Just 40 Days

Two nights ago I only got five hours of sleep.  I was dragging my heavy body around all day.  I was so exhausted that I couldn't even  fall asleep for my afternoon power nap.  So I made sure I went to bed close to my usual time last night and nine hours later! Nine hours is WAY too much sleep!  I feel drowsy or lousy.  It is definitely not the same as eight hours. So what have I learned?: Taking an hour long nap...knowing that you will be up later... will help you stay awak at 1 a.m. But the bottom line ended up being this:  going to bed after 1:00 a.m. and waking up at 6:30...a mear 5 1/2 hours later is not enough sleep.  No matter what. 

I get to the park today, to walk Aiden and get some stress relieving exercise for me, and I cannot find my ipod nano.  I was a bit frustrated because I like to turn the music up loud so that my mind cannot think of other things.  So we walked with the sounds of nature. I've read many articles that state the best way to relax is to walk amongst the green of the earth and listen to it's sounds.  One of the first sounds I heard was the call of a beautiful cardinal.  I spotted him immediately and watched as he flew to the next tree to sing out his song.  [Some believe that cardinals are a sign from a loved one in heaven and so I said Hi Haylee!] I really enjoy looking at all the flowers and green our metroparks are full of.  It is a peaceful walk...until I heard the locust...the back to school bugs!  They are early this year and I'm not so sure that their sound was bringing me peace in the month of July.

Merriam-Webster defines visit as: to go somewhere to spend time with (someone, such as a friend or relative).  Today I made two visits.  The first was with my Aunt Dorothy.  She lives in Tiffin and I was in Tiffin for work today so I stopped by the convent to see her.  Aunt Dorothy is one of my mom's three sisters and the one who looks the most like her.  We had a nice visit, talking of family and sharing photos.  She even treated me to a happy hour of cheese and crackers with a little wine.  The second visit was with my old friend, turned sister-in-law, Marcia.  I had to drop of a reunion shirt for my brothers and ended up chatting for well over an hour.  We shared stories of work and family.  We come from similar families, each of us having several sisters and three brothers.  It's nice to bounce off  ideas, feelings, and frustrations with someone you've known for a long time and understands what you're going through.

According to Merriam-Webster, there are three definitions for vice: : bad or immoral behavior or habits : a moral flaw or weakness : a minor bad habit I choose the last - a minor bad habit.   The greatest of bad habits is my LOVE of chocolate!  I love chocolate anything: especially Hersheys, beer, bread, pretzels, pudding and ice-cream...to name a few. One Christmas, my sister in law treated me to chocolate wine! I am here today to tell you, I cannot remember the last chocolate thing I have had.  I need chocolate!

As I sit here trying to decide whether I like ice-cream or chocolate the most, I have to laugh at myself.  I know that I LOVE chocolate and there is NO doubt about my addiction to Hersheys. I have eaten OVER my fair share of chocolate in my 54 years of life.  During that time, I have learned that Hersheys puts something in their chocolate that makes me want more! I love chocolate.

So it's been a little over 10 days since I strained the muscles in my back.  I can say now that the extreme pain has diminished to a soreness.  An achy awareness that reminds me of the injury.  Part of me wishes I hadn't looked up how long it took for others to heal from similar injuries...making me hopeful that I would be pain free in seven days.  It's looking more like a two week heal for me.  UGH!

I love it when my to do list has nothing on it.  Don't you? I suppose I could've put something on the list but I chose not to.  After all it is my list.  I think that are culture trains us to be busy.  It's as if busy = purpose or value.  When really it does not.  Busy just means not having the time to do the things you really want to do.  Or sometimes, the time to do things that other people what you to do. I made a point to do nothing today.  Nothing to me included walking my dog before CBS this morning came on. (It's my all time favorite morning show.) Watch Mass on TV (because my favorite morning show is on at the same time the only morning Mass is at my parish.) Finish the book I was reading and begin another while soaking up some sun and doing laundry.  I also went to the store for dog food and flea & tick - man that stuff is expensive! So doing nothing means doing anything and everything I want to do just because I want to!...