Flat

Hubs is away visiting family this week, so naturally my car would protest by coming up gimpy–at least in the form of a pancake-flat tire. This particular tire is the newest of the four on that car, so it seems there’s some prejudice in the DC-area roads agains the front driver’s side wheel, given this is the second time in the three years we’ve lived here that I’ve had to go through the repair/replace dance. We’ll see how much time it wastes this go-round.

Aside from missing hubs, and having three discombobulated Huskies who are sure if they stare at the front door long enough they will make him magically re-appear, it was another week of heavy day-job requirements. We’re starting to look at hiring staff, so I’m hopeful that in the coming months there is a light at the end of this tunnel. In the meantime, it’s a challenge to have any energy left over to do much beyond basic requirements.

Like walking the dogs. Even without hubs (and with full gratitude to the friends who are stepping up to help make sure everyone gets at least one good walk a day) my phone says I’ve averaged 6,573 steps a day this week. I’m actually amazed this is only very slightly down from last week.

Or reading. I’m catching up on the final NetGalley book in my queue, The Tethered Mage, by Melissa Caruso. It’s due out at the end of October, and I’m very much enjoying the world-building and poetic language. The layers of metaphors as a young woman comes to terms with the repercussions of all she is heir to and the responsibilities she’s chosen. It will be a challenge not to stay up all night reading without hubs to remind me of the hour.

Or catching a talk by Dame Stephanie Shirley, who titled her presentation “Why do ambitious women have flat heads?” My kind of gal–and she’s even in the tech field with me. Her sense of humor as she talks about the number of times she’s been condescended to gives a good orientation to women now considering joining this male-dominated field.

So I’ll keep it short this week, but will be taking a peek at my fellow ROW80ers to cheer their progress, and return next week with what I hope is more actual forward motion.