It’s a quiet Friday here. My preschool isn’t in session, but my kids are happily (I hope) walking the halls of middle school, glad it’s Friday, and each taking a test before the end of the day. On the other hand, I fell back asleep while meditating and am now drinking coffee with a serving of peppermint creamer that’s even more liberal than I am.
I miss this juxtaposition of a quiet house and an overstuffed to-do list, one I likely won’t finish by the time I gather them from school at the end of the day. Like so many things, I didn’t always appreciate these slow starts before I went back to work outside of the house.
That was a long introduction for a, Hey! I’ve got a lot to do but wanted to check in here, so I thought I’d share five things shaping my week.
- The aforementioned peppermint creamer — For long stretches of time, I attempt to cut flavored creamer out of my life. I’m pretty sure there are more artificial ingredients in that than there are in the Covid vaccine, and I truly enjoy the flavor of black coffee (Starbucks Veranda blend is a current favorite). Then fall hits, and I’m tempted by pumpkin spice creamer, which is really just a gateway creamer to my all-time favorite peppermint. This year, I’m not even pretending to feel bad about it. I’m taking happiness where I can find it, even if it’s in a bottle of chemically enhanced calories.
- The Forest app — People have recommended this app to me in the past, and I’ve been hit or miss with using it. As I try to transition into more focused block scheduling of my life, the app feels useful. I’m not sure if it will become a permanent fixture in my day, but there’s something satisfying about seeing small amounts of writing and editing time add up.
- The American Girl Llamacorn — For several years, the arrival of the American Girl catalogue thrilled Abbey. She’d study it and circle things, cutting out the ones she wanted the most, ignoring every single listed price. As moms of older girls warned me, those days whipped past, though the catalogue still arrives, a relic of wish lists once made. Thankfully, our niece is exactly the right age for a magical llamacorn. I’ve never ordered anything more quickly in my life.
- Scarves, blankets and puffer vests — We’re at the point of the year where I’m freezing until I’m running around doing something, whether that’s an actual run, cleaning up around the house, or running up and down the stairs because I forgot something — again. I need layers I can shed at will, and I appreciate them so much.
- The combination of short stories and giant novels — I’m trying, hard, to break some of the mindless phone scrolling I do. It drives me bonkers when my kids do it, but I know I’m maybe the guiltiest of the whole family. Reading helps, but I hate getting right into a good part of my current book (a re-read of 11/22/63 by Stephen King, which is a must-read) and having to close it to drive someone or make dinner or whatever else is on tap on the schedule. Short stories make that a little easier, and I’m enjoying Fresh Complaint, which I picked up when we went to a Jeffrey Eugenides reading a while back.
(None of the links are affiliates, just there in case you’re interested in what I’m rambling about this week.)
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