My desk is essentially finished. Tommy has applied several coats of polyurethane, and now it’s just a matter of waiting for it to cure. They say it takes a full seven days, which means it should be ready by Friday. I’m happy to finally be able to use my new desk.

My old desk has officially been dismantled and hauled away. In their place sit two sturdy wooden file cabinets that will serve as the legs for the new desktop once everything is ready to assemble. Tommy also replaced the batteries in my UPS (uninterruptible power supply), so my computer will no longer randomly shut off whenever the power flickers. That’s one less frustration to deal with.

For now, nearly everything I own that I have on my desk is packed away in plastic totes, waiting for me to unpack once my desk is finally in place. It’s strange having my workspace reduced to a collection of storage bins. I know exactly where everything is, at least in theory, but actually finding something usually means digging through half a dozen things before I stumble across it.

Until Friday arrives, I’m camped out at Kel’s desk with my laptop. Later, I’ll have to rummage through one of the totes and rescue my cybersecurity textbook so I can get some studying done. I have a few quiet hours before everyone wakes up, and I’d like to take advantage of them.

Using Kel’s desk feels…odd. It isn’t my space. I can’t quite settle in or make myself comfortable because, in the back of my mind, I’m constantly cognizant that I’m borrowing someone else’s workspace. I know that probably sounds silly, but it’s hard to explain. When I’m at my own desk, everything feels familiar and natural. Here, I feel more like a guest than someone who’s supposed to be here.

The open door adds another layer to that feeling. It’s only a few steps away, and I keep catching myself looking toward it, almost expecting someone to walk down the hallway or through the doorway. The funny thing is that no one will. Everyone is asleep. Tommy and Kel are both at work, so the house is completely quiet.

Even so, I don’t dare close the door.

That probably sounds irrational, but closing the door would send my anxiety through the roof. Somehow, shutting myself off from the rest of the house feels more unsettling than leaving the room exposed. For some strange reason, I always need to know what’s going on around me. It’s not that I need to be part of every conversation or ask people what they’re doing. I just find comfort in being able to hear life happening around me, to hear footsteps, voices, doors opening and closing, or simply know that if someone walked by, I’d notice. It makes the house feel alive, and somehow that helps me feel grounded.

Of course, there’s also a very practical reason for leaving the door open. The plumber was here a few days ago to replace part of the piping, and to get to it, he had to cut a sizable hole in the drywall. We’re waiting for someone to come patch the wall, but until then, the hole gives the cats easy access to places they definitely shouldn’t be exploring. Keeping the door wide open helps block them from going through that opening.

So here I am, sitting at someone else’s desk, surrounded by computer stuff and totes, waiting for a finish to cure, a wall to be repaired, and my workspace to finally come back together. It’s a temporary inconvenience, and I know that by the end of the week everything should be back to normal. Once my desk is assembled and everything has a proper place again, I think the room, and maybe my mind, will feel much more settled.

For now, though, I should stop procrastinating, dig my cybersecurity book out of the tote, and get some studying done. The house is still quiet, and I have a few uninterrupted hours before everyone wakes up and the usual distractions begin.

Oh, before I study, I should tell you about my ear infection. Again. Because apparently I collect ear infections.

I went to the doctor on my birthday to have my ears checked, and sure enough, I have two pretty bad ear infections. So I’m on antibiotics again. Unfortunately, my stomach is not a fan of antibiotics, but at least they’re doing their job. My ears are starting to feel better, and my left ear doesn’t hurt anymore.

Oh, and I need to call Costco about my hearing aids…again. It’s so frustrating. I just want them to work, especially before we go on our trip.

I’m so glad the washer is finally getting fixed tomorrow. The kids have been rewearing clothes because we’ve been trying to stretch what we have until it’s working again. Once it’s fixed, though, the only challenge will be everyone wanting to use it at the same time. I’m planning to get up early Wednesday morning and do my laundry before everyone else wakes up so I can beat the rush.

Everest has been doing so well outside lately, too. We finally seem to have figured out all of her escape routes, so she’s been staying in the yard instead of finding ways to get out. It’s been such a relief not having to worry about her wandering off every time she’s outside.

My arms are incredibly sore today. I could really feel it during last night’s workout, and I struggled to get through some of the exercises. The app automatically increased the amount of weight I’m lifting, which is great because it means I’m making progress, but it’s definitely an adjustment. I know building strength is a gradual process, so I’m trying to be patient with myself, even though the increased weights have left me pretty sore.

This afternoon, I’m thinking about riding the stationary bike around 3:30 for about 20 minutes. I want to start at a comfortable pace and gradually build my endurance until I can consistently ride for 30 minutes. The app has 10-minute cycling workouts, but I think 20 minutes is a good challenge without overdoing it.

I found a 20-minute ride on the Apple Fitness app that’s set to dance music, and I think it’ll make the workout a lot more enjoyable. I’m actually looking forward to it. Hopefully, the light cardio will help loosen up my sore muscles while giving me another good workout.

That was good. I did it. I didn’t think I could do the whole 20 minutes, but I did. The app stopped for a few minutes when the phone rang. It was Costco, giving me a day and time for an appointment. I knew they were going to call while I was on the bike. Not while I’m at my laptop, but while I’m working out on the bike.

I’m going to get some water and read a bit more.