Finding a New Normal

Finding one's NEW NORMAL is no easy task. Even though I had lived alone with Kazi for years before meeting Michael I can't remember what that looked like. But what I can tell you is that not only am I transitioning from being part of a couple to being a single person I am also transitioning from having a "somewhat full" nest to a future "empty nest." And let's not forget that ever present upcoming momentous occasion in 145 days - RETIREMENT!  That's a lot to adjust to. Where to start?
The first step was to change bedrooms. I moved back up to my old single bed in my old single-person bedroom. Can I tell you I'm in love...with my bed? Is that weird?

I tell you I can hardly wait to retire...to bed, that is. Every day I come home from work and do the things I need to do. I've been rather absent from the blogging front over the past week due to events out of my control. And then our second semester began yesterday and my dining room table has been littered with a heaping pile of curriculum  documents, marking, IEPs and the like. But I have completed all I needed to - report cards, updated IEPs, a month-long unit covering the upcoming Winter Olympics so I am back to posting and reading your blogs once again.

But where was I...oh yes...so once I get home from work I feed the cat, iron my clothes, tonight I have to cut my hair, make dinner, spend some time on my computer, do up the dishes, feed the cat (YES, I KNOW I already said that but since we've discovered Friskies it's like she's doing a Benjamin Buttons thing and getting younger  by the day!!), make my lunch, try to do 1 or 2 little things around the house, ride my bike and toddle off to bed hopefully by 8pm! After my few ablutions I fluff up my pillows, pour a glass of red wine, light a candle, find my latest audio book on my iPad, perhaps have a bowl of air-popped popcorn, sigh with deep relief at getting horizontal on my died-and-gone-to-heaven memory foam topped mattress and just sink into the comfort and warmth - it's pure bliss.

Sometimes it feels a little strange to be in bed by 8pm but that's where I want to be. I just finished an excellent book by Scott Turow (I just love courtroom dramas) and now am being highly entertained by Michael Conelly (about another lawyer).  There's something so peaceful about being all tucked up in bed on a snowy bed while a lovely voice reads to you. And yes, I eventually fall asleep (AFTER blowing out the candle - no worries!) and have to find my place in the book again the next night but that's ok. I'm happy I can sleep well. Though there have been a couple of mornings when I've woken up to find that lovely voice is still reading away to me! The iPad people need to figure out some sort of sensor so that when I drift off the book will go to sleep too!

Is it 8:00 yet?