February has definitely not been my month, at least not historically. Last year we all got the flu which was terrible and then barely had time to celebrate my birthday before we all went into quarantine. This year is proving to have its own challenges. Nevertheless, there have still been a few highlights of the last month.
Something Loved
A new knitting project! Nothing like the beauty of new knitting to make me feel enthusiastic during the cold and dreary of the shortest month (that feels like the longest most years).
I’ve had the pattern for the Pennaceous Hat & Scarf for a while and when KnitPicks had the gorgeous Cranberry colorway of the Gloss DK yarn, I decided it was time to try it out. The yarn is lovely to work with and the color is cheery without being too bright for my taste.
Something Read (or Said)
I’ve been doing quite a bit of non-fiction reading this past month, which has been hard because I don’t feel as though I’m fully absorbing the information. My big long-term read right now has been Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell Barkley. It’s honestly a really thick read but also a necessity for our family right now. Sometimes I find it just exhausting which is why I’ve also returned to reading James Herriot.
In the past, I’ve talked about how James Herriot has helped me sleep. I don’t mean that his stories are boring, far from it. But I find them relaxing. The chapters are short and the descriptions are beautiful and calming. There is something about the pastural imagery the author creates that calms my mind at the end of another difficult day in what continues to be a long and difficult year.
I just finished The Lord God Made Them All and now I’m working my way through Every Living Thing. I’m also convinced it’s helping me to finally get some better sleep or at least fall asleep more easily. Another welcome change after the stress of the last year.
Something Treasured
I’m dancing again! (or at least choreographing). Despite some bad weather setbacks my dance team and I are finally meeting on a new project. I can’t even fully express how happy it makes me to be moving my body again. Even the creative act of choreographing, as frustrating as it can be at times, has been a wonderful exercise for a part of my brain which has lain dormant for far too long.
While my technical skills may not be where I wish they were considering my age and lack of recent training, I feel as though I’m becoming more comfortable in my body as a dancer. I’m trying to embrace the body I have and be grateful that I’m still able to dance and move. I may not be able to do pirouettes on pointe anymore, but that’s Ok. I think I’m growing to love the dancer I am today even more.
Something Ahead
My husband and I haven’t been out to dinner together for over a year. While we had gotten takeout a couple of times, I’m realizing that for me the whole date night experience is being able to eat a meal I didn’t have to cook or clean up and then come home to a house where my kids are already in bed. It hasn’t been easy to pull off but hubby has managed to arrange that for the weekend before my upcoming birthday. While our at-home dates have helped sustain our relationship for the last year or so, we do still get interrupted by kiddos, especially lately when it seems like at least one of the kids has been having trouble falling asleep any given night.
I keep reminding myself the February is a hard month. There is an old homeschooling axiom: Everyone wants to quit in February. I remind myself of this in almost every area of my life right now. It won’t always be this cold and dreary. Spring will come. We won’t always be this isolation. Friends are beginning to emerge from COVID hibernation.
It’s your turn to share! Link to your #sharefoursomethings post or leave them in the comments here!
I need to check out James Herriot. I always have a “bed time story” book to read right before bed, just in case the novel I’m readying at the moment is a bit too…charged…to help me wind down.
It is nice to slowly begin doing some of our pre-pandemic activities, even if we are doing them a little differently. We went to dinner for the first time in forever, sitting outside on an unusually warm February evening. With numbers dropping and the temperature rising, I’m really hopeful for the days ahead.
Everyone wants to quit in February. I have not heard that – not do I homeschool – but, oh my, I think that could be my motto. Huge sigh. Hello to a new day, a new week AND a new month! Woot! Hope you have a wonderful one (day, week and month!) ahead!!
It has also been hard for us not being able to have date nights out of the house and away from kids. One day we’ll be able to get back at it and you will too.
February is a hard month! I’m happy you are able to dance again and for the joy it is bringing you! Thanks for linking up!