I got my restart. I did some hiking, some research/writing, and finished the mid-summer weeding of the garden.
My trip is slowly coming together. I still need to find out if I need to get/bring certain stuff. My cousins are used to living in a city where they can get pretty much anything, and I'm not. So they're less antsy about this than I am.
My Mom's up in the air: she keeps telling me to do the planning, but the planning depends on a firm date from her for getting together with my aunts, and that hasn't happened yet.
I need to start making a list and checking it twice! And hiking! And practicing! And writing!
In birding news: I've had a male Eastern Towhee on the deck the past couple of mornings. And this morning, there were four Rose-Breasted Grosbeak fledglings, doing the goofy fledgling stuff. The oriole fledglings seem to have mostly moved on; I haven't seen them yesterday or today (I may have just missed them), and the House Finch fledglings are doing their own thing and not begging any more.
The local Robin has been eating more seed this year than I've ever noticed before.
I've come to the realization, not at all unexpected, than emotionally, I could retire right now and never be bored and keep plenty busy with all sorts of fun. Financially, not so much. Still, it's good to feel excited about sabbatical in this way, and enjoying summer.
That's so interesting, because I came to something of the opposite realization from my sabbatical, that I really don't want to retire! I do better with a schedule and with people who are counting on me to be at a particular place at a particular time with certain things accomplished. One could certainly create those circumstances without a job, but it would be harder.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, there is a wonderful freedom that comes with having no schedule at all, and I'm already missing that freedom (I started teaching summer school this week).
Obviously what's best for me is the very thing I usually have: a job that gives me several long breaks a year.
Enjoy your lovely sabbatical!