Re-Emergence

A week in which I further honed my perspective and began a slow return to “normal”.

Ways I Found Joy This Week

Connecting with far-flung friends to exchange New Year greetings

Taking my first outdoor walk in weeks and savoring the fresh air and sunshine of a (rare) 60-degree day

Spontaneously laughing so hard and long with the CWP that we were both clutching our stomachs and wiping away tears

Taking the patient to have his feeding tube removed and getting clearance to stop his meds

Watching him almost explode with excitement at his first walk in over a month

Visiting the library for the first time in over a month and picking up seven holds (score!)

Enjoying a long overdue mani/pedi

Things I Learned This Week

That curiosity is actually a researched-back method of decreasing anxiety (didn’t know this when I chose this year’s mantra)

That I can no longer eat ice cream in the evening if I plan to get some rest

That being intentionally curious makes me a better steward of my environment

That there are ethical, empathetic companies who will go above and beyond (Chewy for the win, again)

How to make nutritionally balanced dog meals now that it appears I’m adding “canine chef” to my resume

The history of the Irish rap band Kneecap

Ways I Moved This Week

Pacing tens of thousands of steps around my mermaid cottage

Doing some long neglected house and yard work

A little impromptu dancing (no one was watching)

Returning to daily morning dog walks

Quotes That Resonated This Week

Tame the temptation to revisit doors that have expired lessons behind them.

Billy Chapata

May hope curl up like a well-loved old dog at the foot of your bed every night.

Nikita Gill

What I Watched This Week

Run Away (Netflix). When it’s by Harlan Coben, I don’t hesitate. This one is as gripping as all of his others: nothing is as it seems, and no one is as they seem.

Dexter (re-watch)

Found (Netflix). Crazy premise but very watchable.

What I Read This Week

Finished:

Nesting, by Roisin O’Donnell. A tough but ultimately redemptive read that is a spot-on portrayal of the cycle of domestic abuse. Perfectly captured the pain, confusion, and self-doubt of targets who aren’t physically abused but are coercively controlled and manipulated.

Fresh Water for Flowers, by Valerie Perrin. An evocative, richly detailed portrait of the life of Violette, an independent cemetery keeper in France.

Started:

Lost & Found, by Kathryn Schulz. Just started this memoir examining all types of losing and finding. Captivated by her thought process and her prose.

Listen for the Lie, by Amy Tintera. A smart, fun thriller in which a podcast investigates a five-year-old murder.

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Thanks for reading!