Chit Chat

I'm heading out for the day now so I'm borrowing from an e-mail I wrote this morning: _____________________ I've survived 3-and-a-bit months doing demented activities, and I think I've acclimated... a little. By "acclimated" I mean I recently ran out steam and was forced to relax! and then found a relaxed approach was more sustainable and sometimes even more effective. The turning point came the other day when the toddlers came up to visit from daycare, as they do twice a week. I was in such an energy slump, I just dumped a big bag of yarn on the floor and let them go at it.  "Unstructured play" I think this is called.  "Exhausted carer," I call it. But anyway, it was a great success! (I had hoped it would be, but truthfully, that wasn't my main motivation.) Like kittens with yarn, soon the children had spread it all over and tangled themselves up in it. Afterward, I plunked the tangled yarn on the activities table and several grown-ups sat around and untangled it and rolled it up into balls. (This sounds more intentional and directive than it was...) Some just sat and held the yarn, which was nice in itself -- lovely soft wool, dyed earthy colors--quite expensive stuff, donated by the family of a woman who used to knit. (I think I told you this is an affluent place?) And that was my Activity for the day, and it was as good as almost any other I've done. Though not quite as successful as indoor golfing! Something about ball games... people always seem to like them. Maybe because they can create an instant effect through their own actions? (Is that what "fun" is? ) Even if they miss the target, THEY hit the ball? Of course I moved the target around per person, so everyone could get the ball in, eventually. OK, all for now. Friday is one of my 3 days off, (I know, I know, I shouldn't complain, I don't know what overwork is!), and I spend Friday afternoons sorting donations at the Thrift Store, which is rather calming and generally fun because I actually achieve something tangible (like hitting a ball into a bucket). Btw, I know very well the real "work" I do is not the tangible stuff, --what really matters is ... um, like, placing boulders in a rushing river behind which people can have a moment of rest before being swept further downstream.  Hm. No wonder I've been tired! But now I have placed enough boulders around, I can relax a little and trust these places of shelter... In other words, I don't have to rearrange the heavy furniture every day. Some days I can sit on the couch with the people and watch The Sound of Music for the zillionth time.  (Wouldn't Shatner  have made a great Captain von Trapp? Just as embarrassing as Christopher Plummer.)  via the most excellent blog Shatner's Toupee My best, Fresca