Busy week, month...

I seriously dislike weeks when there is so much going on that I have to be running nearly every day. That has been what this week has been like. Monday was the only day I did not have to leave the house, and I took advantage of staying at home. I desperately try to keep Mondays as "home" days during the school year because I've learned over the years that Monday sets the tone for the rest of the school week. Being at home is imperative to having a good Monday.

As I was writing everything on our big wipe-off calendar on the side of the fridge earlier this month, I sighed at the realization that there were only a few blocks on the whole month that had nothing at all written in them. Busy month. I have tried to keep my mind focused on survival mode. None of the things on the calendar are overly unpleasant, and indeed many things are quite good -- our church's 35th anniversary celebration all last weekend, a friend's farm party this Saturday, my long-weekend trip to Massachusetts with another friend next week. But even good things take energy, and being the introvert that I am, deriving my energy from quiet time alone, busy times like these (no matter how good), can really sap me.

Thus, I'm trying to keep firm boundaries around the time I have in my days that is not designated for anything specific. As much as I want to meet friends for coffee when they suggest it and go to my knitting group or go shopping for the things on my ever-growing list, I really need to weigh what I need more right now -- more time out or time at home?

Time at home is winning more often than not right now.