protecting time

May 20, 2008 candacemorris 4 Comments

joel and i have been horribly remiss at getting enough down time, and i think it's because we are just so excited to have a new life as given us by our new neighborhood! but that adrenaline is rapidly wearing out...

you see, joel and i had an overly-busy weekend - full of really fun things, but just too much for one weekend. (see blog below). this wouldn't normally be a problem, IF i had enough "alone" time reserves to make it okay. but i haven't...not by a long shot. i feel badly for my friends who seem to thrive on being together - where i only thrive being together IF i have been alone equal amounts of time.

i keep thinking i am stronger than i am. but my strength comes only from recharging - and i must do this more often. the sad part is that i often don't know this until it's too late.

all of this to say, joel and i had an amazing night last night.

we determined that it would be an "only us" night, and wouldn't you know it - five people called/texted to hang out. it was sad because every single person who did call/text was someone with whom i would have loved to be with, had things to tell, feel rejuvenated by... but man, i am just so
e
x
h
a
u
s
t
e
d.

so i walked to the chiropractor and to rite aid while joel stayed home and made me dinner. when i got back, i suggested we should eat on our rooftop deck, which we did! we walked up there with our steaming hot (farmer's market bought) gnocchi and delicious (farmer's market bought) swiss chard, and sat outside while seattle sprinkled on us. this was delightful to both of our souls.

we then took a load of goods to the goodwill and decided to explore the neighborhood more in our car, and ended up at Volunteer Park. Oh gosh, this park. It felt so magical, and since I was in the flats I bought in Paris, and the garden I was in reminded me of the gardens just outside the Louvre, I had a very Parisian bit of deja vu. The gardens were scarcely populated and incredibly fragrant, and we stumbled upon this huge brick water tower - and took all 105 steps to the top (after some convincing by joel, of course). i felt so naked w/o a camera, but at the same time, it was really really good for me to not have one.

(i will of course be going back with both cameras).

we then came home, had ice cream and watched Into the Wild.

AND we actually got to go to bed together. Joel has to get up so early and I am such a night owl that we rarely fall asleep at the same time. Last night ended up just perfectly with us giggling ourselves to sleep - happy in our protected time. it was validating to hear from my soon-to-be-married little sister that she was glad to see us protecting our time. we did this a lot when we were first married, but have just been juggling a lot more lately.

saying yes always means saying no to something else. i am glad that joel is my yes. always.