SOLSC '25 Day Twenty-five: Signs of life

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. My theme this year is "Outdoors".

After a workday spent indoors, my first activity at home was to head out to the front porch,  libation in hand.  I was soon joined by an eight-legged peek-a-boo player.  It became camera-shy and deftly descended on an invisible line to scuttle across the hot Mexican tiles.

I was getting warm,  so I took a stroll through our front yard. Our live oak bush is pushing out fresh new leaves.

The fire ants are staking their ground.

The rosebush has forgiven me for lopping off its more gangly branches, new red leaves and bright green buds appearing at the tips.

Mother Nature is taking care of providing some nice new growth in our yard. Guess I should step up and take care of the dead, brown plants disgracing our containers...

SOLSC '25 Day Twenty-four: Sunshine and books

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March.  My theme this year is "Outdoors".

Our library services director eased our return to work post-Spring-Break by scheduling our monthly meeting on this first day back.  For me, that meant an extra twenty minutes to get ready and a longer commute, giving me time to listen to my favorite playlist.  I had the car windows cracked a bit, breathing in the fresh morning air. 

We had more opportunities for fresh air during the meeting.  For a creative break, we created cyanotypes a la Anna Atkins, a celebrated botanist, photographer,  and author.  When we broke out into groups to discuss inclusive books, our team headed to a picnic table outside to share titles. The sun was shining,  a light breeze cooled the air a bit, and butterflies fluttered by as we talked about wonderful books that celebrate our diverse learning communities to add to our collections.

Mixing sunshine with art and books--my kind of workday.

SOLSC '25 Day Twenty-three: When a negative is a positive

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March.  My theme this year is "Outdoors".

I fully expected two lines show up.  After all, isn't it common to test positive for weeks after?  I'm still coughing a bit, though it's nowhere near the rib-splitting hacking like earlier in the week.  Still a bit tired, too.

But it's back to work tomorrow,  and I needed to know.  So I pulled out the box and went through the drill--swab, swirl, squeeze, cap, drop, and wait.  How many of us can do this in our sleep now, amateur lab techs by necessity?

Imagine my happy shock ten minutes later.  The sigh of relief.  The texts to family.  The feeling that maybe now, I  can return to some sense of normalcy and participate in events in the coming weeks.  I'll wear a mask in public for a few more days, just in case.  Out and about will feel nice, after this past homebound week.

SOLSC '25 Day Twenty-two: Bug season

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March.  My theme this year is "Outdoors".

The weather in Texas seems to change on a dime, especially at this time of year.  In one week, we've been chilly and hot, calm and windy, cloudy and blue skies.  With all this change, it's hard to define seasons by weather.  But there are two distinct periods by which we can divide the year: bugs, and no bugs.

I really enjoy the no-bug season. It's when I schedule my getaways in the woods to the north, and when I sit on my own porch at home, sipping drinks and watching the world go by.  I can wander my backyard without dousing myself in repellant and slapping at the biters that slip through the chemical barrier. 

I knew we were heading into bug season  last weekend with the appearance of junebugs by the front door. Just a couple buzzed around on their backs; there will be plenty more soon.  Today on the front porch, a medium sized spider cautiously crawled to a crack in the brick.  I had to shoo a pesky cranefly away twice before it gave up and rested nearby.  I brushed off my first mosquito as I examined my rosebush for buds.

No-bug season was nice while it lasted.   Now, where did I put that repellant?...

SOLSC '25 Day Twenty-one: You get what you need

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March.  My theme this year is "Outdoors".

I'm sitting on our small back patio, soaking in some sun, wishing the beams could somehow blast away the Covid bits that remain.  (I know that's not how it works, but a girl can dream, right?)  

This may qualify as one of the suckiest spring breaks I've had.  No road trips, no outings to museums or restaurants or cutesy stationery stores.  No books read cover to cover.  No binge-watching a series. 

As the song goes, you can't always get what you want.

It goes on to say: But if you try sometimes, well, you might find/ You get what you need.

Maybe I needed to rest.

Maybe I needed a break, without sub plans involved.

Maybe I needed to spend more time with my husband,  watching TV together and sharing memories.

Maybe our kids needed some more sibling time, hanging out together up north.

Maybe I needed to be stuck in my cluttered house for a week, to truly understand that I have to get rid of stuff.

Maybe I needed the reminder to take better care of this one precious body I've been given.

Sure, I  could have done without the fever, fatigue, rib-hurting coughing fits, interrupted sleep. But it makes me appreciate a quiet moment on the back porch, sunshine on my face and windchimes softly playing in the breeze, even more.

SOLSC '25 Day Twenty: A return to my senses

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March.  My theme this year is "Outdoors".

First,  it was the hand soap. I must have washed my hands in the three sinks of our home at least twenty times a day this past week to control the virus.  The scents of my Bath and Body Works splurges were lost on me until the meds kicked in.  Little by little, I would catch the whiffs of lemon in the kitchen, leather in the guest bath, lilies at my sink.  

Taste came next.  The sweetness of cold apple slices, onion in my guacamole toast (don't knock it 'til you try it!), and pickles on a sandwich tickled my taste buds.  It also meant that I could taste the meds--a small price to pay.

My hearing has improved as the congestion leaves my sinuses.  The fever has been gone for a couple of days; no more skin that's cold and clammy.  I have been able to focus on small tasks like laundry, putting stickers in my planner, and reading poetry.

This return to my senses has been welcome relief!

SOLSC '25 Day Nineteen: Making an appearance

 

I am participating in The Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life Story Challenge, writing every day during the month of March.  My theme this year is "Outdoors".

Balancing on one leg

the other foot perched 

on the narrow tub ledge

How long has it been?

Weeks? A month?

Way overdue for a shave...

Legs now presentable 

I pull on sport shorts

An old tee shirt 

Cheap red flip-flops 

The sun is shining

on the chair I choose

setting my Fitbit timer

for fifteen minutes 

My white legs

making their first 

appearance of 2025

The spots and dots

a genetic constellation 

The blue-green veins

multiplying with the years

But they are mine

And they still work (thanks be)

And they deserve 

to see the sun.