If You Give a Mouse A Cookie...

So last week, my family went skiing without me so I could focus on finishing my next book. Sounds like a good idea. Quiet time. Just me, my dog, my computer and my bench. But, no, not so much...

I admit it. Melissa does not do well alone. I am a pack animal (beyond just a pack rat). It's probably one of the reasons I like to teach. Being around other people invigorates and inspires me. Being alone makes me anxious, lonely, uninspired and scattered. Case in point....during my "work" week I:

• Hired a dog trainer (apparently, he is more of a people trainer). Bought 6 hardware filled bags I'm to throw on the ground while growling to get my dog's attention.
• Went out to buy a chicken to make soup for my sore throat 
• While out decided to go to Hardwick's Harware downtown
• While downtown, visited a friend to help her fix a database for the Seattle Metals Guild
• When home, tested a new online database service to consider replacing the database all together. 
• Facebooked the guild webmaster about said online service and looked at her recommendation
• Typed up the sign up sheet for a guild collaborative show. Sent it to my friend Cynthia, known for her polymer and felting work.
• Bought acrylic spheres from Tap Plastics. Intend to drill holes and felt in them.
• Found wood blocks at Woodcraft envisioning the same project in wood
• Visited an estate sale and bought a wood lathe, dust collector and pointed drill bits for acrylic 
• Called a wood turner and convinced him to give me a private lesson on turning wood beads on the lathe
• Took said private wood turning lesson with Jack Wayne
• Wrote three blogs to save for future use (this one was written on Sat, Feb 25)
• Took the nylon line out of my weed wacker - inspired by Mary Donald's and Flora Book's work with nylon monofilament. Liked it, but it was too thick, so...
• Bought nylon monofilament
• Picked up basic supplies for a high school class I agreed to teach at the last minute. Also found cool wood boxes.
• Taught 60 high school kids how to use Faux Bone 
• Texted all friends who were high school art teachers and asked them how in the *bleep* did they do it.
• Designed new packaging with the cool wood boxes for all those finished nylon jewelry pieces I am going to sell
• Bought another chicken (the one from 3 days prior was left in my car for 5 hours, see above). Made a big pot of chicken noodle soup. Forgot about it while I was doing an encaustic painting, packaged 3 containers full of noodles with gravy
• Taught my local Thai food restaurant (Bai Tong) how to make Chang Mai noodles from another dish they had on the menu - because who wants soggy noodles with gravy.

Wow! I'm feeling good about myself. I got a lot done this week!

You can see why my husband says that If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is my life manual.