Some thoughts...

I have just woken up from a nap and for the first time today hardly feel any stress. That nap must have helped me get over it. Maybe I needed the sleep to reset my mind. Maybe I wasn't ready this morning to get up out of bed yet. I may have gotten up prematurely. 

Whatever it was, I'm doing a lot better now and am much more relaxed. It is possible too that I am because the day is almost over and it isn't looming ahead of me anymore with all its responsibilities. Not that I have that many but I'm always accutely aware of the role I play in my own life and that of the animals and I never do feel quite in charge. 

That is until I have taken a nap in the afternoon and get up again. For some reason everything seems much simpler then and I can face life as it is with whatever comes with it. I do count my blessings at the end of the day. 

I felt too much stress earlier to do the relaxation exercises that I learned yesterday although they doubtlessly would have helped me very much. I kept waiting for the right moment to do them but it never came. I suppose that I'm going to have to create the right moment myself. I keep reaching for old methods while new ones should work now. I just have to try and get into the habit. 

In another life, I used to do a lot of gardening and my mind has been going back to that time. I'm thinking about the things I would have done differently knowing what I do now and how I would create a garden if I had the opportunity to do so again.

More than anything, gardening was a very relaxing activity. It was something I got lost in and could spend hours doing. When I was not actually gardening, I spent much time looking at the garden while I enjoyed drinking a cup of coffee and smoked my cigarettes. It was a great pleasure to watch things grow and you do have to have patience for that. 

I would enjoy that kind of activity again and I dream about having another garden in California. Maybe some day my wish will come true. 

Ciao,

Irene

Saturday, oh Saturday!

I've done my chores earlier today, though there are two waiting for me yet and that is to change the bed and to hang up the laundry that is now done in the washing machine. Actually, I had planned on doing those things earlier, but I forgot about them, because I became distracted with all the numerous things you can do on the computer and there seems to be no end to them. That is, if I want to keep track of all the things I'm supposed to keep track off.

Jesker woke me at 8 am this morning because he was having an argument with the cats who wanted to climb in bed with me and he didn't want them to. There was quite a bit of growling and snarling going on. All jealousy, he was protecting his spot beside me. So, I had to get up, of course, to calm the waters and pay the proper amount of attention to each animal.

Luckily, they allowed me my waking up time on the sofa while I absentmindedly petted them and drank my coffee before I got dressed and walked Jesker. When I got home, I turned on my play lists over at Deezer and commenced doing my chores to the cheerful notes of the music.

I don't know what it is, but I have whole periods of time that I don't listen to music and then when I do, I remember how upbeat it is and how it helps me do my work. It's actually quite entertaining and makes the work go easier and I do have a very interesting choice of music. It's all stuff I like very much and I turn it up just loud enough not to be a nuisance to the neighbors.

I'm going to make myself listen to music every day this week and see if it changes my level of energy. Even if I'm in the mood for dullness and peace and quiet. God, sometimes I live like a nun who has taken a vow of silence. Nothing but empty noise reigns.

I watered all the plants with the watering can in effort not to drown them and they seem quite perky, so maybe that was the right thing to do. I'll try to not give them too much TLC, although it's hard not to do that. I always think abundance is good. Abondanza!

I pick a playlist that I've made at Deezer and Deezer offers me an alternative playlist of the same sort of songs. That's kind of neat. I'm listening to such a list now and am constantly taken by surprise. Deezer is really great, you can't download anything, but you do find all sorts of music.

I dealt with the mail again and sat down specifically with my reading glasses and a pen to get ready to deal with the worst of it, but it all turned out to be a popcorn fart, so that was easy. It's hardly ever as bad and cumbersome as you think it's going to be and I must remember to always keep my administration and obligations as simple as possible so there are no nasty surprises. Most things are directly dealt with via the bank, but here are the odd things that I have to handle myself.

Jesker is giving me a very mournful look and I think he wants me to take him out, but first I'll distract him with some food. It's almost time for me to take my medicines and I'm waiting for the alarm clock to go off. I can't leave until it's done that.

This morning I was spot cleaning the linoleum and I realized how badly I needed to mop all the floors. I had thought about doing it today, but never got around to it. I will make an attempt tomorrow, but it means I have to vacuum really well first and then there's the noise of the vacuum cleaner. If only it sounded melodious.

I have to pull weeds out front. They look very attractive, like sea grass, but they must come out. I also have to arrange the pots for when they get planted next weekend. I've told you I'm going to plant grasses in them, haven't I? That's the plainest kind of plant I can think of and not all fussy and too ornamental. I don't want color and gloss.

Well, I must be off now to walk Jesker. He is patiently waiting. The weather outside is beautiful and the sun is shining. It is 22 degrees C. Inside as well as outside.

I hope you all have a good evening and that you enjoyed your Saturday.

Ciao...