head above water, chile chilly

I can’t believe at all how fast this week has flown by, especially today. Therefore this post isn’t the “tools, where are they now, part II” post I had wanted to draft. I think it’s a bit of blabber that I feel the need to put out for the entire world to read. Which probably shows that I’m tired and looking forward to being recharged on Shabbat. I just hope I don’t deeply regret any of it in the morning.

Overall I believe I’m doing ok keeping my head just above water. I do hope things stop piling on soon because I don’t think I can tread much longer and I need to find solid ground to stand on. Things I have on my plate are not impossible, but this has been a very busy and intense week with tasks ranging the entire gamut of possibilities, and lots of normally scheduled programming. I’m saddened that I didn’t get a chance to properly draft this post. It’s 9pm and I believe it’s the first time I feel able to take a deep breath and think for me since I woke on Monday [and I have a 9am deadline tomorrow]. I am spoiled by generally enjoying flexibility in my schedule (and I do insist on regular down time) so this week’s intensity was deeply felt. If I could make tomorrow’s deadline by taking a nice long hot soak in the tub after publishing this, I would. On reflection I may anyway. It’s taken me far too long to write this. Thus, I’d probably generate many errors so I might as well just go soak my weary body.

However, I was quite lucky this week to discover some unexpected and most welcome extra knitting time. I haven’t yet finished E’s bday gift, but I’m past the thumb gussets and have only the dread of fingers left after 2 more inches of zen knitting. Yvonne’s pattern was perfect for this week and I’ve impressed quite a few people by holding a conversation and reading their lips* or at least making eye contact and still knitting and conversing coherently. I can’t always do that [successfully knit and converse] but it was nice. I like his mitts better than my new ones and may just have to cast on a pair of my own.

What helped me the most this week was to keep to our simple basic routines:
– Wake up at around the same time every week day (depending on snooze)
– Review my check list to ensure that I get out of the door with my most necessary objects (yes, it includes knitting but also keys and money).
– I try to eat three meals … and get bonus points if any of them are hot or healthy. I’ve done ok on healthy, the hot is difficult. For this I’m doing better than I was, but still need to make progress. It’s really hard to find food I want to and am able to eat.
– my take on the spicy coffee hot chocolate has been very useful. I made it on Wednesday and left the chile and cinnamon in all day and just refilled it with plain coffee and milk. Occasionally a seed would escape and the unexpected punch and resulting zap was just what I needed.

Most importantly:
– I am asleep by 12:30am at the very latest (that was Tuesday night), other nights we are both are in bed by 11pm (our normal bedtime School or not) and turn the lights out shortly thereafter. I have a small relaxation routine I do before bed which includes some reading, writing, and reflection. Why? I try to leave stresses outside as I can pick them up and worry anew the next morning. They really aren’t going anywhere and I sleep better if I can get rid of some of the stress. Plus the routine helps me to shut down.

I try anyway. I really do think that a regular early (by some standards, quite late by other) bedtime is key. Which is hard for this night owl to admit. As was this result from this quiz. (It’s melanie’s fault). In recent years I have taken joy in working early in the morning, often as the sun rises… and not after doing so the entire night. ;) It’s been a change but one I’ve come to enjoy.

Chilly #2 is that although my new mitts are beautiful and receive tons of compliments unless I keep my fingers moving constantly (i.e. typing and knitting, but this doesn’t always work), my fingers turn to ice regardless of the ambient temperature. I’ve asked my doctors in the past and have been tested [insert idiom I’m blanking on here, no it doesn’t involve a cat but I swear it involves a day and many sides or angles; E thinks I’m making it up] every which way, the result is that I’m not anaemic and am actually quite healthy. Right. I just do not understand how icy fingers and toes are normal.

In other random news and public disclosure, the kitchen cabinet delivery and installation has been delayed to Monday at the earliest … when E came home from work tonight, we moved the stove back in so I can cook things beyond the crock pot. Tonight we had pasta with pesto and I can’t remember the last time I took such joy in boiling water!

—
* My hearing is ok. My lip reading, I believe, is a habit leftover from a childhood defence mechanism when I couldn’t hear very well (age 0-4½ years) and learned to read lips to make sure I got what was being said. I’ve lost some of my ability over the years since my hearing improved but I still prefer greatly to see an entire face (and hands if possible) when talking with someone. It’s partially why I hate the telephone.

• Category: life