recharging

I hit the wall at approximately 8:37 pm last night.  Yep.  This is the whining part of the post.  July was a crazy month.  Winding down one job while ramping up the other.  Hospice by day and principal by night.  Visiting families for both. Reading for both. Schedules and paperwork for both.

Hospice ended on Wednesday.  On Thursday I packed clothes and food for the boys for their Maryland trip, tidied the house, and then left for a long weekend of teacher's meetings in Gatlinburg.  The meetings were good.  Good speakers, nice people, fun conversations with my new team.  I learned a lot.

Monday and Tuesday were long school days getting ready for registration.  We cleaned, dusted, mopped, scrubbed.  Then we organized, set up and discussed what needed to be included in the Principal's talk.  I came in early to run the track and then weed the school's front garden before rushing home to shower.  I stayed out late shopping for a new, principally pant suit.  Everyone was pitching in.  Everyone was working hard.

Which culminated in three hours of a loud and boisterous registration.  Students happy to be reunited with their friends.  Parents harried to get forms signed and bills paid.  Teachers touring and explaining and greeting. I smiled and shook hands and talked and listened.  And just before the end, I realized that my tank was empty.  I'd hit the wall.  I gritted through the last few minutes and limped to the car.

In 18 hours I had to board a plane to California. But right now I was too tired to drive 7 minutes home. I was too drained to cry.  I was even to spent to call my mom and get some comfort.  But I could hear her voice in my head.  "Go home, take a bath, crawl in bed Annie, you will make it."  I did.  

Mid cozy warm bubble bath I realized that I had 18 free hours to replenish in any way I chose.  To do anything I wanted to fill up.  Who gets that?  How lucky am I? And then I got to get on a plane and jet through the night to see my family.  To celebrate and chatter and catch up.  I was so excited to plan my renewing day that I wondered if I would be able to sleep.  I wondered that for 3.6 seconds after my head hit the pillow. zzzzzzzzz.

So what would you do with 18 hours?  Here are my ingredients -
1. Sleep - 8 hours of quiet peace.  A dark room and a cozy bed. I could have stayed there half the day, but I love watching the first 30 minutes of the Today.  It was lovely to become awake on the couch while Matt, Savannah, Al and Natalie shared the news with happy camaraderie.

2.  Quiet - Silence is healing to me.  After the news, the TV went off for the rest of the day.  I didn't turn on the radio in the car.  I didn't take headphones on my walk.  I listened for the whir of the fan, the purring of my cat, the gurgling of the water and birds singing to each other.

3.  Exercise - The last thing I felt like was pushing myself.  But I knew that a long airport to airport day would be much better if I got my blood pumping.  I headed to the park along the river before it got too hot.  The fresh air and elevated heart rate were healing and relaxing.

4.  Food - And then I was starved.  I had emptied the fridge since no one would be home for over a week.  So I checked out Biscuit Head, a tempting West Asheville bakery and bought a gluten-free egg and cheese biscuit. And a few doors down, Urban Burrito, where I grabbed a big salad to eat later.

5.  Tasks - Then home.  To leisurely pack. To clean the kitchen and finish the laundry.  To read a couple chapters of my current book. To choose which magazines should go in my carry on.

And then it was time to head to the airport.  I was relaxed and excited, packed and tidied.  Ready to nap on the plane.  Even more ready to see my parents and brothers.  So thankful for a replenishing morning.