Monday's Putterings (plus last week)
Topics contained herein:
A successful “stress-week” and the quest for well deserved contentment.
Weather / Phenology:
Yesterday was probably the last really lovely day of the autumn. In the morning, a flock of grackles occupied the woods that belong to the neighbor living two houses down. How do I know? I heard a great cacophony. I called R- outside and we sat to listen to them for a while. The day featured a bright sky, a gentle breeze, and a goodly amount of still-colorful leaves. I know we are past peak color now. I suspect the temperature ranged in the high fifties and low sixties.
Today is gray and wet. And silent. The sky tried to rain a moment ago, but now it’s just dripping. I don’t think it’s actually cold but it appears clammy.
Mood Summary:
I’m feeling very aware that I have to nurture myself, my home and my family. I’ve been plagued by my old psychosomatic problems in these last couple of weeks. (Bad skin, mysterious aches, stiffness and flagging energy. Recently I’m suffering from heavy boobs, a tiny new cold sore and an over-sensitive sense of smell.)
The house, too, is showing signs of neglect. Bits and pieces, left over from last week’s tasks and adventures, litter every room. I don’t think it will take much to clear all that away and make each room comforting again, but I could do damage to myself if I tackle it in the wrong way. I’m not going to go into a frenzy. Instead, I intend to enter into each room mindfully. I want to clean it, arrange it, improve it and then use it before moving on to the next. It isn’t the most efficient way to clean a house, and it’s likely to require a few days to get through all of our spaces, but that approach promises to be less jangly and frantic. I’ve been running around trying to stay on top of things - due to the business of last week - for days. Enough of that for a while.
I need/want time to:
soak in warm baths - complete with bubbles or oils
be high-maintenance - to give myself a pedicure, to apply unguents
enjoy good food - the whole process: cooking, presenting and consuming it
add warmth - in the forms of candles, fires, cuddles and blankets
create good smells - in the forms of fresh sheets, incense, bread-baking and woodsmoke
read and settle into a few good entertainment programs
relax into knitting and working with Ch- on art/crafts and music
organize the small blizzard of papers school generates
experiment with some new forms of music
(Popular music pumps me up but I want to spend some time with alternative forms - classical, acoustic, atmospheric types.)
pursue a state of contentment
Five Gratitudes:
1) The Godfather called tonight to arrange a night out for this Saturday. That’s a rare gift and I’ll do my best to make that happen.
2) Mz Niece (the photographer) sent us an invitation to her annual Halloween party. She’s asked me to pass the invitation on to all our other friends … and she mentioned them all by name :)
3) I got through all the stuff that needed doing last week without any MAJOR meltdowns.
4) Al Franken’s book, The Truth, is helping me understand things that I thought I’d never get.
5) Burt’s Bees lip balm - tingly, soothing goodness.
Accomplishments:
I was too busy to write much last week which means a bunch of stuff got taken care of. Ch- did well on his NWEA tests. He had a nice birthday with his sister and Young Master L- in attendance. The field trip to Fort Snelling was fascinating even though the day was horribly cold and windy. I got to hang out with Mz K- for a few hours on Saturday afternoon and I enjoyed a very sexy evening with my husband. On Sunday, Ch- and I went to the local pumpkin farm with Gmom and M- …
All in all everything went pretty darn well.
Today was catching up day. The upper floor of the house came together really well. Ch- got through many good lessons and we’re right on track. Beyond that I made a reasonable facsimile of a dinner and watched some CSI. Now it’s time to curl up and get some sleep.
Daily Dozen
My Mission 101 List
My Evil-Twin Mission 101 List
Start Date: July 27, 2006 10:00 pm ---- End Date: April 24, 2009 10:00 pm
Goal Level Behaviors
Routines
Cleaning: zones & weekly schedule
A successful “stress-week” and the quest for well deserved contentment.
Weather / Phenology:
Yesterday was probably the last really lovely day of the autumn. In the morning, a flock of grackles occupied the woods that belong to the neighbor living two houses down. How do I know? I heard a great cacophony. I called R- outside and we sat to listen to them for a while. The day featured a bright sky, a gentle breeze, and a goodly amount of still-colorful leaves. I know we are past peak color now. I suspect the temperature ranged in the high fifties and low sixties.
Today is gray and wet. And silent. The sky tried to rain a moment ago, but now it’s just dripping. I don’t think it’s actually cold but it appears clammy.
Mood Summary:
I’m feeling very aware that I have to nurture myself, my home and my family. I’ve been plagued by my old psychosomatic problems in these last couple of weeks. (Bad skin, mysterious aches, stiffness and flagging energy. Recently I’m suffering from heavy boobs, a tiny new cold sore and an over-sensitive sense of smell.)
The house, too, is showing signs of neglect. Bits and pieces, left over from last week’s tasks and adventures, litter every room. I don’t think it will take much to clear all that away and make each room comforting again, but I could do damage to myself if I tackle it in the wrong way. I’m not going to go into a frenzy. Instead, I intend to enter into each room mindfully. I want to clean it, arrange it, improve it and then use it before moving on to the next. It isn’t the most efficient way to clean a house, and it’s likely to require a few days to get through all of our spaces, but that approach promises to be less jangly and frantic. I’ve been running around trying to stay on top of things - due to the business of last week - for days. Enough of that for a while.
I need/want time to:
soak in warm baths - complete with bubbles or oils
be high-maintenance - to give myself a pedicure, to apply unguents
enjoy good food - the whole process: cooking, presenting and consuming it
add warmth - in the forms of candles, fires, cuddles and blankets
create good smells - in the forms of fresh sheets, incense, bread-baking and woodsmoke
read and settle into a few good entertainment programs
relax into knitting and working with Ch- on art/crafts and music
organize the small blizzard of papers school generates
experiment with some new forms of music
(Popular music pumps me up but I want to spend some time with alternative forms - classical, acoustic, atmospheric types.)
pursue a state of contentment
Five Gratitudes:
1) The Godfather called tonight to arrange a night out for this Saturday. That’s a rare gift and I’ll do my best to make that happen.
2) Mz Niece (the photographer) sent us an invitation to her annual Halloween party. She’s asked me to pass the invitation on to all our other friends … and she mentioned them all by name :)
3) I got through all the stuff that needed doing last week without any MAJOR meltdowns.
4) Al Franken’s book, The Truth, is helping me understand things that I thought I’d never get.
5) Burt’s Bees lip balm - tingly, soothing goodness.
Accomplishments:
I was too busy to write much last week which means a bunch of stuff got taken care of. Ch- did well on his NWEA tests. He had a nice birthday with his sister and Young Master L- in attendance. The field trip to Fort Snelling was fascinating even though the day was horribly cold and windy. I got to hang out with Mz K- for a few hours on Saturday afternoon and I enjoyed a very sexy evening with my husband. On Sunday, Ch- and I went to the local pumpkin farm with Gmom and M- …
All in all everything went pretty darn well.
Today was catching up day. The upper floor of the house came together really well. Ch- got through many good lessons and we’re right on track. Beyond that I made a reasonable facsimile of a dinner and watched some CSI. Now it’s time to curl up and get some sleep.
Daily Dozen
My Mission 101 List
My Evil-Twin Mission 101 List
Start Date: July 27, 2006 10:00 pm ---- End Date: April 24, 2009 10:00 pm
Goal Level Behaviors
Routines
Cleaning: zones & weekly schedule