Marking Time

In the broadest sense, the first of January is just another day to me- the day after December the 31st.  No big deal.  But as a marker of time, it does signify an end to one block of time and the beginning of another.  It seems impossible not to take some kind of review of what's past and contemplate what is yet to come.

From The Homeschool Files

Above- Homeschool get together at Serendip Sanctuary with our new-found friends

In many ways, 2011 was a great year.  Family life and homeschooling cruised along quite nicely.  The boys continued to grow into likeable young men.  Some difficult personal  situations seemed to settle into the background, rather than being in constant focus.  New friends were made and these friendships will deepen with plans we have for 2012.  The garden grew.  Sam settled into an almost mature and almost responsible grown-up labrador. :)

From Feathered, Furry or Finned

There is one area of my life though (well, at least one!) that needs some attention.  2011 has been my sickest year since childhood.  Since August, I've had one thing after another after another.  Hmmm, do you think my body is telling me something?  The illnesses have not been overly serious but I'd be silly not to see the signs that my immune system is not what it should be.  After the illness chronicled in my last post, I wind up the year with a mystery illness that is causing arthritic pain in most of my joints, fatigue and weakness.  So as my family jaunt off to the pool this afternoon and the beach tomorrow, I contemplate sitting out most of the summer.  It's very frustrating; this 'down time' was going to be a very busy and productive, yet recreational break from routine.  Well, the routine is certainly broken but not in a way I'm happy with.

Still, there are many a lot worse off.  I'm not bed-ridden.  I can do things in little bursts and DH has a couple of days off work across the public holidays so he is taxiing the boys to their various social activities.  I'm glad they're not missing out.  Actually, a few days ago, I couldn't have sat here and concentrated this long on writing this post so perhaps I'm improving.

Like a lot of women, I've never been comfortable spending much time on my physical self.  I'd rather read a good book than have a manicure; knit a sock than sweat it out at the gym; prune a fruit tree than have my hair done at a salon.  The fit, healthy me of 20 years ago was accidental- a fairly frugal diet in our single-parent household and walking everywhere as I didn't have a license until after I married.  Putting time into my own health is still something of a foreign concept.  So as I mark time until I'm strong enough and well enough to get back into the swing of things, I've got time to think and plan the battle strategy- the battle being a tendency to slip back into old habits once I'm feeling better.  

I don't believe in New Years resolutions.  That's not to say I never pledge to make changes- I pledge and break pledges to myself on a regular basis.  But I think that long term changes are made by waking up each day and making the myriad little decisions that move one in the right direction.  This health scare has made me more determined to cut out a lot of the processed food in my diet, especially sugar and white flour.  It's not easy.  I can't count on my family doing this with me- that's been my excuse for years.  I need to do this by myself, if need be.  I also need to make exercise a daily part of my life, come what may.  I don't want to spend what amounts to the second half of my lifespan in the doctor's waiting room.

From Work in Progress

Gratuitous picture of newest knitting project.

Wishing all of my readers well and that your daily decisions are taking you where you need to be.