Friday Ramblings



Good morning! This isn't exactly Coffee Talk, but I do have a cup of coffee with me. This is a good thing, trust me, as I ran out of coffee a few days ago and yesterday, I was feeling it. In fact, I had a bit of a headache yesterday afternoon and I was a bit grumpy. I attribute it to my lack of caffeine. I did buy some coffee yesterday though when I was out and about, and, man, coffee hasn't tasted this good in a long time!

The picture up there was from the Turin Prairie dedication I went to with my daughter, husband, and dad back in September. I was thinking about that this morning as I peeked outside at the snow. We finally got a decent snow fall that stuck, and, while it's a good thing, I miss the green months. Don't get me wrong, Winter is beautiful in it's own right, and I don't mind snow. It's the frigid temps we receive at times that can get me down. And, while I can hike in the Winter if I truly wanted to, there's nothing like hiking during dry, nicer weather. Truth be told, I have a bit of cabin fever, but not for getting out in general but rather for getting out in nature. 

I've had a busy week, probably busier than I wanted. I work full-time, and taking my total commute into consideration, I'm gone for 11 hours a day. On top of that, I am busy with my writing career (which is truly a part-time job for me, and consumes a good chunk of time); I run a weekly Skypecast with my husband; I have a busy personal life; and I'm getting more involved with causes I feel strongly about. I'm not complaining, I'm really not. It's the life I've chosen for myself, and I wouldn't want it any other way, but there are times when I feel overwhelmed.

These feelings usually happen when routine is broken because of some kind of "tragedy". This week, The Teen came down with influenza, so I had to take some time off from work to take care of him and things surrounding sickness. Since I was actually home during the weekday, I was able to get some household business taken care of: appointments for dentists; checking over the bills; and getting things organized. I'm glad I have a job that allows me enough sick time to take care of myself and my family. I'm also glad that I was able to take care of some much-needed things, but it's just more things piled on top of my already growing list of things to do.

Of course, they're out of the way now, and I can refocus myself back on my regular routine. Do you ever notice how going off the routine rails can be unsettling sometimes? Fortunately, a dear friend of mine texted me yesterday, late afternoon, asking if I wanted to get out for a bite and a drink. We hadn't seen each other in awhile, so she picked me up and I had a much appreciated break from life for a couple of hours. It's amazing how much a few hours can do for you when you start feeling overwhelmed.

Typically, I would take a bit of time and go for a hike, but with the weather the way it is, my options are limited. I've surmised a few things from this week, then: 1. I need to remember to give myself a personal break when I feel a bit overwhelmed, and 2. I really need to get myself a proper coat for hiking in cold weather. 

It's Friday though, and I couldn't be happier about this. I'm going to, if nothing else, hit up a few boardwalk trails and take some pictures with my camera. I also want to check out the museum as we were unable to last weekend. I hope your weekend is grand, and I'll be here tomorrow with a subscription post!  

-H.A.

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