Adjusting to more spacious schedule

Strangely, I'm still trying to adjust to no longer being in a period with no margin. The first two months of this year were really a bit too much on top of a lengthy period over the last couple of years where I've felt powerless in certain areas of my life and unable to make plans. I am gradually recovering, but emotionally dealing with the changes that have come in the last few weeks is harder than I expected.

At work I've been coming to grips with needing to do some things that aren't exciting or urgent (for example, updating the magazine's style guide!), but are important. That requires a little less adrenaline and a bit more grit. But I am celebrating with my team as we put finished another magazine (print) issue this afternoon. I look forward to seeing the Spring issue in print in a couple of weeks.

This week, with a bit more of a spacious work schedule and the knowledge that our trip to Australia in June is coming up quickly, I've once again become the family-communication point-person for international transition (or at least parts of it).

Good news is that we've got our organisation's approval to come to Australia, and for me to work from there for a while after David and our youngest son come back in early August to start school. Yes, we did need their permission because we don't want to get in trouble with anyone for a "misuse of charitable funds"! 

I'll stay longer in Australia with our middle son to do some reconnaissance for his future. He's still deciding about what his next steps are, and I hope that an un-hurried period in Australia as a young adult will help him consider what he might like to do next. Last time he was there he was 16, and in a period of high anxiety and stress at school, so it's really hard for him to imagine what life in an English speaking country might be like as an independent adult. 

Oh, and we want to spend time with our 22 y.o. son, who we won't have seen for three years! I imagine those first hugs will be a bit emotional. A lot has happened in three years.

But we'll still only be there for three months, so a bit of pre-planning is required. I've been looking at leads on accommodation and cars, corresponding with service providers, and various OMF people. If you know of a car we could use, or a place with three bedrooms that we could stay in that's not too far from the Indooroopilly area in Brisbane, please let us know.

And just to be clear, we're not doing any home assignment time this year—so we won't be speaking at churches or making a concerted effort to catch up with many people. That will have to wait until after June 2023.

We are enjoying a break from the cold Tokyo winter weather. These last several days have seen temperatures in the high teens and low to mid 20s (Celsius). After three months of temperatures in single digits or slightly above, it's a welcome break. Tomorrow is supposed to be back down to 11, Saturday 18, Sunday and Monday 13/14, and next Tuesday 8! But that's spring here for you.

Last week, to celebrate the change of seasons, I bought a 100 yen flowering plant and finally got to do some repotting this afternoon after lunch (in line with the "more spacious work schedule"). Hopefully it will do well and cheer our spirits as we move up and down the stairs. I also replaced the hanging plant that looked like a sopping-wet rag and was clearly on its way out. In the midst of that, found a couple of maidenhair fern offspring that had taken root alongside another plant, so I gave them their own tiny pots. We'll see how this little bit of "sprucing up" of my window garden will go now that the temperatures are rising.

My new plant: Sweet Alyssum. First time I've
tried this one, my app says it's perfect for 
gardeners with brown thumbs, which sounds 
great to me.

My baby maidenhair fern.