August: Slowing Down for a Bit


I may slow down with posts for a little while.  I am just not bouncing back after I get tired these days and I am sure it's a combination of being busy in home, busy with family and the new schedule.  I hate to admit that it's knocked me for a loop this getting up twice a week early but combined with poor sleep, it's just hard and that's truth.   I find the older I get the less able to sleep I am especially if I know that an alarm is going to sound off.  As well, the lack of proper time alone to restore has been of consequence.  I am grasping at family times as often as I can because I know this is a very short season.  After all, I have three children starting school this year and two starting school next year.  Childhood is a fleeting time anyway, and when it comes to grandchildren it seems to go four times as fast.



I find that with tiredness comes a lack of inspiration, difficulty in thinking and organization and just a general malaise.  I've pushed pretty hard this year overall and I guess I just need a period of rest.  I'll have a few posts up in the coming weeks but not six a week as I've have done over the last several months.

I have several topics I want to write about but because I'm tired, I stare at the blurb I wrote down to remind me and it goes no further.  That is not typical of me.  I was approached yesterday by the leader of the Christian Writer's group at church and I declined to rejoin the class for the coming semester.  I just need to get my feet under me with this change in schedule.  I want to  finish off current projects.  My house has been slightly off since July, because I never seem to be quite up to mark on my basic stuff lately.  Add in meals and visits and necessary outings and writing and I feel mostly overwhelmed and a lot run down.  I wish I were super woman but I am certainly not!  I have to give up something.  So I'm going to start with easing up on myself for the rest of August and just taking it lightly.

I plan to take time out to do some creative projects and hopefully take a few naps, lol, and generally try to fire up my inspiration for posts once more as I work.  I want to better gather my thoughts based on the copious notes I made at the end of July and get a full grasp on all that is ahead and what it is likely to require of me.

I had Taylor and Katie here on Saturday.  Let me tell you that little Miss can keep a Gramma busy.  She loves to plunder in things and there's plenty of fresh places to explore here, so she kept me on my toes removing things that were potential danger (don't we see MORE of those as we get older?) and allowed her to explore some things that perhaps her mom wouldn't have, but she came to no harm with Gramma watching closely over her.

I let her raid my dresser drawer of ALL my bangle bracelets.  A purse rescued from the donation box was hers for the day as well.  I love how she posed for me when I took her photo.  We had a grand time, she and I.

I wanted to share a photo of her with you all but blogger isn't being cooperative.  I will add it in later when it is feeling more like working.

I came in from church yesterday and had to bribe myself hard (#reesescupsworkwonders) to get a few things done.  Then I spent the rest of the afternoon in my chair, dozing over the computer.  I slept through a portion of a program I really wanted to watch.  I crawled into bed early last night and slept until the early morning hours.

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know where I am and what I'm not doing, lol  I will pop in during the week possibly and you can count on the two regular weekly posts at least.  Now, I'm off to read a magazine and take a nap.


13 comments:

Kathy said...

I think we all need to slow down sometimes. I hope that you find your break relaxing. Love the picture! Definitely treasure time with family. We will be here whenever you want to post.

Lana said...

Good for you. We nap every afternoon since hubby's heart attack and it has been good to know that if we get through the morning we have nap time coming. I have wondered how much we could really accomplish if we slept all night. :)

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your relaxation. We have been having some cooler weather here, so i am catching up on outdoor projects and already promising myself next year. It looks goid on paper. Unfortunately, I am at the age they warn you not to buy green bananas! LOL. I am also getting my mind ready for some major cleaning left over from 1999. Just thankful for good health, and good friends. My son has gotten me hooked on computer Mahjong so that is my new 15 minute break. Take time to just take a walk and enjoy the day if it is not too hot. Otherwise, a comfy chair and a good book is second best. Gramma D

Sew Blessed Maw [Judy] said...

I so understand.. I have been MIA for awhile, Same thing.. Just feeling wiped out, dealing with some new sicknesses.. and just not feeling well. Please take care of yourself, post when you are feeling well and rested.. I enjoy your post and look forward to them.. They are special, whenever you post.. smile.

Enjoy the grandchildren, as you said, that time is so special.. and gone before you know it. My oldest granddaughter left this am to go to college. So very proud of her, but will miss her so badly.. Her sister is a senior and know it wont be long, until she is gone.

Hope you have a restful day.

Rhonda said...

Taylor is a doll and looks so proud to have an arm full of bracelets and a purse.
Your kitchen looks so pretty in this photo.

Debby in KS said...

Doesn't surprise me a bit! I resemble everything you said. We head for bed a bit before 9pm and get up at 5am. Some days, I feel fine, but other days I feel stupid, for lack of a better word. Disconnected? Like my brain is shorting! It's usually after a very busy day. I remember my mom telling me that she always rested the day after anything *big* like visitors or shopping, etc. She'd eat from her freezer, skip cleaning, & do her crochet and read. She'd call it 'Recuperation Day.' I was thinking I was too young for that, but thinking back, she started that when she was only 5 yrs. older than I am now. And she & my grandma ALWAYS napped, just for 20-30 minutes.

You do whatever you need to feel happy and healthy! :)

Margie from Toronto said...

You are a very prolific blogger and certainly deserve a bit of a "summer vacation". We all need time to recharge the batteries every now and again. I have Fibromyalgia and RA and have had to learn to pace myself. Whenever I've had a couple of busy days strung together I give myself a "Recuperation Day" just like Debby's mom. My inclination is always to go full tilt but I have to admit to feeling a lot better, physically & mentally when I listen to my body and take a bit of time off every now and again.
Take care of yourself - I'm sure we'll all still be here checking in.

Tammy said...

Hope you get to feeling better!
Miss Taylor is a sweetheart! One of my fondest memories is playing in my grandmother's jewelry, so I know just how Taylor feels. LOL.

Karla said...

I can certainly identify with the "worn out" feeling of late. I have been worn out and quite frankly exhausted physically, emotionally and mentally for about a year now. It's been so many changes at once - the girls both moved out within a week of each other so we were instantly plunged into empty nest, my mom passed away almost a year ago after a long several years with Alzheimer's, nursing home care and watching her take a week to "walk into heaven". I didn't grieve because I was numb and relieved that it was over for her and us. I went off of an anxiety medication I'd been on for 7 years and though it's been a good thing, it's also been a difficult journey to learn to handle the emotions that were for so long muted. Throw in some hormonal instability since I'm 46 for good measure. And then work has been one constant flux of change since then, so busy, so many changes and challenges. In May, the youngest daughter graduated college and started a new career, the oldest daughter is struggling with health issues on several fronts and then husband had a big health scare in early May that has made the focus be him and his health and his weight loss ever since. And I find myself just wiped out and with nothing and no one to refill my tank. I just bought myself some hobby/craft items last week on sale and using a coupon but honestly, I've not gotten myself to even sit and use them yet. I'm so ready for some refreshing times and just something to put some pep back in me. Overdue. Hope you get to feeling better and find the balance you so crave!

Deanna said...

Perhaps there is something in the air. It seems many of us are feeling a bit overwhelmed these days. My birthday is the end of this month but we have a HUGE community festival we are helping to put on that weekend. Between now and then I will be even busier than usual. But I've already planned to take some time off in September. My husband made hotel reservations for us for two nights over Labor Day weekend to celebrate my birthday. I'm going to scale back on my blog and associated Facebook page for at least a couple of weeks in September. Like you, I hope I come back rested and with renewed creative energy.

Enjoy your rest!

Anonymous said...

Thanks to you and comments we know we are not alone in our washed out, oh too tired feelings. Hubby can sit down and fall asleep at any time. Now though off and on I can too. Can't help myself. Things keep piling up to be done and I do try to work on them when I have time alone but little gets accomplished. This is not how I want our house to be like. It used to be so much easier to keep up with things. I find myself trying to fall asleep at night trying to figure it all out. Like the grass is greener in the other yard, I feel other women can seem to keep up with it all at my age ....why can't I? Seems the more I cut back on things I can cut back on, the more are added to life to fill in + more. This is another time I wish my older relatives were still here to talk to. That is another thing...I want to write a journal and tell future ones how things were , stories about them and how I felt about things etc. Just one of those extras that I feel are so needed that is Not getting done. :( Try to relax and get some better rest and naps. Your body knows it needs it and you are good to give in and refresh your spirit and body. Our littlest grandchild is 22 soon! Yes time flies faster every year I agree. Seems just yesterday she was small like Taylor..but back then I had the energy to keep up with her! :) I am so glad you snapped that picture.. ... what memoirs. :-)))
When you get back to blogging more{although two posts a week seem like a lot of writing in itself to me}..
you can hopefully share some new book titles with us. :) Gotta love books. Can you get out for a day doing something you love? Being away from the house refreshes too. Thank you for always keeping it real here. Sarah

Delorise said...

I must admit that most days I have to lay down for a 15 to 30 minute rest. I guess it is an age thing. Don't feel guilty about slowing down, you are smart to take steps now before you totally burn out on every thing. Great picture--kids seem to grow up so quick now. My sister had to remind me that 2 of my gr nieces are now in 3rd grade not 2nd as I seem to have set in my mind. Wow where does the time go.

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

Taylor is so cute. She was really having fun with that "big" purse and trying on jewelry. What wonderful memories she will have.

I blog in my brain a lot, unfortunately I never actually get most of my "brain blogs" typed out and posted. I don't know why this is happening these days, but it is. Sometimes lately it seems like my energy is kind of like a hummingbird, focusing on one thing and then another, but not settling in one place for any length of time.

Terri, I hope you will get adjusted to your husband's new work schedule very soon and bounce back from your slow down. In the meantime, I will be watching for your next post. Rest up, take care, and enjoy your grand kids.

Susie D.

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