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Okay, that little depression blip was weird. I'm doing somewhat better now. While I'm still working slowly, I've gotten some things done. And slept a lot. And generally decompressed from the stress of a horrible work year.

 

I have a list of things I'm wading through, and slowly knocking things off the list.

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It sounds like a rough year all around. Working your buns off, and so many stresses and transitions.

I hope you get a good recharge. Sending some love your way.

I think sometimes when we get close to that burnout point, or have pushed ourselves past it, it normal to feel a little blue and exhausted when we do finally get that chance to sit still. Its like our bodies go ' ok, great, now I can let go of all this I've been holding in so we could get things done!'. Something like that. It's like how some people get sick every time they have vacation, when they rarely ever take them.

I hope I'm not presuming too much, just thoughts I had as I've had similar feelings before when finally getting downtime after a long stretch.

You've always been such a sweetheart to everyone here, just wishing you the best.

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It sounds like a rough year all around. Working your buns off, and so many stresses and transitions.

I hope you get a good recharge. Sending some love your way.

I think sometimes when we get close to that burnout point, or have pushed ourselves past it, it normal to feel a little blue and exhausted when we do finally get that chance to sit still. Its like our bodies go ' ok, great, now I can let go of all this I've been holding in so we could get things done!'. Something like that. It's like how some people get sick every time they have vacation, when they rarely ever take them.

I hope I'm not presuming too much, just thoughts I had as I've had similar feelings before when finally getting downtime after a long stretch.

You've always been such a sweetheart to everyone here, just wishing you the best.

 

Thanks so much, IAG!

It truly was a toxic year on so many levels. It makes sense that my body and spirit need to recover. I'm getting there, slowly...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Had a packed few days.

 

Last week I went with friends to a science lecture that was so fascinating.

 

On Sat I went blueberry picking for 3 hours in the morning, then rushed home to get cleaned up for a pub crawl. (Believe it or not, it was a fundraiser for my church).

 

The pub crawl was fun - it was on a peddle cart that we all had to peddle power ourselves to the next place. Picture bar stools around a bar counter with cycle peddles for each seat and a sane and sober person steering up front. Lol...

 

I only had one hard cider at the first stop, then a few tastes, Kombucha, and iced tea at the other places. Great fun with nice people, very unique experience.

 

Then a friend and I drove down to the Oregon Country fair on Sunday, which was great fun.

 

My only problem was that I was completely exhausted, because my cat had decided to bring a live rat into the cat door in the middle of the night - right into my bedroom! And he let it go!!! I am do traumatized! And sleep deprived!

 

Anyhow, it got behind my dresser so the cat lost interest. I got a broomstick to flush it out. And those suckered are so fast apparently! And can jump! And climb! Ugh ugh ugh, I still have shudders.

 

Fortunately I had had the great idea of closing off doors to the other rooms, so he dashed into the bathroom with cat in tow. The cat was happy to chase it, but then once it was cornered he just flopped down as if to get me to take care of the rest. So - I got a plastic tub from my recycling and was able to plop that over it and slide cardboard under and transport it to the outside.

 

I've never seen rats around here before this year. I've heard that backyard chickens and compost piles have provided plenty of food for the critters...

 

Anyhow, my next door neighbor had hired a service for her rodent problem, and I was thinking she had mice. But now I suspect it was much more than that...

 

So - my friend decided to stay at my place last night since she lives farther. When we got back from the festival, there was a live bird in the livingroom and bird poop all over my kitchen floor! I caught it with a towel and put it outside.

 

To make things worse, there was a little ant trail through my carpet to the cat food. So - I vacuumed and mopped thoroughly after 10 pm last night, cursing that I apparently am doomed to have all of nature invade my home...

 

I forgot to mention that he proudly brought me a live garter snake last Thursday, which I put outside...

 

I hope I sleep well tonight.

 

No more animals in the house!!!

 

Oh wait, that should be in all caps: NO MORE ANIMALS OR ANTS OR OTHER BUGS IN MY HOUSE!!!!!!!!!

 

In the meantime, my toilet innards are malfunctioning do I had bought a new set (tower and flap) to try to fix it. But I ran out of time. I have to look at YouTube videos to see how to do it.

 

So my guest, who often has bouts of IBS, was having to fill up a bucket to flush because the tank would not fill properly. I'm sure it was a huge annoyance for her. She offered to help me with that project, but I was so tired and cranky and not in a good space to embark on that project.

 

Also, she was talking my ear off, so after a few days of traveling together I was ready for her to go home. I'll work on the toilet tank thingy this week. I don't know why she kept choosing to use that bathroom, since I have another one...

 

So there you have it. Some fun stuff for me. And some other stuff for which I cannot even begin to think of a fitting adjective. Except exhausting and traumatizing. Those fit.

 

Not sure what to do about my cat's hunting activities that have increased this week. I can deal with garter snakes, and even mice. But not rats!!!!!

 

My cat door broke a few years ago, so I can't block it off (the flap fell off).

 

Well, hope your weekend did not involve animal and pest management!

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Yes! But sorry about the typos. You get the gist.

 

So I got somewhat better sleep last night - I did wake up frequently, wondering what the cat may have brought in. He did come in at 3 am, and was sniffing around the back of my dresser. But I think that was just hopeful thinking on his part.

 

Was going to walk today, but my friend has a workshop. So - that gives me one more day to recuperate. We will walk tomorrow.

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Sorry, but I laughed at some of your plight...... It was pretty funny :D

 

Lol, laugh away. Maybe I'll be more amused in a year...

 

The dang cat. He was the one that chose to live at my house and also next door some years ago. We kept giving him back to his owner that lived on the street behind us. And he would come back. The last time I returned him, he found my cat door and happily jumped up on my bed for the night. Which caused a ruckus with my own cat (who is now no longer living).

 

Anyhow, he apparently hangs out at other houses, and thinks he owns the neighborhood. I guess I rate, though. I don't think he brings anyone else presents.

 

He is a very effective hunter. I just don't want the "gifts" in my house.

 

I have to figure out the cat door situation. He will never settle for being an indoor cat. I may choose to block off the cat door somehow and just let him in and out manually.

 

Sigh

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Oh, and about my houseguest. I was so exhausted that I was pretty snippy with her. She was ready to help me fix the toilet or whatever other pressing projects I need to do (I have many).

 

Normally I can take her in small doses but I just didn't have the energy this time. After she drove home I called apologized for being such a snippy host. She understood and knew how exhausted I was. She is lucky she wasn't there for the rat episode!

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I got out and walked by the river for 6 miles. It was a great day and I feel so much better.

 

I walked with a friend (I'll call her Sylvia) whose husband has deep anger and jealousy issues. She is on the verge of leaving him, and we talked about how she might safely do that. A year ago he threw her work computer across the room and it was damaged beyond repair. He says he "loves" her and is afraid she will cheat on him with another man. There is no way she would do that - she is as straight-laced as they come.

 

I asked her to drive out of town to hike some waterfalls but he won't let her go. Controlling is not love. Ugh.

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Last year, after the computer incident, she had moved out for 3 weeks. She just stayed at a family member's house. But her daughters (one in college, one in high school) stayed with their dad, and begged her to come back.

 

I think they understand more clearly the issues this year. Sylvia doesn't want her daughters to think this kind of relationship is normal.

 

He is retired, but does no work around the house. She cooks, cleans, works full time, etc.

 

Anyhow, they had some property that they were going to build on and he decided he didn't want to build a new house because he was sure she would move into it and get a divorce. This was last year. Moving into it was the last thing on her mind - she just wanted to generate a bit more rental income before her youngest goes to college.

 

She talked him into it, and he was going to oversee the construction. After it was approved and started, he stopped doing anything with it, and just let things slide.. So she has to go over there to manage all of the work, after her job.

 

Anyhow, now he is controlling again. When she goes over to meet with the workers, her husband accuses her of flirting with them. (She would never ever do that).

 

So now, even though it was not a thought last year when he accused her, she is now contemplating moving into the house when it finishes this fall.

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  • 1 month later...
How are you doing these days LUM?

Hi Sera and Jib!

 

I'm fine. Just back to work (school). I was out of town the past 2 weekends, too. One weekend of fun and museums with a friend. The next weekend I went to one workshop with coworkers and then I traveled to another city by myself for a more advanced version of that workshop.

 

I have a new boss. She went to one of the workshops with me so I got to know her a little. I think I irritated her - I just got that vibe from her. So I got worried about what kind of year I have ahead of me.

 

But - since we've returned I have been much more encouraged. And she put a note in my box to say that I made her day today, so that was super nice.

 

They hired someone to help me for a few hours each day and I am so grateful for the help. Things are shaping up for a much better year.

 

I have been enjoying having my son home for a bit, before he goes back to University. He has been writing songs and recording this summer - and learning how to do different techniques. He is planning on making this his profession.

 

I ran into a friend tonight who is an emergency room physician, and she told me he will likely get bored with this as a profession and will find something else to challenge his mind. She knows him pretty well. But then, she is driven, and looks at life through that lense. Anyhow, time will tell.

 

Fall stuff has started up again. I'm on a few committees, so I've been to a few meetings.

 

And so it all starts up again in the rhythm of life.

 

My son goes over to his dad's in a few days, to house sit. My ex's parents have moved in with him, and he is going out of town for 2 weeks. My MIL falls frequently and her husband needs help getting her up. So my son will be there to help out.

 

I had fun having him home for a bit. And he actually did some cleaning and chores without my asking. Big shocker! He doesn't clean counters well though...

 

And that's about it. Just the rhythm of life these days...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Still in that life rhythm these days. Work is going so much better this year! I'm so relieved. Last year was so horrible and I seriously thought of quitting.

 

We've had chilly Fall weather the past few days which is nice. I went for a 5 mile walk on Saturday morning and was going to mow the lawn after but when I got back it started raining. The next day I had church and in the afternoon I took my neighbor shopping. By the time I got back it was raining again.

 

Today was a decent day, but of course I was at work. I figured I would mow after work one day this week. But when I went to take the garbage out, I noticed the lawn was mowed. All in neatly diagonal lines.

 

I have a strange neighbor. He and his wife moved in a month ago. He is, apparently, very picky about his lawn, because I had a service working on my back yard (cutting out blackberries) and they had to go through my gate - which is right by the edge of his yard. And I guess they walked on part of his yard in the process so he yelled at them.

 

I was out of town at the time, so when I returned, he told me that he yelled at them for me. At the time I really wondered if he had gone into my back yard because he was telling me what terrible workers they were and describing their wor habits.

 

Anyhow, the last time I mowed, I did a quick job. I know I needed to trim better around the trees but didn't have time. Last Sunday when loading up my neighbor (on the other side) for shopping, I noticed that the trees looked like they were clearer around them and I wondered if he had done that. And then I just thought it was my imagination, because who trespasses into someone else's front yard to do yard work without asking?

 

Now that my lawn was mowed, I know it was true. He likely doesn't like how I do things so he did it himself.

 

This guy is a renter. I own my home. I am acquainted with his landlord, who actually lives up the street. (And, the landlord was thrilled that I was getting the blackberries removed. And I told her -and the tenants- they would be using my side gate).

 

Some people might say I am ungrateful for his "help". But he crossed a boundary, doing my yard work without asking permission to go on my property. It just feels uncomfortable.

 

I guess it could be a lot worse - in fact it has been worse. Tenants come and go at that house. The last ones were quirky but nice enough. The ones before that had a passel of kids that were loud and unruly and not cared for. And they moved out abruptly in the middle of the night. One year there was a police officer living there - and the house was robbed! One year, some acquaintances moved in and we were both surprised.

 

Anyhow, I am hoping these renters don't stay long...

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Oh god, how awkward.

 

I've had a couple 'involved' neighbors (shall we say)....but never one who came onto my property like that. I'm trying to think how I would react. Cutting my lawn is great, but my first concern would be self-preservation. I'd really have to feel the situation out. I'd worry if he could be dangerous--I'd probably get a webcam lol! And it would be high security protocol for a while.

 

Growing up, I once had neighbors who were so preoccupied with appearances that they (unsurprisingly) policed the neighborhood for people who violated HOA policies and (surprisingly!) swept our cul-de-sac! My mom loved them for being so neat, and made fun of them for being so nosy. Of course, my mom is a little nosy in her own way, so I got to enjoy that irony.

 

This made me LOL:

 

One year, some acquaintances moved in and we were both surprised.
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Thanks everyone. I just felt a bit violated. I don't think he is a creeper, per se. But I think he is full of himself. Acyually, i know he is full of himself. Anyhow, I take this as a "hint" that I am not taking care of my lawn properly in his eyes. Which is actually true.

 

Anyhow, I saw it in daylight today and it does look nicer than when I do it, lol.

 

The thing is my neighbor on the other side could really use that kind of help. Her husband died a few years ago and now she was diagnosed with mild onset dementia. So one neighbor goes over to mow her lawn once in a while. I take her shopping. (Which is why I ran out of time to mow this weekend).

 

My cousin's husband worked for a company that sent him and his family to Japan for about 4 years. My cousin said that if she didn't get out to sweep her walkway and steps each morning, her elderly neighbors would come and do it. She had 2 small children so it was hard to get out there to get it done so early in the morning, but she learned that she had to do that.

 

I'll get him a Starbucks card but make it clear that I want to mow my own lawn.

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This made me LOL:

 

Yes, at first I recognized a mutual friend that was helping her move. And then I realized who they were helping out. They stayed there for a few years, then bought a house, and they were nice neighbors. But they are long gone It has been about 9 years, and when clearing out the blackberry bushes this summer I found a baseball with her son's name on it. So that was funny.

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