The Well

Well here I go with a fifteen minute freewrite. I started one on Friday, and I am not sure what happened. I know my mother-in-law woke up, and we started chatting.

To say that July has been a whirlwind would be an understatement. Really, it has been a whirlwind since I finished classes at OSU because I had my day of prayer, grade posting, Micah's 30th, John and Katherine's wedding, went to France, and then returned to a friend visiting from Saudi Arabia, a memorial service, appointments for Paul's final tooth and veneer, the College World Series, starting a new Pilates class (and the jury is still out as to whether it is the best fit and brings me joy) and subbing for another. I also did a rough draft of my papers and met with Fran.

Then July came, and I did the Women's Fitness Specialist course in two days instead of a month. Then I did a two day Advanced Pilates intensive. Good thing the kids were sick for the 4th because that would have meant more! Then the day after …

This was a fascinating look at a cholera epidemic in London in the 1800's. When my husband saw the book, he said he knew all about it because he is a statistician, and this is a famous study and graphic for explaining it! 

It was great, but the epilogue was so rambling and anti-climatic to such a great book! It was just the authors musings and ramblings about a variety of topics that threaten mankind. It was like it was a different book!

Freewrite for fifteen GO!

The weekend was grand. I went on a date with George. So we are on about 20 weeks straight of dates. This has been so good for us to just sit down across from each other and talk. We were good before, but it has been a really good thing to do with him working up in Hillsboro and me working down here for so many years.

I subbed for a regular Pilates class Sunday afternoon, and it was really good. The women were obviously a little bit younger and fitter, so I asked them if they would mind doing Pilates on the ball, and it was so great to do. I was even a little sore this morning since I have not taught a ball class in about a month!

I also ran yesterday. Granted it was 60 seconds running followed by 90 seconds of walking, so I only ran about 9 or 10 minutes out of a 40 minute walk, but I know the latest research says that if you run for even 10 minutes twice a week, you will see heart benefits. I will have to look that up, but it was something like that. It felt go…

I am letting my finger tap along the keys, unhindered. I woke up at 4:17, but I fell asleep at 8:15. So that is plenty of sleep for me. I still feel a bit of time difference, but I don't mind getting up so early, and I should be good to go by Sunday. I have sort of taken a break from cardio this week, but I will be back to it by Sunday. I am teaching a class at 4 pm, but I will go and do elliptical beforehand.

It is a lovely quiet summer morning, and I love it. It is going to be an 81 degree day so I think that our family (or at least George and me) is going to go on a little hike. I also might bike to the Farmer's Market with George for our weekly date. I am just seeing light on the horizon this morning with rising at 5:30 am. I love summer.

Today, I hope to finish a book and prepare for my last Renovare Book Club discussion with Andrea and Betty. I like those two women. I am always longing for greater depth. I so wish I could do the Spiritual Exercises Companionship Program wi…

I think I said in a freewrite earlier in the week that I would freewrite every single day this week, but this is only my second. Oh well. It is a FREEwrite. So I am free to do anything I want.

I did the thing I feared by starting to teach a class at the local health club. It is not like the people at OSU. They are mostly young, and they have to come, so I can see improvement every week if they commit themselves to the program. This group at the health club are an older population, and it is popping in and out. So, it will be interesting to see how it all goes. It is scary to come into a class that has been established with another teacher. It is not classical Pilates. So when I attended the class there was only one exercise that I saw even resembled classical Pilates. So, it will be quite a change for the people who have been going for a long time. We will see how it goes. It is so different from when I took this class so many years ago (12). I go again today, and I am sort of nervous.…

This book is not as detailed as the regular Paris guide, but I love the full color pictures so I bought it for a book that I can look at when I came back and enjoy the memories! And that is exactly what I have been doing since I returned six days ago.

I have forgotten to enter this gem in my reading log! It is a good basic introduction to Ignatian discernment, and it was very helpful for me in discerning a decision I made it early June. It is an easy read. It made me want to learn more about Ignatian discernment, and I hope to do that when I do the School of Spiritual Direction through the Schools of Sustainable Faith!

I read this for the Renovare Book Club. It is the last in a series written by this great author. He is an expert in the church fathers, and his series is quite readable. I love the way he deals with contemporary issues in this book. It is very well-written and thorough. Despite its readability, it is still quite academic and will not be everyone's cup of tea. 

On a personal note, I have enjoyed two weeks of the Renovare Institute with Chris, and he is a man of upstanding character who walks his talk. This always makes books easier for me to read because I imagine them talking to me as I read.

I am going to try to freewrite for fifteen for the next five days. 

I spent a good part of the morning (which started at 3 am yesterday because I am on French time) doing a prayer of examen from June 10-24, looking at our trip. It was healthy for me. 

I had this goal of having no meltdowns with George, and we laugh because that did not happen, and I got it out of the way on the first day. Note to self: Do not plan a scheduled thing on the first day because . . . 
1) You don't know how tired you will be after 17 hours in transit over the top of the earth.
2) You do not know what the weather will be like.
3) You are not yet familiar with the bus/Metro system yet.
4) You cannot be flexible and spontaneous.
5) Your Data plan may not work as well in this new city as it did in London. So you might not know where you are because it is your first day there.

We had thought we might tour the Opera Garnier (20 minute walk from our hotel) before it closed on our first day there. We took a little nap …