[Heidi]

 

What is revealed in the dark, when we sit in stillness, our backs turned against the cold?

How far have we come under the last thirteen moons?

What path is illuminated by the stars of the new year?

 

The dark chill time of the year is upon us, and the candles flicker valiantly against the gathering gloom. I have within me an ember that glows and carries a soulful solace.

 

 

Solstice is a time of ending, not with a sense of loss, but with a sense of finishing a chapter.

It’s a potent time of discernment for me, a time of reflecting back on the path I have walked and looking ahead with intention.

 

Heart and Soul are the core of this challenge as I wrap up so many things, projects as well as presents, with a sense of presence.

 

Grab a cup of tea and join me for a spell.

This is a journey of inner warmth. 

[DarK_RaideR]

12 minutes ago, Heidi said:

Solstice is a time of ending, not with a sense of loss, but with a sense of finishing a chapter.

It sure is a time of rebirth and renewal. As always, you have a way with words. Tea and inner warmth sound amazing, but you know I'd be here even without those.

[Heidi]

26 minutes ago, DarK_RaideR said:

It sure is a time of rebirth and renewal. As always, you have a way with words. Tea and inner warmth sound amazing, but you know I'd be here even without those.

Always good to have you along, Dear Ranger.

There’s space by the fire. Make yourself at home.

[Heidi]

@DarK_RaideR, your signature always gets that song stuck in my head, and now I expect it to play whenever you enter the room.

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, Heidi said:

Grab a cup of tea and join me for a spell.

Earl Grey. Hot.

[Heidi]

4 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Earl Grey. Hot.

Ensign Singer, make it sew!

[darkfoxx]

Gimme whatever flavor combo sounds weirdest

[Heidi]

4 minutes ago, darkfoxx said:

Gimme whatever flavor combo sounds weirdest

Pomegranate - blackberry fizz it is, then!

[DarK_RaideR]

2 hours ago, Heidi said:

@DarK_RaideR, your signature always gets that song stuck in my head, and now I expect it to play whenever you enter the room.

Kinda like that, but minus the music

 

[Heidi]

14 minutes ago, DarK_RaideR said:

Kinda like that, but minus the music

 

That was truly weird.

😎

[Heidi]

So, if you were along for the last challenge, you know I got very sick at the end, a neurological episode followed by a reaction to the booster. Anyway, I had more than a week of no solid food (tea and milk go a long way) and I just started back on Saturday with broth and crackers (the crackers weren't a great idea, but stayed put). I moved on to a baked potato yesterday, and that went well. I had another potato today and a bowl of chicken noodle soup as well. All seems fine and good, so far.

 

Court is tomorrow at 10.

[Heidi]

Was minding my own business, resting and reading up on some of the articles that got published while I was ill, and had a thought that turned into 500 words for the dissertation, and landed in a Very Cool New Place, one that centers the whole discussion in the Educational realm, and I like it.

 

My guts sound like a thunderstorm is raging, but I'm otherwise comfortable and okay.  Hoping everything calms down before court tomorrow.

 

 

[Heidi]

Court was court. The official ruling is "more of the same, see you in six months."

 

I'm not displeased.

 

I had acupuncture after, and man I needed it. I am very tired, and possibly hungry.

 

Goodnight, Nerds.

❣️

[Heidi]

Woke up and ordered spaghetti and meatballs and started watching Aquaman. I'm 90 minutes in and it's okay ish, but I'm not certain what all the Aqua hype is about. Hoping to know more soon.

 

Also, acupuncture and delivery food on court days should be a requirement.

 

 

[WhiteGhost]

I'll be over here by the window with a cup of mint & ginger

[Heidi]

16 minutes ago, WhiteGhost said:

I'll be over here by the window with a cup of mint & ginger

Welcome!

Mint and ginger sounds excellent.

 

Today was a good day, though not without its rough spots. I worked from 8-2, and it was difficult to get back into the swing if things. I found a groove around 11 though, and then thought I was done for the day when I got home. 

 

I relaxed, ate the last of the spaghetti and meatballs, and watched King Richard, which was really good.

 

My favorite dogsitting client asked me to sit this coming weekend, and even though it will mean a good bit.if driving, I said yes. Time in the mountains with chickens is overdue.

 

The delivery dudes arrived with my new kitchen table thing, and I decided to assemble it on the spot. I invited Jenna over, because assembling furniture should have company even if not actual assistance, and she hung for about an hour before leaving since she hasn't been feeling well. I had everything but the stools finished and decided to call it a night. I'm still not certain what will become of the overly large table that is there, but that's a different problem.

 

As I was brushing my teeth, Jenna called, in a bit of a mental health crisis. I listened, and listened some more, and the end result is that I put on clothes, picked her up, and drove her to the emergency room. She has been admitted and will likely be there all weekend. I wasn't allowed to stay once she was taken back, of course, because COVID restrictions are getting tighter again.

 

At home, I finished up the stools.

It's so late it's early and I'm supposed to be at work at 8 in the morning.

 

Goodnight Nerds.

May you have peace this day.

[Heidi]

Any day that has a massage is a good day.

 

Work went well enough, and then the massage after was excellent. The week-long illness is evident in my muscles all over, and my massage therapist said it's really time to start thinking about massage and acupuncture weekly. She's probably right.

 

The drive out to the Cabin in the North was eerie in the early darkness, and I'm very ready to settle in and be done with the day. In theory, I am leaving at 630 to make it to my shift.

 

Goodnight, Nerds.

[Heidi]

Reasons Not to Quit #1584: Lead your life in such a way that the magic that is supposed to find you doesn’t find a closed, locked door instead. #reasonsnottoquit

[Heidi]

The Cabin in the North is amazing. 

 

My breathing completely changes when I'm here. I took today off from work, and I'm glad I did. My disability attorney contacted me and we've begun the process for a claim. It will be a long haul, but it has begun.

 

It's been a day of meditation and healing.

[Heidi]

Happy eclipse, y'all.

[juliebarkley]

I pour hot water into my mug, then abscond to a cozy spot on the rug near the fire, out of the way. I begin drinking from my mug with a spoon, and your suspicion that you caught a hint of chicken broth as I went by is confirmed.

[Heidi]

51 minutes ago, juliebarkley said:

I pour hot water into my mug, then abscond to a cozy spot on the rug near the fire, out of the way. I begin drinking from my mug with a spoon, and your suspicion that you caught a hint of chicken broth as I went by is confirmed.

Welcome!

That’s a delightful brew you’ve got there.

[Heidi]

The news has me distracted and unable to do much more than doomscroll, so i set the phone aside and am making Yet Another Pot Of Tea™️, and taking a walk around the cabin while it steeps.

 

I didn’t get through the opening credits of the movie yet, and it will probably have to wait until tomorrow evening.

[Heidi]

The visit today with Vivian was just great.

I have to admit that adding a 90 minute commute each way to do the visit has worn me out, but man o man, there were so many wonderful things in our “same-as-always” visitation. For starters, she liked the swimsuit, and she examined it a lot while we swapped backpacks in the locker room and set everything up for adventuring. She loves having her locker, and having her things in it, and she has a real sense of ownership going on.

 

She waltzed in to the burger joint (there’s really no other term for it) and said hi to the waitresses and asked how they were doing. It’s great to see her in such command of her world, and at ease in the community. Maggie asked if we wanted two root beers and she smiled and said “you know we do!” as she sat at what has become “our” table and started dealing out the cards. When she ordered burgers, she said “I’ll have the usual: a burger with extra pickles, bacon, and cheese. Mom, do you want one too?” And of course I did. After lunch, I was ready to head to pinball, but she tugged my sleeve and took us into the hiking store, and we had a great time daydreaming about hiking and camping, a favorite window-shoppping activity of ours. Pinball was great, as always, and then at the gym, it was amazing to be back in the pool. Her suit fits, and she really likes it. I’m very glad to have her in a girls’ suit instead of the adult suit that her stepmom had purchased. This is a two piece with a tank top and shorts, and it’s just right. The top could be longer for comfort, but she’s a 12-slim, no doubt.

 

After an hour of swimming (!!), we showered and got dressed to leave. She hung her suit in the locker and was noticing that she is accumulating quite a bit in there, and I asked if she needed a second locker just for the wet stuff, with the first locker for backpack and adventure gear, and she said yes right away.  Thus it came to pass that we each now have two half-lockers in the girls’ locker room instead of me having one long locker in the women’s locker room.  Pool time continues to be nonstop talking on her part, and it’s great. Topics ranged from a book she wants to read to movies and stuff at school, and updates on Levi and Emma, who were out on Friday because they got their second Covid Immunization shot on Thursday afternoon.

 

We have also claimed a favorite table at the bistro that we frequent for dinner, and have favorite servers there, too. While we were eating, we popped open the kindle app on my phone and launched a book in a series that she’s been wanting to read (Warriors, a very prolific series about cat tribes that her brother Graeme was also into pretty heavily black in the day). We took turns reading to each other, and she would interrupt to fill me in on the backstory to some of the characters and tell me what she thought of them. It was nice. 

 

We’ve gotten a fluency around scootering as well, and have our own language and expectations. It’s nice, and it feels easy and comfortable.

 

I definitely need to have more pool-hot tub-sauna time in my world. I’ve been struggling with motivation to leave the loft for anything, and having a work schedule hasn’t helped. The gym is already paid for, and I’m pretty sure it’s just as effective as a salt float, so after this month’s package at the salt float meditation, I’m switching back to the pool. I like it better and it’s closer any old way.

 

The apartment is a project-in-process chaos, and I have a a paper to write and stats to do, none of which is getting touched until tomorrow evening at the earliest. Jenna called this morning, and we still don’t know what her treatment plan is at the inpatient facility. 

 

The drive back in the dark was fine, but tiring. I really like the Cabin in the North, and have a pot of tea waiting for me. 

The dark is so complete here that with the lights off, I can see the stars out my window, and I have a great view of the Pleiades from bed.

 

Goodnight, Nerds. 

May you have peace this day.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

May the stars shine on your face as the moon blesses your sleep.