Self-care in pictures.

I took more than an entire week off after Mamie died. I felt guilty and lazy even asking my boss and supervisor (thanks, grad school, for conditioning me so well), but they were understanding and kind. I'm very grateful for their support while I tried to practice the self-care I constantly preach to my clients. I'm also very grateful that my university closed for a snow day on one of my two missed assistantship workdays, so that I only have to make up 8 hours instead of 16.

What did this time of self-care look like? I cried/snotted as needed. I spent a lot of time in bed with the kitties, as evidenced by their presence in 40% of the photographs below. I shared favorite memories of Mamie with my sweet boyfriend and got lots of hugs from him. I spent obscene amounts of time in the kitchen (cooking serves as both church and therapy for me, I think). I tried my hand at Zentangle, a form of meditative doodling. I talked with family and friends. I read. I journaled. I caught up on Season 5 of Downton Abbey. I spent time with a few close friends, walking in the snow and playing cards by the fire. I skipped both Wednesday and Sunday at church in favor of introvert time. I started a Pinterest board with ideas for a memorial tattoo, filling it with images symbolic of my Mamie and our relationship. And lo, all of this was good.

Okay, I promised pictures! Here's the good stuff (kitties, homemade spice mixes, NYT no-knead bread, "my" beer, Zentangles, my very humble new abode in the park):

FIN.