I'm adjusting well to "retirement" and still pinch myself a couple of times a week knowing that I am in total control of my OWN time. Well, kinda...
I've continued to go to indoor cycling (spinning) class three times a week. And in the next couple of weeks, I'll work with a trainer to develop some weight-bearing activities that will become part of my weekly routine, too. I refuse to succumb to the calcium-leaching effect of Prednisone.
Another kind of spinning -- handspinning -- has become a weekly activity. What fun! I spin with a group of fabulous women and oh, the conversations we have! It's so exciting to be able to take a beautiful roving and turn it into yarn for knitting. I'm so grateful for the mentors in my spinning group; they're so encouraging.My schedule is often filled with volunteer activities, activities that I really love. I meet new neighbors each week as a driver for Island Connections. It's such a privilege to ring handchimes and sing a couple of times a month with friends I've made at the Straus Center. I sit on the board of the Bar Harbor Food Pantry and on the store committee for its sister organization, the Serendipity Resale Shop . We supplement food and other grocery items for dozens of families from Hancock County each month. At Serendipity, we have amazing clothing bargains for every member of the family. And we have SUCH fun helping customers, decorating the store, and planning for special events.
But every once in a while, my body sends me signals that I can't ignore. Seems to happen when I plan more than three activities to happen in one day. Gee. Duh. There are days where I just can't get by without taking a much-needed nap. And that's O.K. Having an auto-immune disease is a real challenge at times. And evening activities have pretty much stopped for me; I'm in bed many evenings by 7 or 7:30 PM.
Yesterday was a day that I'd started out with a plan for four activities --- what WAS I thinking? But having hit the wall late afternoon on Sunday (yup -- I missed the neighbor's Super Bowl party), I found myself sitting in my car yesterday morning at 9 AM. Nearly in tears, I said to myself, You can't do this much in one day. You're an adult. You can make this decision. I turned off the ignition and slinked back inside. I phoned my friend to tell her I wouldn't be able to make it into town to help her, and she reminded me (as she has many times) that I need to take care of myself FIRST. Fortunately, I was able to get an
appointment with my GP (at 10:30 AM!) and I'm back on antibiotics for a sinus infection. I got through my two afternoon activities one of which was 90-minutes in the dentist's chair. Yes, it was a 7 PM bedtime for me.So today will be a very, very quiet day. I'm going to knit, knit, knit, do some handspinning, and watch some TV. And oh yes, I'll watch the gorgeous snow that is falling silently outside my window. From my chair in the living room, I can look out of seven different windows as the snow blankets our yard and home. And who knows? I might take a nap later . . .
