The coffee tastes strong today. It isn’t. It’s the same coffee I always buy and a light roast. I must be getting a cold or allergies or something. As the summer wound down last week, it felt like everything was a bit off. Work was busy and stressful. 1/3 of my team has quit over the summer and now as we enter this new year, things feel more uncertain and strange.
Our state is opening up more and more. Football was approved with a short schedule. People are gathering a little bit more and more, going to schools and universities. The Covid numbers keep rising. I have my concerns about it all and find it uncomfortable to be in groups of people. People are weary of it all and so am I. I don’t see how gatherings and crowds can fit into daily life yet I am ready to be out of the house. I am still wrapping my mind around it all.
I have been slowly plodding away on projects. I am not making any speed records on them in my 15 to 30 minute segments of working on them. I have needed more break times , down times and rest. I don’t feel bad about it but the work keeps piling up. So are chores and quilts and clutter.
September is here. It is cold this morning and only 46 degrees. The changing of the seasons brings getting back into my routines. It ushers in the domestic work and less yard stuff. Getting things done and kicking out projects. The lazy days of summer are over, the vacation brain and more unstructured time is over. It is the back to school mentality of a new year dawning and I need to kick some ass to get my goals met . I spend Labor Day Weekend pondering the goals of the new year. Making goals and plotting out where I am going to spend my time on projects. Mapping out strategies and growth plans, more resolutions to exercise and lose weight, clean and declutter, become more minimalist and less maximalist, more zen and less stressed …..
This year I say …..stop right there. Lets just get through the pandemic and focus on one thing at a time. One quilt job at a time, one project to do for relaxation, one chore and work one baby step at a time. Things are more in crisis mode now with staffing shortages than ever I need to pace myself and not worry about the rest. So a different approach to my standard New Year’s Labor Day weekend. Just do things one at a time.
One stitch, one block, one row at a time.
Vicki
mycreativecorner3.com 
With Covid came lock downs, some panic shortages, unemployment or wage reductions or loss of health insurance, work from home or furloughs, kids needing home schooling and entertaining, conflicting information about covid, bill’s to pay with less money.
Civil unrest (today is the 101st of protesting where I live) examining what we think and why; examing what we have experienced compared to others of different cultures.
Add a Presidential election, heat waves, hurricanes……
HELL YES, I feel off, unsettled, out of focus.
Any goal I had is long ago in the bin.
Using your “one block, one row….one meal, one project, one day/hour/minute at a time.
P.S. I tested for Patience and was 100% NEGATIVE.
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Vicki, I am glad to know you are okay. I was getting a little concerned about you when I didn’t see a podcast last week. Now I understand why. I understand where you are and can empathize with you. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Isn’t that what they like to tell us and we, as nurses, like to tell everyone else? :). Sometimes I would like to tell “them” what they can do with that breath! It has been a crazy year and being a bit “off” is completely understandable and I think maybe even expected. I am not ready to be back in crowds either and I think this is going to do more damage than good. I am concerned what is going to happen to the elderly and at risk population when flu season hits while COVID numbers keep rising. Frankly I don’t want it either.
I am sorry to hear work has been more stressful and actually surprised to hear that people have quit when you are working from home. I realize it isn’t for everyone, even though I absolutely love it! I hope they plan to replace the ones that have left and not just put all the load on the ones that are still employed.
Yes, summer is over but for a woman with hot flashes it is never really over. It was 62 degrees when I got up this morning and it was awesome. I went for a nice walk then sat on the deck and enjoyed my coffee. This is the first day I have been able to do that in quite a while.
Don’t worry about making all your “New Years” goals. Just make one goal. I find that is much easier and half the time I don’t meet that goal. I think as we get older goal keeping becomes optional. 🙂 Hang in there Vicki. My thoughts are with you and I love who you are and what you do. You’re the greatest and that isn’t going to change so do your 15 minutes and take a break. We love you!
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