Optimism and the travelling book show

I spent the last couple of days at Maleny working at the Neighbourhood Centre. Yesterday was very busy with a simple living workshop in the morning, craft from 12.30pm and a radio interview straight after that at 2.30. The next two hours were spent talking to various people who came in and taking phone calls. When I headed for home, I was ready for it. Walking towards the house, I could smell our tea cooking - Hanno's favourite, rissoles (big meatballs). Soon, we were sitting at the table eating those rissoles and salad, and with ice clinking in our water glasses, we told each other what had happened during the day.

Hanno told me about a delivery of books and that reminded me that next week we'll be off driving around the country hopefully meeting many of you. I'm in two minds about this trip. I am an introvert by nature, an optimistic introvert, so wandering around the country meeting people I don't know is not something I'd generally look forward to, or even contemplate. But this seems right to me, even though it will involve many nights sleeping in unfamiliar beds and eating food made by others, I think it will be okay. Luckily we have friends staying here to look after the house, cat and chickens, so home will be safe even if we're not as securely tucked away as we usually are.

Today I'll be tidying up and doing a few things to prepare for the trip. I'll also be replying to emails about book orders and making up a book plate to sign for those who want one. We have about 50 or 60 orders for books in Australia, so they have to be signed too. We'll start on that today so Hanno can have them packaged up and ready to post on the given day. 

I think I'll start a list too - a list of what we want to take away with us. That's the beauty of travelling by car and not by plane, you can load up the car with bits and pieces and have a little version of home travelling around with you. I find that very comforting because I am a homebody, I belong here. Out in the wider world, prices are rising, wars are continuing and change is a constant. When I hear about Madonna prancing around on a stage far far away, or a monarch's 60 year reign or drive by shootings or that grey is the new black, it feels like some other world; something unfamiliar. The domestic world of kitchens, ripe tomatoes, fresh eggs and clucking hens is my world. Being out there will be more difficult and more stressful but it also has the potential to be something I'll remember forever. I think it will live up to that potential. 

I wonder if I'm being too optimistic.