Time warp

When I'm at mom's I fall into a time warp. It's such a different life to Northern Ireland--no 9-5, no dog to walk. It's a bit disorienting. But I stay very busy and the time slides by too quickly. The largest categories for use of time are (in no particular order):

Talking to mom. About a million things. She is the queen of questions, so I am cross examined every day. I've been taking her for walks in the woods nearby and she told me about taking her mother for walks on the boardwalk and sitting and watching the sea.

Cleaning. Wood floors, tile floors, carpets, stainless steel appliances. The basement flooded before I got here and again after I arrived--sewage back up. Ugh. A cleaning company removed all the carpets--we had 9 workers here in two days from four different companies.  I am now trying to remove all the carpet tack strips that frame each room (and each closet!). Post script: 250 linear feet of strips, probably an equal number of nails.

Shopping. Gabe's is an annual tradition, and TK Maxx. And groceries.

Cooking. I enjoy cooking when I'm not under pressure. Tonight was eggplant parmesan with kale/mushroom/lentil side. Last night vegetable/barley/kale soup with side of squash with rosemary and feta.

Movies: West Side Story, Being the Ricardos, Next Stop Wonderland, The Lost Daughter, Knives Out, Don’t Look Up. Each excellent in its own way.

Swimming. Mon, Weds, Fri at the Y while mom does water aerobics. I've also been for four runs so far. The longest I've run is 15 minutes. I'm trying to get back into it incrementally to avoid last year's Achilles blow out.

I have 3 full days before I leave. I need to get all the documents sorted for my return journey and upload them to the app (better luck on return?). I have an 800 word article to edit for my friend Marek. And I plan to work a half day for PRI (going through emails) so I have to work only a half day the day I get back. I also want to finish the basement clean up. So I'll be busy. I plan to skip my run tomorrow and skip swimming Friday to save some time.  

I'm reading Americanah and really enjoying it, but making slow progress. I also read Adichie's Half a Yellow Sun, which was devastating. I hope Americanah has a happier ending.

And that is how 2022 has kicked off. No complaints. Good food, good company, lots of exercise, and very grateful to see mom doing her thing--fussing around the house decorating (now undecorating), making muffins, staying in touch with her friends. I love that she is so independent and able to live as she wishes.

6 Jan. 2022