Last night, as I lay on the day bed and attempted to compose a blog posting about that day’s Introduction to Carving Workshop, I found that I lacked the energy to continue. So I stopped, read a magazine article, and went to sleep. So much for writing when memories still have that fresh picked bouquet.
This morning the chores try to re-assert themselves claiming that I have neglected them in the name of frivolity, but I know better even as I know that I also must yield to the requirements of my daily life like taking the rubbish to the dump or cooking dinner. I know that I spent a rewarding afternoon in Volcano yesterday. I also believe that most, if not all that folks who shared that time with Juanette and me think likewise. We had other key members of the Carousel of Aloha team come by for a good look and to perform some very useful tasks that I simply couldn’t handle.
I often find myself in situations in which I face more useful tasks that I can handle well. That’s one of the curses of having a fertile mind; an over-abundance of play things. In my case, the clutter also suffers from wealth of interconnections among the several toys. Thus I wanted photographs of each of the people who carved, but I forgot to bring my camera. I had signed releases in hand, but I lacked the means of pulling the trigger, so to speak. Happily Philip arrived with gear in hand.
I couldn’t have taken the pictures anyway because facilitating the workshop took all my time and energy. I couldn’t have even set up the workshop room were it not for help from Rich and Thomas. Those Portable Carving Stations (PCSs) only qualify as portable because they come apart into three sections for transportation and storage. Collectively the 13 PCSs weigh more than I care to carry in my small pickup truck. Thanks goodness for willing helpers who drive larger vehicles. Clint joined us for the caravan back to the Mill to re-store the PCSs, and several others stayed around to sweep and schlep after the formal end of the workshop.
We need to figure out how folks who want to continue to carve can do so with a little help from their friends. But addressing that need lies further down the road for me.
Now I turn my primary focus to the trip that my wife, Patricia and I have had in the works for months. We’re gone for the last three weeks in October in pursuit of high art, fall foliage and lobster dinners. Before we depart, I still need to prepare for the second Intro to Carving workshop in mid-November lest I make for a too stressful return. For example, I need to make more hibiscus carving blanks and I should address the problem of insuring that those blanks stay attached to the carving boards. Anybody got a bandsaw?