Friday, 06/23/2023

I am so grateful to have a wonderful therapist ! She always ends our session asking me to think about the coming couple of weeks and identify any situations/tasks I anticipate might be challenging. I hadn't really thought about it, but next week I have to spend the day observing DSS cases in Family Court. She asked about my plan for being around high conflict men/narcissists. Wow ! Hadn't even thought of that. I have successfully avoided them like the plague. We had a great discussion about the "professional mind-set" (including superpowers) I relied upon every day as a school administrator. High conflict situations were the norm some days. When I retired 6+ years ago, that skill set became less necessary as I simply choose not being around toxic people. The Guardian ad Litem role will put me back in that arena. As a retiree, I rarely "suit up" in professional clothes or wear make-up. In retrospect, choosing what to wear, doing hair, make-up, jewelry was a ritual to shift my mindset to my professional role.

Your therapist definitely does seem to be on top of what is important in your world. Good that you can think it through prior to being thrust into a potentially stressful situation. And how brave you are to be willing to do this important work.

This is our last full day in Aruba. We had a great meal out with friends last night and a very late bedtime for us (11:30). I am feeling a bit anxious for no reason except upcoming travel I guess.

We went snorkeling yesterday with one other friend. No matter how many times I have tried to stress the importance of a "buddy" system with DH, he doesn't seem to get it. He took off right away and quickly was indistinguishable from other snorkelers. My friend and I stayed together but I couldn't help but feel worried about him until he showed up at the beach a good 20-30 minutes after we were done. I don't think he liked my reaction but it really made me nervous. He is a strong swimmer but who knows what can happen. I am not a strong swimmer so I would not feel comfortable snorkeling alone. He has done this previously when we snorkeled off a boat but in those situations I just stay with someone else in the group.

Today will just involve a walk on the beach and out to dinner at one of the places we haven't been to. Our flight tomorrow is mid-afternoon so we have time to pack in the morning.

Justice is having a good time at his stay. He pokes around outside with the other pups as much as possible during the day so sleeps soundly at night. We get a couple of videos every day of him in the yard then tucked in under a blanket at night. Such a cutie!

Time to get ready for the morning walk. Have a fantastic Friday!

You go girl, those children who's cases you get assigned will finally have a voice!

Safe travels Liz. I bet it will feel good to settle in for awhile. You mentioned you will probably sell your house in the next year or so. Where are you and Mike planning to move to?

Another hot, sunny day. Maybe rain this weekend. Yesterday I finished a book, washed everything I need for the trip, and am 90% packed. I am bringing too much, I'm sure, but anyhow, so far its fitting. Usually, once I'm packed, I try to remove a couple of items, yesterday all I could bring myself to do was take out 1of 2 black camisoles. Didn't exactly create much space :)

Meeting with Controversy Club today for lunch at one of the member's houses. We don't have a topic this month, just socializing.

Packing light is so hard!

Mike and I plan for the Florida condo to be our primary home and his place on Cape Cod to be where we spend most of the summer. I may buy a smaller seasonal place on the Cape with the proceeds from my larger house for use by my kids and Mike and I periodically - maybe rent it sometimes. Or maybe we will just rent something periodically when his kids at at the house. But one step at a time.

A third scorpion. This is upsetting! I don't like having the a/c on 24/7 when it is cool at night, but I don't feel safe having doors or windows open with screens that don't seem to do their job if something can fit through a space the width of a credit card. Definitely time to go to MI.

Liz, I too have a feeling of anxiety I can't quite place. I hate that feeling. Lots up in the air while I'm gone and not here supervising, so maybe that's it.

My car servicing took FOREVER yesterday. I guess there was a software update that took several hours on top of the other work. This dealership is not as into day loaners like my last dealership. So I waited there for over 4 hours. Not much to do bu****ch coverage of the sub implosion. I have a healthy fear of the ocean. I can't envision wanting to do that even if the trip was free. I hope they didn't know anything was wrong.

Off to try to do my shower project...

My husband has been somewhat obsessed with the sub story. I felt that way about the Malaysia Plane that disappeared several years ago. My 2nd hour reading intervention class was so into it, we looked up stuff every morning. But this story didn't really interest me as much. Maybe because I know that there is no way I'm experiencing whatever happened to them, and all the conjecture was too awful to contemplate... CC you say you wouldn't go for free, I wouldn't go if I was paid any amount of money. I know people took this excursion and returned safely, but, overall, it doesn't seem plausible it is remotely safe...

I think it tapped into my claustrophobia, fear of the dark, fear of water and drowning, and fear of suffocating... it was almost a blessing of sorts that if they were going to die, that it was quick rather than after three days of terror.

Greetings all

It's cool and overcast which I enjoy. Today I finally got my act together to take our giant bed comforter to be washed. I was prepared to do it myself in the large machines but the laundry workers had time to do it for me. Yay. It's not that much more money than doing it myself. This laundromat is so old fashioned. Still runs on quarters even though load of laundry takes about 20 of them. Also did several loads of laundry. Why do I have so much laundry when I have nothing to wear?

Ocean D good on your therapist. Conflicts abound in courtrooms and people involved in family law disputes become much more cranky than usual. Nice people can be somewhat crazed. But you will focus on the wellbeing of the child and I have no doubt you have a gift for that. Good to be forwarned. And yeah getting dressed sure is part of the ritual of professional life. I don't miss it.

Well travel is a recipe for anxiety. Anyone had a relaxing airport experience in the last 10 years? CC I get why you are driving. Worth it to avoid an airport.

So I did some work at the studio today but mostly just blabbed with others about being uninspired. I will probably go there tomorrow also to blab more with buddy.

Stopped at the health food store and picked up some deli roast tri tip roast. A proper post wls dinner. And I did resist the urge to go into Papa murphy's pizza to get some choc chip cookie dough. Yay me.

Diane S

The roast sounds divine. Wegovy was making my tummy a little cranky, I had chicken noodle soup from Culvers. (Midwest hamburger and frozen custard chain).