I’ve had a pretty mellow week so far. My new laptop is functioning properly now, last week’s heap of work has been sorted, the overtime for it will be in my pay tomorrow, and the long weekend is almost here.

I didn’t even mind doing my rowing workouts in the broiling sun this week because that’s better than thunderstorms and having to stay indoors. Turtles were soaking up the sunshine on logs beside the river, enjoying the last days of summer. They had the right idea!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

I’ve had a rather stressful week because several people in my workgroup, including me, have been issued new laptops with some sort of configuration problem that hasn’t yet been solved. So, I am still working on my old computer, with frequent distractions while discussing the new machine’s issues with tech support. Meanwhile, other people have been temporarily reassigned to another project, another coworker is out for a long weekend, and heaps of work are piling up.

But, on the bright side, there is overtime pay, and I had a lovely sunset row with my husband this evening in our new singles, so I’m feeling pretty cheerful right now.

Word-art that says, "Being negative only makes a journey more difficult. You may be given a cactus, but you don't have to sit on it."

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

A sunny Thursday after more than a week of storms was great to see. The river was still high today because of last night’s rain, but now it’s starting to look like we are getting back to regular summer days with sunshine and less humidity. I’m looking forward to enjoying a pleasant weekend. Wishing everyone the same!

Word-art that says, "Keep chasing sunshine and dreams. The best is yet to come."

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

This has been a week of ferocious thunderstorms. My backyard is so soggy that the lawn service company couldn’t do the scheduled service. The river is too high for rowing; we hurried out after work on Tuesday, when the water was rising and it was still possible to row, but the river was full of mud and small branches, so all we could do was paddle slowly and carefully.

Today and Wednesday there wasn’t much to do but stay in and do our workouts on the rowing machine in the hot and humid basement. Oh, well, it’s peaceful to sit quietly and listen to the rain after the thunder and lightning have passed over. Nothing to worry about!

Word-art that says, "Let the rain wash away your worries."

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

In addition to posting Nurturing Thursday entries on my blog, I also send Nurturing Thursday messages (different ones) to my coworkers via email. Today, I almost forgot, and sent my email at the end of the workday. So, for my blog, I decided a reminder theme would suit.

Word-art that says, "Don't forget how amazing, strong, talented, beautiful, enough, not alone & loved you are."

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

August 6, 2026 · 2 comments · Categories: Musings · Tags:

Last week had some rainy days, and my husband and I got drenched while rowing on Saturday. Meanwhile, in Auckland, which has a damp maritime climate and is often cloudy, there was a long string of sunny days, and our daughter took photos of her dog enjoying the sunshine.

Photo of dog napping in the sun.

My husband wondered if dogs find sunny spots more by sight or by smell, so he looked that up. The answer is that dogs can indeed smell the particles that come off a couch, carpet, etc., when it heats up in sunlight. Although humans lack the ability to sniff around for sunshine, I’m glad to say that we found some this week anyway, as the days got clearer and we spent time outdoors on pleasant afternoons.

I had a quiet and relaxing workday, feeling comfortable in my home office with my husband sitting at his desk across the room. After work, we enjoyed a lovely summer evening, perfect for rowing singles. The sky was clear, and the setting sun glittered on the water. A heron was standing on the dock, quite unafraid, as we came back in. By the end of the day, my soul felt much refreshed.


Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

Earlier in the week, I didn’t have much energy after the hectic Sunday afternoon rowing races and the previous days of polluted air, which seeped into the older house where I was staying. Just finishing my normal workdays took more effort than usual. Going out after work to row with my husband on Wednesday, I wasn’t able to do much.

By this afternoon I was starting to feel more like myself. One day can make a big difference.

Word-art that says, "Every day is a new beginning. Breathe, trust, and take the next step forward."

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

July 21, 2026 · 2 comments · Categories: Musings · Tags:

Last weekend’s rowing regatta in Michigan, which was supposed to run from Thursday through Sunday, got overcome by events when hazardous smoky air from wildfires prevented any outdoor activities in the area on Thursday and Friday. Here’s a photo of the smoky air as seen from the front window of the Airbnb house where my husband and I were staying with another couple.

Photo of smoky air outside the front window of a house in Michigan.

Strong southwest winds pushed the smoke out of the area on Saturday, but our races were scheduled for late afternoon. By then it had gotten so windy that racing had to be stopped for safety reasons because lots of boats were flipping, so we had a third day with no rowing.

On Sunday, there was a full day of racing with our Saturday races squeezed in at the end. Some smoke blew back in and made the air hazy, but it wasn’t bad enough to be hazardous, just mildly irritating to the eyes and throat. We won some medals, though there was less competition because some people went home early. I’m glad that we had one day to race; it’s a long break until the fall season begins.

I’m traveling again this week for the last rowing regatta of my spring/summer season, a relatively short drive north to Michigan. The weather forecast calls for hot and mostly sunny days. The races are held on a lake, and I hope it will be calmer than last year’s windy conditions. But if not, my husband and I feel more confident regardless, and we plan to enjoy whatever comes.

Word-art that says, "Chase the sun, catch the joy."

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”