Today was a pyjama day.
I did not sleep well last night, awakening at 3:00 a.m., I was unable to settle in again.
I arose to spend a few hours with my tarot deck, which is always entertaining and enlightening.
By 5:00 a.m. I was feeling a bit weary, so I returned to my bed, and slept soundly until 9:00 a.m.
Although I’d had enough sleep, and I feel fine, I decided to have a day self pampering, a rare event. I’ve not changed out of my pyjamas, I’ve not ventured out of doors for a walk, or done any baking, or tackled any projects. I’ve done no banking, or filing, or administrative tasks. The only “productive” thing I’ve done all day was to make a big batch of Pickle Soup for our dinner.
I’ve sat most of the day in my easy chair watching the youtube video series “[ENG SUB] New Life Begins”, reading my downloaded book “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck, reading my newly borrowed library book “The Outstretched Shadow” by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, listening to Christmas music, admiring the screensaver Christmas images on the entertainment computer screen, making eyes at Ginger, admiring the Christmas tree, chatting with Attila from time to time… and enjoying great food all day, all healthy and previously prepared.
Today, as projects came to mind, I added them to my list for another day.
It was all the cozier as the wind howled around the house all day, rattling the windows from time to time, creating a wind chill of -12C, just to remind me how warm and pleasant our little house can be.
This past week was spent further acclimatizing to the freedom retirement can bring. I’d not been driving much at all since the pandemic began. Attila worked at the facility through the whole thing, and needed the vehicle for that. We kept a low profile, staying home but for medical appointments, ordering our food online, picking it up at the grocery store, having our medications delivered… I didn’t get out very much at all for years, and I didn’t drive anywhere during that time.
After the vaccinations became available, we began to enter the world again. It has been a very slow process. It is just in the last month or so that I have taken to getting behind the wheel of the car again. I was nervous at first, because of the time that had passed since I last drove. Also, the vehicle we have was purchased just as the pandemic got going, so I had not learned how to navigate its systems. For instance, all my life I’d driven a vehicle that used a key in the ignition to start it up, now it is a fob and push button. The bells and whistles are also quite different to those I’d always used in the past, so that took some getting used to. However, within a few short ventures out, it all fell into place, as did navigating the road and traffic, and I found myself just doing it, without even thinking.
My first driving adventure was to the local public library. I hadn’t returned after the pandemic, because there was a nearby homeless camp, and there had been some reported issues. However, our municipality addressed some of the issues, so I felt more comfortable returning to the library. How glad I am that I did, I love libraries.
For years now all of my reading has been on a computer screen. I had forgotten how wonderful it feels to hold a book in my hands, and how easy it is on the eyes to read print on paper. I love books, always have, and I find myself reading a lot more for having paper and ink worlds to visit. The first book I borrowed and read was “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I tried a few unknown-to-me authors after that, and rejected their work as too formulaic. My present selection is well written, so I am giving it a chance.
I prefer to read fiction. For over ten years of my life I read prolifically, and under direction, as I studied for an Honours BA, an M.A, and a PhD. I enjoyed that reading, which was all very structured, dense, and almost all of it was written by men. Now I read for entertainment, not for enlightenment, although I will say that there is much to be learned from fiction. It is a different kind of learning than academic learning, it is not disciplined, does not provide expertise in any area, but it does lead one into the labyrinth of the self, which is an interesting journey.
Worldly
Weather
-4°C
Date: 6:00 PM EST Thursday 12 December 2024
Condition: Partly Cloudy
Pressure: 102.3 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: -4.4°C
Dew point: -10.4°C
Humidity: 63%
Wind: WSW 22 gusts 36 km/h
Wind Chill: -11
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“I am out with lanterns, looking for myself.”
Emily Dickinson
1830 – 1886
It sounds like you had a lovely day! Julia and I must return to the library. I’ve been buying used books via Amazon, but the small house gets filled fast. So temporary possession may be just the thing!
It has been a lovely day Joan! So well put “temporary possession”, and it is just the thing! I’ve read all the hundreds and hundreds of books I own, and it is a thrill to read new material, as well as enjoying my tried and true titles.
We finally have a warm day here, after more than a week of howling winds and snow squalls. At one point, we had almost 2 feet of snow! Then rain came right behind it and suddenly almost 2 feet disappeared to about 6 inches. I honestly do not like the squalls. To get to the city we need to drive down into the river valley and back up the other side, and I do worry about the safety of the road in that area. The road is often closed in bad weather, usually only maybe 400m from the entrance to our neighborhood. Supposedly, if you go past the Road Closed sign you’ll be in trouble with your insurance company, as there’s a camera right at the intersection to record your transgression. I keep hoping there will some tolerance for our going that short distance home, if it should ever happen.
You’re the only other person I know who has an Honors Bachelors like me, but mine is a Honors BS in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude. It’s still something I’m quite proud of, though it never came to anything. It’s been a good foundation for lifelong learning.
Teri, the snow squalls and road closures sound really challenging. I only drove on a closed road once. I was driving from Muskoka to Barrie, Ontario, the road and weather were atrocious, but the trip was important. I was driving the smallest Toyota sold, so the wind was blowing me around like a peanut shell in a windstorm. I could not see more than a few feet in front of me. The police closed the road behind me shortly after I passed that point on the highway, so I didn’t know the road was closed. It was eerie, no other vehicles except a transport truck in front of me, that appeared and disappeared through the driving snow. It took hours and hours to make the trip. Then I was stuck in Barrie overnight as the road home was closed. Muskoka is really suffering with the snow right now, I am so glad we don’t have to shovel our way out of that this year!
I can’t even remember why I pursued the Honours Degree, and I have no regrets. I loved learning, still do, but not is such a disciplined venue.