The New Normal

The past couple of days have been disturbingly normal.

Firstly the weather was beautiful.

Secondly, I could seriously get used to this life. It is in some ways more difficult than life at home, but in most ways, mainly because life is so much slower, it is better.

Yesterday, for example, I walked Maggie to school and missed the bus to my school. It was 8:20 and the bus was early. No big deal - I went to the schedule and realized that the next bus wasn't coming until 9:05. I'm listening to the newest Kay Scarpetta from Audible.com and just decided to walk.

At home I would never consider doing this. The days seem too short. I've got too many errands to do. I have no time. (What do we have to DO all the time? Why do I seem to have to go to Target weekly???)

But here, since I had to wait for the bus anyway, I figured, why not just walk? I'm not exactly sure how far it is, but it really isn't too far. I ended up beating the bus (which would have taken 10 minutes after 9:05, assuming it was on time).

So before I even stepped into the office, I had walked for about an hour. I work out regularly at home (hockey, weight lifting, running etc.) but there is something somehow easier to exercise with a purpose, like instead of being in a gym, walking TO somewhere. Of course, the weather was not horrific, so that's certainly part of it, but it wasn't perfect (is it ever PERFECT in Ireland? As some guy put it to me the other day "we are stuck out in the middle of the Atlantic!").

Today I rode my bike to work. It took literally 15 minutes each way. And, again I get that time with the kids. It is not that much different than how people talk about getting their kids to talk while in the car -- a captive audience of sorts. If you can get them to stop for just a minute to talk. I love this time. I try not to say much. Just to be open to what they have to say. Johnny, of course is usually pointing out a strange Magpie on the way, or trying to race me. But Maggie sometimes just talks. It is lovely.

It is great to be able to go to the office and not feel frantic. To not have to build in a serious commute time. To know that the kids can get home by themselves if they had to. To know that Sheila is there for them if I can't be and if she is not there, she could get there quickly. Somehow it just seems less complicated. Well, I suppose it feels less complicated because it IS less complicated. Sheila is only working about five hours per day compared to 10 or 12 and I am not commuting 10 hours per week. And the kids don't have a million activities to go to, and when they do, they can WALK. Wow.

Also, nothing seems to matter as much. Grades, homework, practice, bedtime. We all know it is temporary, and though we're not blowing things off, we are just taking it all less seriously. Last  night when TT was a bit late, I still asked Johnny if he wanted to walk down to the train station with me (it was about 7:40). He was up for it, so we got on our coats and mittens, pulled the bike out of its little storage space, turned on the two new lights I got for him and headed down--he rode and I jogged behind--and we made down past the village to the train stop by the sea in just short of five minutes. We were back all together in less than one half hour.

Johnny had Dylan over today. That seemed normal too. Having a couple of boys around, playing inside. Then outside. Then inside again.

Maggie is so focused on the next episode of The Voice of Ireland that she hasn't bothered complaining.

And we've got a guest to distract us for a bit.