Time in a Bottle

A little over a year ago, the company my husband worked for decided to close their plumbing division.  Not surprising, given the downward spiral the housing market has been in.  What makes it an especially interesting decision, on the part of the company, is that merely one year before, they had bought the plumbing company my husband and his brother had built up together in order to create that division.

We were faced with a decision: start our own company, just the two of us, or go find a job in a sagging economy.  With contracts still waiting to be fulfilled from the closing company, we threw together a business.  I’m proud to say that after a year, our little company is thriving despite the economy.

However.  With a business comes sacrifices.  When we started, I had just finished earning my certificate to be a childbirth educator and was set to start teaching classes a few times a month at the birth center where I’d given birth.  That dream was set on a back burner.

My husband, an athlete who treats his body as a temple, cut back on his workouts, slowly at first, but eventually had no time for them.

As a family, we have less time together than ever before.  But we have food on our table, stable jobs, health insurance.  I don’t regret the decision to start our business, but some of the sacrifices we make sadden me.

Through those sacrifices, I have clung to this blog and to the blogosphere in general, because having lived a some-what isolated life for many years out here on this ranch, blogging has allowed me to have a voice and stretch my cramped social wings.  I protected my blogging time like a mama bird protects her fragile egg.

If they sold time in a bottle at Target, I would buy a whole case, just so that I could continue blogging while taking care of all that is required of me at the end of the year.  But since it hasn’t gone on sale yet, I’m having to make cut-backs. 

The end of the year is an important and busy time for any business, but especially a small one who has to make sure every i is dotted, every t crossed before December 31st comes, and mistakes can no longer be fixed.  We are also gearing up for the holiday season, and Jeremy’s Grandma’s annual two week visit from North Carolina. 

In short, my invisible friends, the blog hasn’t made it through budget cuts this time around.  I’ve resisted this for as long as possible, but the time has come.  If my husband can get rid of some of his animals, I can take a blogging hiatus.  It’s only fair.

How I will miss meeting my blogging friends on this great invention called the internet.  When I return in January, your children will have grown, many of you will be working new jobs, and your blogs will have grown as well, while mine sat here, ignored and empty.  Unless anyone decides to read my archives, that is.

I hope that when I return, we can pick up our friendships where they left off, because I treasure them.  I will be updating Sexy Makes a Comeback occasionally, because I’ll be working on those tips anyway.  When I’m feeling especially lonesome, I’ll visit some of your blogs and see how you are.   

If anyone needs to reach me (or in case you’ve found time in a bottle on clearance) email me at Jerdre53 (at) aol (dot) com.

I look forward to January, and I hope to see you then!