This was supposed to be “making grape jelly weekend”. The grapes are deep purple and definitely
ripe. Standing next to the heavy vines
it smells like a big glass of grape juice, they are very ready. Letting them go another week may result in
over ripe grapes and opportunity lost. Saturday
had me running every minute but I did think by Sunday I could steal some time
to pick grapes and engage in the process of making grape jelly. I make refrigerator jelly so I don’t go
through the elaborate process of canning, boiling, and who knows what else, to
make my jelly. I just cook and
refrigerate it. It is a once a year
treat and I look forward to it as my personal rite of passage into autumn.
Sunday morning I woke up with a sore throat and the start of
a sinus thing. Yes, I am definitely sick
and from the way I feel right now I will be spending the better part of this
day on the couch sneezing, coughing and generally feeling miserable. I will not be standing over the stove cooking
and stirring my grapes as they convert to jelly. Can the grapes wait or will they be wrinkled
raisins on the vine by next weekend?
Disappointed and sick I am grabbing my Kleenex box and heading for the
couch.
How did I get sick already?
The influx of coughing germ infused children in our school has already
begun but it still is early in the school year for random viruses. I have
not been mindful of getting enough rest and taking time to distress. I have definitely been burning the candle at
both ends. That balance between work and
self has been lopsided and I think it is a contribution to becoming easy prey
for a floating virus. In addition to
school demands I have been helping an ill family member while I juggle my own
family’s needs. Yup, I have not been
doing what I should to slow down a bit and think about self-care.
How do you balance the demands in your life to allot time
for relaxation and rest? Do you promise yourself
that you will take time out tomorrow only to postpone it for the next day, and
then the next day and so on? Nature has stepped in and now I am forced to take
a time out …to be sick. I should have
slowed down and got more rest. Now I
regret my bag of potato chips lunch and other embarrassingly unhealthy eating
choices as I worked through my lunch hour.
I replay all the unhealthy things I had been doing in my mind. I haven’t even walked the dog in a week and
in addition to that activity being great exercise it is an excellent stress
reliever.
How did this happen?
Only 3 weeks into the school year and I have already allowed myself to
get caught up on this insane merry-go-round of nonstop activity. I am not happy to be sick but I needed this
eye opener. I realize I need to slow
down, breathe, and walk the dog. Maybe
it is going to take better time management but I definitely have to schedule
some “me” time.
How do you balance work, family life, and personal time?
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