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Weeks 40 and 41 - Shifting Gears

10/22/2016

Today might be a drizzly, rainy day, keeping us all inside and thinking about starting up the wood stove, but I’m super grateful for the drenching. Our not-quite-hibernating trees and plants are soaking it up, and the super dry water table is drinking in every drop it can, because boy, do we need it. I had plans to finish a stone path I’ve been working on, but I’m kinda glad for the relief and quiet indoor time. I know come March, indoor time will be the last thing anyone wants, but in October and November, it feels cozy and welcome, a forced time off that turns out to be just whatcha need.

After all, this week has been some glorious fall weather! 60 and 70 degree days, ample sunshine and white puffy clouds, like a little gift from the weather gods to remind us that summer wasn’t long ago and will surely return. My hike up the trail this week was a shining gem on one of those very days. Quiet and warm, with striking colors and a friendly crunch-crunch under my feet. Just me and Hope and the trees. No agenda, no rush, no expectations.

Fall and spring being the seasons of transition, I’m looking forward to some things shifting in my life. Cleaning out the closets and giving the house a good scrub before winter is on the agenda this weekend. I’ll also be giving a bone broth cleanse a try in a week or so - out with the old toxins and in with some good nutrients to boost my immune system from all those looming winter germs.

In a slightly more exciting department, I just received the exam for my therapeutic music certification. Its been a long time coming and I’m looking forward to getting it done and moving on to my internship. It might have taken longer than I intended, but its actually here now and it feels like progress. And speaking of longer than intended, my garden fence in the backyard is finally done (!) and once the rain lets up it’ll be time to put that garden to bed, along with the rest of the yard. One last round of tending to the earth before she goes into a deep sleep. And speaking of deep sleep, its time to turn off all screens and electronics, enjoy the pitter patter of the rain, and take a little mid-afternoon nap. I hope you get to do the same!

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Weeks 38 and 39 - A Boy and His Dog, A Mom and Her Kid

10/8/2016

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Sweet Fall! My, oh my, the views around here these days almost makes those negative temps in January worth it! This morning my kiddo, the dog and I took off just before 8 AM to make our way up the trail. The worm’s eye view of the hill from my yard in the Bristol village was that of deep greens with peppercorn reds and oranges, whereas with just a little elevation gain if you were to head up the hill a bit into Lincoln, the vibrant colors could nearly knock your socks off. I love that my side of the hill takes a little longer to turn… as a result, Fall seems to linger in the village for a bit, and I relish it.

Last week I went up the hill in a scurry… 57 minutes, door to door. My fastest time yet! It felt great to have my heart pounding that much - like I was really stretching my lungs and muscles in a way I hadn’t in a while. Today, however, was a nice contrast. S and I weren’t quite lolly-gagging, but taking 2 hours felt luxurious by comparison. In fact, I do believe that 2 hours was HIS fastest time! I was pretty proud of him. Besides the great hike, he so easily agreed to join me, (not a common occurrence), without fuss, whines, or bribes! Surely the signs of a newly turned 5 year-old!

I won’t lie, we’ve had some bumpy parent-child relations over the past few weeks leading up to this 5th birthday. You know when you head into a patch of some sort with your kid, (insert anyone you’re close to here if you are blissfully kid-free), in which you are just out of synch? You think its just a bad day at first, and then it turns into a full-fledged, dreaded, “phase”. Said phase included: more attitude than normal, trying on other kids quirky phrases and behaviors, rolling of the eyes, and my personal favorite, kicking the dog. I know! OK, to cool your alarm a bit, the kicks were not particularly malicious, just, well, bratty. Turns out my darling son was a little jealous of his new “sister-dog” - Hope - and the attention she was receiving from me. And on top of the attention, how dare Hope listen to Mom’s commands and not his?!

This kicking annoyed me to no end (indeed, its intended result), but I’m happy to say its gotten much better. Although it took me a while, I found a consequence that seemed to make sense to him: no Hopey cuddle time before bed, and/or not allowing Hope to sleep in his room at night. I also gave him some more care taking, Hope-related jobs such as feeding her in the morning and at night and giving her treats when she goes in her crate. He’s still a little rough with her, but more in a normal 5 year-old boy kinda way, and the kicking, at least in my presence, has stopped. Sigh of relief! Today’s hike was hopefully evidence that we’ve turned a corner on this phase, as S was his sweet, silly, playful self, especially with the pooch. I guess that’s how “sibling” relationships go! Ya love ‘em, ya hate ‘em. In the end, (crossing fingers), hopefully more of the former!

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Weeks 40 and 41 - Shifting Gears

Weeks 38 and 39 - A Boy and His Dog, A Mom and Her Kid

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