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It used to be that this time of year was pretty quiet when it came to work. Most customers – and a lot of other tradies – were on holiday, and the suggested indolence suited the siesta-inducing weather. Not any more. With signs that the world is waking up to the fragility of life and the limitless potential that some of us have before us, a spirit of making full use of every second of the day seems to have taken hold, and a huge majority of people are endeavouring to live their lives to the fullest possible capacity.

Rush rush rush
This includes maintaining and improving their homes, and, as one of many construction-related workers out there, I can only applaud their decisions to beautify their flats and houses with top-quality fitted furniture and sundry interior woodwork from my busy workshop. 
I jest, of course, but the honest truth is that very few of us seem to have much spare time of late. Well, I hear you say; that’s not so bad. At least we’re not sitting around getting bored watching re-runs of old shows on the TV, and I would definitely agree with you there. 

Precious priorities
My worry is that the pressing nature of many pseudo-important tasks and responsibilities will all but take over our days, hours and minutes, and leave us with precious little time to enjoy those good things in life – the ones which involve working with wood. As an occupation it’s second to none (but then I would say that, wouldn’t I?), and as a pastime it’s unrivalled. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling the need to go and make something if I’ve not been in the workshop for a few days, and even on holiday I particularly enjoy getting the house tool kit out and repairing something.

Tell me it’s ok
Now, at this point I’d like a little reassurance that perhaps I’m not unusual in my need for extra work (if work is what we’d call it), so if there’s anyone reading this who likes a busman’s holiday, or who maybe just dabbles a bit when away – does building sandcastles count? – then I’d love to hear from you. Or, from an amusing anecdote viewpoint, have you ever been on a holiday which has turned into a job when the door on your chalet blew off or something? Perhaps you’ve been a holiday hero and have saved a little kid’s tears by mending their kite, or you’ve carved and whittled a musical instrument out of a piece of driftwood to calm a savage beast. Either way I’d love to hear about it, as well as anything else vaguely woodwork-related that you’ve been up to lately. Don’t let me down.

Mark