Up until last week, I hadn’t gone into “the office” since April. Instead, my work consisted of packing, planning, reviewing Zillow, touring houses, and then finally unpacking, organizing, and decorating. A little bit of gardening, planting, and a LOT of cooking.
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t not working (the kind that involves actual money). I’ve done freelance writing for a couple publications and started grant writing and administration for my beloved Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir this summer. But none of that involved a commute or set hours or changing out of my workout clothes. I could grab my coffee, walk over to the desk and shoot off some emails, then walk the dogs and check on my lettuce before doing research on local businesses or grant requirements.
However, we need to buy many things for our farm: fencing supplies, animal housing, trees, and probably 1200 things we haven’t even considered. After lots of searching and a long lag between getting and starting the job, I’m back to punching the clock. I wear new pants purchased at thrift stores after getting rid of most of my professional attire before the move. I pack a lunch. I give myself extra time to find parking outside of the time limit zones (and a little extra exercise) and sometimes even more to deal with ice on the windshield.
Four days a week, I man the front desk for a lending company. I’ll also be helping with marketing. We just moved into a new office in downtown Chehalis, so there’s still organizing to do, plus a holiday party to plan. My co-workers are really nice, and I’ve been meeting lots of new people. But it’s certainly an adjustment after months of making my own schedule.
I just hope when it comes time to jump more fully into farming, I can manage the desk job, writing gigs, and extracurricular activities without losing my mind too much!