Winter Hibernation

It seems that this happens every year around February, March, and April.  I do a bit of hibernation and re-evaluation.  So like the cold, stark, Vermont winter landscape, my blog may indicate that there's not much going on in shortbreadland, but never fear, under the surface, we're preparing for a spring bloom which generally corresponds with my birthday in mid-May. 

After the holiday rush and dealing with various meaty personal obligations and challenges, this is my time to chill.  Literally. It's cold as all heck here in northern Vermont and I tend to want to stay close to home cooking huge pots of chili and reading cheesy novels.  I think my tolerance for Vermont winter is waning as I get older.  I will never be a snow bunny (on the other hand, I'm definitely not a "flock to the beach resort" sort of person either).   

In the shortbread world, here's what we've been up to:

• Long term planning (4+ years when there are no more kids in the house!)
• New product development (sorry, I can't tell you what that means yet)
• Maintaining and building current local customer relationships
• Evaluating pricing (butter has skyrocketed lately)
• Evaluating packaging options
• Thinking about the locolvore movement - fad or does Vermont Shortbread Company need to get on board and make some new buying decisions?

In my personal world, there's been similar evaluation going on (I think they call it mid-life crisis, though I don't like the word "crisis" because this is FUN!)

• Substitute teaching in the Burlington Public Schools.  I love, love, love the flexibility and the work. 
• Learning a new baroque piece on my piano.
• Taking weekends off (mostly).
• Freelance writing projects.   
• Reading (anything from historical fiction to food writing to the latest research on parental alienation syndrome - not to worry, this particular research is not for my personal use)
• House and mind catharsis - selling my junk on e-Bay for a great source of extra income!
• Watching my teen daughter grow and become more independent. 

I'm off to the bakery now.  Next week is winter break for our kids, so there will be no teaching.  I need to drum up some shortbread sales to fill the gap.  I'll be blossoming all over the place come spring, but for now, my writing is inconsistent...as it needs to be in preparation for spring. 

Comments

[Michael at Eddiesenergy.com]

I thought winter was going to be calm for us too, but we're heating up more than ever!

Sounds like you have some fun plans ahead of you--we have some new product development, too! It is being kept under wraps, just as yours is.

Talk soon!

Michael