Friends, at various points this week I was pretty sure I was going to collapse to the ground like a ragdoll! Nothing objectively hard happened, but it felt like a perfect storm of busy things that culminated in me feeling what I can only describe as a zombie-like state.
Right before we left for Europe, I did a sleep study and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I’ve done some digging in the interim, and my results were so mild that intervention is unlikely to have much of a positive impact. But I wanted to see things through. (Plus, I am tired all the time and have been for literal years, so I figure anything that could be a potential solution to that issue needs to be evaluated.)
Last week I received a CPAP machine for a month-long trial and it has been… a trial.
There were issues with the fit and seal (I started with a nasal-only mask), and then I exchanged it for a full-face mask, but the humidity levels were too low and I was waking up at 3 am with an extremely dry mouth—even though I’m not a mouth breather.
The one night I had a seamless night’s sleep didn’t end well either. Indy had a friend visiting the day before and, as a prank, he set Indy’s alarm clock to go off at 6 am. It was so loud and jarring that it woke all of us up, and I never managed to get back to sleep.
SIGH.
My family member had surgery and it went successfully, which is such an answer to prayer. And, also, it was stressful. Another family member in the same orbit ended up having a series of health complications that overlapped with the surgery, and I was at a distance and unable to help, while also feeling the weight of it all.
Add to that a surprising increase in tween snark for some inexplicable reason, sibling squabbles, and three family members visiting for an entire week.
But you didn’t come here to listen to endless complaints. Life is good and I am thankful and also tired.
I’ve referenced my all-time favourite quote a few times, but it feels especially relevant here. It’s said by Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring:
“I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”
YES. THAT.
There is relief coming. Not this week, and not next, but the week after that.
I am going to try my darndest to take the first day back to school completely off. No cooking! No cleaning! No work! It is a momentous occasion to send the kids to school after a full six months of being off (almost to the day), and I intend to give it the celebration it deserves.
But guess what? Amidst the middle-of-the-night wakings, and the sassy kids, and the laundry, and the revolving door that is my fridge and front door… there were a lot of Happy Things, too.
A NAP
Wednesday afternoon I was feeling like a literal collapse to the ground was imminent. I organized my day in a way to allow for a nap, and refused to set a timer. I slept two solid hours, and then a few hours later took a sleep aid and got another 9 hours overnight. And while I know there is still a bit of sleep debt to pay off, I feel worlds better.
EASY COMPANY
While having people around is always going to add a layer of stress for me, my brother and crew have been staying overnight at Joy’s (she’s away and graciously offered her house) which has really streamlined things. They show up for breakfast—which they prepare for themselves, knowing where all the various foods and appliances are located—and then they head off for a day of adventures.
I have a tinge of guilt about not going with them, but I have visited each of these Nova Scotia locations on numerous occasions and so I can get some things done at home, and they’re having fun on picturesque adventures.
TENNIS TOURNAMENT
Indy got to play in his first-ever tennis tournament over the weekend.
I went in with low expectations. He was the second-youngest player and would be playing against kids who were 13 and 14 with a lot more experience.
Guess who ended up being the top seed after round-robin play???
Indy!
He did end up losing in the final to the best player at the local club. But he lost 5 games to 3, which is very respectable. It definitely wasn’t a thrashing.
It was a fun, day-long event. Low-key, but pleasant, and very fun to watch him excel at a sport he’s only recently started playing but really seems to enjoy.
He also continued to help as a volunteer during the morning lessons this week and then squeezed in one final week of afternoon lessons. That’s a wrap on official tennis plans for the summer, but I hope he’s able to meet up with friends at the court long into the fall.
WASHING MACHINE + DRYER
I am so thankful for our washing machine.
I may complain about laundry on the regular, but what a blessing that I can toss all my dirty clothes into a machine, spin a few dials, and come back an hour later to find everything clean and spun out.
And then I toss those same items into another machine, turn a few more dials, push another button, and like magic: an hour later I have fresh-smelling, dry clothes.
Modern appliances for the win.
BADMINTON NET
About a month ago I got a badminton net on clearance. (It had been returned missing a piece that wasn’t critical to the function of the net.)
Indy and I took it to the lake when we visited my parents and had a great time… and then it languished in our shed for a few weeks.
We set it up again—it only takes a few minutes—and the kids have had such a great time playing on our side lawn.
They’re coming in at night with FILTHY feet, but I figure that’s a sign of a good time.
RAIN THIS SUMMER
Last summer our province was under constant threat from forest fires (as was much of the rest of Canada). This year, we have had a lot more rain.
And each and every time I see rain, I’m thankful for the reprieve.
Of course, we don’t want too much rain because then things veer into flooding, but so far we’ve had enough to help depress forest fire risk without causing water damage.
Long may this last!
COFFEE MAKER
We bought a coffee maker!
We started with a Mr. Coffee machine based on some blog reader suggestions (we were looking for something small and inexpensive). Unfortunately, as soon as we saw it, we could tell the 5-cup machine was too small for us.
John did some research and ended up with a TRU brand 12-cup one from Walmart.
It was inexpensive, it fits under our counter (some of the other brands we were looking at would not), AND we can set it to brew automatically in the morning.
So far, so good.
I love waking up to hot coffee, and I have sneakily not learned how to program it, so John is setting it up each night, which is delightful.
Eventually I’ll learn, but for now ignorance is bliss.
BONUS HAPPY THINGS
- I was on a podcast! It was a lot of fun to re-listen to my conversation with Kathleen all about our European adventure, and also a lot of fun to host her in my online space later in the week.
- Melissa posted a great roundup of her August Gratitude moments so far.
- On that note, I posted a mid-month summary of my gratitude worksheet—along with a few stormy seas—over on Patreon (not paywalled).
- Garbage day. This shows up on my Happy Things Friday list quite consistently… but that’s because the reset genuinely makes me happy each and every time.
- I was reading an article on BBC News about some of the most colourful buildings in the world and came across a picture of the Maishima Waste Incinerator. Immediately, my spidey senses went off. It looked very similar to the Spittelau Incinerator in Vienna. And sure enough, it was designed by the same Austrian architect!
- Peaches! A good peach is pretty much fruit perfection in my eyes, but they are so often too firm, or not juicy/sweet enough for my tastes. The current crop has been delicious and I basically cannot get enough peaches this week.
- Fresh, local corn. Speaking of local produce… we’re not just limiting ourselves to fruit. We have a lot of corn lovers in our household and have been enjoying this year’s harvest already.
- Chili in the slow cooker. I prepped a chili yesterday and it’s sitting in the fridge ready to go on low for most of today. Three cheers for an easy supper with all the prep work done in advance.
- LEGO has been popular in our house the last few weeks, and Indy’s latest preoccupation has been creating words out of LEGO blocks. Both John and I were treated to a custom creation.
My brother, sister-in-law, and her mother leave tomorrow (Saturday) evening. And first thing Sunday morning, John’s brother arrives with his wife and three young kids. It’s intense and I’m tired… but we’re inching closer to routine and structure and a bit of a reprieve from the relentless pace of summer life.
Happy Weekending, friends.
Your turn.
- Tell me some Happy Things happening in your world.
- What’s the weather been like in your part of the world?
- Do you have an automatic brew setting on your coffee maker?
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RAIN!
We desperately need it here too. Our lakes and rivers are so low, and everything is incredibly dry. I honestly can’t remember seeing them like this before, and the farmers are really hoping for some proper rain. We were supposed to get some today, but so far it hasn’t materialised. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the heatwaves are at least behind us and that some rain is on the way!
Indy did so well in his tennis tournament! What a highlight! Going from being one of the youngest players to finishing top of the round-robin is fantastic. It sounds like he’s really found a sport he enjoys, too.
Waking up to coffee that has made itself is definitely a Happy Thing. I’d happily remain “ignorant” about the programming too!
I’m so glad to read your update. RAIN! Despite all our modern technology, we are still completely and utterly beholden to the weather.
The coffee in the morning has been such a delight of late.
UPDATE: it’s RAINING, Elisabeth! RAINING! So happy!
Seeing this follow-up comment made my day, Catrina! Really and truly so happy for you and, of course, in particular the farmers and other people who are facing very real challenges with the drought. I hope you get a lot of rain in a gentle enough format that there is no issue with flooding.
The best kind of guests are the kind that independently go out and explore! Also the ones that are not staying in your house! I feel for you, it’s a lot hosting family.
We are in a drought here and there is rain in the forecast this weekend – but we have had a lot of “rain in the forecast” that never materializes. We shall see. I sure hope so, it is so dry, and the fire situation is bad. The smoke rolled out but now it has rolled back in.
But you’re asking for happy things! I could schedule an automatic brew, but I have a paranoia about it so I don’t. I just set everything up so that I can pour the water in and press brew in the morning. Coffee is a happy thing and I’m drinking some right this minute!
Congrats to Indy!!! Boo to his prankster friend! (although that kind of is funny) (but also not funny)
Having people visit for meals and then leave has been… very helpful! And everyone having their own sleeping arrangements has been DELIGHTFUL. Seriously, it is such a help.
We were supposed to have nine straight days with rain. We’re on the 5th day and haven’t seen a single drop. But, overall, it has been a much wetter summer this year, for which I am very thankful.
The prank WAS funny and also annoying. That said, I am SO glad he didn’t set it for something like 2 am. I would not have found that remotely funny.
What a full week- no wonder you’re stretched thin! Make sure you schedule alone time next week – whether it’s coffee shop or nap or hammock. Treat yourself kindly!
Happy thing? Kids are back in school ( mostly) . And the weather broke so after 3 days of major rain, and then a bunch of hot days, it’s mellowed to pleasant summer weather. Hopefully the house dries out- everything just felt damp due to high humidity.
We don’t have the coffee maker out unless it’s for guests, in which case I’m the one who makes the coffee. I’m up first, and I love the smell of it brewing.
PS- regarding sleep apnea, with my daughter I noticed an improvement in her behavior about 2 weeks in, and after a few months the nights were so much better ( barely any accidents). However, her machine automated the pressure and humidity, and I had to make sure the face mask was on tight. I do usually put it back on her once a night ( my midnight waking are good for something!) But our goal was at least 4 hours a night for 2/3 of the days. So it might just take you sone time to figure out the right settings .
I was just thinking about how I have not been in the hammock in WEEKS!
Pleasant summer weather is such a delight. I think that’s why I love September into October so much. It feels like summer (not fall) and is just the best of both worlds.
Thanks for the encouragement re. the CPAP. I know it is a learning curve. I had most things automated, but need to fiddle with a few things. I made it to 3 am yesterday and then the seal wasn’t great and because I had increased the humidity there was some water buildup.
Oof- not getting enough sleep makes everything way, way harder than it has to be. I know your situation is more complicated than mine, but earplugs have been helping me lately. And, if things get really bad I’ll take an Advil PM- it REALLY makes a difference.
When things get difficult it really is helpful to remember how lucky we are. When the kids were younger sometimes they would mention that we were “poor” compared to some of their friends. My response was always, no, we’re RICH- we have two cars, an air conditioned house, washer, dryer, refrigerator, and on and on. There are plenty of people in this world living without those things!
Keep your eye on the prize- first day of school. I hope it can be a “shouldless” day for you and that you get to enjoy it completely!
I took a drowsy antihistamine (my allergies have been so bad lately, so I need to take an antihistamine every day anyway, so I take a drowsy one before bed occasionally and this week did that twice to help reset my sleep clock a bit).
So many things we take for granted would be the epitome of luxury to others!
I am so excited for the return to school. Less than 2 weeks to go now <3
Congrats to Indy on his great tournament!
Hosting can be so exhausting. That is wonderful that they can stay at Joy’s house and that they are being self-sufficient for some meals and sightseeing!
We are driving a few hours to my sister’s wedding weekend right now! Everyone is excited and a bit nervous for their roles.
School starts next Wednesday so I had my last day of paying a babysitter for the summer, yesterday. Your first week of school plans sound great!
I hope the wedding was wonderful! I know you’re excited for it… and ready for it to be over 🙂
The first round of company is at the airport. One more set to go, another little trip (to visit my parents) ahead… and then SCHOOL.
Going through a very similar CPAP journey right now. Fingers crossed for both of us!
All the best. It hasn’t been smooth so far for me, unfortunately 🙁
•Three books on hold at the library arrived yesterday
•A very tall friend and I worked together to get the cobwebs out of the crazy-high windows on our A-frame sanctuary (just the interior, and I know it won’t last because spiders are ubiquitous—just gimme a moment of happiness here, okay?)
•That same friend and another guy pulled all the puncture vines (“goat-heads”) from a driveway at church, something I’d been chipping away at, mostly caused because I had a sprinkler hose blow-out.
•AND they spread woodchips over the most recently planted area, something I cannot do because working with woodchips gives me pneumonia
•Finished a sweater for my little buddy who is turning 9 in a couple of weeks
•So much time alone at home this week, time that made availability to help several friends who are in the midst of Big Troubles
•One of those friends is clearing out too much stuff (ugh, definitely a hoarder but more of the collector variety than random trash) and SHE GAVE ME A FANTASTIC CAMERA!!
•The Frugal Girl asked her readers to post links to her blog because I requested that she do it. So fun!
It is helpful to have tall friends and family members. I am NOT tall and frequently need some extra help (we keep a little folding stool under our kitchen sink) to reach things high on a shelf.
Working with woodchips gives you pneumonia? I am very curious about this!
Yay for a free camera.
Well done, Indy!! Are you going to let his prankster friend back over – GRRR! I kid, of course 🙂
This has been one of our better summers for weather. We haven’t had heat domes and very little of the smoke from nearby fires which often kept us inside all of August. This weekend is calling for rain and I’m not unhappy about it.
We have a coffee maker that since we’ve retired we hardly use. We have become so lazy – why, I don’t know since it’s not like we’re pressed for time to get out the door anymore – that we are making instant coffee. We enjoy it, both the ease and the taste, so that’s a happy thing!
You mentioned corn. Have you ever tried corn ribs? My husband made them for the first time and they were excellent. Just Google corn ribs and you’ll see how to make them. That was a happy thing this week.
We’ve been checking in on our neighbour’s cats for the last 3 weeks. Mittens literally runs down the stairs as soon as we open the door, Riley is the definition of a scaredy cat. We couldn’t find her for the first 3 days. Update, this past Tuesday she now comes out to greet us, rubs up against us for ear scratches much to Mittens’ chagrin LOL! I think she liked being the center of attention and now that there was some competition for our affection, Mittens took a couple of nips at Riley and she took off back under the couch. Anyway, I’m so relieved we can confirm she is alive and pet love is a happy thing.
Another happy animal time was doing a Pilates with horses class with my daughter. We did the class outside at an equestrian centre with a few horses watching us. After we got to feed and pet the horses.
You more than deserve a full day of quiet and relaxation when the kids go back to school. Definitely something to look forward to after Europe and a busy summer!
I’ve never heard of corn ribs. Off to Google it after I respond to your comment.
Pilates with horses?? I have heard of puppy yoga and even doing things with goats, but never with horses. That I need to see!
Peaches are fruit perfection to me too – well, peaches with wild blueberries. My first three baskets of peaches were disappointing, and I was feeling panicky, but then the next few baskets were perfect, and I got a giant basket of Quebec blueberries in the market, so breakfasts have been blissful.
We’ve had a busy summer with travel and people visiting and it’s all been wonderful, but my husband was in Phoenix this week and I was alone with only a couple of things to drive my parents to, and I sat in the backyard reading for hours and it was amazing. I also had a two-hour catch-up Facetime with my daughter tonight where we laughed immoderately and she rambled about everything that’s on her mind, and I am so grateful that technology takes much of the sting out of her living five hours away.
I feel extremely upset when the peaches aren’t good. And they can be SO hit and miss (and are heavily dependent on the weather that particular season). Every single peach was amazing from our two baskets, and I’m almost scared to buy any more for fear they’ll be horrible. I don’t think I’ve ever had such good fortune with peaches before.
I just love hearing about how close you and Eve are at this stage in the mother/daughter relationship. It’s wonderful. And hooray for technology, indeed. It can get so much negative attention, but it does bring people together in unprecedented ways and for that I’m so thankful.
Glad to read these happy things, I agree with you the last week(s) before going back to school can be tough. And yes to washing machines and dryers!!! Also, showers with magical hot water.
Our kids were at my parents this week, which was mostly a happy thing because we could use their rooms to play moving tetris. The wood stove has been removed! My father in law came over to help with the painting! Walls have been painted! Most of our furniture is in our new room! Our daughter’s furniture will be in her room by the end of today!
Also, we did schedule a date night, which was really helpful. We had a very nice dinner, and then watched 2 cabaret shows. It was a happy Friday night 😊
Showers. YES! How I love hot water and showers.
It is so wonderful to have some extra space—literally and figuratively—to get things sorted. What a happy thing to have those spaces refreshed and refurbished before they get home.
Your Friday night sounds fabulous <3
I’m glad you have so many happy things to offset the stress, Elisabeth. I have a coffee maker with an automatic setting for mornings, but I mostly use my Keurig. After what seems a very long stretch of wild weather (oppressive heat followed by severe thunderstorms and even tornado activity) I’m thankful there is a boring weather week in the forecast! I’m sure looking forward to fall this year 🙂
You have had a wild stretch of weather.
We’ve mostly had a nice summer (albeit with more rain than last year), but we’re supposed to get A LOT of rain tonight. Which always feels a bit concerning because of some risks of flooding, but I’m hopeful it will not come too quickly and will soak into the ground well and help prevent future fires.
Oooooh you have me craving chili – yum!
Lots of happy things, but I am here to commiserate about the sleep apnea stuff. I also have very mild sleep apnea and have a CPAP machine. I have not used the machine in many months. I know that I should give it another shot, but it didn’t seem to help when I was doing it regularly. And the transition from not using it to using it is so rough that I am loath to try it. The only thing that is really motivating me to try it again is that I have an upcoming appointment with my sleep specialist. I feel like she will be disappointed in me! Lol.
Good luck with back to school! I’m glad that you are going to spend the first day celebrating!
The main thing keeping me motivated is the stats that my machine shows. I want to average a certain number of hours a night, but I feel so validated that it’s not going well for me. I think if I had a severe case I’d feel differently, but it’s so mild that it’s unlikely to move the needle for me a lot. But I’ve tried two different types of masks in different sizes and it is SUCH A FAFF. Gah. All the best with your appointment and maybe she’ll have some good suggestions for how to make it less onerous?
Had a nice long comment and then it evaporated. Blergh. Going to try to redo it and hope it doesn’t go poof again!
That’s a lot of company! We did something similar in May and this introvert was left wiped out. Take care of yourself and take all the naps and alone time you need! Is this the same brother you saw in Denmark?
A big happy thing here is that we started school on Thursday. It was a last minute decision – originally planned to do Aug 31 as the first day. However, it became increasingly clear that the copious amounts of free time were serving no child well, especially not the girl entering Grade 1. Wednesday I decided that I could not take it anymore and declared that we would be starting the next day. We’ve done two days and will do three this upcoming week (M/T were already spoken for) and then the 31st will be the start of the first full week of school although it’ll be week 2 of curriculum. There’s still a couple small things to prep but since we had most everything ready to go it was time. The return to more routine and structure has already been good.
Sorry! Disappearing comments are such a frustration.
Yes! The same brother (my only brother). I did fit in the one nap and that helped a lot. Next week will be so intense, but I do also feel like the finish line, so to speak, is closer in my sight.
Hooray for ripping the proverbial Bandaid and getting school started. Yay for structure and routine. I’m sure that feels good for everyone.
sorry to hear about being tired and overwhelmed. despite easy guests, I can imagine how tiring emotionally it could be for an introvert like us. Glad you were able to nap and sleep well to recover some.
happy thing today: signing up gym membership for husband, getting another helper arrangement that we are happy about, getting ice cream with the girls.
Those are happy things! Ice cream is such a simple delight, but it never seems to fail to impress 🙂
I will never ever not be thankful for a washer and dryer and a refrigerator. They make life SO MUCH easier. I have never lived without a fridge, but I have lived without a washer and dryer and it is a pain in the neck. I mean, I didn’t have to wash my clothes by hand or anything, like my grandma did. I just went to a laundromat. I remember our first place with our own washer and dryer, and OMG, so amazing. My daughter has never lived without one, and she washes everything (even jeans) after wearing them only once. It drives me nuts.
I know that feeling of being not enough butter. Not a good feeling. Hang in there. I’m so glad you’re having visits with your family, and I hope the CPAP situation settles down. Good quality sleep is so important.
I had a great week – my BFF came to town with her son whom I adore, I was able to do a wonderful volunteer gig I didn’t think I was going to get to do, and we went to a (very weird) movie today, which means I had popcorn for lunch.
I am so, so glad I don’t have to lug things to a laundromat. What a nuisance!! I mean, I complain about laundry when I just have to lug it up and down one flight of stairs!
My son puts everything in his laundry as soon as it comes off his body. I think it has nothing to do with cleanliness and everything to do with laziness, because I still do his laundry.
I had my first really good night with the CPAP last night. I want to adjust a few more settings, but I finally feel like I’m making progress.
I am so glad you got time with your friend. And I’ll look forward to hearing all about your weird movie.
Hi Elizabeth,
I had a similar situation with recently diagnosed mild obstructive sleep apnea and couldn’t get used to the CPAP after several months. A custom oral appliance made by a specialized dentist was a much better solution for me. See https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21129-oral-appliance-therapy-for-sleep-apnea. Just something to keep in mind that there may be other therapies that work better. Good luck!
Thanks, Monika! My doctor actually mentioned the oral appliance route! I’m starting with the CPAP for a few reasons but it does feel like a custom oral appliance might be a lot easier. I’m so glad it has worked for you!
Feel free to email me if you need CPAP tips. It took me about 3 months to feel comfortable wearing it (and I dealt with a lot of skin irritation at first!), but now I only sleep well when I’m wearing my mask, which is a bit annoying lol. But I also have severe sleep apnea so I was having 45+ episodes an hour – learning to sleep with a CPAP was non-negotiable for me!
Congrats to Indy – maybe he’s a secret tennis prodigy?!
We’ve finally been getting rain around here, which we need desperately. We’ve been in a severe drought most of the year, meh.
Oh my goodness! 45 episodes! That sounds horrible (though I suspect you were unaware they were happening). I’m so glad the CPAP has made a meaningful difference in your sleep.
He loves, loves, loves tennis. And I find it very fun to watch.
Wow, you’re having a really busy summer… so many visitors after your long trip away from home. It’s wonderful and exhausting at the same time, isn’t it? But I am glad you’re taking some time for yourself when you can. And naps are so, so needed sometimes. I was on a field trip all last week and when I came home on Friday afternoon, I also took a two hour nap. Glorious.
Hooray for a programmable coffeemaker. Mine has that function as well although I am not using it as often as one would think… I should really take more advantage, especially during the week when I wake up at a certain time.
I hope the CPAP will either work out for you or hopefully you can ditch it (I am guessing you’d rather sleep without a sleep mask if you can help it, but if it helps you with feeling more energized in the morning, then it’s worth it).
Yes! Wonderful and exhausting. I think, for me, company (especially when it’s family) is best enjoyed in retrospect. My remembering self is so happy to have the memories, but the experiencing self is… tired.
[…] Elisabeth recently got a programmable coffeemaker and that reminded me that my coffeemaker also has a programmable feature which, for an inexplicable reason, I have rarely used so far. So, I started using it immediately this week! While I have no clue why I wasn’t using it, the most important thing is that I am using it now. It’s glorious to return from my morning run to the smell of fresh coffee! Thank you, Elisabeth! […]