I saw the sun on Sunday
Hello out there. I haven’t felt like blogging lately, I actually haven’t felt like doing anything. It’s all part of the changing of the seasons I’m afraid. I’m already sick of waking up in darkness, and I’m even more sick of spending my nights in darkness. I feel hopeless about the season and there doesn’t seem to be anything fun planned on the horizon.
Last weekend we were supposed to take the kids on a Chicago bound road trip and get in some quality hang time with our best Chicago buddies. Jeff and I had been looking forward to it for months. Then, on Friday morning, hours before we were supposed to leave, Gus started wheezing and his breathing became rapid. We took him straight to urgent care where they put him on a nebulizer and gave him steroids to get his breathing under control. He was going to be okay but our weekend plans had now changed from fun-friend-hang-times to a strict medicine dosing routine. I don’t mean to sound selfish here. Before we visited the doctor I was almost sure Gus had pneumonia, he had been sick for more than two weeks and was getting much worse. Needless to say I was so relieved to find out it was just a respiratory virus and an ear infection and would clear up with antibiotics in a few days. Please understand I was so thankful that my boy was gonna be okay, there was still a huge part of me that was so bummed about our trip being cancelled.
Then, Monday came, oh Monday. The beginning of the grayest days. The leaves are almost all off the trees and there isn’t a lot of color left. I can feel the winter blah creeping in. I’m so down about it. All that being said, I also don’t feel any motivation to tell you about anything I’m up to, because I’m not up to anything. I have made myself a short list of little things to get done around the house in order to make myself feel like I’m moving forward. Yesterday I hemmed two pairs of pants and fixed a zipper on another. Today I’m gonna fold all the laundry and start a new batch of sauerkraut, woah I know, totally crazy. Jeff and I are trying to plan a short kid getaway for this coming weekend and are considering driving to Wisconsin for a brewery tour. If you have any kid friendly suggestions (while being fun for grown ups too) let us know. I wasn’t expecting this funk to set in so quickly but I guess it doesn’t take much to get your senses off track in the gray months.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know where I was. Maybe after a little blog break and a hopefully rejuvenating weekend I can start sharing some cool projects again.
It’s funny because I just blogged about how the weather is making me depressed–but it’s sunny and 80 degrees (used to own a yarn store and it’s in part hot weather like this that caused us to close). Anyway, nothing’s worse than a sick baby. Except for maybe the tired mama taking care of him!
As for kiddie activities. You got any aquariums up in your neck of the woods? Nothing beats the Shedd, but they’re still young enough to not know what they’re missing.
I’ve been thinking that maybe some yarn would make me feel better and embrace the season. Maybe I should make it a priority this week to visit my local yarn store and get a project started.
Sorry to hear that you had to close your store, I can imagine it’s hard to get customers into a yarny mood when it’s so hot outside.
There is an aquarium in Duluth, MN (another excuse for a road trip) something that might need to be considered. Thanks for the suggestion!
My daughter is almost two and she loves the aquarium. Probably because she also loves the iPad, so it’s like a giant screen. Oh, and the zoo. Except she yells at the kids who try to look at the animals too. “No, my gorilla!”
Yes. Knitting. Hot tea. Baked goods. All things to fight the weather. Or you can just submit and get deep in a Netflix watching session. We’re watching Frasier right now since it’s kid friendly. (Except the two year old now screams “NO FRAZURE!” when she sees the outline of the Seattle skyline.)
Oh dear. I had a bout of this last winter – just general blahs around the season and feeling demotivated. What helped me was just embracing it, not stressing over it and having confidence that it would pass! Weirdly enough, as soon as I stopped frantically searching for a reason for the blahs, I started feeling better. So not sure if that helps but it seems like you’re already on your way.
Oh, and getting out of your space helps – even if you stay local! It sounds silly, but even just renting a hotel room in town can feel like a mini-getaway (“sleepover adventure”)!
Vitamin D & a dawn simulator help me. But I’m usually still extremely unmotivated to do anything productive October through March. I should really just move south, but I like Minneapolis. In the dead of winter, when I’m desperate for a little humidity, I’ll go sit in the Como Conservatory and watch the Koi.
Shannon –
I know, right, why do we live here? I really do love it and I enjoy seeing the city covered in a blanket of snow. I think knowing that winter is on it’s way is what’s really getting to me. I’m mourning the end of the nice weather.
Christine,
It just seems to soon for this. Is it me or are the mornings just SO dark? It’s killing me. I agree, a change of scenery would help a lot.
P.S. I really like your blog, every time I comment I have to go see if you’ve posted something new, you should post something again! I want to see more projects :)
Oh, thank you! Gah, I know, it’s been ages since I’ve posted! I’m not a very good blogger… but you’ve motivated me to get back to it! This weekend!
Gosh — I could have written this. Everything from balancing my frustration and worry at the kids’ illnesses to fighting the seasonal blahs. Thanks for sharing, it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Let’s hope this blah phase is over soon! I just got down and cleaned the kitchen floor on my hands and knees. Doing something productive helped a bit. P.M.A!
If you’re going to Chippewa Falls, I suppose I don’t have any suggestions. But if you’re going to La Crosse (my hometown! — world’s largest 6 pack), the bluffs are lovely to go hiking in. And there’s an amusement-type park with mini golf and go-karts and stuff. La Crosse mostly just has bars. Annnd, Milwaukee has an excellent zoo (among other things).
Heidi! Yes! This is a great idea. My parents would take my brother and I around to breweries when we were growing up. Of course we went to the world’s tallest six pack and the heileman’s brewery. Is it still painted with the Old Style logo? We might just have to to do this. Thanks!
Unfortunately, it’s now the La Crosse City Brewery — it’s still there, just not quite as cool (in my opinion). The Bodega Brew Pub downtown has tons of different brews and is a nice stop for beer nerds. There’s also a cute little ice cream place DT for the kiddos — The Pearl (I think it’s still there).