Things are moving...

Things are moving, indeed.

As I've been writing about for a few weeks, I started Tai Chi Chaun Tuesday night with the Boy's dad. Frank has one other student currently that's been taking class from him for two years. She's OK with me starting class, so she said, because it never hurts to review the basics. And I am starting from scratch.

Learned the basic Tai Chi stance. Been working on it twice a day, 10 minutes at a time. Thankfully I have an iPad app called Zen Meditation that allows me to set timers within the meditation timer. It does a countdown so I can get into position, sounds a bell to signal the start, sounds a different bell to let me know I can lower my arms, and another bell to let me know the meditation is done. I can change the timing so as I can tolerate standing in stance longer, I can easily change the times and save them as presets for later use.

Frank is also a believer in the old school 174 move tai chi, not the 24 or 48 move versions. So I have a bit to learn yet. Duh, I just started, yes I have a LOT to learn, and hopefully he'll be around for many more years to teach me.

I did poke the Boy on Tuesday when I was over in his building about starting his practice up again. Not until he's done with school in another year and a half. See if I can't prod him back when he's on break between class.

Another thing Frank asked me to do was keep a journal. Back to the iPad and another app called Chapters. One app, many 'chapters' to keep track of different writing projects. I have one journal for tai chi, one for questions for Frank as they come up, and another for as I work through the book 'Calling in "The One"'.

I've noted what has been happening in my body as I am in stance. If my eyes are closed I sway like I used to when I was regularly doing healing shares. If my eyes are open, little to no sway. One of my questions for next week is about the breathing - how am I to direct the energy as I breathe in and out? I can feel the energy moving, but not sure if it's clockwise, counterclockwise, if each of the circles can go their own direction... Yeah, lots of questions not answered so far in any of the books I have.

Thinking of "The One", got an email from them that they had scholarships available for the seven week teleclass. Didn't know if I'd get one or not, but I sure wouldn't if I didn't apply. I did get a partial scholarship for 25% off the class and the option to pay for it over three months.
I've already been working through the book, doing the assignments. I do believe, however, that attending the class will reinforce what I've already been doing. Hold me accountable for getting through it in seven weeks.

Yes, letting go of the Boy is one of the things I suspect I'll have to do during this class. Can I salvage the friendship while letting go of the roadblocks? Time will tell.

Yeah...

So yesterday conspired to be a crazy day. I knew a couple weeks ago I was having a friend over for supper. In going back to work I needed to Taez's oil changed cause he's two months overdue but at the correct mileage for an oil change, so I scheduled that.

Then came AB's slow decline. I knew after talking to Jodi the animal communicator that he was starting to wind down. He'd gone off his food a couple times this week and didn't want me holding or touching him. He did choose to come and meditate with me both Friday and Saturday mornings...

I've gotten to the point I would rather let him go too early than too late. I let Raini go too long, same with Shadow and Tabby. I wasn't willing to put him through that. Could he have made it another week or two? Maybe, but I suspect he would have been suffering with the coughs, not feeling good, etc. Quality of life vs. quantity. I'd rather do quality.

That meant scheduling his euthanasia for yesterday. His first set of parents wanted to be there, as Tabby's happened so suddenly. Tuesday they euthanized the one they did keep, so to have a second go in the same week, the third in a month was hard for them.

They took his body home to bury him next to the one they let go of. Their kids are making garden stones for all three cats.

In a way I'm glad I was crazy busy yesterday. I cried when I got home from the vet, then had to get right back to cleaning and getting ready for dinner. I didn't have the house perfectly clean like I wanted. The main areas were clean and clutter free (my office, not so much). For those that know me and have been to my place, these pictures may astound you - clean floors, clear countertops, the kitchen table is usable...




Yes, I have a ways to go. There are 8-9 bags of stuff in Taez to go to ARC for donation. There will be more before the year is done. Time to clean house and make space.

Thinking of making space... Dinner and conversation with Stacey last night were just what I needed. To be able to talk about the metaphysical side of things and have someone know and understand the references and get the meaning is a wonderful gift. She borrowed my copy of the Debbie Ford documentary "The Shadow Effect." I think she'll like it.

RIP AB

Rest in peace, AB.

Go play with Tabby, your brother Joey (who his first parents just let go of on Tuesday), Raini, Shadow, Gilly, Tish, Poochie, Duke and all the others waiting at Rainbow Bridge. I'll see in you in a while.

More on the circumstances tomorrow.

Best laid plans...

Well, the idea of having a cleaning service come in to help on Friday was cancelled because I had to go in to work on Friday. The cleaning service is Monday - Friday only, so there went that.

It's going to be an interesting five weeks. The woman I'll be working for is reviled on the floor she works on. The company had a not so good quarter, so all budgets have been cut. Evidently she doesn't think that applies to her. She's dropped over a million dollars on a consulting firm to help plan out what she's supposed to be doing, and at a quarter million a month, there's several months to go. Website work that should and can be easily done in house she's farming out at over $125k, and the branding package will be about the same.

She's one of those nightmares that is sweet to your face and throws you under the bus the minute your back is turned. Or blames everyone else for decisions she made that she no longer likes. Piece of work this one is.

Hopefully soon the senior VP above her will call her on the carpet for her extravagance. Her current admin found a new position because she couldn't tolerate the nonsense. She also talked to HR about what's going on so they are aware of this BS.

As the boy said to me today, grit your teeth and think of the money. And move as much energy as I can.

Thinking of energy and the boy, I start Tai Chi with his dad next week Tuesday. His other student is from my area so we may be able to carpool back and forth. That would be nice on nights when the weather isn't so good.

I've picked up several books on Tai Chi over the last couple weeks. This would be a good time to PhotoRead all of them to get a good overview. That will have to wait until Sunday.

Still trying to prep for dinner Saturday night. Last night I made butternut squash soup. Cut up two squash, simmered them in chicken stock and water, then took the stick blender to it. Ended up with a gallon+ of soup. Tonight I made nut meal crackers - almond meal, parmesan cheese, oregano & chives with a bit of water and olive oil to bind it together. YUM! Tomorrow night I need to make the olive dip - one can black olives, one jar green olives, one 8 oz block of cream cheese. Add drained olives to food processor, buzz once or twice, add in cream cheese and buzz until smooth. Addicting.

I figure if I get something done every night this week there will be less I need to do on Saturday so I can concentrate on the cleaning. At least find the dining room table so we can eat at it, mop the floor, put stuff in the office and close the door. It will be better the next time she comes over.

AB is still hanging in there, barely. I suspect soon I will have to lay him to rest as well. At least these last 10 months of his life have been quiet and peaceful where he can bask in the sunshine on my bed.

For now, my rest will have to wait, got too much to do.