In October, my business will be 4 years old. In that time, I have taken only a handful of days off.  Even when my family visits, when I travel or when I am out with the kids, I am always connected to the business via email and social media, often working frantically on my phone while everyone else is doing something fun. On Christmas day, I was sat in my office writing a piece for a magazine while my family was inside eating left overs. "Days off" usually mean getting up with the Gods and working before anyone else cracks an eyelid.

However, next week, I am off up to Orkney camping. While my phone is coming with me, my intention, helped probably by poor island phone signal, is to take the full 8 days off. The out of office is on, and I am resolutely leaving behind a to do list as long as my arm. As a total workaholic, this is hard. I can feel the anxiety rising already.  

I honestly don't know how other small business owners do it.  I often feel like I am the worst sort of personality for being a freelancer - constantly worried that I am not doing enough, not pitching enough, not answering things fast enough. I hate having lingering tasks to do and that is basically the life of a solopreneur! 

However, I have always wanted to go to Orkney and I will only kick myself if I don't enjoy it. So I won't be around next week to answer any emails. I do have a post scheduled to go out on Monday, but if you want to keep up with our travels, I imagine I will manage a post or two on route over on Instagram.  Then be prepared to be bombarded with photos of the sea when I return. 

While work is staying behind, I am bringing 2 balls of yarn for making Karie Westerman's Byatt shawl. I have coveted this shawl since it was released and its rows of garter stitch seem like the perfect car/ferry knitting.

The pattern is printed, the car is being loaded. Let's do this. 

(if you are doing the Cedar River CAL, just to say the final post is up today with instructions for making a matching cushion) 

I am jealous both of Theo's ability to sleep to 1130am and his sheep onesie.