A Curious Annivesrsary in Everyday Ramblings

It has turned into an extraordinary day after a few rainy ones and is clear with some high clouds and warm. I was going to go to the members-only night at the art museum but as I am tired I think I will pass. I can go see the exhibit on Italian Style some other time. Season 5 of Downton Abbey is going to disappear off the PBS website on Sunday and I need to catch up on the last few episodes.

I took this picture this last Sunday because I was attracted to the tumble and mess of color. That is what I love more than anything about spring, the colors.

That and on days like today, having the windows open and air circulating after the cold dark interior life of winter.

It has been a year since I started teaching the Caregivers class up at the hospital. As Kes said the other night, it is like a practice in uncertainty. I never know who will be there and who will be able to and want to come to class and then once there what their needs are. I need to make it up as I go along.

The parents relatively new to the experience need to move and talk and absorb it all once they are over the shock, particularly if it is a treatable diagnosis and most of them are. The parents who are in the middle of a long difficult treatment with an uncertain outcome are just exhausted on every level imaginable. I had two of those this week.

The younger parents in particular, that have so little control over their lives because their days are consumed with so many difficulties as well as the rich special closeness can be a little, well, rebellious.

They are always nice to me but also they can act out a bit and can be disruptive and while I know what we are doing together is good for them, I hope to learn how to both handle that a lot better with as much compassion as I can muster and still not be so taxing on me.

It all just brings me face to face with a handful of insecurities I have about teaching in general and my people skills in general.

My work environment doesn’t help. As I was leaving the building today I was thinking just how unfriendly, and toxic a place it is. Telling myself yeah but at least it is not a plastics factory or an abattoir doesn’t really help although it is true.

I have such amazing resources and comfort compared to most of the world and I am grateful.

My next new recipe after the oatmeal cupcakes was oatmeal in a jar. You don’t cook it. I can’t remember ever eating cold oatmeal before. You mix steel cut oats, chia seeds, shredded coconut, almond milk and vanilla and a little maple syrup and throw some berries on top and seal it in a jar or a small glass bowl and refrigerate it overnight and ta da! A filling healthy breakfast, you just take the lid off and eat it.

The first time I made it the serving was way too big and too sweet, so last night I cut it all in half and cut back on the sweet stuff and it is yummy. The texture of the oats and the shredded coconut compliment each other.

And the focus on making nutritious healthy food has helped me take off those annoying couple of pounds I have been lugging around for a month. Finally.

I am still listening to H is for Hawk. It is taking me longer than I would like, partially because I have been busy, but also because I fret about bad things happening in the story. It is interesting that this has become a factor in my consumption of art this last year. I have become more tenderhearted.

It is not like I expect things to be all rainbows and golden hues and I can hardly tolerate work produced to be “lite” but I can’t dwell in the dark lands as much as I used to. It could be a factor of my aging point of view but I suspect it has as much to do with teaching as anything else.

I am curious about that. I shall investigate. :)

Last updated March 13, 2015