Presence

When Wednesday Becomes Hump Day

January 14, 2021

It’s all about a “Growth Mindset,” for the kids and for me, too.

Today is Wednesday, otherwise known as “hump day.” Most everyone knows that this is the day that is halfway through the work week, and once you get past it, you only have one full work day before Friday, and then the weekend, which is two glorious days when you don’t have to go to work AT ALL. But then Sunday comes, and the Sunday Sadness, because Monday is right there again.

It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about Wednesday as “hump day.” In my twenty years as a massage therapist, I’ve just worked whenever my clients wanted appointments. My schedule is not so very busy, though, so I rarely have sessions five days a week. More often, it’s Fridays and Saturdays and maybe another day or two midweek if I’m lucky.

I was acutely aware that today was Wednesday, though. I received my substitute teaching credential a few weeks ago, and I have my first five day gig this week with a small group of first and second graders at our little mountain school. Their teacher, who they love, has urgent family business that she must tend to.

I am grateful for the chance to be working at the school. These are good kids! There are only eleven of them! It is only a four hour day because of the COVID, from 8:30am-12:30pm. There are two short recesses factored in there that take up a little more than half an hour. Easy peasy, right? Continue Reading…

Presence

Wisdom Teeth and Other Graces

January 9, 2021

Biscuit, our house’s chief blanket stealer. He has at least two in this picture. 

Today there is rain and a candle burning on the table and sweet Biscuit at my feet on a blanket. If I sit down at the table here and only have one blanket, he invariably pulls it off my lap onto the floor so he can curl up on it. I’ve learned not to settle in unless I have two blankets, one for him, one for me.

I’m grateful that my son was able to get his wisdom teeth out today, that it was not traumatic, that he doesn’t remember a thing. He had oxygen and an IV and the doctor said, “Don’t look too long at my ugly face,” and then he was out and then he was back. He has a Velcro contraption with ice packs around his head now, one ice pack nestled neatly against each cheek. He is supposed to leave it on most of the time for the next 48 hours, they said. Twenty minutes on, ten minutes off. He just ate a yogurt, a Jello cup, and a push pop. The doctor called to check on him and said that today, the goal is to manage pain, stop the bleeding, and eat. So far, so good on all counts.

It is raining, a light rain. I am trying to walk at least 6500 steps a day, but I give myself a day off now and then when it feels like a treat. Continue Reading…