Keyboard Shortcuts
ctrl + shift + ? :
Show all keyboard shortcuts
ctrl + g :
Navigate to a group
ctrl + shift + f :
Find
ctrl + / :
Quick actions
esc to dismiss
Likes
Search
Re: Long Post Warning: Raising Sheep On Island In Maine and General Order of Catch-up
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýSo happy to see NY updates rolling in!Things have been chaotic, as usual, here. The pandemic has added another dimension, partially because Andrew remains at increased risk due to his historical chemo. Andrew has been strictly working from home in our basement (which is 52 degrees right now, poor guy), and I have been working at a desk we put in our bedroom whenever not on clinics. We have tried to balance Andrew¡¯s risk against Marguerite¡¯s need for socialization by allowing her to attend school in person but not allowing her to stay for aftercare (which has more intermingling of classes). This means we have a 3 hour overlap between school and work, which creates additional challenges in concentration and productivity. As an only child, Marguerite feels the loss of unstructured kid hangout time keenly. Unfortunately, Andrew¡¯s parents remain crazy as loons so are not social distancing generally and will not respect 6¡¯ distancing when we see them. As a result, Marguerite has not even been able to hang out outside at their house. Since my parents moved back home in May, it has been all us - All. The. Time. ? In June, partially out of desperation, we took her on her first backpack in the Smokies. It went better than we had hoped for, if only because of the change in scenery and thus external worrying pressures. ?As a result, we have been trying to backpack twice a month since. This culminated in an attempted weeklong backpack right before Christmas (timed to coincide with quarantining so we could see my parents). The trip brought various misadventures including treacherous water crossings; inches of snow, sleet and hail; and highly destructive Christmas mice. It also brought an amazing bear sighting, deer, coyote tracks, and the magical wonder and stillness inherent in thick, new fallen snow (we got >2¡± on our tent one night). Andrew injured his hand in a spill crossing high water, with question of a possible break. As a result, we had to pack out early - problematic as we would exit the park far from our car. A crimson cardinal led the way through the softly falling snow, and providence manifested as a Wisconsin day hiking couple on the isolated trail. In spite of having been as careful as us with COVID precautions, they generously agreed to drive Andrew to our car (all masked, of course). He arrived back at the trailhead just as Marguerite and I completed the hike. Happily, orthopedic urgent care revealed no break - just acute tendonitis from chopping wood that was exacerbated by the fall. ? Christmas brought a fabulous week with my parents, whom we hadn¡¯t seen in months and won¡¯t get to see again till June. We enjoyed cookie baking and delivering to fire stations, our annual viewing of A Child¡¯s Christmas in Wales, contract bridge, and more. It also brought my first real crafting time since the pandemic started! So far, I have made felted dryer balls, knit a companion for a widowed mitt (from a pair given me by Denise), crocheted 2 flower dishcloths, knit pieces for a pair of hopsalot slippers, am almost halfway through the first of a pair of Tabi socks, and completed the next round on my grandmother¡¯s tablecloth. Woo hoo! After my parents left and I struggled with melancholy for a couple days, Andrew and I decided it simply wouldn¡¯t do. He worked hard through the weekend and early part of the week so we could come stay with them for New Year¡¯s! :) We have been having a grand time playing cards and Yahtzee, eating too much, and walking the dog. Tomorrow will sadly bring our return home to work and school, but we have new rituals to stay closer (see below).? The pandemic has brought such sorrow and loss, including a former colleague too young. :( However, it also has brought our family great gifts. We have always been closer than most emotionally, but life has limited our distance interactions. Since their return to Nashville in May, Mom and I talk every morning for 30 minutes while walking our dogs. Starting with their Christmas visit, Marguerite and my mom now have their own daily QFT with nightly Zoom storytime. They are reading the Wizard of Oz books together. Mom and I also are scheming on roping my stepdad and Andrew in, potentially with Zoom family Yahtzee. One other huge gift of the pandemic for me has been developing a consistent meditation practice. I started with an app called Healthy Minds, supplemented by audiobooks and podcasts. At this point, I am finishing out that training or doing another guided meditation at night, but I also rise 30 minutes earlier each day for unguided sitting practice before the household awakes and take a meditative walk at lunch. When on clinics, I maintain my morning session and strive to meditate for at least 10 minutes at lunchtime. Sometimes it is 15, sometimes lunch becomes the meditation, and sometimes a 2 minute power sit. Even if all I can carve out is 3 focused breaths, I take it with gusto given the unequivocal difference in my performance when I do not have that reset! Finally, primarily due to meditation, my relationship with work is evolving. I increasingly recognize and quietly reject the unhealthy culture, narrative and expectations. As a result, I am MUCH happier in my skin and daily life - and also actively (but confidentially) pursuing other job opportunities. My hope is to retain ties to my current institution but be working elsewhere by June. If the right match is not found, Andrew and I plan for me to cut back to 3/4 time. That will allow us to maintain full benefits under my name whilst also decreasing the time I spend exposed to my institutions¡¯s unhealthy culture. When doubt creeps in, I remind myself, ¡®Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?¡¯ It gives me remarkable purpose. For 2021, my goals are to continue building on my current meditation practice, to increase my strength/high intensity cardio exercise, continue developing our backpacking practice, and make the changes described above in my work life.? Miss you all and hope to read more updates soon! jacqui On Jan 2, 2021, at 1:44 AM, "Connie@..." <Connie@...> wrote:
|
to navigate to use esc to dismiss