Stepping Away: #ROW80 /#12WeekYear End of Week 11

 Hi there, ROWers and friends!

 On Wednesday, I wrote about my sometimes sideways journey through grief – what I was feeling two months after Jim’s death.

Since then:

• With homeschool administration tended for another quarter, I shifted my focustoo other tasks – and found that our financial situation is quite precarious at the moment. It’s temporary, since I haven’t yet filed our taxes or submitted the life insurance claim …but lets me know that I need to deal with those things this week.
• The kids and I packed ourselves up and traveled to see dear friends in central New Jersey. It’s closer to spring here*, with daffodils already up and trees budding.
• I’ve had a chance just to relax and be for a while. I think I needed that more than I realized.
• While visiting, I got some solid input on revisions for a short story pending publication, and for the meet-the-author event I’ll be doing next Saturday. It’s my first event of the type, and I’m very uncertain about what to do and expect.
• On that note, I also wrote and submitted brief bios for that event, and for the Northeast Unschooling Conference, where I will be speaking this summer.
• Yesterday**, the kids and I went with two of our friends to see the movie Every Day, which Lise had been wanting to see. It was even better than I expected, and stirred up discussion after the fact, and story ideas for me.

*Here means New Jersey.. I typed this on Sunday, but now it’s Monday, and we’re home.

**Yesterday means Saturday.

So, how was YOUR weekend?

Blue with Overstrike: Goal Completed.

Green:  In Progress.

Black: Still Waiting.

Black with Overstrike: 86ed.

Red: Goal Change.

 Relationships, Family, and Home:

Doing:

Complete homeschool reports and submit. Due Week 11.

• Miah’s report proofed, letter written, both submitted.
• Progress: 100%.

Facilitate Miah’s driving practice; four times weekly. Weeks 11–12.

• 3/4; including a 5 hour drive to New Jersey.
• Progress: 80%.

Move bedroom furniture to better accommodate nurse visits; deep clean as I go; ask for help from kids as needed.  Week 1.

Use one-on-one time to touch base with both kids. Weeks 11-12.

• This continues to be a strength, as we find our way forward together.
• Progress: 100%

Set aside a few minutes five days weekly to arrange facilitation of needs. Weeks 11 -12.

• Each day this session. Hometending; cooking; travel; connection with friends; facilitating interests/goals; and homeschool reports. 7/7 for week.
• Progress: 100%.

Being:

Focus on at least ten minutes with some combination of family members in common spaces daily. Weeks 11–12.

• Every day this week; between home and visiting.
• Progress: 100%.

Gather and consider how to make our home a sweeter place. Weeks 11-12.

• Joint hometending as we prepped for our trip; purchased a second-hand ribbon board for Lise’s room – something she’d been wanting in favorite colors.
• Progress: 100%

Professional/Financial:

Doing:

Inventory sauces; get count on what/how many labels needed: Due Week 3.

• Progress: 93%

Go through checking account and insurance policy info; make list of monthly/quarterly bills and due dates: Due Week 4.

• Progress: 90%

Pay Jim’s back sales taxes; find out how to dissolve business. Due Week 6.

• Progress: 40%.

Do (or delegate) our taxes: Due Week 10.

• Decided to bite the bullet and make the appointment for this week.
• Progress: 40%.

Create a base family budget for the kids and I: Due Week 12.

• As something of a warmup, we set a budget for our weekend travel, and easily remained within it- this could be a first for us!
• Progress: 70%

Focus on learning via the courses I already have in progress: Weeks 11-12.

• Progress: 65%.

Work on beta projects I’ve agreed to as opportunity arises. Weeks 11–12.

• Nothing this week.
• Progress: 50%.

Keep in touch with other writers –  reading blogs; commenting; participating in sprints and blog hops as I am able: Weeks 11-12.

• Srpints Wed/Thurs; and sporadic catching up over the weekend.
• Progress: 100%.

Being:

Make lists of things we could use help with, as we think of them. Weeks 11-12.

• Progress: 70%

Ask both kids for ideas at least weekly. Weeks 11–12.

• Talked with both regarding various new ideas.
• Progress: 100%

Pair lists with those willing to help at least weekly. Weeks 11-12.

• Bounced various ideas of my friends Sylvia and Jim, who are excellent sounding boards.
• Progress: 100%

Seek out someone(s) with good organizational skills who can coordinate as/when needed. Weeks 11-12.

• Progress: 10%

When someone offers general assistance, be ready with ideas. Weeks 11–12.

• Sylvia treated us to a movie; we accepted happily. =)
• Progress: 100%

 

Body, Mind, and Soul:

Doing:

Watch Star Trek: Enterprise whenever possible; join in Twitter live chat at #AllStarTrek. Weeks 11-12.

• Missed Friday due to travel.
• Progress: 100%

Resume taking pictures, beautifying our home, drawing, coloring, singing, and other activities that I enjoy, as opportunities arise. Weeks 11-12.

• Fixer Upper; decluttering/organizing/hometending/ooorganizing/beautifying; drawing my fantasy home improvement plans; photography; singing.
• Progress: 100%

Experiment with Instant Pot weekly. Weeks 11-12.

• Progress: 0%.

Keep eyes open for likely recipes. Weeks 11-12.

• Lots of ideas from Sylvia.
• Progress: 100%

Use Ninja for food prep once weekly. Weeks 7-12.

Alternate days of restful focus with more active days. Weeks 11-12.

• I think so, but honestly didn’t pay too much attention while we were away.
• Progress: 100%.

Listen to my body, mind, and soul, and follow their leads to adjust accordingly.  Weeks 11–12.

• I continued to do well here.
• Progress: 100%

Being:

Follow a morning routine when possible. Weeks 8–12.

Use quiet moments as they present themselves. Weeks 11-12.

• Progress: 100%.

Make a practice of being present- right here, right now. Weeks 11–12.

• Oh, yes!
• Progress: 100%.

Prioritize time and connection with my beloveds over busy-ness. Weeks 11–12.

• This, too – in spades!
• Progress: 100%

ROW80 –

The Writing Challenge That Knows You Have A Life!

ROW Along, or Cheer Us On!

We’re On Facebook, Too!

Inspired at Sylvia’s happy kitchen table. She made herself my patron years ago, and lives up to it with each visit.. =)