It is January, isn't it? The birds are chirping here, flowers are popping up in our front flower boxes, and when we are out shopping in the market we go without hats, mitts and boots. I honestly don't miss the winters at home. I can't say that I exactly relish days of rain and overcast skies either, but it beats freezing my Canadian, well you know what off, hands down. It is so freeing not having to plaster on the layers before heading outdoors.
I’ve been out of work now since early December and I have been trying to keep myself as entertained as possible while Rick is at school. I have been posting writing challenges on Facebook to keep me motivated and on track. Not easy when I am not involved in classes, writing group, or have a deadline to meet. And yet so easy to avoid it, forget it, and put it aside to do something else. The FB challenges were my way of reaching out to my friends to get the nudge I often need to remind me why I should be writing and what a shame it would be if I didn’t bother. And that is why I have also decided to keep this blog going after all. And thanks to all of you who expressed your disappointment in my blog’s disappearance. I didn’t realize that it was so popular.
Along with my daily writing, I have been job hunting for another temporary or fix term contract position. Looking for work can be a very humbling experience. I have had to develop a thick skin when it comes to rejection of my CV, or following an interview. But each time one of the doors closes, I keep reminding myself of the one that will open. And that door will lead to another and I will be grateful that others have closed behind me. The process of looking for work has also helped me to define what I want in a job, even when it is short term, and what I deserve as a result of my skills and education.
Along with writing and job hunting, the house is so neat and tidy. Crazy the things you will take the time to clean when you are bored silly. But the good thing is along with a clean house; Rick is enjoying freshly made muffins in his lunch and a nice dinner when he comes home from school. But since I haven’t been making any money, I figured I better earn my keep.
It is amazing, however, how we have managed to live on just Rick’s income for the last few weeks. And now that Hoover boy is gone, we certainly don’t make as many visits to the grocery store. Boy, the kid ate a lot, which makes me suddenly think of him and how I miss the big lug. I’ve booked his flights for a visit for two weeks in March and I can hardly wait for him to wrap his arms around me and scoop me up off the floor, like he used to do when he was here last year. It makes me feel like a girl. I am so tiny next to him and it makes me think of the time when I would give him piggy back rides up to bed. What the heck happened?
Channing will be bringing a friend with him from Peterborough, and I am sure they will have a blast hanging out with his old pals from the Leigh Academy. We have already booked the ferry from Dover to France for a day trip so we can take them along the coast. And we can stock up on that cheap French wine, of course. And there will be trips to London, perhaps a castle or two, maybe Stonehenge, and goodness knows where else as there is simply so much to do, but I honestly don’t care because I will get to see my boy again. And we are also hoping to get Keaton and Molly over when they are finished their first year of College and Uni sometime in May. It is nice to have these things to look forward to.
And finally, we went to Morocco over the Christmas break and had an absolutely amazing holiday. The resort was spotless, the staff terrific, and the souks (markets) in Marrakech a once in a lifetime experience. Let’s just say that I didn’t know what was more bizarre, the monkeys on chains, the snake charmers, the motorcycles whizzing by and suddenly donkeys pulling carts, or the dentist that extracted teeth on the spot (without any drugs or hygiene precautions, of course)!
