First week of the New Year. It was weird, wild and long. I think after a week of Romjul and the holidays the first week back at work and the daily routines feels wild. It was a week of starting new things like adding in a small exercise program three times this week for 15 min. I finally did it. Three workouts and they were not super easy ones either.

The wild is work. It feels like the wild, wild west full of lots of raw energy. People scrambling to get into a new routine, Covid raging causing new normals and the emotion of it all. It was not a week of difficult work. It was a week of emotional work on all fronts that culminated in lots of emotions, meetings and then finally my first full on Covid exposure that ended my day talking to HR about the new Covid logic tree and what to monitor for.

So my quiet at home weekend was perfectly planned. There isn’t the quarantining like we were doing. Just monitor for symptoms and test about 5 days later. Yet all the things of the first lockdowns came rushing back and all the knowledge of how this virus is raging in the community and filling up the hospitals. The one day quilt retreat was canceled that was to happen today. The tiny slivers of opportunity of getting out and doing things have evaporated for now. Back in the deep winter months of super cold temperatures, snow and long nights have returned.

At least there is a tiny bit more sunlight. It reminds me that spring is coming in both the natural world and well as in the life of a pandemic. I could get myself all weirded out about ALL the things that seem to be not going right but what I am reflecting on is all the things that did go right this week and keep that close as I prepare for next week whatever that may be.

@vholloway12345

new skills today #zentangle #meditation

♬ UNDERWATER WONDERSCAPES (MASTER) – Frederic Bernard

I did get those pesky workouts in. I wasn’t even that sore and uncomfortable. I did get one of Kinship quilts loaded, I will start longarming it this weekend. I did do some meditation every day and journaling. I kept up with most of the responsibilities I had and I have nothing on my list of things to do. I have a long weekend next weekend for MLK with no plans just time to relax. I have been working through my One Zentangle a Day book with 6 weeks of lessons and I have completed nearly a week of lessons and I see improvements already. It helps immensely in freeing my mind up to do free motion quilting.

Christmas decorations will come down today and I will get some different decor up. I had a successful week of using Home Chef and cooking, too. It was a happy little accident that my husband was looking into it but instead of canceling the order it was placed. I love it. I am not passionate about cooking and I don’t like investing tons of time in it. The meals are what I call “no brainers” to make and all the things you need are in each meal kit. I don’t have to buy 100 things that you need for each meal only waste it. Like sour cream, I needed 2 tablespoons for the recipe. If I would have bought a tub of it the rest would have gone bad before I would ever use it again so the cost of the program is worth it for 2 people trying to cut portion sizes. And I have opportunity to try new meals that I would never have made at home before. So, I am really excited about supper again vs the daily dread of “what’s for dinner.”

I am feeling great this morning. I have a FB live on the group later this evening for doing Zentangle and I have 1 cup of coffee under my belt. It’s going to be a great day.

Vicki