A Week Off

I wondered for a moment what I was doing last Christmas, and then I remembered that I got sick the weekend before (I am most inclined to blame the shopping in Japantown now), and it was pretty much a washout. This year Ruth got sick on Boxing Day, when we took an afternoon shopping trip downtown amid a much-heavier-than-forecast downpour, and the buses were all crowded. She gave it to me: I felt a little off on Monday, when I had planned to ride on the last sunny day (having at least got a good ride in on the Sunday), and again on Wednesday, when we crossed the bridge to have dinner with her family who were in town – we were in bed well before midnight, and I didn’t hear a single firework myself.

There was no chance of my traditional New Year ride to see the sunrise – I did walk to the view on Calhoun at around that time, and the clouds were thick, though at least it wasn’t raining.

On Friday morning, when it was not supposed to rain, I took myself out on a gentle ride, even though I had slept badly with sinus trouble. We went back downtown again in the afternoon, which pretty much used up all my remaining energy. Today I am supposed to be leading a long and hard roam. The forecast has been so varied over recent days – and even between first thing on Friday, when I sent out a confirmation that we were on, since three forecasts all showed a dry afternoon, and a couple of hours later when showers were predicted. But I have been feeling somewhat cooped up, having canceled the last two roams in December (we could have actually got away with the solstice roam, as it didn’t rain nearly as much as it showed), and I have been looking forward to this one wince I was planning it over the summer.

I have basically had the whole week off – except the Mukunda meditation on Tuesday morning which I enjoyed by myself – and it has felt a little odd to have so much time, even if I didn’t have the energy to match, having already rested for the latter part of last week. I have caught up with New Yorkers, for the first time in a while, watched the festive football, done some sewing, checked a couple of other things off my to-do list.

The only thing I have to do now is get myself back on some health insurance, since between getting married and the end of the federal tax credit, none of my previous options were available or affordable. This country…

In other teaching news, I will be starting a new in-person meditation session at Alchemy Springs in the city, every other Wednesday from January 7th. You can combine this with silent sauna time to have an all-round mindful mind-body experience. The program organiser is keen to add hiking to the Alchemy schedule as well, so look out for more events in the future.