Full Speed

I came home from a 10-day vipassana retreat a week ago. Since then I enjoy being very busy. Work, dogs, garden, house.

The retreat was pretty succesful in the sense that I have realized a lot of things again. It was a very intensive 10-11 days, lots of time but never wasted one second! I think I understand for example the sleeping (or not sleeping) pattern I have, why I have frequent urination time to time, I've broken through some of my limitations (pride, paranoia, passivity, procrastination - all begining with 'P') - although they haven't disappeared, no, no, no. The aim is to debunk these old patterns, to lilft the layers of veils to understand how they work, and then live with them, and smile - then they might disappear...slowly. Anyways, Bori, my daughter was at the retreat with me, and it felt so right! I don't think any parent can give more than showing the opportunity of vipassana to the child. Then one actually opened up the door to the real happiness. MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY!

I came home and immediatelly started working at my new workplace. I work as a personal assistent helping a disabled lady of my mother's age (actually the lady is 2 years younger than mom). On Monday I didn't have to stay, so I could fix many things (cleaning, gardening, playing with the dogs) at home. I worked on Tuesday morning until 3pm, so that wasn't a long working day either, but the coming 3 days full speed, 9 hours/day with 1 hour break. The work is not very difficult or complicated, fortunatelly me, my collegue and she, the lady have similar interests and ways of organizing life and household duties. She lives very near to us, so I can take the bike when it's not pouring rain (as I did on Wednesday for example). But I must tell you, I was happy when the weekend came. I have a private language student as well, I had lessons with her on both Friday and Saturday evenings and I became exhausted. So it's just good that today I'm free, I work tomorrow, then 3 days off again and work at the weekend. I have a 14-day schedule and sometimes I work in the evenings (if the lady needs help with going to cinema or to dinner etc. or when I have lesson with my private student).

And the dogs! Yes! Look at the photos I've just uploaded of Brummi. She is growing!!! Playing a lot with the other dog, Abbe, and sometimes with the cat, thought the cat is not very interested in playing with dogs, as we know it. There is a lot of work with a puppy: cleaning after her, walking, playing, feeding (3 times/day), training her, going to the vet etc.

And it is spring (inspite of snowing this morning in Gothenburg!!!). The garden also needs attention: buds, small leaves all over, pruning, planting, seeding, cleaning. I bought some seeds and a small magnoliabush. I'm waiting some days with the magnolia, so that it doesn't get frostdamages, although hopefully there won't be any serious cold weather, and I'm going to cover it with fibrecloth during the nights. I love magnolias, this one is very pretty and elegant, has double petals and they are all pure white. I'm hoping to take picture when blooming!!!