So much stuff, so little to do

Our craft cubby

I’m always worrying about something; this past week I’ve been worrying about stuff. News flash, I know. Depending on the moment, I’ve been worried about having too much stuff and then the next, not having enough stuff. (Sorry about that coffee on your keyboard, Michael. Here’s a wipie.)

In particular, I’ve been worrying about having enough stuff for the girls to do. Now, when it’s nice outside I’m not as concerned about this so much as we love to get out in the sun and just run around outside. But it’s been raining here for weeks and weeks. The really wet kind, that will soak you right through your boots and raincoat accompanied by wind that turns your umbrella inside out. So other than going to the Children’s Museum, grocery shopping and preschool (for Leah) we’ve been stuck inside the boat. A lot.

I remind myself that this too shall pass, that we are already one month into winter and there’s only two to go until Spring. Each day brings with it several more minutes of light. Still, every January seems endless. Just cold and gray and wet. I don’t want to spend another hour scrubbing black mildew out of the back of our storage lockers. The girls are restless, literally bouncing off the cabin walls. They beg for projects to do and I bring out our little box of craft supplies. They are bored with this within 20 minutes and I search frantically for something else to keep them busy. You know, so I can get back to scrubbing the blackening walls.

It is then that I start to think about what on earth I am going to do when we are “out there;” what am I going to do when Joann’s is nowhere near by and all I have is Elmer’s glue, seashells, paper and sand? Will that satisfy their creative urges? People in houses have entire cabinets filled with craft supplies. Can my creative girls possibly be happy with the little bits and bobs I can tuck away onboard?

As with most worries, I had to set it aside as the girls were already tugging at my sleeves, begging me to get the cornstarch, water and food coloring out to play with. It was then that I realized: maybe we really do already have enough.