(depression, road trip, yard, health, elder care, f&f)
I'll write more in response to many of you, but the intake session went well, so i feel good about the therapist. I also feel taking a step helped move the needle some more. (Some other steps -- like the journalling and looking forward to next year -- had moved the needle, too.)
Worked a little outside yesterday. Exhausted very quickly. I've decided i'll make a goal for the last nine weeks of the year: 8 hours yard time a week, 3 hours music-while-working. The first will get me back in a habit, the second tests out whether listening to music (other than Christine's composing and practicing) might help with work energy.
Visited with our tree guy and discussed clearing a bunch of sweetgums to open up the solar panels to the south east of the house. Turns out a small tree is a black gum or tupelo. That will have to go too. These choices are to balance the growing chestnut trees. The cherry trees will stay because they don't have a significant canopy, despite their height. And i'm picking out small trees to replace the sweet gums, with sour wood at the top of the list.
Made plans for the April 8 eclipse. I found a park in Indiana that still had campsites available both before and after and snagged a spot on the lake. It's a "primitive" site -- no electricity -- that is right on the lake with full sun. In April, for an eclipse, that will be desirable. I've invited my Dad to go with me, but he's not been enthusiastic. I don't think he's experienced totality before, and he's all mentally focused on his sweetheart.
When we moved here, i dismissed so many of Dad's road trip offers. I eventually realized that i didn't have all the time in the world with Mom and Dad and started saying yes to road trips more often. I imagined that after Mom died, he and i might road trip together a lot. Mom's final stroke happened on the morning we were going to leave for a trip i had planned. After her memorial, he and i road-tripped to my cousin's place in Georgia, and took another trip to the mountains in Virginia -- and then he started dating. No offers for a roadtrip since. Anyhow, i've put this out there. He hemmed and hawed when i invited him. If he doesn't go, i can ask my sister or take Carrie.
I'm trying not to be bitter. Some day, hopefully a long time from now, i suspect i'll be taking him on road trips as part of care.
Worked a little outside yesterday. Exhausted very quickly. I've decided i'll make a goal for the last nine weeks of the year: 8 hours yard time a week, 3 hours music-while-working. The first will get me back in a habit, the second tests out whether listening to music (other than Christine's composing and practicing) might help with work energy.
Visited with our tree guy and discussed clearing a bunch of sweetgums to open up the solar panels to the south east of the house. Turns out a small tree is a black gum or tupelo. That will have to go too. These choices are to balance the growing chestnut trees. The cherry trees will stay because they don't have a significant canopy, despite their height. And i'm picking out small trees to replace the sweet gums, with sour wood at the top of the list.
Made plans for the April 8 eclipse. I found a park in Indiana that still had campsites available both before and after and snagged a spot on the lake. It's a "primitive" site -- no electricity -- that is right on the lake with full sun. In April, for an eclipse, that will be desirable. I've invited my Dad to go with me, but he's not been enthusiastic. I don't think he's experienced totality before, and he's all mentally focused on his sweetheart.
When we moved here, i dismissed so many of Dad's road trip offers. I eventually realized that i didn't have all the time in the world with Mom and Dad and started saying yes to road trips more often. I imagined that after Mom died, he and i might road trip together a lot. Mom's final stroke happened on the morning we were going to leave for a trip i had planned. After her memorial, he and i road-tripped to my cousin's place in Georgia, and took another trip to the mountains in Virginia -- and then he started dating. No offers for a roadtrip since. Anyhow, i've put this out there. He hemmed and hawed when i invited him. If he doesn't go, i can ask my sister or take Carrie.
I'm trying not to be bitter. Some day, hopefully a long time from now, i suspect i'll be taking him on road trips as part of care.