Away, Away and Back Again in Everyday Ramblings

The weather at the coast was a spring mix and the tides at extremes; this was a break in the afternoon rain after a very low tide. My usual routine is to walk the beach just at sunrise but the last couple of days, with the high tides making the beach almost nonexistent and the rough surf I have needed to switch that up a bit.

It is a gift to have this option in our lives to hang out at this house right on the public beach with full-length windows in the open plan living and kitchen area. This time of year, while there are occasional visitors transiting through, surfers and other vacationers staying in rentals nearby, it is quiet and just us and the gulls, (we had our own pair of Western gulls, Penelope and Bruce who came to visit at meal times patiently). We don’t feed them but clearly other folks who stay there do.

The cats were fine but of course I fretted. Carlo is still having some symptoms but no one threw up while I was away. One of my students came to feed them twice as my regular cat sitter was not available the whole time. Other than an intense cleaning extravaganza before I left for her I enjoyed that she was able to meet the cats and experience her enthusiasm about their uniquely energetic and affectionate way of being in the world.

Carlo hid under the bed when she came to get the keys, which is so unlike him, he did it last time Kes was here too. We think it is because last time she was here he really wasn’t feeling well and went to the vet.

Anyway, thankfully he greeted his new friend at the door when she came by to feed him and she sent me a picture yesterday of him lying upside down on the bed with his paws up in the air so clearly he relaxed around her.

I have been very relaxed and the most notable thing about having a blissful week off from work and teaching was that my mind quieted down. A lot.

It became obvious how noisy it was in there. :)

I could let go of reactivity around the awful way I am being treated at work and constant planning about my classes (though I did a little of that to prep for this week).

The trick now is to make it through to retirement without doing too much damage, to my finances, the greater world and myself.

Wish me luck on re-entry!

Last updated April 15, 2019