Making my way back after yet another unplanned blog break. It was not the bronchitis that kept me away, for once I had petulantly outed it, I turned a corner and started to feel better. I had a full week of feeling well and then I made the mistake of babysitting again and came away with a cold (but missed the hand, foot & mouth disease my charges developed.) Then there was a hurricane, then Halloween, All Saints’ and All Souls’ … and 3 weeks later I’m trying to return to the blog.
I spent the Saturday & Sunday before preparing for the hurricane. A funny sort of task: simultaneously trying to get ready for the work week and for a work-week-ending storm. I ended up packing up the garden as best I could and doing a big shop on Saturday, hitting 3 different stores to get groceries for the week and water, batteries, etc for the storm. Sunday I spent cleaning & cooking at a leisurely pace – I made a big pot of soup against my cold and muffins and deep cleaned the kitchen. Something about it reminded me very much of Advent, but in preparation for such a different arrival…
In the end, the storm did little damage here in DC, although the winds were pretty bad. I think the storms we had in the summer weeded weak trees and forced the power company to shore up it’s system, such that the area weathered this storm quite well. I got two days off work out of it and didn’t even lose power – I can’t complain.
However, the storm seemed to usher out any further chance of mild weather. Since it departed, it’s been chilly, not breaking 50 degrees during the day. Consequently, I need to both unpack the garden from the storm and “winterize” it.
I am not sure if publishing “to do’s” helps or hinders getting things done, but am willing to try an experiment in accountability. On the personal front, I am busy busy this fall (spells bad news for blogging habits) working on applications to Masters/teaching credentialing programs. I taught for about 6 years back in California, but never sought a credential. Now I would like to return to teaching, but I want the freedom a credential will give me. So. Here’s hoping making this public provides motivation to get these applications in early!
I mourn the end of the growing season. RIP pretty flowers. (Well, actually, these are still alive, but my other annuals are coming to an end.)
Refuge 