Category Archives: therapy

Evaluating the historical value of our junk

05 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by in community, Health, pets, therapy, writing

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There’s nothing like moving into a smaller home to challenge one’s ability to skim off the excessive possessions.

Of course, this is not to lessen experiences of people leaving their homes due to civil strife and natural disasters.

Moving during a pandemic provides enough limitations and extra costs – even within the same community.

I recently had to make difficult decisions: I had been holding on to nicnacs, family portraits, letters, Christmas cards from years gone by and artwork my children made many years ago. I had to get tough with my sentimental leanings and those “what if” situations where we would need extra dishes, linens, towels and sleeping bags. It’s not like we can accommodate house guests or invite people over for dinner any time soon.

Family history

I embrace and cherish my journals and albums tracing the family activities through good times and bad. To me, these are important memoirs, accounts, photos documenting the children’s growth, the reunion with my oldest child, meeting his wife and my beautiful grandchildren.

What about the doodles and whimsical sketches I made to keep my sanity during the quiet evenings of the many COVID-19 stay at home orders in 2020 and 2021? I like to think they will also have historical value some day. The people at the Ottawa Archives may think so too. I wouldn’t want to be the entry level Archivist who has to sort through and categorize thousands of boxes. We can be sure that by now, most Archives will accept digital copies of memorable documents and pandemic artefacts.

Downsizing questions

  • At what point do you justify paying monthly rent for a storage unit?
  • How much effort are you able to put into getting useful items to local charities?
  • How much are you willing to pay for a service that will take your junk away, and promise at best effort to redirect useful items to charity?
  • How many wine boxes does it take to pack your beloved books and other delicate items? How many bottles of wine would you buy in exchange for the Wine Shop staff putting boxes aside for you on a bi-weekly basis? How many of those bottles do you consume or gift to others who are helping you in the process?
  • When can I unpack my books and place them on the limited bookcases in our new home? Am I willing to make some difficult choices? Haven’t we been through this before?
  • How long until I decide to move again? Will I have unpacked all of the boxes or piled some into a cramped corner?
The Tabby Cat squeezed into a temporary hidey box after we moved in the first truckload.

Resources:

Distractions

You can spend another five minutes reading a humorous account of activities surrounding the recent move.

The Tabby Cat survived the move

Thanks for stopping by. Please excuse the mess. I am trying to unpack one or two boxes per day now that we are settled in. I should be done by Thanksgiving.

Stay well. Stay safe. Be kind.

T

Winter nesting during the pandemic

28 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by in Health, philosophy, reading, therapy, Warm fuzzy, writing

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I am a homebody and an especially unadventurous one during this pandemic.

With winter here and the holidays almost done, I would hibernate between January 2nd and March 20th if I could.

How about you?

I love my humble home aka le petit apartment. I don’t love having to share a communal laundry room that is constantly unkempt and vandalized by n’er-do-wells. I have written another firm email to our landlord contacts about this months-long frustration.

I am drafting my 2021 goals and updating my five year plan. One item that is becoming more of a priority is to move to a cleaner, secure rental. Ten years since the last move, I will once again use a methodical project management approach. I don’t know how possible travel will be in the next couple of years so I think we can afford the move.

Finding an affordable, secure rental is nearly impossible these days. You’re looking at nearly $2,000 per month for a decent place to accommodate two or three people AND include laundry facilities en suite. I do not want to purchase a condo or house because they come with responsibilities, maintenance and added expenses.

During the extended holiday weekend, I sifted through a few shelves, boxes and file folders in my bedroom. It was a tedious, dusty task done in a relaxed manner, with me retaining the items that held some importance, then shredding, recycling or tossing those that did not.

In the New Year, I will take down the wee Christmas tree, lights and decorations, to place them into their tidy storage bins.

But what about those Christmas cards? Do you keep them for years and years? I will likely bundle them with their envelopes and label with “Christmas 2020” then stuff them into a shoe box with others. Part of me seems to think they will have archival significance in 50 years. I will likely acquiesce to let go of them during the final sweep before the big move.

Just a couple of the bookcases stuffed with books and other things

Enjoy this essay and audio clip from CBC radio’s Tapestry : How we’ve nested in our homes through the pandemic — and why it might be good for us

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/tapestry/making-your-home-and-the-holidays-special-in-a-pandemic-1.5842263/how-we-ve-nested-in-our-homes-through-the-pandemic-and-why-it-might-be-good-for-us-1.5842274

I don’t have a label maker but I make use of old sticky labels and colourful postits to identify contents of boxes 🙂 I refuse to buy more shelving units to hold excess belongings. According to one of the experts, I should do something about those topless baskets 😀

Thanks for dropping by. What are you up to during the holidays while preparing for a hopeful, healthy 2021?

T

Using art therapy to enhance staycation activities

05 Saturday Dec 2020

Posted by in Art, Health, Mythology, pets, philosophy, reading, therapy, Warm fuzzy

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Nine months into this COVID-19 pandemic and we’re hanging on relatively well here in Eastern Ontario.

Most of the people I know have been abiding by the advice of public health officials with wearing masks, distancing and keeping within small social bubbles.

I am fortunate to still have the work from home option. The cat (aka The Home Office Supervisor) tolerates my constant presence, is enjoying frequent tummy rubs on the couch and “comb comb” sessions in her window box. She’s like photogenic putty afterwards.

Relaxed Tabby Cat after a combing session

Some days the best you can do is go through the motions while staying healthy and safe. Most days you say a little prayer of thanks, gratitude that you have shelter, food, health and social connections. Thank you, Internet and the good ole telephone line.

My youngest Millennial came to stay with me for the winter. I am relieved that I get to see one of my adult children on a regular basis but am reliving memories of habits from his earlier years. It could be worse.

Since I was encountering disappointment and frustration with the working life, I was relieved when I started a much-needed vacation week. I survived another anniversary of my life altering experience at the hands of my now ex-spouse. I see it as traumatic and liberating in that our children were finally free of his controlling, stifling grip.

Practising art therapy and allowing in happy thoughts, I decided to let loose my inner child that week, to express and create art. I also read one of my favourite novels again.

I pulled out a Koi compact watercolour kit that my daughter gifted me five years ago. I remember attempting to do flower paintings once a month but that inspiration wilted after three.

I felt pleased with my rough watercolour copy of Starry Night by one of my favourite, misunderstood artists.

Watercolour rendition of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night
Watercolour recreation of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night

Being a fan of the Golden Ratio, I made a few magic marker and water colour versions of the Fibonacci Spiral.

I did a watercolour version of The Tree of Life, one of my favourite objects in mythology and spirituality.

Watercolour Tree of Life 2020

My stage of life could be represented by the squawking, flapping ninny in the upper left – or the tired-out old bird dropping what may be seeds of wisdom. Who knows where they will fall and eventually sprout?

That Monet “bridge over lily pond” attempt is taking longer than anticipated. I hope I can finish it before the end of vacation weekend. I want to finish writing Christmas cards and put up our wee artificial tree.

It’s good to have plans for the short term and long term. I look forward to finishing that part-time college program by the end of 2022. Not sure what I can to with that diploma but at least the courses are keeping my mind busy and allowing for social connections with classmates if only online these days.

As usual, I refrained from Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping sprees, cringing still at the abuse of our natural resources and persistent use of plastic in toys and other consumer goods. There is nothing outstanding that I need. My children are old enough to appreciate money as gifts so they can buy the things they need, they want – or to pay off bills.

I may lead a quiet and boring life but I’m just happy to be alive and to know that those in my sacred circle of loved ones are too.

Thank you for dropping by. What have you been doing to keep safe and mentally sound during this pandemic?

T