Love to Learn
Today is the official start of my summer break! Oh my goodness, I've been romanticizing about this day since mid February and through the end of the terrible twos and the beginning of a temper tantrum. Wahoo! It's all downhill from here on out.
How are you? Thank you for your well wishes with my RA mini flare. I'm doing pretty good overall and keep hoping that the day will come when I am not thinking about a body part. I missed the gym for a one and half weeks and discovered two things:
1. I need someone to tell me what to do (personal trainer) because left on my own I do nothing
2. Going to a climate controlled gym is wonderful and much better than the humidity or heat of summer which annoys my joints
My son left today and I cleaned some of the house and it feels like it's almost back to the way it was prior to his arrival. Holly will be thrilled he has left because she tolerates his presence. I've announced that I am NOT cooking for many days after cooking for a whole week.
While my knitting has been slow during this mini-flare, I've been enjoying my knitting time and the projects that are on my needles. I've scaled back to only 2-3 hours of knitting a day and know that this is good for me in the long run.
Today the heat and humidity arrived! Just a month ago I was wearing a jacket and wondering when the warm weather would arrive. Spring has gently led us to summer beginnings. The sun feels like summer and the birds, well they are constantly singing away.
To celebrate my summer break, I splurged on some new paints. The best part of the splurge was the researching and pondering and the endless you tube reviews I watched. I do love to learn - both my parents and my grandfather were great proponents of learning. My grandfather would say 'whatever you want to learn is in a book'. I bet you he would love the internet!
My mother and grandfather would puzzle out the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzles (in ink of all things). My grandfather had many books for home maintenance and taught himself plumbing, electricity etc.
My dad subscribed too many magazines about popular mechanics and woodworking. I also remember organic gardening magazines as well. He was doing organic gardening before it was cool.
Besides learning knowledge, I love learning about myself. I know I need balance in my days and I know I need to manage my stress levels. My body is at its best when I go to the gym, eat right and sleep on a regular schedule. Family is important and spending time with them makes me happy.
Above all I know I benefit on being grateful for the boring dull days and blissful contentment during them. Truly happiness to me is the same old same old.
What do you like to learn?
Your garden looks so lovely! And, those paints! I am intrigued - I would love to learn painting and may just do that this summer via my local library!
ReplyDeleteAnd, thank goodness for AC in the midst of the humidity!
Enjoy that delightful summer break feeling of freedom! (Also the gym, learning, and AC!)
ReplyDeleteI am learning to be gentle with myself. Learning to adapt from a life on the go to one that changed in a blink to sitting on the couch has been a challenge, but keeping my hands and mind busy have been key. However, Mylo is not happy with me. He is angry, bored, depressed and even sometimes dismissive. I am no longer fun mommy. I yearn to be back on my feet (and I will be given time!).
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're feeling more like yourself ... just as you get your days - and your house! - back! I am learning that "free time" is my favorite. Today was the first day in a few weeks that I had no appointments and no need to leave the house. I got a few things checked off my to-do list, worked out, knitted, and napped. it was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOh your remark about your grandfather got me thinking about mine. He would have loved the internet too! He loved to read about foreign countries and I bet he would have binge watched every travelvlog on the net... I'd like to learn to cope with stress - again. Never think you've got it, there's always a curveball...
ReplyDeleteOn a happier note, I like to learn new crafts. I find that macramé is coming back and I'd love to learn that. I could use some plant hangers for my new porch anyway...
I would love to learn to water color. I've watched some videos...
ReplyDeleteI love to learn new things about the history of my family...new crochet patterns...and about myself I have never been consistent when it comes to keeping a journal and that is something that I want to learn because I know it will help me be more balanced. I also love to learn about gardening...the flowering kind. :) One thing I learned recently about myself is that I cannot crochet for hours at a time!
ReplyDeleteI agree - there is a real comfort in being able to just enjoy your own routine. Your flowers are so lovely, and it looks like Frodo has a summer cut. Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteI love to learn new crafts and trying to master them, it fills my heart with joy when I have achieved something new. Glad you are feeling a little better.
ReplyDeleteOh my! I Love the colors in whatever that is you're knitting and that little bird stitch marker is adorable! When it comes to learning, I'm a bit immature. I want to 'know' something but I don't want to bother 'learning' it. Learning to love learning is on my to-do list because the issue has a huge effect on my life but.... But every time I look at that to-do list, I hear myself whining about, "It's too hard...," "I don't know how...," "It will take too long...." ... and my complaints go on and on and on. One day.....
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are so, so pretty! Enjoy your summer freedom. It's nice that you have so many interests so that on those days when you cannot knit ALL day long, there are other tempting things - painting, sketching, photography, playing with your animals and, of course, the gym. Wishing you a fun weekend with less humidity!
ReplyDeleteI yearn to play with watercolors and I am thinking about getting a lettering workbook to practice lettering this summer. Oh, and doodle note taking - just need to take the time to play with these creative things.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as a boring day. Those days are so few and far between the really stressful ones. Enjoy each moment you have to yourself with your knitting and those beautiful paints.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos Karen, your knitting is looking good. I'm glad you are able to knit more again and hope you don't over do it. I love to learn new stitches, it just seems more interesting to try new things.
ReplyDeleteI like the little bird stitch marker, very sweet, Cathy x
Your garden is very pretty Karen. I too love to learn, but I prefer books to videos. I like to follow the written words and pictures to master a technique. I think that having to back track on a video is annoying. I do sometimes watch some of them, but then I search for written instructions. 2-3 hours of knitting is wonderful. I am limiting myself to only half an hour, at most, per day of crochet and it is annoying me, but necessary. Your painting experiments look good. Someday I hope to dabble in that also.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on entering summer! It's nice having a job that comes with summer vacation.
ReplyDeleteI love your paint set. The colors in you sample look just beautiful. I usually buy empty half-pans and squeeze in Daniel Smith paints.
I'm slowly working up to making my palette, I'm excited to do it one day :)
DeleteI love to learn and know my Mother would have had a field day with resources on the internet. Currently I am reading a book called Seeds and so am learning how seeds unite, endure, nourish, defend, and travel. In the process they have influenced history. I like details and learning about a subject in depth. Your flowers are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to read your RA is better already and that you're able to knit some each day. Your new watercolor set rocks! I love how you have a good variety of hues of colors to choose from.
ReplyDeleteI hope to learn Crayola brush lettering and mixed media this summer. I need to pull out my supplies and start practicing.
I have just adjusted to the summer schedule and feel like we've slowed down a bit where I can breathe and feel it's summer. I also hope to learn some new sewing skills. My plan is to make at least two garments this summer that I will make use of.