The struggle is real, folks.
Now that the house is 90 percent complete, for the first time in over a year, I find myself with a lot more time on my hands. I will admit that I don’t really know what to do with myself. To further complicate the issue, I spend just enough time at a computer at work every day to not want to spend any more time on a computer once I get home. Summer temperatures make me want to hibernate inside until the humidity and temperatures drop to more acceptable levels. I try not to spend all day in front of the TV and the thought of grabbing my current read during the day holds no appeal. I also try to avoid the time-suck that is TikTok, but I have been spending my days spending way too much time mindlessly scrolling through IG and playing hours upon hours of Homescapes and Gardenscapes.
After losing my job last year, I stopped planning my day. I had certain things I wanted to do each day, and it worked. Then, we decided to sell our house, and I spent the next six months packing and prepping. Moving into the new house came with its own list of to-dos that I was happy to complete each day. Since starting my job in February though, I am struggling to find a good routine. It didn’t help that Jim was out of work until May 6th, or that he has been out of town for three out of the six weeks since he started his new role. Covid hit the house through Holly, and she suddenly had to virtually attend school for the first time in a year. Add to that the craziness of the dance competition season, end of year insanity, and I really struggled.
I think I am finally in a better mental space to start becoming more active online (and not in a mindless way). The key is going to be starting small, like with this post, and updating my reading archives. While I have a ton of reviews to write, I’m trying to not let the number overwhelm me. Plus, I don’t know if I have a lot to say any more about the books I read almost three months ago now. So, I’m just trying to find something that works for me that will shake me out of the mind-numbing boredom with which I’ve been plagued this spring.
Quick updates – Holly finished her junior year on the strongest of notes, attending prom, and rocking a 4.0 for her third trimester. She is currently averaging more work hours per week than I do and loves watching her account balances increase. In addition, she has already started working with her fellow seniors to plan and choreograph their pom routines for fall; plus, she is working with her coach to create more of a dance team for the basketball season as a way to change things up and make the season more fun.
Because she wants to become more involved in school activities, she took it upon herself to email the director of her school’s fall musical about obtaining a spot on the cast list because of her years of dancing. The director loved the idea, and she now gets to look forward to participating in her very first musical as part of the ensemble. They are performing Footloose, which is one of the reasons why she felt so strongly about participating.
As if that isn’t enough, she became a member of a modeling team one of the local photographers has for high school seniors. To round things out, she continues to dance, as if she would ever quit her first love. I don’t quite know if she completely understands just how busy she is going to be starting in September once the school year begins, but I know she loves a good challenge.
For Holly, summer is essentially over. She has her one week off from dance this week and starts right back next week. Jim spends about half of his time traveling for work. So it is up to me to maintain the house and watch the dogs. We are talking about having me go with him on one of his shorter business trips for a chance to get away and spend time by a pool, so we will see if we can make that happen. Holly has a short trip to NC with her bestie. While we may not get a family vacation this year, we are trying to get away after spending all that time homebound. Thank goodness for vaccines!
All Shannons are now gainfully employed. Jim started his new role the first week in May and really jumped in with both feet. It is a similar role to his previous role but with a smaller company. It’s great to see him back at work, finessing people, and making plans. The only downside is that the few remaining house projects are now in limbo. However, he’s happier, and therefore we are all happier.
