And still counting ... (13929-14,012)

gentle yoga that was a gentle introduction back to routine
yoga flow that let me know it wasn't all going to be like gentle

morning runs in my sweet Altras
all the running groups, a pleasant diversion
burgers on the grill
mild temperatures
Erin with me at yoga

my kids' laughter at night from upstairs
this life of ours
tulips in a vase in my kitchen
daffies pushing up, waiting their turn to blossom
movement at the neighbors' house--they'll be full time soon

Carol (hospitality house) chatting me about playground mulch
good sleep
a fleece jacket (thank you, Denise!)
friends at the table for personal finance
memes with Christy

sixth grade boys playing cards
poetry tea plans
for Christy getting me two tubs of peptides at Costco
a call with Drew
choosing me

the freedom to be
dreaming with my guy
laughter
the homeschool review on the calendar
spring temperatures

tulips on the counter
burgers on the grill
vitamin C
a calendar interrupted
music in the rooms

open windows
steamed floors
taxes done
a finish line in sight
the last lap of a three-year race

pumpkin muffins
summer running booty shorts
clean clothes
Rebecca
Christy

Becky
running socks
a blue flipbelt
homeschooling my kids
that a two-week closure just means more time together

yoga classes online
health
library fines waived (none yet, but in case)
oils in the mail
deliveries

pet food
cat litter
gardens to weed
Ruth
sleeping in on a Sunday

for the life of Miss Doris, who loved God and her country without a doubt
morning fog
rain running
a morning to sleep late
fire in the wood stove

a first ride on the mower to mulch up leaves
the leaning tree in the garden, downed for free
Ruth asleep at my feet, always
read aloud cuddles with Erin
a family game night at the table

spaghetti with meatballs
the last of fresh broccoli and carrots
apples and peanut butter lunches
hot tea in the afternoon--Sip and Be Merry
giving my notice to resign

news in French
health, this day
a poetry tea music theme (Sound of Silence, No Matter What, Your Love Defends Me--if I had remembered, I would have done Anchor by Skillet as well)
milk chocolate stash
podcasts on the walk

watching old iMovies the girls made, and marveling at how much they've changed in no time at all
warmer days
pulling weeds with Erin
Debussy by Lanie
clean clothes

really really wonderful running socks
a will, revisited and getting updated

Day story

March 2020

Outside my (open!) window, blue skies, bird song, a gentle breeze that blew in nostalgia. I'm not sure what the day's high temperature was, but it was every bit of spring. I wore a short sleeve shirt and capri yoga pants, and I didn't need a blanket. I opened windows throughout the house, and music played in the rooms, and it felt like absolute peace.

Giving thanks for this break. All of the hectic things got cancelled around us: SAT, co-op, college tours, church, and all gatherings of 250 or more people. The area is coming to a slow (and some places halting) stop, and there is lots of complaining because of the personal and larger impact of this, but for me, in this moment, I am thankful. For these few hours in this day, I feel like I got something so precious back and I was fully present doing what I love--tending my home, spending time with my kids. I'm with my kids all the time because we homeschool, but I said to Shane, it felt like life before the hustle and the job and the lessons and commitments. Where I could open windows and listen to music and clean my house. I feel like I got a little bit of my favorite part of the past when my kids were younger. To look out my window and see Erin riding her bike and drawing chalk; Lanie sat at the table, homeworking, unstressed (a change because she's usually stressed by the crazy workload). Thank you, God, for this sweet time of stillness, even in the uncertain. This will be my silver lining in the storm.

In the school room, floors steamed and vacuumed. I took the day to bleach down surfaces and thoroughly clean, like a spring clean--and on this springlike day. The laundry room is as lovely as it's ever been as I lugged out winter coats, scarves, gloves, and boots. I took everything out to sweep and mop and wipe down. And when I put it back, I inhaled the peace of order. Thankful we did a recent library run--I had another book due back today, and I called to request an extension if it didn't have a hold. The librarian who answered laughed at the coincidence--that very book I had out and wanted to extend did, in fact, have a hold on it, and she was the person that requested the hold. She laughed and pushed the extension out not just one week, but three. She also explained that the library would be shutting down along with the schools, and they'd waiver overdue fines.

From the kitchen, first of all: cleared counter spaces and peace. Thankful for all the times I'd shop and think, "I'll just pick up this can of pumpkin because I think we're low." Only to have about ten cans of it now. Pumpkin muffins in queue. It's far too irregular that I take time to bake anything.

I am happy. A woman I spoke to recently commented on the change in our conversations from burdened to lightness and joy and laughter in my voice. I am almost done with the task, and the thought of freedom makes my heart light. It is so close. So close. What will I do with the second half of my life?

I don't want to forget the beauty of a sunrise, the warmth of a spring day, birdsong and worm smell on the morning run, the citrus smell of essential oils diffusing in the house, texts with friends, laughter, the way my feet feel in my running shoes, the force of my quads during the pedal push uphill biking with the girls, the creamy sweet of coffee in the morning, the sounds of home. All a sweet sensory treasure.

I am reading Chi Running by Danny Dreyer. I have a stack of twenty other books to work through, but my face has mostly been locked on a screen lately. Erin and I are working our way through Robinson Crusoe, but it is a cumbersome read aloud. We preordered S.D. Smith's last installment of the Green Ember series, due out in April, but in all honesty, I have forgotten a lot of the story in the wait.

Around the house, spring cleaning. I'll wait longer to clean the windows. It felt good to pack up winter. I love winter, but its cloak is so heavy and bulky. It feels nice to lighten up around here. I texted Cindy asking if she had any spider plant babies because the cats ate my spider plant. She lol'd and said she did. We texted about cleaning and I commented that it feels impossible to be clean--that it's probably from too much stuff and too many pets. Simplifying my life is on my list of things to do, and that includes shedding the weight of all the stuff.

I am hearing music in the rooms again, and wind chimes in the breeze outside. My heart absolutely swells, that my senses just stepped back in the past to embrace it.

A view of things, not necessarily my favorites, but a screenshot of life today:

skunk cabbage in the woods from our Monday hike to find Nella, who ran off again (she is home)

This woman from TN, she is a gem

That's the truth. In line at the bank, the mess of a man behind me unabashedly open mouthed coughing in every direction. I almost threw up. Not wanting to catch anything he had. So gross and inconsiderate to not even cover his cough.

the stats

One hundred percent Ruth

At the table, we had keto Chinese chicken salad with broccoli slaw and red cabbage. I picked up two rotisserie chickens on Wednesday--one for this meal and one for chicken soup. Thankful for fresh vegetables for now. The stores will likely stock up, but between Thursday and today this week, full panic has hit the area and in many stores, the shelves and produce are bare.

And still counting (13,887-13,928)

a great dentist
wisdom teeth, two more down, one to go
ibuprofen
Erin to sleepover with the dogs so I could sleep through the night (for a whole week!)

cold coffee
cottage cheese
Noosa yogurts
Wegmans amazing mashed potatoes
fleece shirts

Ruth
Leave It to Beaver show marathons with Erin
goodr sunnies

I run so I can justify run gear

brunch is the new black #goodr

What's Snackin Kracken? #goodr When I looked up what a Kracken was, I was instantly further smitten.

Running sunnies

Saucony Eros shoes in the mail
time off from running to recover from shin splints (so long, New Balance) and wisdom tooth extractions

food in the fridge
January lessons
homeschooling
read alouds with Erin
that she starts a fire in the woodstove and brings in wood to keep it burning

almond scones
dairy free foods for Lanie
Marshall's Mom
Becky
Rebecca

Nora
Norah (love!)
smitten kitchen's baked potato soup
Tracey, who also had a tooth pulled last week and gets my pain
an exemption form

new supply of fire starters
heart stickers for Valentine's week school work completed
mustache day at co-op with a class of sixth grade boys
a delightful run on a treadmill, after the crazy sprint run
college tours registration

those Torins--like running on springs
good sleep
hot tea
a hound that peeks around the corner and still stares at me, loyal
nail polish

March goals
back to my regular running mileage
playing exploding kittens cards with the sixth graders