A Lot of Work

When John first suggested ordering a load of timber to keep our multi-fuel stove going in winter time I must admit I was fairly sceptical. Why on earth would he want to go and cut up huge logs for days on end when we could simply buy them all nicely cut to size already? This is of course more expensive but would, or so I thought, save him lots of very hard graft. But he persisted and 25 tonnes of wood were duly delivered a few days ago. As the sun was shining I went up there to see and nothing had prepared me for just how enormous 25 tonnes of wood is when you see it close up. 

John started work immediately, cutting the logs to smaller sizes so he could transport them with his trailer closer to our wood shed and there produce logs sized to fit the stove. And he was whistling while working. That's when it struck me. John's relationship with this log pile is like mine with my quilts. If you started thinking about how long it was going to take to cut up all this wood (all that fabric) and how much work it was going to be moving it to the woodshed (sewing it up) and then stow it in just the right place in our wood shed (find a fitting place to put the patches in the quilt) you would never begin those tasks. But if instead you concentrate on how much joy it gives you to diminish that pile (those fabrics), and how much enjoyment you will get from filling the stove with the results of your labours (finishing the quilt) after how ever long it might have taken you, you truly want to do it! And step by small step you keep going until the work (whether wood or quilt) is done.

An antiqued picture of John in action as this  process looked so timeless (apart from the chainsaw)

It wasn't really about the wood (or the quilt) but about the process!

And in the end both end products will end up keeping us warm although John's wood will be far more effective in that respect than my quilts. They aren't really meant to do so and what with all the beads and embellishments can't be called cosy or cuddly! But both are immensely satisfying to produce. 

Once again the sheep stood and stared, probably wondering how they had managed to end up in a field with such mad people living next door and regularly invading their territory. They kept their distance but by the time John is finished with that pile of wood they will be so used to him that they can be hand stroked. I'm recording here that he made a start 2 days ago and will mention when (if ever!) he is finished.