I left for Wichita this morning at 9:00 in a freezing fog. Thankfully the roads were dry and in good shape to drive on. The fog was thick and I couldn’t go the speed limit due to low visibility. What I could see of the landscape was beautiful as everything was coated in frost.
When I reached Elmdale the fog started to lift. It was absolutely beautiful around me for about five minutes and then the sun came out and the frost disappeared. The rest of the drive was free and clear.
This was my last counseling session unless a bump in the road appears down the road and I need to go back. I am ever so grateful I found this therapist and she was able to help me identify what was wrong with my marriage, help me understand I could not fix it, and she helped me find the strength to leave my marriage. She walked me through it all with compassion and skill. I will be forever in her debt.
I told her today about my need to develop and use a checklist for basic daily, weekly and monthly tasks. I had fallen so far down the rabbit hole that even daily chores like making my bed, doing the dishes, etc were beyond my ability at the time. The checklist gave me a structure to follow and helped get me back into the land of reality. She was impressed I had created a checklist and said it would have been something she would have recommended. I had lost touch with reality for a bit and the checklist helped pull me back in.
It was good to hear that as I had been a bit concerned about myself and wondering if dementia was setting in. It really was a scary time for me and difficult for me to think back to and realize how far down the rabbit hole I had fallen.
I also told her about the situation with taxes and me getting overwhelmed and having to back out. She helped me understand where I am at in my recovery and healing journey and was proud of me for backing out to take care of myself. She said she anticipates that I will have a few more experiences like that in the future and that is all part of the process. She encouraged me to take good care of myself in ways that may feel uncomfortable to me as I wean myself away from my co-dependency habits.
I told her about my dream of taking a big trip to celebrate my 70th birthday this year. She really encouraged me to do so. It would give me something to plan for and to look forward to. We will see where that dream goes.
After my therapy session I went to my Aunt’s house and had a nice long visit with her. We were going to go out to lunch but talked right through lunch time and into the middle of the afternoon. I finally told her I had to leave as I wanted to get home before dark. We had a wonderful visit and the time flew by. I understand how lovely it is to have someone come visit, especially since I live alone again. My Aunt said she would rather visit than eat. I took her some Snickerdoodle cookies I had made as a little treat for her. She said she is the original Cookie Monster and loves cookies!
I stopped at Chipotle and ate and then came home. I was going to go to Costco but it was getting late and I did want to get home before dark.
The guttering guys didn’t come today – not that I am surprised. Maybe tomorrow? Not going to hold my breath for them though.
Tomorrow I have a haircut late morning and then I need to stop and get some groceries. There is a chance for more snow Tuesday evening so want to lay in some supplies in case.
Wednesday I am meeting some friends for lunch in Cottonwood Falls. Then the rest of the week I have nothing on my calendar.
The bookcase and desk are set up and finished. Good to have that project completed. I like how they turned out and think they add to the great room downstairs. Now I need to move some books from my bedroom closet to the other bookcase downstairs. I buy lots of books each Friends of the Library book sale and I have been storing them in my bedroom closet. It will be good to get them out of my closet and into the bookcase. That will help make my bedroom closet feel less cluttered.
I’m tired tonight and was glad to get home. It is good for me to be away for a day but it is ever so good to get back home to my house on the prairie and the silence and peace it offers.
Grateful for a therapist that guided and supported me though a really dark time in my life, grateful for my aunt and the visit we had today, and grateful to be back home on my house on the prairie.