Share Four Somethings September 2023

After the craziness of August, September is feeling a little more routine, in the best possible way.

Loving

Being back at work! While, most of the time, I really do love my job, one of the hardest parts about the summertime is that I work from home all the time and I don’t have an office or even set work days or hours. It makes it very difficult to draw healthy work life boundaries.

But now that the school year has begun, I work most of my hours while I’m in the office two days a week. This really helps me to better be able to focus when I am at work and to compartmentalize the life better at home.

I’ve also found that it makes it easier for me to rest and relax without feeling guilty about it because I know that non-urgent matters will get taken care of when I’m in the office.

Reading

Reading has taken a bit of a hit this month. I had a software problem with my Cloud Library app where it auto-downloaded the updated version and I lost all my saved books. Very sad. I ended up rereading the first four books of the Colorado Cowboys series by Jody Hedlund. Sadly book #5 is not available from my local library so I might have to break down and buy it just so I can find out how the series ends.

But I’m also thinking about doing a Kindle Unlimited trial sometime this fall because a number of books I have my eye on to read next are actually available. But I want to make sure I can adjust my priorities to focus on reading for a while to take full advance of Kindle Unlimited.

When my interlibrary loan of A Perilous Perspective had to go back, I ended up buying a second hand copy along with a copy of the most recently published book in the series. While I still haven’t finished it, it is nice to take the pressure off a little bit and be able to read it in a more leisurely way.

I finally finished The Goblet of Fire and I’m just starting The Order of the Phoenix. Not sure if I’ll continue since my 11 year old will probably stop after The Goblet of Fire, we’ll see.

Learning

People who aren’t in your position or situation don’t understand. They will give their well meaning opinions and most of them don’t intent to be difficult, they just don’t have the information and experience that you do.

I’m learning right now that people will often be filled with advice and opinions that are in no way useful. But if the person is kind and well intentioned it’s best to just politely listen. I’m sure I’ve probably been this person. But being on the other side of it has helped me to learn that we can only make decisions with the information we have at the time.

I’m learning grace for myself and others surrounding difficult decisions.

Eating

I ate so many delicious things in September, and while it was lovely, I’m trying to resume regularly scheduled eating.

My in-laws came to stay which meant that my mother-in-law cooked lots of Spanish food for us. The weather was obscenely hot so we mostly just hung out around the house and ate homemade empanadas and potato balls. There was steak and beef stew. There was wine and there was ice cream. While we didn’t do anything particularly special it was nice just to have some relaxed time together without a lot on the calendar and to enjoy good food together.

September was also my youngest’s birthday and we had another lovely cake produced by a student at our school. This is the second year I’ve ordered my son’s birthday cake from her and I continue to be impressed. She’s not quite 12 years old and the taste, design and decorations of her cakes are well beyond her years. I can’t wait to see where she goes with this and I love that I’m getting in on the ground floor of her amazing talent. But oh the cake. It was huge, delicious and I’ve yet to get tired of eating it.

I’ve also found my favorite new fall snack: apples and peanut butter with a spoonful of caramel dip. I bought the caramel dip for the kids and I’ve always liked apples and peanut butter but the orchard fresh apples we’ve been getting in our farm share are taking it up a level.

Hopefully October will involve, sadly, less cake, and hopefully more time enjoying the fall weather.