There was lots of excitement around here this past week. Lots of initial anxiety too. Tuesday was the day that Libby was scheduled to leave for France but to get to that point she had to have a fancy PCR test that was negative for Covid and it had to be within a set amount of time. All the packing and shopping that took place to get her ready and the one thing that could have derailed it was that test. Her mom had found a location that would do the test about an hour and half from here. Results guaranteed within a couple of hours. At about noon on the same day she took an at home rapid test which was negative so she had a good feeling that all was well. As it turned out, all was well and she had her PCR results within an hour of the test so packing continued in earnest. Unfortunately two of her pals tested positive so they were delayed in their departure. I can’t imagine how devastating that must have been for them. Anyway, Tuesday evening, Libby was driven to Logan airport in Boston and deposited there by her mother and brother. What an amazing experience she has begun. You can’t see the smile but it is definitely there.

I looked out the window of our sun porch and was delighted to see a beautiful sunset. The only time we see the sunset from our house is in the winter. It was glorious and lasted for quite a long time. That room is one of our favorites as it gets flooded with sun light in the afternoons. I find myself going in there and sitting in the sunshine and reading a book many days. We have lots of plants in there and they seem to be quite happy with the location. Not quite a greenhouse but it satisfies my yearning for some green space in the dead of winter.

Update on Jenny Lane

There really isn’t one from this week but the coming week will bring some changes. Our biggest challenge now is to empty the whole laundry/bathroom area in preparation for the guys to come back mid-week and begin the renovation. We have collected boxes and containers to store things in while the work is done. We can leave the washer and dryer because we can’t move them but we start with digging up the cement for the drains first. I assume it is going to be a mess and noisy. In the meantime, Jack’s room is being turned into a storage area temporarily.

Winter is a Time to Slow Down

Our four-footed family members have all decided they like the fire at night as much as we do. Most nights when we are sitting in the living room they are with us. This past week we had all four of them at the same time sitting with us. The best part is that the workers in the kitchen are a part of the group too. We are incredibly lucky that we have some incredible chefs living with us. Last night Jack and Katie prepared an Asian meal for us and a couple of friends that was outstanding. The homemade, from scratch, dumplings were my all time favorite. I don’t really like the take out Chinese food because it is so salty so I was thrilled when they made this meal for us. I hope they will do it again.

Exercise in the Winter

So very happy that we have the Peloton treadmill and my cheap but adequate exercise bike. We continue to use both every day. I haven’t gotten out much on the trails. The conditions have been pretty tough for walking and not enough snow for skiing or snowshoeing until the latest snowstorm. I miss it and I miss the trails but I have been really good about walking on the treadmill and doing a couple of rides on the bike. I’ve increased the time to a minimum of 45 minutes and have added a 10 minute stretch after each. Every once in awhile I add a restorative yoga class so I’m taking care of myself. I do open the window while I exercise so am getting some fresh air but it’s just not the same as spending a couple of hours in the woods with my dogs. I got an Apple Watch for Christmas and it tells me that I am in pretty good shape for an older lady. However, I can be a little obsessive about checking the health app all the time. I guess I am a curious old lady!!

The House feels Empty

Jack is heading back to Sewanee for the spring term. He has earned his gown and will be presented with it this coming weekend. Order of the Gown is a distinguished tradition. You can read more about it on the university’s website link that I posted here. The ceremony is going to be live streamed so you can bet we will be watching it. The house now feels very empty. It’s just three of us now after a very busy couple of weeks. Jack was supposed to join Katie at her convention in Orlando this week but unfortunately Omicron has caused that event to be cancelled. So many things are being cancelled again. Not sure how this is all going to play out but in the meantime we wear our KN95 masks when we go out anywhere and we don’t go to many places other than the grocery store. Our other home in Canada is pretty much shutdown. No restaurants or pubs are open, the grocery stores are closed on Sundays and there is a curfew at night. We have been attending Zoom church for over a year now. All the Anglican churches are remote only for the time being. We love seeing our Canadian friends and family on Sunday mornings and thanks to modern technology we can participate with readings. Amazing what we take for granted. Two years ago I never would have dreamed we would be doing this today.