Hello and happy Sunday! Thanks for stopping by for a bit of conversation and a chance to catch up over a hot cup of coffee.
It’s later in the day than I hoped it would be when we met but after a late night last night, hours of bad sleep, and a delayed start mean I’m speeding through my chores and preparations for the week. I’ve been on my feet cleaning, meal prepping, doing the laundry, and helping my wife complete a furniture rearrangement project we’ve been avoiding for months. It’s been rough, but I made considerable progress on my to-do list and as a reward (and to give my aching bones a much-needed rest) I’m allowing a short break to slow down and enjoy the last of my weekend.
Please, pull up a chair and grab yourself a cup. The winter weather we’re forecasted to have for the next 4 or 5 days has arrived. Snow has been falling since early this morning and we’ve not gotten above freezing temperatures so the Moka pot has been on an off the stove brewing hot cups all day. I have a fresh bag of blond roast and a brand new carton of sweet vanilla almond milk too. Let’s talk about last week!
“Coffee is a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to your older self.”
― Terry Pratchett, Thud!
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that last week was a painfully long one! Nothing particularly bad happened and there was no more stress in it than any other average week, but it was the first one back after fall break and time always drags when you have to return to a normal schedule. Those who opted to work had to get used to the rest coming back, and those who opted not to had to get used to coming in at all again.
I’d done a little of both and so took longer than most to adjust. I struggled to get up in the morning, to make it in on time, and to maintain, or even pretend to have, a positive attitude. Thank god for my coworkers who are also my friends, and for bosses who allow overtime so that the long days feel worth the sacrifice of time.
I accomplished very little of the personal goals I laid out at the beginning of the week. I didn’t read at all. I hardly wrote anything. I made no progress on the free courses I’m taking, and I didn’t spend any time in the “creativity room”. I was tired and lacked the willpower to self-start.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that this weekend was a busy one too.
Friday night we took my cousin (who is also my wife’s best friend) out for birthday drinks and dinner since we wouldn’t be able to make it to her trivia night that Saturday. We had a blast. It was a new restaurant for my cousin and me (my wife had been there before) and not only was the food delicious but the customer service was well beyond what you get at most places. Apparently, you’re even allowed to bring your dog! We’ve already decided to go back very soon for brunch.
We spent all of Saturday preparing for our friend’s Halloween party last night. We went as Bob and Linda from Bob’s Burgers. We had a great time, the same as last year. I haven’t gotten to see all my close friends in the same room in a while and I desperately needed it. We all used to work in the same place and that made syncing our schedules and making time to see each other easy but at least half of us have left and finding time to get out that works for the whole group is depressingly hard.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that next week is going to be really busy.
My boss has asked me and another coworker to teach a large class of new employees starting on Tuesday. This is a bigger class than we have had in a long time and rather than just teaching the hands-on equipment portion we will teach the policy power point too. I know I can do it—I’ve done it before—but speaking in front of that many people makes me incredibly nervous. My stomach has been in knots since I found out.
So far it looks like my days are going to begin before sunrise and I won’t see my first real break until after noon. Half of that time I’ll be indoors and the other half I’ll be outside. After lunch, I’ll probably go back to training inside but if I’m lucky, my boss might alter the schedule and I’ll get to head home early one or two afternoons. I’m expecting to work well into overtime, to be exhausted, and to be quite proud of myself by next weekend.
It’s going to be hard when we start training on the buses. The weather forecast is looking pretty bleak. We have snow predicted through Wednesday and nothing above 35 degrees until next weekend. On cold days like that, it just doesn’t matter how many layers I wear. Once I step outside the chill reaches right down to my bones and I never really get warm again until I get back home and take a long hot shower.
We have just 144 more days to go until Spring is here again.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that even though next week will be busy, I’m going to make as much time for the things I love as I can. I gave up everything to everyone else last week and failed to make myself a priority. That cannot continue.
My little hobbies and passions might not be much but they matter to me. These things I do keep me sane, they keep me happy; they make me feel like there is still a part of me and some small sliver of my life that belongs to me. They are the things I choose.
This week, I’d like to make it halfway through a week of videos and materials on Coursera and through at least 10 pages of reading every night before bed. I want to get at least 5 of my NaBloPoMo posts written before the new month begins and to spend as little as 30 minutes making something with my hands. If I can do those few small things, I’ll be happy. Of course, while that doesn’t sound like much to ask of myself now, time does have a way of getting away from me and these things have a way of slipping my mind.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that the sky outside has grown dark and the savory smells from the kitchen are reminding me that the beginning of the end of the weekend is here. It’s time for me to put away my screens and spend the last of the time that belongs to me with my little family.
I hope you had a good week. I hope you made progress and made time for yourself. I hope you’ve stayed warm and that, wherever you are, the weather to come won’t be too miserable. I hope you get to do some spooky Halloween things before the month is over and that November will find you energized and inspired.
Until next time.
Written for the #WeekendCoffeeShare link-up hosted by Eclectic Alli.
Photo by Ehud Neuhaus on Unsplash
Lisa Marie Blair 
Snow, dinner with your cousin, and a Halloween party that sounds like an awesome week! Thank you for the coffee!
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Hi Lisa, Apologies for being so late to visit. It has been a long week for us here too. A huge fire north of us caused an almost county wide power outage and slightly smaller area to be evaluated. We lost our power, but were able to stay in our home. It was dark and cool, but we were able to host some friends for several days who were evacuated, so we had a grand time drinking lots of tea and coffee with them.
I agree with you. We all need some time to exercise our creative sides with whatever our minds and souls enjoy.
I also was pleased to hear you got a chance to teach. This remains one of my favorite things to share with others. I can teach almost all day – but standing around making small talk wipes me out within minutes.
I remain very pleased to read what’s happening in your world when you can make the time to visit. Stay healthy and stop by as often as you can.
Blessings.
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