done and because no matter how many hours I worked a day, (16+) it never actually looked like any real progress had been made. If you've had to clean out someones home, you likely know what I talking about.

There are 2 things that I crave, that I must have in order to feel grounded and balanced; 1. a clean house and 2. a quiet home. 

I can't physically function if my surroundings are out of place. It makes me nervous and when I get nervous I get grumpy.  Sometimes I want to start sewing or creating something and I'll look around and think I need to sweep or mop just one more time today before I can be creative. It may be an obsessive behavior on some levels, but I need things to be clean in order for me to think clearly. Messes make me anxious. 

So, when Peter would come home and talk about a client of his having the massive job of needing to clear out her mom's home, I immediately felt that anxious feeling I did 3 summer's before, thinking about how big of a job that really is. I volunteered myself to help. I know how overwhelming it is, and how you look around and you don't even know where to start, that there is just so much to do. 

Tara to the rescue. 

I've boxed up too many boxes to count, lifted and stacked boxes until I thought my arms would fall off, sorted through stacks of papers, gathered and grouped collections of scrapbooking supplies, giraffes and candles, I've sold some things and listed a lot of things, I've found journals that were written a decade ago and pictures that were taken 50 years ago. It's rewarding to see progress everyday and to know that I'm trying to find a good home for the things that this woman loved enough in her lifetime to keep. It's not just cleaning, but rather, it's organizing a persons whole life. 

I'll be honest though, I come home tired, dusty and worn out. I have another 3 good weeks of work ahead of me before the moving truck is scheduled to pick up what's left. So, until I'm done working this place here will continue to be pretty quiet. 

I have been taking photos though! I've been posting them on both Flickr and Facebook so if we're friends you've likely already seen them! I've sort of decided to make it a point and try to take more people photos. (I'll admit I don't really like taking photos of people.) The kids and I went out last week to practice at a shopping center close to home here, in the good warm lighting right before the sun sets out in the desert.   

I have this super cute *at least in my head it is* idea for another Valentines theme photo shoot, I just need to build the set for it..... when I have time and the energy to do so. I so want to get some more photos in this week, it's my only creative release at the moment. 

Thanks for all the encouraging messages I've received, hopefully I've answered you back if you've sent an email to me! If not, fear not, I promise I'm not ignoring you on purpose! Another few weeks and my happy little schedule will be back to normal once again. 

I can do it!

xo ~ tara