Life Goes On

You would think in the three weeks or so since I last posted that I would have plenty to say. I don't. The sad thing is in all of that time, I've done nothing of interest. The weeks have been packed with exciting everyday activities such as: working, collecting the trash, doing laundry, mowing the lawn, trying to figure out what to make for dinner, grocery shopping, washing dishes, paying bills, and my personal favorite: trying to stay awake until bedtime. This time of year brings the added seasonal excitement of cleaning the gutters, raking leaves, and washing and putting in storm windows.

Part of my problem is I feel the last vestiges of Autumn slipping away and with it, the inevitable onset of winter. The holidays seem right around the corner and like every other year, I feel totally unprepared. All of this is driven home even harder by the time change last weekend that now allows it to get dark before dinnertime. Between the weight of winter approaching and the holidays, I feel like the walls are slowly closing in, and with them, all of the clutter.

Helaina, Jake and I picking up around the house.

The one bright spot in all of this is the family got to be together this weekend, albeit briefly. I picked Jake up mid-day Saturday. He spent the night which gave me time to run errands and go grocery shopping with him, and later, he helped me clean. Sam came along for our usual Saturday run of grocery shopping and getting pizza, while tying in a visit to the Rock and Mineral Show. Helaina swung by in the afternoon and visited and helped weed through the jackets that have building up over the last many years. And though Rachael worked most of the day on Saturday, there was an overlap at dinnertime that allowed me to cook for whomever was interested, before the girls ended up going in their separate directions.

Today, the weather was beautiful. Rachael left early for her commitments and I brought Jake back to school, reloaded with food and supplies to likely get him through the next couple of weeks until Thanksgiving. Helaina left for her apartment shortly after I got back.

And now, barely after 4:30, it's dark outside. The house is quite with everyone back to living in their own separate worlds.

And the walls are closing in.