Taking Stock

I’ve decided to do something a little different for this week’s Slice of Life.  Inspired by a post by Pip on Meet Me at Mike’s, here is a little snapshot of where I am right now:

Finding: that — three weeks into my hiatus — I’m missing the practical aspects of Facebook (community events, the Teach Write prompts) far more than the newsfeed.  I expect that when I return to the platform on November 11, my time spent there (as well as what has access to my attention) will look vastly different than it did on September 30.

Wishing: myself an uneventful day.  Yesterday’s flat tire adventure has disrupted today’s plans.  So far, this week has felt like organizing loose Jello with my hands.  And it’s only Tuesday.

Cooking: frozen entrées and pizza.  I like baking, but prefer to make meals that require as little little thought and effort on my part as possible.  I’ve always said that if I won the lottery, I’d have a staff member whose primary job description would be bringing me food on a regular basis so I don’t have to think about it.

Making: a small (slightly sweary) cross stitch project.  (It’s like me: mostly sweet, but with an edge.)  I also need to start a new rughooking project.

Sipping: Starbucks black iced tea with raspberry, along with lots of water.

Reading: The Annotated Little Women (Louisa May Alcott and John Matteson) and Magic Lessons (Alice Hoffman).

Looking: forward to shopping for and sending a little care package to one of my writer friends today.

Listening: to CBC Radio, the Fleet Foxes, Duran Duran, and various Can-Con hits from the 1980s.

Enjoying: waking up naturally at 5 AM, savouring the quiet of the early morning, as everyone else in the house sleeps.

Liking: being inspired by the most recent issue of Uppercase Magazine.

Loving: the colours, smells, and rituals of autumn.  Normally I am very busy as a tour guide for cruise ship passengers at this time of year, and it all goes by in a blur.  This year I am noticing more, exploring more, photographing more.

Buying: not very much.  And I’m mostly okay with that.  When I do buy, I’m trying to shop local as much as I can, to support my neighbours and community in these “unprecedented times.”

Watching: YouTube videos of people being creative, as little news as I can while still feeling informed, and Coronation Street.   We just finished The Haunting of Bly Manor, and I enjoyed it.

Hoping: the pandemic ends sooner rather than later.

Needing: some quality time in the woods by myself.  And a tire repair.

Wearing: pyjamas, as much as possible.  😉

Noticing: how late the sun seems to be coming up these days.

Sorting: project ideas for NaNoWriMo.  I have two candidates and can’t decide between the two just yet.

Getting: itchy travelling feet.  I need to see different things than I’ve been looking at for the last month.

Craving: a trip to Walden.  When I go, it’s normally at the end of October, and I am feeling the pull so hard these days.  I miss sitting and writing on “my sit-stump” at Thoreau’s house site, and I miss my Thoreauvian friends.  I miss talking about Thoreau, Emerson, the Hawthornes, and the Alcotts in the town where they all lived.  I miss paying my respects in silent Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and I even miss the giant catalpa tree at Thoreau Farm.  In the overall scheme of current events, it seems so small, but the sadness in my heart is so deep and so heavy.

Bookmarking: I’ve been playing Google Streetview Tourist a lot lately, including the Isle of Mull in Scotland, New York City, and Green Bay, Wisconsin (GO PACK GO!).

Coveting: This adorable (but pricey!) little house on my favourite island.

Feeling: up and down, and all around.  But still standing, and that’s the main thing.

How about you?