Routines Large and Small

For whatever set of reasons I did not sleep well last night. Sometimes when the kids stay over, as they did last night, I have trouble sleeping because I am worrying about them being out late, or they make a lot of noise through the wall separating my bedroom and the living room, where our new TV is still quite the object of attention.

But last night no one was out too late, and they didn't make very much noise, so my insomnia was a bit more mystifying.

Then again, some nights are just like that.

This morning I got up, prepared for work, and drove Dylan to his job -- camp counselor for "tech camp" at Synergy School.

Then I grabbed Aidan's car keys and moved his car in front of our house. That began the familiar cat-and-mouse game we play withe the parking cops. They come by every hour, chalk the car tires, come back an hour later, and we've moved the car (hopefully).

If we get it wrong, that's a $76 ticket.

It's expensive to live in this city!

As I tried to walk to work, I realized that losing a night's sleep had sapped me and I returned home and called in sick. It's called a PTO day at KQED. I have worked lightly at home all day and also helped get Aidan's financial aid information up to date. Actually, I just talked -- Connie and Aidan did the work.

We owed U-Montana three forms and I believe they now are all on the way.

The bureaucratic details surrounding college finances and financial aid are bewildering. I used to be able to navigate this kind of thing seamlessly, but there days I find I have little energy and less confidence I can do so. For those reasons it is good the others can learn how to step in and help. The days are past when I need to feel the responsibility to do all of this stuff, right?

Julia and Aidan have spent most of today watching some sort of British crime series on TV -- it is nice to see how the two of them have built a closeness despite the age difference. But, after all, they are the two headed off away from home this fall -- him back to Missoula, her on to Napa.

Dylan appears to be set on staying here for a gap year.

Now it is late in the afternoon, I am still not feeling very well and I am glad I made the PTO decision. Aidan will eventually go off to see his GF; Julia will take Lyft home to her Mom's. I'm hoping for a better sleep tonight, so I can return to my job tomorrow.

***

For the first time in years, I seem to be feeling a need to once again blog on a regular basis. I'm getting back to the little insights, day in and day out, that enrich my own understanding of the world around me.

Details matter. A butterfly lifting off from Milkweed, a child riding a new bike, and old woman seeking cans for recycling. Whatever my eyes can see my fingers can type.

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