Waiting is not my favorite past time

Waiting is not something I do with grace or dignity.

Writing isn't a career that brings rewards quickly. Most people can go years or forever with the only reward being the personal joy they get in creating their work. Many writers are never read by the public. There works aren't published. It sets on the hard drive, or maybe a copy is hiding in their closet.

While writing didn't earn me a dime, it did teach me how to wait. It just never taught me how to wait with grace or dignity.

In the last few days I've made two batches of soap. They're small batches. While I'm learning I don't want to waste a lot of money by screwing up large batches of soap.

Once it's out of the molds, and cut into bars, I want to use it. I want to see how well it cleans. Or how well it lathers. Or all those other things. But I can't. Soap needs to cure for at least three weeks, and some blends need to cure for a few months. (I'm not making those long cure time blends.)

So far all my batches are made without using any animal products. I use olive oil, coconut oil and palm oil. Then I use small amounts of avocado oil and grapeseed oil. I usually superfat with either grapeseed oil or avocado oil. In time that will change. Meaning when I get more oils it will change.

One batch is unscented, but I did add ground lemongrass for texture. The other batch has a blend of lemon and tea tree essential oils for scenting and nothing added to the texture.

My next experiment will be grinding up lavender buds and adding it to the soap. I want to see what it does to the texture and if the scent will hold. And if so, for how long.

I do have a few oils ordered. Once they arrive, I can create a few shampoo bars.

It is fun to take oils and lye water and watch it turn into soap.

I just can't use any of it until May 5th. Damn.