It is a quiet Sunday afternoon here. Holly is at dance. Jim is at work. Connor is playing a video game. The dogs are asleep. The house is clean, and the last load of laundry is in the dryer right now. A quiet day is exactly what is necessary to recharge our batteries, as it was rather a rough week all around.
Jim had strategy meetings for three days this week. This meant long days in meetings, working lunches, and business dinners. He was also getting ready for a physical inventory at one of his plants, which is where he is right now. Anticipating twelve hour days from now until Thursday, it is no wonder he was a bit stressed this week!
Holly added yet another dance class this week. Thankfully, this is the final class until we get to the main cast auditions for next year’s ballet. This would have meant dance would be seven days a week, but there was some reshuffling of rehearsals this week that takes us back to six days a week. Granted, she is at the studio for four hours today, but as she put it to me in a text a few minutes ago, she may be exhausted but she is extremely happy. That’s all any parent can wish.
Connor was not supposed to have a rough week, but the news broke on Friday that a fellow student committed suicide on Thursday. This student’s father is a teacher at the high school, and Connor was actually in his class when the father got the phone call that there was a family emergency. This student was also in band, so he has seen the impact from both sides. It was sobering news that I believe he is still trying to process. We all are, actually. Suicide is always tragic, but for some reason the suicide of a high school senior is particularly difficult to understand.
This week was all about bad news. My manager found out she must remain on medical leave now until after the new year begins. The news from DC about the Senate’s votes against Planned Parenthood, stronger gun controls, and the Affordable Care Act was infuriating. Then there was the news from San Bernardino. I wish we could put aside our differences and come together on this one issue to stop these sorts of mass shootings from occurring. I am genuinely afraid for my family and friends, my kids and their futures, and the state of our society when such tragedies are becoming everyday occurrences.
On a happier front, I posted every day this week. From the usual fare – What Are You Reading?, Fabulous Friday, What’s for Dinner – to three reviews knocked off the list – Lock In by John Scalzi, Prince of Darkness by Shane White, The Passage by Justin Cronin – it felt good to at least have one thing stay normal this week.
Next week is more of the same. Dance, work, chores, school. We do have the added bonus of Holly’s first band concert, plus I have my own inventory audit to monitor on Saturday. I need to squeeze in some Christmas cards and decide what I plan to bake for the holidays. Sometimes, it really is not fair that Jim and I picked two career paths in which December was one of the busiest times of year professionally.
I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend. Have a great week, and see you on the flip side!
