Only a Matter of Time

Thankfully, the proprietress of the inn, Yarona, did end up placing another order, a few weeks after delivering her, her trial goods. While not a large order, especially for an establishment meant for a random amount of travelers, it was the largest order I have had, yet. Thirty each of cups and bowls. A total of thirty-six bronze.

Even combined with the purchase of Girts, and Yarona's previous request, this is that most I have made. With this bit of income, I should finally be able to afford the remaining necessities that I have yet to buy. No longer should I have the need to spend money at the moment that I receive it. I hope that is the truth.

While I have not been in actual debt, I have had the feeling of being behind on my money. Just the lack of quality tools, that I use on a daily basis, have had a heavy weight on my shoulders. The efficiency of proper tools, though expensive to the current me, while make my life even just a little bit easier.

With this, I should be able to start producing products, at least periodically, to create a stable income. While I am saying periodically, I am only meaning that it is now midsummer, and there is a whole host of work to do to keep up on my garden. Some of the faster growing crops are now giving me their produce for consumption.

Finally, some fresh food to eat. Eating the same food, even worse, it is bland, is monotonous. Freedom from the boring food is coming to end, at least for the time being.

After having purchased all the tools that I needed, I was able to afford enough salt and an unrefined type of sugar. With that, I should be able to start preserving food, that would spoil quickly, for the eventual winter.

For once, my mother was the one that helped me on that front. She was always the one in charge of food. So, when I had a question for how to prepare the food for storage over the winter, she taught me how to pickle the produce.

Of course, as Father had taught me, I paid for her help. With some of the plants that were introduced this year, by Girts, I was able to supply them with a reasonable amount of the plants that I was fond of. While it was not a trade of two different equal things, knowledge for left overs, Mother did not quibble over the difference in value.

There was no expectation that there was a set price to be paid for the knowledge, or the occasional borrowing of some of their tools, but I decided that I should do something for them. I know that they would not ever accept any of my money. But, there was something value that I could give them.

The limiting factor for Mother to preserve food over the winter, was the lack of actual crocks, the large pots that I had made previously for Girts. I finally learned the proper name of them, after I was talking to Mother about pickling vegetables. As they cost me nothing, other than time, to make, I would make a few of them for her, along with some fitted lids for them.

Simple straight walled pots, with only a lip to hold the lid, are not, in the slightest, difficult to make. The most time consuming part of making them, is getting enough clay for each pot. With the iron shovel that I was now in ownership of, that is still not a huge ordeal.

Maybe I am a little insane, but I ended up making somewhere around eighteen crocks, of several different sizes. Even five or six of them, would have been more than plenty. But I ended up going a little overboard. Lucky for my parents.

* * *

Throughout the summer, I had spent some time with my sisters, at my house. The social interaction of those who do not judge me, is a boon in my ability to socialize. They let me learn to express my emotions, at least a facsimile of my emotions.

With my house completed, at least to extent that I needed for the time being, I was able to start furnishing it with some proper furniture. While they are not visibly pleasing, they are comfortable. Especially, having a proper from for a bed, so that I am no longer elevated from the floor by just some cushioning.

There was one thing that I did end up adding to my house, that I had not considered until my sisters first stayed over, the first time. There was only one bedroom. While the bedroom does not need to be large, there was not enough room in the original design of the house for any more rooms.

I ended up having to tear down part of the wall, that was complete, to allow access to a trio of new rooms that I added to my house. For the time being, I only put up a simple thatch door to the new rooms. While they might not be the best for a long term solution, it is still better than nothing. My sisters now had their own rooms for whenever they had the time to spend over at my house.

Along with that, I built some stairs that led outside from the basement, with a door facing upright, and opened inwards. With this, I should not have the bad luck of not being able to leave my house if there was massive pile-up of snow. I do not care to experience that occurrence again.

Other than needing to finish putting up some shelves for the upcoming harvest, my house is complete. Yes, there are some things that might be added in the future, I see nothing else that is needed. I have a place to eat, sleep, and work whenever the weather is adverse.

While keeping up on the work needed for my field, it is time to finally, I hope this time that it is true, start a proper pottery business. Other than performing my required duties from Girts, there is nothing of importance that I need to complete.