I saw this on facebook and thought it was worth sharing. I kind of miss being a kid on Valentine’s Day! It’s a Thursday this year (in case you are unaware) and so that means it’s just a work day. Louie and I are cooking a nice meal tonight and I got some gelato for dessert.

It’s been a busy but productive week. I ended up filing my taxes—I started them just to see how things were looking, and the truth was, they were looking good (as in, I am getting a refund) so I figured I’d better just go ahead and file. I did some of those “adult” things such as moving money into various tax deductible accounts for retirement and health savings, and I feel very responsible and am patting myself on the back.

As far as my schedule and feeling overwhelmed, I’ve tweaked some things and had to back out of a couple things I agreed to, but nothing last minute. I hate backing out of things, but sometimes it’s necessary, and sometimes I do overextend myself. Generally I do what I agree to, but as a freelancer, I have to set priorities, and lately I’m trying to set the priority of “not going insane with stress” and that’s a new one for me, so I have to keep verifying I’m on track.

And! This morning I made the last reservation for camping on our big road trip in late July/August. We’re looking at a trip that encompasses Yellowstone, Glacier, Waterton Lakes, Banff, Jasper, Theodore Roosevelt NP, and the Badlands, with a couple more small stops along the way. I’ve been researching our trip and looking at campgrounds for months now, and this morning was the day to make the last reservation. It’s still nearly 6 months away, so no reason to get overly excited, but I am excited, and I had to plan it this early in order to get some of the campgrounds we wanted (Banff and Jasper in particular seemed like the most likely to fill up, followed by Glacier). People sure love camping and seeing National Parks, and I am no exception.

This weekend should be okay. Tomorrow we are supposed to get snow so we’ll see how that affects things. Saturday I have a makeup lesson or so, maybe a short activity in the afternoon, and we are attending a concert that night. Sunday we have an event in the afternoon, and otherwise, I have to practice for our upcoming quartet concert on Tuesday night (at the Sheldon!).

That’s where I am right now. Boring stuff, mostly, but maybe boring is good. Oh, and I’m reading a book about the Oregon Trail, so maybe I’ll have time to finish that.

This week went by fast! I suppose the holiday on Monday helped the speed, though I did of course have a few things to do on Monday. Otherwise, the week has been taken up with teaching and opera rehearsals, with some quartet sprinkled in. I’ve been making a concerted effort this year to work out nearly every day and I have to pat myself on the back a little bit because I’ve been keeping at it! Has the scale moved, not exactly. But I’m feeling good about it, and I think ultimately that’s what matters.

Life is busy, but good. I feel much more positive this January than last one, and I am enjoying quite a lot of what I’m doing. I’m not loving every minute, but who is. I have finally gotten my college teaching schedule organized (that took longer than expected, and I should know better!) and I’m even feeling a bit caught up on some odds and ends I’d been putting off. As you all know, I tend to take on more than I should because I feel like I can, and then sometimes things get back-burnered for entirely too long. I’m trying to stay more on top of things this year with a planner/bullet journal combination, and so far it’s been working. Only working 40 to 50 hours a week helps as well, rather than closer to 60…(that is even counting my emailing/admin/business time!) January is a good time to reflect and refresh, and the more I reflect the more I want to keep being less busy…or at least appreciate the time when I am.

Pictures! My mother shared a few things from my grandmother’s house.

This adorable picture of my dad. He already looks like himself here too, as I believe that is his natural expression.

My grandparents came to visit me at Interlochen one summer, and I guess they saved the concert program! I come by my hoarding tendencies genetically But I am tickled that they saved it. I remember looking out and seeing them in the audience from the stage, and it was a nice feeling.

My niece, practicing for being a big sister. (I didn’t take this photo as I’m not there, but love it.)

Miles and Muriel, sitting together. What usually happens is that Muriel sits somewhere and Miles joins her. It’s not as often the other way… I’m not sure what that means, but aren’t they cute? Miles has also been stealing all of my pencils, so I need to either find his stash, or get some new ones. Or both, I suppose.

This weekend I have two opera performances, one performance at a retirement community, and some relaxing to do. I haven’t gotten as much reading in the past few days so I’d like to be able to do that. I’m also planning to get some good workouts in, and maybe even a walk outside in the neighborhood if weather allows—it’s been so cold and gross here, but as I type the sun is shining and who knows, maybe it’ll be possible. We’ve gotten quite a lot of snow here this winter, and …it’s funny, I still love seeing the flakes come down, and seeing everything covered in snow, and that quiet that comes with it all, but then, ugh, being wet, and shoveling sidewalks and digging out cars and worrying about people following too closely and driving too fast, and all the salt and the cold and the grey slush…yuck. I guess that’s a pretty normal way to feel about the snow, but still.

What’s up with your weekend? Have you ever attended an opera before?