Has the Dust Settled?

 Season's Greetings from the Stress Pool! I'm so glad to say that we've all survived the move, although both walls of the garage are still lined with unpacked boxes. Even Simon adjusted well. We wondered how our favorite kitty would take to the new house, and he reacted just like the rest of us - like we've been here forever. One of his favorite things is the kitty opening in the basement door. Why? Because of Little Nugget, that's why!

"Nana! Where's Simon?" Nugget's announcement at the front door is just like the angel Gabriel heralding their arrival. Of course, that really works out for Simon. He makes a mad dash for the kitty door. That doesn't stop Little Nugget - he sticks his entire head through the door and yells for Simon to come upstairs. Which, of course, he doesn't. 

The other thing Simon really likes is the screened-in porch. He's spent his entire time with us trying to get out the door to see the outside world, and did make it out a couple times when we lived on Grouse. Now, we can open the back door and Simon leaps out and onto the table to look at the wide world, and boy, do we have a view from our porch. He also gives us an inviting look as if to say, "Aren't you coming with me? Don't you want to sit out here and look at the view?" DH often accompanies him out to the porch. I don't know, though, how well that will go once the temps dip down a bit lower.

So yes, the dust is settling. It feels like we've been home forever. DH and I have been pulling Christmas decorations out of storage and going through them, finding a place for this, and a place for that, and looking at some and asking, "What about this?"

Often, the answer is, "I'm not married to that. I'm married to you."

We got brave and put out the Nativity set this year. It's Lenox, bone china, all white. Gorgeous, delicate...and, we have a cat. It's out of Little Nugget's reach, but Simon...well, he does like to jump! We're hopeful. 

While we love our new home, the biggest point of contention appears to be the kitchen. Our little kitchen (it is little, with very little counter space) served us well for Thanksgiving. But, nobody was more surprised than my Darling Husband. He worried over it for several weeks before Thanksgiving.

DH said, "We can order pies."

"Didi is coming over the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to learn how to make pies."

I could hear it before he opened his mouth. Then, "That kitchen is too small."

"It will be fine."

He didn't agree.

"So, you don't want me to bake until we remodel the kitchen in a few years? Really, it will be fine"

He gritted his teeth, but didn't argue.

I was sent to order the turkey breast. Every year for probably the past fifteen years I've gotten a turkey breast. Nobody would eat the dark meat, and there was always so much left, we felt it was in our best interests to get a turkey breast. Well, in a moment of insanity, I ordered a boneless turkey breast - for seven people, but realized it before I got home. "I ordered the wrong thing."

"Let's see how big it is when I pick it up," he said. It was small. DH asked, "Should I look for a small turkey?"

"Yes."

The next day he calls me during my lunch. "Giant Eagle sells several already cooked slices - we could get those to supplement."

"Get a small turkey."

"We only need a few more slices."

"Do you want me to make gravy?"

He got a small turkey. 

And, we made pies - 2 pumpkin and one pecan. We made turkey, sausage/vegetable stuffing, and mashed potatoes - all in our little kitchen! It ended up a good thing we had the turkey, because Morticia also came for dinner (she was unexpectedly let go from work early) so there were eight of us. And, surprise-surprise, they were happy to see dark meat. Who knew? We were so glad to have all of the kids and our grandson here for the first Thanksgiving in our new home. We felt truly blessed. However, we did miss having The Doctor with us - since Morticia wasn't going to be home, he made arrangements to spend the day with his family on the other side of town. 

When everyone had gone and it was just the two of us cleaning up from the day, DH said, "I'm surprised you managed to pull off the whole dinner in that kitchen."

"The kitchen on Grouse wasn't much bigger, and I managed for 35 years."

"True." He put something else away, then said, "It was nice having all of them here."

"Yes, it was."

He turned off the light as we headed for bed. "But, they're all still so loud."

I smiled, the afterglow of the day still warming my heart. "I know."

As Christmas approaches, we here at the Stress Pool wish you the warmest of holidays - and please, make time to appreciate the loudness, the singing, the laughter. It really helps to alleviate the stress, and nobody knows that better than here at the Stress Pool! Come on in, grab a cookie and a glass of eggnog (or something else if you so choose), and let's share a laugh or two. Maybe we'll even make a mess in the little kitchen. After all, it's being together that matters most. Merry Christmas!

Rainy Days and Saturdays

Greetings from the deep end of the Stress Pool! Ahh, Saturday, at last! Not sure if I ever told you the story of the day DH and I were making the bed, and sighing, I said, "Well, another day closer to Saturday."

He came home from work that day and said, "Everyone thought what you said this morning was funny!"

"What did I say?"

Laughing, he answered, "Another day closer to seventy!"

I laughed, then said, "I said 'Saturday', not 'seventy'!"

We still laugh about that. And here I sit, on my second cup of coffee, looking forward to the next, on a rainy Saturday morning, thinking of what needs to be done, and what I have the energy to do. In a nutshell: lots of things to do, zero energy. 

Why am I swimming in the deep end of the pool? Well, we're three weeks from the moving date, and only half the studio is packed. This is birthday month - Ms. Business celebrated hers last week, and Moink's is this week. At least birthdays are highlights! School - well, that's usually a post in and of itself, isn't it? 

This week's fun came with one class: the homeroom teacher brought them in and told me one of the students had been sent to the restroom, because he came back from lunch wearing his socks on his ears! This, of course, meant he had to have done that in the cafeteria. Then, in the same class, two special needs students, who sometimes come without a paraeducator (and, I'm sorry, but if a child is in a life skills class, wouldn't it just make sense to have someone else with them?!), had a small issue. We're painting, and one of them thought it would be okay if he threw a container of water onto the other one! Clean-up in aisle six...  Children who haven't used paint in at least two years who had no clue of how to use it, even after my demonstrating. They say patience is a virtue, and I find myself feeling around the bottom of the patience bag a lot these days, as are many of my colleagues!

Saturday. Not thinking of the stack of paintings I need to look through for assessments...sixth graders whose social skills are more advanced than what they are mentally ready to understand (thanks, in part, to social media platforms)...packing to move to the new house...window treatments...where to put furniture...the list goes on. Another sip of coffee.

DH looked at me recently and asked if I'd considered something about the new house. I don't remember about what, it was something simple, like where to put the dishes. I just looked at him. "You are retired. While you keep busy during the day, you have the luxury of thinking about whatever you want, when you want. I'm grading artwork, loading and unloading the kiln, pulling out supplies for future projects...no, I think it's safe to say there are a lot of things I haven't considered!" I suppose I can now add making sure students don't throw water at each other, or wear their socks on their ears.

Saturday. Floating in the pool instead of treading water. Things I have considered: the Christmas cards have arrived, so I'll be able to prepare them in the next few weeks, ready to send out early so friends and family have the new address. Even the annual Christmas letter is written, ready to be printed out! I know where the furniture for the studio is going, and I've given a lot of thought to how to place furniture in other rooms - but DH will have a lot to say about that, anyway. He's had way more time to think about that than I. The painting is done, but the crown moulding still isn't up - windows have been washed. I need some curtain rods - maybe a trip this week to get those - and get them up before we move the furniture. We're having the bedroom closet enlarged, and electrical work will be done just before we move in. A bathroom remodel is starting in January. It's been busy.

Saturday. Coffee. Our friend Tommy is in town - flew in from Canada just ahead of the storms the other day- and we are so looking forward to catching up with him! It has been almost two years since we've seen him, between Covid and borders closing and all.

Saturday. I hope you are enjoying the weekend, and didn't mind me rambling too much! But, when your arms are tired from swimming and treading...well, you know. Many of you are out there, swimming right along side. So, grab a floatie, a cup of coffee (or tea, or hot chocolate), and let's compare notes from the week. See you all again soon, and keep your head above water!

A Most Precious Commodity

Excuse me while I come up for air...whew! Swimming at the Stress Pool these days has been grueling. I can barely stay awake through the evenings anymore - and the evenings have been just as busy as the days!

Not being a social media guru, there are things that I just don't get - how do these people set up algorithms? Key words, I suppose, that if you happen to click on something, you will become bombarded with things you never would have looked for, let alone wanted to read. But, like any other 'seasoned' person, curiosity forces me to do just that. Something I think is interesting is what my fellow colleagues (by that I mean in the broader sense of the education community, not necessarily coworkers I see daily) are saying about their careers, and the comments others are making. It may be surprising to you how many are leaving the profession - one in our building, for example. The comments from veteran teachers surprises me, though. They don't seem to understand the reasoning. They don't understand phrases like 'in the trenches'.  I'd like to clarify this for you, from my perspective.

We sent children home in March of 2020 with computers and told them to 'log in'. There had been no training for any of us, although some of the younger set were way more savvy then the older set! If the kids did any of the work, we pretty much accepted what they did, no matter the quality. After all THERE WAS A PANDEMIC! When we returned to 'in person' learning in September of last year, many didn't come back - their families were much more comfortable keeping their children home. Not just because of the pandemic, mind you, but because it was less stressful on the children, who would be well-rested for their evening activities. (That was in a small number, but none-the-less, it happened). Many came back for the hybrid model, where they came in two days a week. In January, they all came back, except for about 25% of the population, who still opted for learning from home. So, you had twenty students in front of you, and at least five on-line, and you had to attend to everyone all at the same time. Then, there was collecting the work from those at home - several of whom were not interested in turning in work. It was a mess, but we all made it through.

Fast forward to this past September. You are now looking at children who might not have stepped into a classroom for a year and a half. Add to that the third of a year students lose during the summer months, and you've now got kids who are two years behind, some socially, some mentally, some educationally. Now, add in the mask thing - there are educators and families on both sides of the fence. Then, there are the calls from the office: "Who sits next to this student?" Contact tracing. We might have seventy kids quarantining at home. We still have to post things for them for what we're doing - and usually, they come back saying they never looked at art, which means reteaching to them, and carrying along the rest of the class. The days are long.

None of us were trained or prepared for what the pandemic brought, and just like recovering from grief, everything we face is a 'new normal', and sometimes even an extra challenge. Some younger, less-experienced teachers are having difficulty adapting to the stresses and nuances; seasoned veterans are usually able to sit back, assess, and figure out how to survive. You simply have to realize your role in the grand scheme and kick out what isn't necessary.

That brings me to the title of this post: precious commodity. It's different for everyone. Yours, I'm sure, is different from mine, which is time. I learned that lesson hard when Eggbert died. I would never have time with him again, and I couldn't retrieve it. All the times I didn't take off - we have a strong work ethic at our house - but now, I don't hesitate as much if time is needed with one of my kids, or DH. If I have an evening activity, but a family or friend's birthday or event conflicts, family or friend comes first. We recently had a Camp Rolling Hills reunion - we're all getting older, you know - and that went on my calendar first thing. It is important to me to keep those fellow staff members close, to relive the 'glory days' that helped shape the people we became. I treasure those friends and acquaintances, and can listen to the stories over and over. It would be nice to get together with them more often, but we're pretty scattered across the country.

So, how am I surviving my chosen profession? Better, since I did something this week. I circled a future date in my planner, with the thought that would be a great day to retire. That has now become a goal, and a plan is set in motion, listing what I need to do in order to make that day happen. If it has to change, so be it, but at least I know I can do this for a while longer. I love working with the kids, seeing what creative ideas they come up with - but I'm tired, like all the rest of my colleagues. We put in at least 110% during the school day. Evenings and weekends, however, are mine, because that's time I'll never get back. Family and friends are important. Time with them, making art, making music, reading - and someday, traveling - this is what I am made of, what makes me the person I am, and what revitalizes me to go back to work on Monday morning. I hope that if any of my younger colleagues are reading this, they will also find a way to survive, or find something else they can do that they are passionate about.

Next time you're in the neighborhood, stop by the Stress Pool - or, once we're in the new house (one more month!) come and enjoy some time by the fire, and we'll spend some precious time together, talking about some ways we've spent our time. Until then, stay well, and enjoy your free time!

There is Peace in Silence

 Greetings! Welcome to another day at the Stress Pool, where the water is fine all the time. Unless you've been subject to a lot of rain, which we have been courtesy of Ida. Thank you, Ida, for making sure we didn't have to water the tomatoes this past week, but seriously, it was a bit too much!

Ah, September. The month where I look at most of my friends and say, "See you in June." However, this school year, I don't want to do that. I also don't want to look lovingly at my art supplies and wistfully sigh at the thought of them collecting dust over the next eight months. And, of course, there will be more packing and moving before all is said and done. What it comes down to, my friends, is finding balance amidst the chaos. I am reminded of a poster that hung in my teenage bedroom, which I'm copying here. I'm sure some of you are familiar with this:

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.
 

--- Translated by Max Ehrmann, 1927

--- Author unknown

This is my mantra for the rest of 2021. I hope it is helpful to you as well. Stop by the pool any time: even though the Non-stress pool will soon be closing for the season, the Stress Pool is open all the time!  

A Summer Like No Other

Greetings to all of you!

We at the Stress Pool have been having a very busy summer! Not that we've been doing anything out of the ordinary, or even planning a fun get-away - just living is sometimes enough. The printer isn't working, so I'm not able to print out the change of address letters I hope to get out in the next month - heaven only knows I'll never get Christmas cards out in time to share the new address! (Maybe I should just order Christmas cards and write them out now...) The first few weeks after surgery in early June (Yup - school was out on the 4th, surgery was the 8th - do I know how to have fun, or what?!) I mostly slept, so getting in touch with people, while on my priority list, succumbed to the entreating call of the bed. And, of course, going back a little further, finishing up the crazy school year was enough to send me into a small tizzy. I practically skipped out of the building! (There is your 'you'll never get that image out of your head' moment for those of you who know me!)

Getting everyone up to speed about the house situation: we closed on the new house! Once the former owners were out, we were able to get in and finally see it for what it truly is. While there is a lot of work to do, I am not disappointed! No buyers regret here. Yes, the usual painting, scrubbing (DH has contracted a cleaning company to come in and do an initial clean - yay!), and of course, there are the little quirky things. The lantern in the front yard is on - we can't find a switch to turn it off! There is a window in the coat closet - nice for airing it out a couple times a year, but I need to cover it or all our coats will end up a faded color on one side - unless we continually turn the coats. Not happening, I assure you.

Ms. Business has already painted her room - she did a fantastic job on two walls that have large triangular patterns, sticking with blues and a pretty blue-green. She also bought her first car (also blue) and we'll be moving her in over the weekend. She's quite excited to be on her own for a few months, although we'll be in and out a lot with all that has to be done, especially this summer, because...

WE HAVE A NO-STRESS POOL!

I actually considered making a sign to hang on the fence that says "Welcome to the Stress Pool", but when you're floating around in your own crystal clear oasis, watching the clouds, feeling the sun on your face, what stress can you possibly feel? It has been heavenly! We even cooked dinner over there the other night so we could enjoy some time in the water. I had hoped DH would get in, but he was happy to sit on the screened-in porch. We also had to get a couple more outdoor chairs, because we don't have any furniture over there yet! We'll still be in the rental for a few more months while work is done, and we're still under lease here. But let me tell you, I look forward to the day we move in - the street the rental is on is noisy with traffic from early morning until late night (like after 11 p.m.), which we didn't take into consideration when we rented it. Single pane windows are the pits!

We had to buy a few appliances - a new washer and dryer, because the former owners had made it clear they were taking theirs. No problem - we found a nice set that doesn't require me to use my smart phone to run them! Things are getting too high tech for me. I just want to throw the clothes in and choose a setting. Now, if they come up with washers and driers that actually fold the clothes when they're done, or sew on missing buttons, I might consider it! It's nice to shop for appliances when you have that little bit of leisure - when you don't need it yesterday because the old ones broke down! We also ordered a refrigerator for the basement - a nice place to put extra drinks, especially for those great pool days when we'll be looking for something cool. No trekking up to the kitchen - just grab something from the downstairs! We'll put the microwave down there, too, as one already exists in the kitchen. Makes it a little easier for entertaining, right?

All the while, I've been recuperating from surgery, and while I'm feeling a lot better, we all know what happens - you start doing too much. So far this week I've gone swimming twice, and there were two days of shopping - one for the appliances, and one for food (which DH has been doing, but he's much happier if I'm along to share in the fun!) So, today, I'm sitting with my feet up, making lists for what needs to be done in the new house, making appointments that can't be put off any longer, and just relaxing in general. 

And, reading - my usual goal is one book a week for summer vacation, which equals 10. Any more than that is a bonus. This year, I'm already up to 7! Two were book club summer reads, one of which I really liked, and one that I committed to, but wouldn't recommend. The one I really liked - The Lost Apothecary. I tend to like books that go back and forth between the past and present, and the author wove the story together very well. The one I wouldn't recommend is The Push. It was okay, but quite predictable. There was no surprise at the end, nor was there a feeling of closure. I'm reading the Bridgerton series - we watched the Netflix version of book one (a little different than the book), but who doesn't like a period romance now and again? "The Book of Two Ways" by Jodi Picoult was also good, and "Dial A for Aunties" (which is going to be made into a Netflix movie) was a fun read, full of comedic adventure involving a lost love and a corpse! 

Not the most exciting of posts, but hopefully this will have caught you up on our craziness. I still have some catching up of my own to do. I've only seen little Tukapoo a couple times, and I'm itching to get back to doing some painting and playing around in the studio. I've also only seen Morticia once, and it would be nice to meet up with some friends.

Hoping you are all well, and staying healthy and safe. I'll see you again in the Stress Pool, or, if you bring your own towel and chair, stop in at the No-Stress Pool! Always room for one more. See you soon!

Just One More

 Happy Saturday of the three day weekend! Things are quiet at the pool, and truthfully, while not always accustomed to it, we like it that way. As I poured my morning coffee, a memory leaped into my mind - the day I had my first taste.

Many have their first taste of Columbian delight as a child - with sugar and lots of cream. Mima wouldn't do it. "It will stunt your growth" she said. And, having been in elementary school with a girl who was super, super small (who we all knew drank coffee at home), I didn't push it. When I was grown and a camp counselor, I had my first drink of hot tea, and wow - I was hooked! But still, even though I loved the smell of coffee, I never touched it. Not even through college, when you're pulling all-nighters and up early for class - nope. It was orange juice all the way.

I did learn how to make it - after all, one might have company who would like a cup - and I made it every morning for DH. (For those who don't know, or have forgotten, the H stands for Hubby - the D is interchangeable, like for Darling, or Devious, or Dastardly...you get the idea. Use your imagination in the spirit of the context!)

Anyway, I made it every morning. There was one particular Saturday morning that truly stands out in my mind, although there are some fuzzy details. We had moved in with my mother-in-law when I wa pregnant with Eggbert because she'd been diagnosed with memory loss. Talk of Altzheimer's at the time wasn't clear cut, but she was definitely on the decline and couldn't live alone anymore. At this point of my story, we had four children, and they were young: Eggbert was probably seven or eight, and Big Brother was eighteen months younger; Morticia would have been around two, making Ms. Business one-ish. I just remember she was sitting in a high chair. Clara, DH's mom, might have been at the table, but she could have been bed-ridden at that point. 

Saturday mornings were pancake mornings. I would make a large batch of pancakes, and either sausage or bacon, and we gathered around the table. I loved the clamor of kids and silverware. We would pull the table out from the wall, and when everyone was there you could barely get the refrigerator door open, it was that tight! When everyone was finished, DH and I would continue sitting at the table, and we talked. That particular morning, everyone was well into their stacks of pancakes. Even Ms. Business, in her highchair that only fit in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room, enjoyed a pancake while making texture art on the doorframe with syrup. (and just about any other food you might imagine!) 

I had just poured DH a cup of coffee and set it down, when he looked lovingly around the table at our little clan. He took a sip of coffee, then said, "When mother goes, I would like one more."

One more...cup of coffee? Pancake? No, he meant another child. Granted, we had talked at the beginning of our engagement and thought we'd like four (we were both only children, and this sounded grand), but now - 5? I still wasn't getting a full night sleep, even though I was no longer nursing my youngest, but the thought crept into my head that there wasn't going to be much rest in the next several years. Something would need to be done.

I poured my first cup of coffee. Granted, it was with two teaspoons of sugar and lots of cream, but I found the benefits were, well, beneficial. As the warm liquid graced my tongue, I realized what I'd been missing, and haven't stopped drinking it since.

Clara died a couple years later, while I was finishing my art certification. It was when I was in the first year of teaching art that yes, we found we were expecting Moink. It was Ms. Business who broadcast it to my Superintendent that I was expecting. I was hanging artwork at the district's Central Office, and had brought her with me. He came out of his office to meet her and chat a moment, when she announced "Mommy's having a baby."

"Oh," he said, lifting an eyebrow. "Did we know that?"

"You know it now," I said, continuing to hang artwork. I found out what I needed to do to take the next school year off - there was nobody to take two toddlers to pre-school and take care of an infant! We were fortunate, and it was a busy year, but amazing. Life has been good, and I can't imagine it without any of them. And yes, I was right - there was very little sleeping or rest. DH started a second job when Moink was born, which left me to hustle kids into the car, zipping around to activities through the evening, while still putting a meal on the table. (It was around this time that I thought we should figure out how to install a microwave and small refrigerator into the back of the station wagon!) Every morning started with at least one cup of coffee; every day ended with falling exhausted into bed. I don't know how we did sports, boy scouts, and girl scouts. Yes, we missed an occasional activity or birthday party because I would just plain forget something (go figure!), but we did it. and I wouldn't exchange those days for anything.

And yes, I still drink coffee, now minus the sugar because of the diabetes, but there is still the cream. I often tell people I'm a coffee snob, because I only like it with half-and-half, and not all coffee is roasted and brewed the same. So, if I'm at your house and I decline a cup, please don't take it personally. It has nothing to do with you.

So, I'm going to sit back and enjoy my Saturday morning coffee (no pancakes today, though), and think about how to spend this long weekend without overdoing it. just enjoying my coffee. If you're in the neighborhood, though, drop by - there's always room and an extra mug for one more at the Stress Pool!

A Suspension of Disbelief

 Greetings, fellow swimmers! Here at the Stress Pool, things are pretty normal - the adequate amount of stress in our daily lives, supplemented with a bit of happiness. But, it certainly didn't come easy.

A good writer twists a plot with 'what ifs'...and the reader is asked to suspend their disbelief, holding the author's hand as they are led on a journey of twists and turns. Well, the 'what ifs' have riddled my heart and mind like nobody's business in these past few months. 

What if the sale doesn't go through?

What if we don't find a house?

What if we don't get the bank loan for a new house?

What if the sky falls?

Where is Chicken Little? (I didn't really consider this one, just thought I'd throw that in!)

What if we didn't get everything out of the Grouse House in time? (the garage still had quite a few things in it, and I had visions of hauling things out the day of the closing!)

If you've been following, we put the Grouse House on the market on April 15th, and were made an offer the next day. By Sunday night, we'd signed the necessary paperwork, with DH and I gazing thankfully at our agent, Eric, his cape blowing in the breeze. All pens down, and life was about to move forward: Eric and DH were both on their way to the house - Eric to put a 'Sale Pending' placard on the sign, and DH to pull the garbage can to the curb.

When DH arrived home, he said, "The funniest thing happened."

"Oh? What's that?"

"When I got to the house, someone was there looking at it. I waited, but wanted to get going, so I opened the garage. I sort of startled them."

"That's just crazy! I thought they'd have been done looking for the day."

"Me too," he said. "But then the woman looking at the house said she saw the cross on the wall upstairs, and it gave her a good feeling, and would I leave it for her. I said sure, but didn't have the heart to tell her we'd just accepted an offer."

"Maybe we should have waited a little longer," I said, but then we both shook our heads. It had been a good offer.

Now, swing back to this past week. The closing was scheduled for Thursday morning. DH, Ms. Business, and I trundled two cars over on Sunday night (garbage night), and worked on the rest of the garage, hauling things to the curb. I took a walk through the house (which I always did when I went over), and saw the cross on the wall in the hallway. I started to take it down, then stopped. No, Jesus could stay and watch over the house for a few more days. We would be back on Wednesday night for our own final walk-through, which we did, and I even remembered to take the hand towel and soap we'd left in the bathroom (for those times, you know...). On Thursday morning, I awoke with a start: I'd left the cross on the wall, and the buyers were doing a final walk through at 8:30 that morning. Too late now. The new people would deal with it, but it was a pretty cross, and I was sort of sad to leave it. I was just so used to it being there, I didn't think about it on Wednesday evening.

We sat at the attorney's glossy, white marble table, early, because we didn't want to be late. DH wanted to know what I thought we should do for dinner; I told him once this was over and I no longer wanted to be sick, I would be happy to think about food. In a short while everyone was settled around the table. Our Superhero agent handed us a bottle of champagne (celebrate!), and we got to signing the final paperwork. The buyer leaned over to DH and said, "Thank you for leaving the cross. Do you remember, that night we saw you, and I asked you to leave it because it gave me such a good feeling?"

Meant to be? She is so excited to have the house; to have a space where she can entertain family. It felt good to be a part of someone else's new chapter in life. And, at the same time, we're starting our own. Last Sunday our offer on a house in Bethel Park was accepted, and we are now going through all the crazy hoops of buying a house. A cape cod, and guess what? It has a pool! I'm going to have to make a sign that says "Welcome to the Stress Pool"!

I saw my mentor, Donna, yesterday. She greeted me with a hug and said, "Is that a smile I see on your face? I haven't seen one for a very long time!" Masks aside, yes, I was smiling broadly. For the first time in 2021, we have a weekend where we are not cleaning out a house, or looking for a house, or going to an open house - we are having a relaxing weekend! It only took what, six months?

The 'what ifs' are dissipating...and I am happy to sink into the pool (not the real one, not yet!)! Yes, there are still a few trials to go through. We should close on the house by the end of June, early July, and then we can start on the painting and decorating our new space. There is also a surgery in June (I've been referring to it as 'clean up in aisle six! Girl things, you know).Won't be submerging into that pool until sometime in July! 

In the meantime, the Stress Pool is always open, and I'm always glad for a little company in the waters! So come on in, bring your favorite floatie and a beverage, and let's chat as we enjoy the waters - and this time, you can leave your disbelief behind. Until next time!

Breathing Under Water

 Glug, glug - I mean, greetings from the Stress Pool! The water is a bit cold these days, but since we've been completely submerged, what difference does that make?

The last time I wrote, we had given the real estate agent the date of March 1 for putting the Grouse House on the market. Events weren't going as swiftly as we would have liked, but that was in part because some people were procrastinating. DH might say it was me; I would disagree. 

We found a place to rent - not too far away, and closer to work for me, which has been sort of nice! I also don't have to get on the highway - a good thing, since it is under construction, and just not a pleasant ride at this point. I can stay on the road that runs right outside my front door - as do a bazillion other people! That road has traffic from early morning until late in the evening, and with single pane windows...yeah, you get my drift! We signed a lease on March 1st. Then the move could commence, but let me go back a couple steps.

While I had been purging, it was a slow go. Thirty-five years of memories and accumulated stuff doesn't disappear overnight! At the end of February, I had just about finished going through things in the office when DH announced he'd arranged for the first move for the following Wednesday, which was March 3rd.

"Oh, that's good...what's going first?"

"Your office and the studio."

Wait...what? All of my stuff? Holy Bunch of Stuff, Batman - that gives me less than a week to get this done, and while working full time! Boxes, bags, paint, inks, easel, tools, other supplies...I have a lot of paraphernalia that is associated with artistic endeavors. At first, it was just supposed to be a couple of the storage shelves...now it was everything! By Tuesday, March 2nd, I had a lot packed, but some things hadn't been touched. I was out of places to pack, out of room to move (I wasn't getting any help, because it was my stuff), and I had to go to bed. There just wasn't anything left, not with coming home exhausted from work and then trying to get this done. DH ended up going down in the middle of the night, and his idea was just to pile all the things still hanging about along the walls. Enough was cleared so that the movers could take the furniture out.

Then, the real work had to start. I started at one end of the room and moved across to the other, throwing most of it away. A lot for the shredding pile - apparently, you don't really have to keep paper work from fifteen years ago, but when you've forgotten it even exists...

The second and final furniture move was scheduled for March 18th, and move we did - in the pouring rain! Our first night in the rental, living out of boxes...what fun! But, our move wasn't over yet. There were still some boxes, and more stuff to go through - an 8 cubic foot dumpster was delivered to the driveway the following week, and we ended up filling it. Big thanks to my Mentor, Donna, who would pick something up and say, "You don't need this." Big Brother, Ms. Business, and Moink hauled a lot of stuff out to that dumpster, and boxes into cars.

The maids were coming on the 31st, so we needed to have the main rooms cleared. They came - wow, wish I'd had maids all along! Eric came by, his cape waving in the breeze, did a once through with DH, and they talked about things that could still be done. One was to remove the linoleum from the front hall - it was coming up anyway. DH went over one day to do that. Oh boy.

Adhesive. Someone used some super adhesive to put linoleum on a hard wood floor. My buddy, Cyndy, advised looking up what might remove it - but that varnish might come up with it, too (and it did!)- and then she popped over during Spring Break to give me hand for a couple hours. She even lent me a few tools to get the job done. It took hours of hard work, and several washes with hot water and Murphy's Oil Soap (good stuff!), but I got it finished. We painted a few rooms, Big Brother came by with his brother-in-law, Alex, and they put up the closet doors that have been sitting in the garage for a thousand years. I looked around at the cleaned, fixed-up house and said to DH, "Hey, want to move back?"

I can't even explain the look he gave me, but in a nutshell, the answer was 'no'.

It went on the market a few days ago - the photos were amazing! I entertained myself at lunchtime on Friday by looking at them on the computer - and started sobbing when I got to one that looked out from our bedroom to the back patio, remembering how I loved lying in bed on a summer day, listening to rain pattering on the aluminum awning. Remembering adding block to extend the patio; how the boys used to run through the woods up behind the house; when Big Brother threw a basketball through a garage door window; footsteps running through the house as they chased each other; the daylilies I'd lovingly planted in the backyard...but managed to get it together before my afternoon classes. 

I am happy to report that there has already been an offer, and we'll discuss it with Superhero Real Estate agent Eric tonight.

So many other things to talk about, so come on over to the pool, and please bring an extra towel for me (mine are still packed!) The adventure continues! I just hope Eric wears his red cape.

And, We're Off!

 The water is certainly warm at the Stress Pool!

The stress is mounting, what with a new semester, 400 new students to teach, and I'm simply reminding myself to breathe. Pretty much every five minutes, but it seems necessary.

Then, there is the little added addition of "THE MOVE".

DH has disliked this house for a very, very long time. His parents bought this house in 1971, and while he did live away for a short time, you could say DH has lived here for 50 years. He's said for the last couple of years that 2021 would be the year we would move. And, as the time approached, he would remind me that it was coming. Last year we leased a storage unit, and got all the holiday decorations and some other superfluous things stored. We did bring the Christmas tree and two boxes of ornaments to the house for the holiday, and now they're back in storage. We also re-inherited our original bedroom set back from Morticia and the Doctor when they moved to their new house, along with a dresser that belonged to Big Brother - those are currently in the garage, waiting to go to a second storage unit, which we will rent in February. My question to DH, once he had retired from his retirement job in December: "So, now that you're home and have time to begin packing,  do you have a plan?"

His answer: "Putting it off."

Well, in two weeks we have gone from "putting it off" into "high gear"! 

Making a somewhat long story short (no somewhat about it!), we've gone through crazy applications processes for house and apartment rentals for places that were already rented (but they were happy to take our money!) to other ideas for what to do about "THE MOVE".

"What do you think we should do?" DH asked.

"I think we should call Eric." Now, picture a real estate agent, young, wearing a flowing cape, arms crossed over his chest. He put American flags on our lawns last Fourth of July. We've been planning on calling him about listing. He's pretty awesome.

On Friday DH arranged for him to come for a visit on Sunday.

After the tour of the house, as we sat having coffee and cookies, DH mentioned that he had thought perhaps we could buy a condo at the Bower Hill apartments - then Ms. Business might be interested in taking it (apparently they had already discussed this). News to me!

Before we ended our meeting, DH looked at Eric and said, "Five weeks?"

"Sure."

So, there you have it. Five weeks. Five weeks to figure out what we're doing, pack up a house, and find a new home for my piano. Morticia and the Doctor are interested. Just a few more logistics.

Yup, the water certainly is warm in the Stress Pool. Better than being cold, I suppose! So, breakfasts are made for the week and in the fridge, and "Adventures in Babysitting" is on the telly.

As Scarlet O'Hara said, "Tomorrow is another day!" So, next time you're in the neighborhood, stop by the Stress Pool. And, don't worry - the pool is portable. It follows me wherever I go!

Words and Bullets

As a small child, when Big Brother got upset with me, he'd clench his fists, screw up his face, and in the fiercest voice a five-year-old can muster would threaten, "Oooooh, I'm going to hit you and kick you and push you down the steps!"

So, with that image in mind, did you all kick Father Time down the steps last night? There was a headline during a news show I saw this morning labeled 'Hindsight is 2020'. And, while that saying has a completely different meaning, I took pause. Does it? We've learned so many things from the past year we can take into the rest of our lives. This is the time we make plans, setting goals for the new year. Where we look back and take stock of where we are physically, mentally, spiritually. We resolve to do better; eat better; live better.

Personally, I don't make resolutions. I often found dwindling oomph to make them happen before we turned the calendar to February. Do I want to do better? Of course, and this year I was helped by Google and Youtube. They are so good at suggesting things I might be interested in watching. Recently, one of those suggestions was 'bullet journaling'. I had heard of it, but knew nothing about it. I bit the bullet (pun intended!). I watched someone set up a 2021 bullet journal for someone else. She talked about tracking, setting goals (pushing and pulling - all I could think of was that animal from Dr. Doolittle - the original - called the Push-me-pull-me), and basically how to use these little journals full of dots. Then, I watched another. This person painted pictures and inserted them inside the journal. Someone else actually drew and painted inside the journal. Another journalist included her plan book (she's a teacher in New Zealand). Big Brother said they would have loved those books when he and his siblings were children - it would have made playing that game where you make squares and claiming it by inserting your initial much easier to play, rather than having to make a page full of dots on their own! But, no matter how it was or wasn't decorated, the bullet journalists all agreed on one thing: you build your journal on your Word for the Year

 All of this information got me thinking (not the game part). I talked with DiDi about it - she said she'd always been interested in bullet journaling. So, I bought a couple at Michael's (inexpensive, but would give us plenty of paper with which to practice), and we got together one day over Christmas break to work on them. Her word for the year is 'Grace', and she started using her new marker set to create pretty flowers on some of her pages. She's really good at this!

I had already made a list of pages to make. I had also already decided to make it a book chronicling my creative journey - to last for years, I hope! There is the title page, a page for 2021, a page to track my yearly spending on art supplies (in an effort to save money!), and a page to track books I'm reading. Then I got to January, then the month in review where I can track what I've worked on each day - color coded, of course! The plan there is to make that page colorful with working habits. No more excuses that I'm too tired from working all day! The next several pages are for daily reflections on what I've worked on that day; ideas I'd like to try; what didn't work.

The only thing I hadn't come up with was a word for the year. It seems daunting to think of one word that would impact an entire year. I mean, what word wants all of that responsibility placed upon its shoulders? What does this year hold for me? A move to a new house which entails packing everything and possibly moving twice; are we remote teaching or full-in with no possibility of  adequate social distancing - things that are going to take up a lot of my energies. Truthfully, the only word I could come up with was SURVIVAL, but felt that was a little defeatist. Then, it came to me: why one word? Why not a word a month?

While surviving and dodging bullets (see what I did there?!) might be my underlying theme, my word for January is CREATE, with a quote from Kurt Vonnegut: "To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it".  I wrote "So do it" at the bottom of each January page, a daily reminder to get cracking on the things that make me who I am, so I'm not lost in that vast ocean of humanity. My biggest challenge is going to be making it a daily habit to not only check out that creative journey planner, but to actually set foot in that studio space.

But, while I'm tracking and reflecting that journey, I still have another planner that I use for work and the rest of my life. It's important to me to keep those things separate from my creative life. I can close one book and open up another without distractions from that other world. I often don't take my phone with me while I'm creating for that very same reason. I might listen to music, but that's just background where my thoughts can float.

If choosing one word for the year is daunting to you as well, what will you strive for in January? Have you ever tried keeping a bullet journal, or any journal? How long did you use it? Who do you have to help you keep your goals? You can always count on me here at the Stress Pool, so bring your journal - or not - and let's help each other along the road to a happier year! In the meantime, I'll be treading water in the deep end. See you again soon!