One bright day in late autumn a family of Ants were bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer, when a starving Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.

"What!" cried the Ants in surprise, "haven't you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?"

"I didn't have time to store up any food," whined the Grasshopper; "I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone."

The Ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust.

"Making music, were you?" they cried. "Very well; now dance!" And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and went on with their work.

There's a time for work and a time for play. -Copied from Gutenberg Project https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19994/19994-h/19994-h.htm

**Can they work together?** Photo by Erik Karits on Pexels.com

Today I'm inspired by this story. Mostly because I've noticed how much Matt & I have worked on our natural proclivities, evolved as a team & how it makes working towards this dream much easier. -Easier, not easy. Don't get excited!

I'm a grasshopper. -Always have been. Yet trying now to be a little more ant-like. Matt is an Ant. And now he's learning to take on the good qualities that a grasshopper has.

**Just playing on a petal.** Photo by Maria Ilaria Piras on Pexels.com

As a grasshopper, I've always loved to play, play & play. I should have been the poster child for instant gratification. I never had any patience. Never saved up for anything; with maybe one exception. And never said no to anything that I thought was going to be fun. I don't really regret that. Except, those things don't always serve me as an adult.

I used to not save money. -I sure liked to spend it though! If I started working on a project & it ceased to be fun, it would go into the closet. -Never to be started up again. In reality, I was a spontaneous as I could be & never planned for the far future.

After meeting Matt & being with him for several years I did start saving up money. I now try to not spend so much money. I am planning for the future along with him. However, as far as projects go, I'm slowly working on following through with them. Although, with sailing, projects HAVE to be finished no matter how hard they get. So I am getting better at that.

Examples:

1-We saved up for the boat together & I spent a lot less in order to do so.

2-We are planning our sailing trips out & figuring out how to make them all come to life.

3-One of the boat projects that I've done is sew on the main sail's slugs to fit inside the mast because a lot of them were about to come undone or were undone. Most of them stayed in but a few of them fell apart & now I need to sew these on the mainsail again. This is a hard sewing job. Not fun. Mostly hand sewing. But I have to follow through or I can just say goodbye to my dream. So I'll get right on that once I finish this blog post.

4-Oh & Zephyr! I will not give up on you Zephyr! You will pee & poop on the grass mat we got for you to use while on the boat! You will not ruin our cockpit cushions & you will not "hold it" until we get to shore! I will persevere until I conquer your aversion to this!

**Making the trek to work.** Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com

Of course I can't speak for Matt but he's achieved so much as an ant. He has conquered all his goals in life. I really have a hard time think of anything he's failed at. Matt just works on things until they're accomplished. -This means he works a lot. Amazing at saving money, he doesn't have to worry about not having enough for big purchases & needs. My husband is also pretty disciplined. All of his projects get finished! There is the flip-side however, he starts to get anxious & a bit down on himself if he isn't constantly taking care of some problem or checking in on how work-related things are going. Vacations are extremely hard for him to get in the mindset of. And forget about ever suggesting that he pamper himself.

Various Matt jobs.

Photo by Anu0131l Karakaya on Pexels.com
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com
Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

About 5 years ago, Matt finally said, "I'm going to start enjoying the money I make!". I think I actually clapped after this statement was made. I might of even done the Snoopy dance. Gradually in the last 5 years, he's become more & more at ease with relaxing at home. -I've noticed he is enjoying our trips away from home more. Or it's possible I just dreamed this up. Furthermore, he is spending money on some nice things & fun things for himself.

I'll have to interview him in one of the upcoming weeks. Then he can tell you give you the real insight on what makes Matt Watson tick?! So line up your questions now!

**Working on this.** Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

**Then we can sail by this.** Photo by Bobby Mc Gee Lee on Pexels.com

When I think about it, sailing is really the perfect mix for an ant & a grasshopper: work on the boat then sail; work on the boat then play in the water; work on the boat then go ashore & explore.

**Will work on this.** Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

**Then we can sail by this.** Photo by Luis Rodriguez on Pexels.com

If it's in your nature to be more of a grasshopper, save up some money for retirement, finish a project by the end of next week, make a plan of what kind of exciting life you will have in 5 years. -Or start small & plan what you want to do next month.

If it's in your nature to be an ant: spend some money on expensive concert tickets & see a band you love, on your way home take a road that you've always wanted to drive on to see what's on it, take a sick day from work in the next month & do something fun outside of your house that day! -I definitely have more tips on how to be a grasshopper.