Half Days, Full Days

I wasn't sure how I would like working in the afternoons.  It has an element of waiting all morning to go to work, which can be frustrating and distracting. But as time has passed, that sense of anticpation/panic is less.

It's been sixty days now (I know, right!?!) and I've decided that I like it, very much.  Previously, I was home by 3:30 every day.  It gave me the afternoon to relax but only two-ish hours before Kevin came home from work.  So, really, it provided time to do chores, start dinner, and maybe watch some television like the news or whatever.

Now, Kevin leaves at 5:30 in the morning and I'm up.  I did not say awake, but up.  I have coffee and a little treat while Lucy and I watch television.  I watch shows or a movie that Kevin doesn't like.  Puppy always sleeps on me and sometimes she is Ambien for me.

I had a steadfast rule of no computer in the morning because it was a big distraction.  I can break that rule now and I need to.  I've lost the rhythm of writing every day and I need to get back into it. As evidenced by the lack of posts here. That and August.

The idea that a pet can be helpful when you spend a lot of time alone is true. Lucy insists on going outside around 8:30 every morning. This means I have to be showered and ready for the day before then.  I have to be ready because she seems to sense when I'm indisposed, if you will, and tends to wander further than allowed.  The shiny side of this is that it's impossible just to laze around all morning because she has things to do.

Subtopic: The cast nurse who helped me when I broke all the bones gave me life changing (for me) advice. "Don't leave a room until you're 100% done in there".  Because I was off my feet for months, I practiced that advice long enough to become a habit.  Bathroom is clean after I get ready for the day, bedroom is straightened after I get dressed, kitchen is clean after breakfast.

So usually I'm ready for the day and have my chores done by 9:00. That's almost four hours of free time.  What have I done with it, you ask.  Sometimes not one single thing.  I've found that I'm much happier when I'm purposefully doing nothing. (duh)  But not every day, otherwise it becomes depressing.  I figured out that I needed to schedule how I was going to spend free time, which is counter-intuitive, for sure.  I set an intention for each day, a small project or task.

Because of this, my rock garden is beautiful this summer.  My house is organized within an inch of its life.  The photo project is 98% finished.  I've watched up to the last season of Bones.   It's been a really nice summer and I'm feeling quite accomplished.

I'm a little worried that when the weather turns, I will not be as active and bored, even.  I guess we'll see.  However, I am enjoying the thought of not defrosting a vehicle every morning though.  The roads won't be slick.

Here is the one thing I don't like: if I need to stop at the grocery store after work.  It's the busiest time in the store, I just want to get back home (I've become a wee hermit-y) and going before work isn't an option if I'm needing cold stuff, which often I am.  Big picture, this isn't a big problem. It does lead to me just going without whatever we need for as long as I can.

Lastly, I enjoy the fact that if I am annoyed with having to go to work, for whatever reason, is that I just tell myself "It's four hours."  Four hours is nothing, big picture.

So, all this is essentially to say that I very much am glad to be working the schedule I am.  I'm relieved that I held out, as scary as it was, and I highly recommend it.  Also, it's September so back to reality.  See you again soon.