ANTICIPATION | Autumn 2021
As always, my life is full. Only sometimes is it of my own making. I’m looking forward to the promise of routine that only autumn provides.
A bit of an update over the summer: as of 12 July, I’ve settled into my new home in Southampton, Ontario with only a few projects left to complete before I give Lynne James, my brilliant designer, the new list for Phase 2. I’m so happy to have had a few visits from friends and hope to set up a whole calendar for 2022! Let me know when to expect you :)
Claire has left her high-stress job at MedCan to start her course in Interior Design – an idea she had to come to by herself. I always thought it would be ID or Fashion, she’s always had her own unique aesthetic that needs to be shared. Her downtime is spent playing volleyball and dodgeball with friends, when not watching anime and studying Japanese. Cole continues working at Bruce County going from student in the Economic Development Department to full-time employee. He does the marketing and promotions for Explore the Bruce tourism sub brand. When not working, he is busy listening to podcasts, reading modern classics and binge-watching shows. Chloé graduated with her Masters in History from the University of Edinburgh and has settled in Waterloo to obtain her Masters Degree in International Public Policy at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Laurier. Likely she’ll follow up with a law degree, but who knows? Almost all of her downtime is dedicated to her sweet baby toy poodle, Hank. Caden has resumed his studies in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology at the University of Toronto. We find out the status of “Nelson” (his non-Hodgkin Lymphoma tumour) sometime in October. He’s learned to love cooking and hopes to take a couple of courses to be more efficient in the kitchen. They’re all finding their way at their own pace - I’m super proud of all of them.
As for me, I’m simply ready to exhale and relax.
It’s been one hell of a time, the last 2 years which included the unexpected yet delightful arrival of Bill full-time in our lives; the pandemic which just came wave after unrelenting wave; getting all of the kids home; Bill’s unexpected, tragic death and my overwhelming grief; shutting down our newly created business: Seanchai Media Group; buying the new house/selling the old one; renovations – not made easy by the pandemic; Caden discovered the tumour, my move to Toronto with him where we lived on the 42nd floor (me sleeping in the dining room) with no windows that opened, no balcony, or functioning oven or washer for the last 2 (out of 7) months; after 2 sleep studies receiving my new C-PAP machine; high anxiety experienced while waiting for vaccines, first dose one and then the second, to be made available to each of us; my move to Southampton; and, gallbladder/hernia surgery). The one thing the last 6-weeks of healing from my surgery has taught me is that I don’t have to be constantly doing things or be the proud owner of the longest list. It’ll all get done in its own time.
What do I anticipate Autumn will hold for me this year?
UNPACKING continues with most of the contents of the garage unboxed and their contents either being put away, re-boxed for the ‘Books + Belongings’ sale (planned for next July), or tossed in the ever-present dumpster. I’m so grateful for the help provided by my friends and my kids while I healed from surgery. None of it could have been done without them. I hope to have everything completed by the end of October.
GAS LINE installation has been stalled since the paperwork was submitted way back in March. It’s my hope that the line is installed by the time the snow flies or I’ll have no gas all winter. Nothing like depriving me of an operational range to make me miss cooking! (The draw of my appliances is too much for a regular residential gas line so a new industrial one needs to be installed. Yes, I can and do inadvertently create my own headaches.)
READING more fiction as I heed the adage “read what you want to write” right? So, I’ve loaded my Kindle with a lot of “magical realism” which is currently my preferred kind of storytelling. I am excited for The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman, concluding her Owens family story, being released on 05 October.
PHOTO WALKS are what I’ve realized over time as the best way to become familiar with new surroundings. I’ve planned colour-guided photo walks on Mondays at 01:00 PM starting 27 September and going through the 15 November – rain or shine. I’m fond of saying “the badder the weather the better the photos” and around here we do get a regular dose of challenging weather! These walks won’t last much longer than an hour. A separate, longer walk designed to celebrate all things autumn in Southampton is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 28 November at 03:00 PM. Photography, to me, is all about discovery and training your eye and I need a refresher. I hope to be joined by other local hobbyists.
TRAVEL is one thing that I’ve greatly missed during the pandemic. Nothing made me happier than to schedule my current trip to Newfoundland (Fogo Island and Gros Morne National Park) with Erica at Luxe Travel by Design, the minute I could. I had made a promise to Bill that this would be our first trip after things opened up – I’m enjoying it for both of us. Over the next few months, I hope to put together a list of places I want to see when the opportunity avails itself. There is nothing better in my life than making travel plans and looking forward to exploring new places - solo or with friends!
NOOM is something I tried while living with Caden in the ‘tin can’. Honestly? I failed. I couldn’t deal with the stress of everything (pandemic + whatever weird phobias took over while I was too high in the air in a confined space + no place to cook resulting in a lot of ordering in) I simply gave up at the 6-week mark. Cole experienced great success losing 50+ pounds in 6-months. I am not nearly as ambitious. My hope for the program is that it will have me get into a sustainable routine since I seem to easily slip back into bad habits (eat less, move less) and need something that will rectify that. I’ve been looking for a new 100-Day project, maybe this is it?
WOMEN’S CIRCLES are something I’ve always enjoyed and find important in my life – building a community of trust. Following what are my natural (post-menopausal) cycles: the Wheel of the Year and the Full and New Moons, I hope to host a group of no more than 8 women to share in elevated conversations, offering a safe place for support and connection. There’ll be time to talk, to meditate, to journal our thoughts. I know what lights me up and hope to find a community where my thoughts and practices resonate - and vice versa.
SUBMIT more articles, as well as stories, to publications. This really means that I not-so-simply have to sit down and start writing them! I want to identify the magazines (online and physical) that share my philosophy and figure out their submission requirements. I will write for me, not for publication, but on the odd time that they are in sync, I will submit. The rejection from the NYT Modern Love column stung, for a short bit. It was an ambitious publication for my first high-profile submission as it is so highly competitive. I learned a lot in the process and hope to collect a whole bunch of rejections so that I can hone my craft and get better. Why are more rejections welcome? It means I’m writing. Who knows, I may even take a stab at another novel?
BINGE WATCH a number of shows many of which came to my attention in August when Anne Lamott made a request on her Twitter feed for suggestions. There were many and I’m excited to watch a number of them. I’m delighted Yellowstone is (finally) returning with Season 4 on 07 November! Kevin Costner only gets better with age. With two more shows coming from creator Terry Sheridan, 1883 and Mayor of Kingstown, also to air. Clearly, cowboys are making a comeback and I for one love it! Now to get a solid release date for Season 4 of Ozark and the return of Billions. Caden has set up a Fire Stick in my bedroom and my office and I have a SmartTV in the great room. I plan a wonderfully entertaining season of NFL, NHL and great shows - ZERO news!
CREATIVE PROJECTS are going on hiatus as I focus on reading, writing and watching. Though I’m aiming for one big 12”x12” photo book to be produced each quarter, I just have to figure out how that will show up as life is so different around here without the kids in-and-out all day long. What is my story is to tell?
Lesson from the summer: it’s okay to ask for and receive help.
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What are you up to this autumn? What is part of your routine or are you the spontaneous type?