It was a long day of traveling. We got up at 2am for our 6am flight, which was subsequently delayed four hours, causing us to miss our connection. We had 19 minutes to make the new one, which required going to a separate terminal. Somehow we made it, even though my shoes kept falling off. And then that plane was delayed 20 minutes due to some fuel gauge issue. The people around us on both flights were completely obnoxious. One woman kept poking my seat because her TV screen was broken and she just couldn’t accept it. There was a spider and a woman who refused to sit in her seat near a spider, even if someone did kill it. There was a guy next to me who sang and bounced his leg next to mine for the entire flight while he also sniffled and coughed the whole way. He obviously had a cold. I spent the whole flight trying to avoid his germs. But we finally got to Rosina’s to get the kids, who had a great time, and we made it home by 4:30. The rest of the day was lying on the couch watching the Olympics. I’m so tired.
Tag: light
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July 30
I am so proud of Robin, who spent seven solid hours at a cheer practice in a gym that is not air conditioned on a 95-degree day and then went to a tumbling class immediately afterwards and still put in a solid effort involving many sets of back handsprings without anyone around her, all with a huge smile on her face. Her coach had to come to me and suggest that we cut the tumbling practice short because she didn’t want to overwork her. I am so proud of her effort and determination and success. Yay Robin!
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July 9
I have not been sleeping well for several nights now and I was very tired today. I still managed to knit a tail and a leg for my bunny and finish the book I’ve been reading, Lincoln in the Bardo. What an unusual book. Seeing Fort Sumter stirred something in me and I feel fascinated by the Civil War. Maybe because it feels like we are on the verge of it again. I have many loose-ended thoughts on it that don’t seem to lead anywhere just yet, but I can’t stop picking at it.
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June 17
Robin did her first tumbling in about a month. Her back handspring needs a little work. She landed on her face more times than not… but she’ll get it. It was good to see her back at it.
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June 7
Tonight I started a new NAMI Family to Family class online. I forget sometimes just how desperate I was when I first took the class, now 15 years ago. I hear it in people’s voices, the exhaustion, the sadness, the frustration, the overwhelming emotion, the helplessness and hopelessness… And I think about Mom and our story, the one I’m trying to write, the one I lived, the differences between them, the hurt I still carry. It’s not easy. It never was.
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June 4
Billy and I went on a date on a rare night where no one had any evening activities planned. We enjoyed Italian delicacies and talked and it was nice. I especially loved that it was his suggestion. I was absolutely exhausted for some reason but enjoyed it anyway. It’s nice to feel loved.
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May 1
My life is revolving around the bunny making. It now has a head, a face, two ears, two arms and half a body. It made waiting to have my car serviced and Christina’s dance classes pass by quite quickly. But the bunny butt will have to wait until tomorrow.
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April 25
I spent some time on the back patio with Billy after dinner, just talking. I didn’t realize how much I missed that. I think I talked a little too much about myself, but it’s at least a start. We’re both feeling our way through this.
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February 22
Back to work today and back to work indeed. By 8:00 I had both kids not speaking to me. I put Pinot on the market for five cents and got no takers. I think it’s time for another day.
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February 6
I taught Christina how to moon someone today. She thought it was absolutely HILARIOUS. What have I done?
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January 26
This is the first of a long string of weekends we’ll be traveling for cheer and dance competitions. There was a stretch of about 15 minutes that was very tense on the way to Orlando when my gas gauge turned on just before a 15-mile stretch of highway without a single exit. I made it with about ten miles to spare and Christina was none the wiser. Next time, AAA, next time.
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December 30
Today was a day of downs and ups and downs and very little in between. I wanted to get something sparkly to wear for New Year’s and I found five dresses at Goodwill in what I thought was my size, only to find that all but one were too small. I came home in tears, feeling ugly and fat and everything but sparkly. But then Robin and I made cupcakes for dinner at Rosina and Dion’s tonight, and that was fun. And dinner was fun. We played Apples to Apples and Robin won. Lots of laughing and fun. But then about ten miles from home, I got a flat tire. I managed to coast into a gas station and fill the tire with just enough air to get home, but that tire will be absolutely flat by morning at the rate it was losing air. Luckily I have a spare, and we made it home, so it could definitely have been worse.
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October 1
I think in 6th grade you don’t call them play dates anymore, but I took Robin to hang out with her friend at Barnes & Noble today. It was my first time meeting her and she seems pretty awesome. I’m happy Robin has a friend like her. Also, Barnes & Noble was jumping! I don’t know how they compete with Amazon, though I will say there’s something tantalizing about touching books before you buy them. I think books even have a scent. I bought some things for some people and I’m glad I went.
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June 1
My mind has been racing 1,000 miles an hour this week, and I’m having trouble keeping up with it. I have about 25 pots on the stove, and I’m trying my best to tend to all of them. Eventually this pace is going to catch up with me.

