today

A while back when I posted about how Tim was absolutely kicking ass in his dissertation research, I received a number of emails responses requesting that I write something similar about myself. It seemed an odd request, at first, but for some reason I feel compelled to write about this tonight. Maybe it's because Tim just thanked me for all the work I've done this year, for all that I have given him, and all that I manage to get done while still giving him the time and space that he needs for his work. I guess it got me thinking.

I went to bed last night at 11:45-ish. Eleanor's first wake-up (yes, she still does not sleep through the night) came LATE for her- not until 1:00am! I woke, put her back to sleep, and fell back asleep myself. She woke again at 4:00 am and was awake (smiling and laughing) at roughly 7:00 (which is late for her). I got up with her and we read. Then I made breakfast for us both, fed her (and ate myself) and got her dressed. Asina came a little after 8:30. I exercised (in the bedroom to my P90X videos. Yes, I do feel like Napoleon Dynamite) for one hour and forty minutes (no, this is NOT normal). Just as I finished, Eleanor came in from outside and was ready for a nap. I put her to sleep. I got Asina started on prepping dinner (sweet potato falafels) and the those Marathon Cookies I wrote about last month (we're taking a trip to the field tomorrow and the guys love these cookies). I took a shower. I made coffee and cooked wheat berries for Eleanor's lunch. Then I put in roughly 2.5 hours of work- nearly all of it spent with my head spinning, still, about this one manuscript that I'm working on. Somewhere in there I ate lunch- leftovers from last night...and the last of my quinoa.

Asian left at 2:00, at which point Eleanor had a little more to eat, we read, and played on the porch- drawing and kicking the soccer ball. I changed her clothes again (I can't begin to describe how dry and dusty it is here), and we brushed our teeth (yes, for the first time today). We then walked down our road to meet Tim. We went grocery shopping at Pick 'N Pay and then got produce from the fruit and veg stand in town. Back home, while Tim unloaded the car, I rounded up food for Eleanor's dinner. She didn't want any of it, so I made her zucchini curry. I cleaned up from dinner while she and Tim played chase and then got all the ingredients out and prepped for the rest of our dinner. I drew and gave Eleanor her bath (and tonight we washed her hair, which was extra fun). I read "Go Dog, Go!", slathered her in lotion (again, it is SO dry), and nursed her to sleep. I finished dinner while Tim went downstairs and got me a glass of wine. I had a lovely dinner with my husband, who is about to unveil his survey (i.e. give it to his assistants so they can start the main portion of his data collection), and feeling some apprehension about the process going smoothly. I cleaned up from dinner and just now, as I was typing, finished my wine (I also just answered two work emails and read through one pretty...disheartening?...personal email).

Tim and Eleanor are asleep and the house is quiet, save the running water sounds that we play at night. I am making a list of the food, clothes and entertainment I need to be sure to pack for Eleanor for tomorrow's journey to Simanjero (a 4 night adventure that we haven't had since March) and contemplating going downstairs for another glass of wine.

Funny. I just reread the post and it doesn't feel like I did that much today.
-kjd