There’s not much to say about today. I’m trying to write where I have very little inspiration and I’m taking photos right before bed just to check the box. There was cavatappi pasta and Sondheim and Webber singing and now I am going to pass out from exhaustion.
Category: February 2023
-
February 26
It was a long, busy day and I am thoroughly exhausted. Showered, blew my hair straight for the first time in about a year and a half, went to church, went food shopping, baked a cake, cleaned the house, made mango salsa, had my sister in law and her family over, cleaned up, and now it’s now. I don’t know how I am going to make it through the next two weeks until my next vacation.
-
February 25
We finally won the Harry Potter game today! So exciting. I actually can’t remember a single other thing that happened today. That’s how epic that win was.
-
February 24
More than anything, all I wanted for Christmas was the Harry Potter board game. Not so much because I’m a die hard Harry Potter fan (which I’m really not), but because I’d played it with my brother and sister in law and enjoyed it. Billy and I have spent hours and hours of our lives playing this game over the last two months and we have yet to win. We came closer than ever tonight and it was both exhilarating and depressing. I am going to need a day or two to recover. Also today: We went to the girls’ school this afternoon to watch their oratorical festival. They recited poems about all sorts of things that would make our governor want to vomit, which just made me so proud and actually brought tears of joy to my eyes. I am so thankful that they are still able to learn about people like Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. I don’t know how much longer that will be legal.
-
February 23
The marathon of my life continues. A bunch of people backed out of tonight’s church class (that I’m leading) at the last minute and I was so exhausted, I just wanted to cancel it. But there wasn’t enough time to let everyone know before it started. So I went reluctantly and said I’d just plod through. In the end, it was a really good class and I left feeling more energized than I went in (which admittedly wasn’t so hard). As much as I complain about being overwhelmingly busy, I guess it’s good that I am busy. I feel more motivated to do even more things, like get some of my writing published and maybe even make that lucrative enough to quit my “temp” job that I’ve been in for almost 17 years and have never enjoyed. Of course that means I have to write and I have to find publishers who might like my writing, which means even more work, but I guess I might as well ride this motivation wave for as long as it lasts.
-
February 21
Back to the grind today. Survived the gym, did some prep for the class I’m leading on Thursday, worked hard all day and accomplished nothing, took the kids to the library, and now I’ve got an entire evening free! What! Also, our backyard is an absolute disgrace. I waited like 15 years to have my own backyard after years in the city, and this is what I’ve let it get to. This spring will require some real love and probably some dollars, but I’m determined to make this the sanctuary I wanted it to be when we first moved in.
-
February 20
The morning started with intense anxiety over absolutely nothing, which led to tears, but then also led to this.
-
February 19
I took Christina to the zoo today and on the way home we drove on the highway with all the windows open. It was so loud, but I could still hear Christina singing at the top of her lungs out the window. I absolutely love the little girl in her. I hope that innocence and creative spirit never dies.
-
February 18
This is Coconut the hermit crab, Christina’s class pet for whom we are caring this weekend. This is the first time I’ve seen him out of his shell since we brought him home yesterday afternoon. He seems very timid but has been happily drinking water for about 45 minutes. I guess hermit crabs, like the inner workings of my job, do not move quickly.
-
February 17
I have wanted to take this photo for about two weeks but have felt too self conscious to do it with people watching. Today some security guards watched me intently but didn’t say anything and now I’ve got it.
-
February 16
Dealing with childcare is incredibly anxiety-inducing for me. I spent an entire hour at tonight’s chorus rehearsal panicking over whether I’d need a babysitter and then whether she’d be available if I did need her, and then when I thought she couldn’t come, I started planning what to do if I didn’t get home before Billy had to go to work, and then after all that, we finished in about 15 minutes and I made it home just in time. I seriously can’t do this anymore. I love singing with the chorus, but the stress is killing me.
-
February 14
I have so many things on my plate. Preparing a worship service for this Sunday, trying to fix the world’s problems at work, performance week at the symphony, Dad’s 81st birthday, Valentine’s Day, remembering to put gas in my car, responding to texts from friends as best I can, preparing NAMI classes, writing, going to the gym… It’s all being balanced sort of like the Cat in the Hat, who has a fish in a dish and a cake on a ball and who knows what else. But even he couldn’t pull all that off in the end. Something’s gotta give. I just don’t have it in me to give up.
Year in Photos 