Back into the rhytm

Girls are back to school and they are happy with their new classmates and teachers. What a relief. They come back home tired but happy.

I went to office every day this week except Friday. It forces to shift back to work mode. Working from home is hard as I’d have so many distractions and excuses with husband around. Being in the office, I always find things to do, to research, other than doing my tasks. I know there’s controversy about going back to office work. I understand the flexility of working from home that many need, but if we are talking about productivity, I think office work is better, at least for me and people I see in my organization. Our institution is changing its policy too. Starting next month, it will be 4 days week with flexibility, which I think it’s a good solution to the dilemma.

I am back to my gym, my beloved gym. Although I signed up for a gym in China, I didn’t like it much and didn’t go for two weeks. Now that I am into the training for the marathon phase, I’m shortening my strengthening session to give space for more runners specific strength, stretch, and mobility. I am happy to report that my hip issue is under control. I am currently going to the Physio twice a week, stretch every night for 20 min, and do hip strength routines couple times at home too. So far it is really helping to contain the soreness/pain. I’ll continue this routine for 2 weeks and see. If not improving, then I’ll get an MRI

Our evening routine has changed a bit. Now we are eating dinner earlier, husband done eating by 5pm (he’s doing IF trying to lose the weight he put on), I eat when hungry, around 5:30pm, then I’ll make company to the girls when they eat dinner, closer to 6pm. I find the arrangement quite good as I then have full attention on the girls while they eat. When we all eat together, famished, I focus on eating and sometimes catch up with husband. Then the girls feel neglected or always being interrupted or rushed. Now, I dedicate my full attention to husband, me eating, and the girls. 🙂 After dinner, I’ll do my stretching routine while the girls practice their chinese writing. Yesterday we all finished earlier than usual so I took the girls for some rollerblading in our building. After that, they prepare for bed while I use a heating pad on my hips for 20-30 min, super relaxing before bed. By 7:45pm, girls come to my bed, we talk about our day while in dark, sometimes with foot massage done by Sofia. 8-8:10pm, they’ll go to bed and I’m almost ready to fall asleep. This routine means I’m taking at least 2 hrs to unwind and my sleep quality is so much better. Loving it. You may notice that I skipped reading, and that is fine.

Travel planning. I need to start planning for my Chicago Marathon trip. Husband was supposed to go with me but my mom cannot come to take care of the girls as we thought. So I’m going alone. I want to get over with the jet lag before the race, meaning I need to be in that time zone one week before. I don’t have friends in Chicago, so I wonder if I should still spend a week in Chicago exploring it by myself (what to do???) or visit friends in DC area? mmm… decision decision.