Have a Great Weekend.

Joanna, thank you for the lovely *urgent vs important* video. I loved being in that little mountain getaway, even for just a moment. Every summer my husband and I and our dogs back pack, rent Forest service cabins or take out our little camper and head into the mountains, as much as we possibly can. It’s so quiet. There is never cell service. Sometimes we just nap or stare at the sky for hours. I can’t imagine my life without that respite from the busyness. It’s the only time my anxiety let’s go completely (despite grizzly bears and mountain lions).

Claire, you’re such an inspiration. I did not comment that post because I’m not going to run anymore (it’s cold, I don’t have time, I am not in the right mood) but in my current state, running would be so healing. And I’m going to try. Thanks for the wonderful job that you do.

Oh! I made that pie for my husband’s grandparents and it is amazing! Also reading the comments on the pie made me want to try it again but with chocolate. Highly recommend this.

re; claire’s comment, i feel exactly the same about every little thing lately (i of course made a list https://tps-steph.blogspot.com/2018/11/0018-giving-thanks.html), just so grateful for my body and all the wonderful things it allows me to do.
re: the treatment of migrants – so shameful and despicable. it would have cost significantly less to send workers to process their asylum requests than it is costing to have the military there. thanks for the action link

Claire, not sure if you will ever see this but I wanted to say how truly grateful I am for your work as a palliative care doctor. My dad was in a serious accident a few months ago, and was transferred to the palliative care unit when we made the decision to take him off life support. It was by far the hardest day of my life, but the team in palliative care made such a difference in not only ensuring my dad’s comfort, but ours as well. We had a private room to say goodbye, could play our own music and even got to bring my dad’s beloved dog. I am so grateful for the kindness, compassion and understanding that my family, and my father, were shown during the most surreal and unimaginable experience of our lives. Thank you for all that you do <3

Beautiful reader comment from Claire! Thank you.

Oof. The comment by Claire the palliative care doc. We saw one when my mom was in the hospital who was amazing. I’m so grateful for the work they do! And: watching my mom go through terrible debilitating illness towards the end of her life left me with the same thought: be grateful for breath, for life, for sensation, for the beauty of sunlight and trees and hugs and the feeling of a breeze on your cheek. Don’t take the (supposedly small) things for granted. Running is great for all the reasons everyone listed. I’m grateful to be able to run!

Oh my gosh, my mom and I have talked so much about how we’d forgotten how to read. We’d go to bookstores, read book reviews and amass small stacks of great stories that we would. never. read. It was unfamiliar territory as we always considered ourselves bookworms at heart. But screens had overtaken our time. Netflix and oblivious, anyone? Finally a few months ago I decided to do something about it. I started reading books again but had a hard time getting started. To get me going I would set an alarm for a short period of time, 15 minutes or so, and make myself read until the alarm went off. Sometimes I stopped then, most times I kept going. Finally I got the hang of it and rediscovered how much I loooooove (insert Oprah voice) to read!! Now when I finish a book I go straight to the next one so as not to lose the habit. Recently I’ve read What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt and Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. I’d reccomend them both! Happy reading, everyone! And thanks, Cup of Jo, for the wonderful Globe and Mail article.