It is a common misconception. Baking does sound like a relaxing, homey occupation. But the reality is, well, far from relaxing.

To give you a little picture into one of my days of baking, this is last Friday's schedule. But wait! This doesn't include the set-up before hand nor the hours of clean-up and packaging after the schedule ends. It also doesn't show the dishes being washed, the restocking of ingredients, the book-keeping being done in every spare moment. Nor does it show the four and sometimes more hands needed to keep it all running smoothly. The schedule looks more like a skeleton than a body filled out with flesh. Oh, well. You can have a look anyway. (The schedule is a bit cryptic, so don't try too hard to understand it all. :)

7:00 Mix Dill #1

7:30 Mix Dill #2

8:00 Mix Dill #3 (4)

8:30 Mix WW

9:00 Mix Cran-Orange #1 (4)
375F

9:10 Form Dill #1 (4 sand, 2 round)

9:30 Mix Cran-Orange #2 (6)

9:40 Form Dill #2 (sand)

10:00 Mix Sourdough
Bake Dill #1 – Top & Bottom

10:10 Form Dill #3 (round)

10:30 Mix French #1
Bake Dill #2 – Bottom

11:00 Mix French #2
Bake Dill #3 – Top & Bottom
Form WW (sand)

11:30

12:00 Mix Multigrain #1
Bake WW – Top
Form Cran-Orange #1 (round)

12:30 Mix Multigrain #2
Pre-form French #1 (batard)
Form Cran-Orange #2 (sand)

12:50 Form French #1 (batard)

1:00 Mix Black Pepper #1
Pre-form French #2 (sand)

1:15 Bake Cran-Orange #1 – Top & Bottom

1:20 Form French #2 (sand)

1:30 Mix Black Pepper #2
No baking – Top & Bottom

1:45 Bake Cran-Orange #2 – Bottom

2:00 No baking – Bottom

2:30 Bake French #1 (Temp Change!) – Top & Bottom
Pre-form Sourdough (2 sand, 4 round)
Form Multigrain #1

3:00 Bake French #2 (Temp Change!) – Top
Form Sourdough (2 sand, 4 round)
Form Multigrain #2

3:15 Bake Multigrain #1 – Bottom

3:30 No baking – Bottom
Form Black Pepper #1

3:45 Bake Multigrain #2 – Top

4:00 No baking – Top
Form Black Pepper #2

4:30 Bake Black Pepper #1 – Bottom

5:00 Bake Black Pepper #2 – Top

5:30 Cinnamon Scones

6:00 Bake Sourdough – Top & Bottom

So there you have it -- the schedule of a baker. Is it worth all the work? Why do I do it? My prayer is that as I use the gifts my Creator has given me, He is glorified. Yes, it is worth it, every one of the fourteen hours per day.