Meg Evans

This week I started a new five-week training program to get in shape for rowing. So far it seems like it’s going well. I was a bit apprehensive about it because last year I trained harder than I’d done before, and there were many days when I felt tired and stressed, rushing to do everything on the schedule.

I expect it’ll be easier now that I have better baseline fitness and know what to expect. Just as important, this season I plan to get more rest and manage my time more sensibly. No reason to let it scare me!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

This was a cold and blustery day in my part of the world. I was grateful when my husband volunteered to bring in the mail and I didn’t have to step outside. Right now, I’m feeling warm and cozy in green flannel pajamas with a Christmas pattern of trees and stockings. Every season has its comforts to enjoy!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Last week, our daughter and son-in-law drove to Florida to visit his sister, who recently had a baby. My husband and I expected that they’d stop at our house on the way back to their home in Cleveland, sometime over the New Year’s weekend.

It was a great surprise when, instead, our daughter showed up on Christmas Eve. She put her little dog in a pet carrier and got on a plane. I hadn’t yet wrapped her presents, which were still sitting on the basement floor, so had to hurry up and get them under the tree.

Although we didn’t have any holiday parties this year, it feels like one anyway! So wonderful to have a loving family. Wishing all the best to my readers in 2022!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Things have been rather hectic in my house this week, but that’s okay. Christmas lights are twinkling, I have family who love me, and that is all I really need in the moment. Wishing merry days to all!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Posting a blog entry for Nurturing Thursday late on a Saturday afternoon is definitely the slowest I’ve ever been! I had planned to write a post on Thursday after work, as usual; but after I got some exercise and took a shower, it was late enough that I decided to cook dinner first. And after that, I sat down at the computer, only to discover it wasn’t working.

We have another home computer, but my husband has been using it for a remote connection to his work computer since he started working from home last year. His company had a software release scheduled for Friday, so he was doing some last-minute bug fixes. I was starting to get sleepy anyway, so decided I might as well just go to bed and let it wait. That turned out to be a rather long wait because my husband bought new motherboards for both computers and upgraded them to Windows 11, which was a good thing to do, but wasn’t finished until today.

Of course, I could’ve gotten up early on Friday to write a post on the other computer before my husband got up, but it didn’t seem worth sacrificing sleep to write something that was already late. And besides, Nurturing Thursday is mainly about taking care of oneself, which includes being well rested and not rushing around. Slow and steady made more sense!

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Once upon a time, my workgroup had a tradition of weekly emails with positive word-art to keep up team morale. They were fun, and we had a friendly, cheerful group for many years. As time went by, though, some people retired while others got busier, and the weekly emails ended.

When I thought about it recently, it occurred to me that the emails were very much like my Nurturing Thursday posts, and that I could start a new tradition. So, this morning I sent out a Nurturing Thursday email to my coworkers, featuring one of the word-art images that I put into a blog entry last month, along with a brief explanation of the history.

I am hoping this will encourage more positivity and self-nurturing among my coworkers. Of course, I can’t know for sure what will happen; but sometimes a few kind words from a friend can go much farther than we imagine. Anyway, I’d like to think so.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Although my daughter always blows in like a whirlwind when she visits, we found time over Thanksgiving weekend to put up the Christmas tree together. This week has been warmer than usual, and it probably will be a while before it gets cold enough for snow. Still, just seeing the tree with all its lights, ornaments, and family memories gives the days more winter cheer.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

I have to admit, I didn’t do much for Thanksgiving dinner this year. My husband and I didn’t feel like cooking a big turkey dinner, and our daughter has to work and can’t be here until Saturday. Still, it will be good to have the family together, even if it is not on the actual day. What matters is being grateful for all our blessings and for being in the world together.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

I rowed well on Saturday, as did my husband; we were much faster than two years ago, both in the double and in singles. Afterward, though, I felt totally drained of energy, as if the stress and exhaustion of a long training plan and competing in so many regattas had caught up with me all at once.

Even after coming home, I still felt tired all week. This morning I woke up feeling better rested, but that energy did not last through the afternoon. I had to remind myself that I worked harder to improve my rowing than in past years, so it was only natural that I would need some time to rest and recover. Instead of getting frustrated about not bouncing back instantly, I should give myself more kindness and understanding.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.

Rowing season comes to an end, for me anyway, on Saturday when my husband and I compete in one last regatta, the Head of the South. It’s in Augusta, Georgia, which is forecast to have pleasantly warm weather. Meanwhile, there may be snow flurries here in Ohio, which I’ll be glad to miss.

We both worked hard to follow the training plans from our online coach this year, improving our fitness and our racing performance. I have to admit that it felt exhausting at times, and sometimes I wasn’t sure if I could deal with the stress of it, both mental and physical. But, of course, those exhausted feelings did not mean that there was anything really wrong with me. The goal was never to be perfect, but to make steady improvement and be able to keep on going when put under pressure.

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to “give this planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.” Visit her site to find more Nurturing Thursday posts and a list of frequent contributors.