I’m home today, back on Everest duty. She’s reached that bold new phase where “outside” apparently means “freedom sprint,” so now I have to go out with her every time she needs the bathroom. It’s a little frustrating, but not too bad. I get a break outside, and a front-row seat to her daily escape attempts.

In a strange way, working at the coffee shop felt easier than working at home. At home, there are distractions everywhere: the dogs, the kids, the cat, the internet… even just being home feels like a distraction sometimes. I can get work done here, but staying focused takes more effort.

The coffee shop had its own kind of chaos. People coming and going, doors opening, conversations buzzing, but it was a different kind of distraction. After a while, it faded into the background, and I actually found my focus. Funny how that works.

I’m getting better at these quizzes the more I take them, which is encouraging. I’m going to read over my notes now and let things settle in a bit.

Sometimes the quietness of the house throws me off more than the noise does. Instead of feeling calm, it makes me restless, like I want to get up and walk around just to reset my focus. I know that might sound a little strange, but I think it connects to this strong need I have to know what’s happening around me.

If I can’t see my surroundings, my mind tends to fill in the gaps. So I end up wanting to physically check things, even when there’s no real reason to. Especially when I’m alone. Even though I’m not technically alone right now, everyone is just in their own rooms, and the house is quiet enough that it still feels like I need to “verify” what’s going on elsewhere.

Realistically, nothing is happening, everyone’s settled, the animals are asleep, and it’s just normal household quiet. So part of me recognizes that this is more of a mental loop than an actual concern. Still, in the moment, it can feel very real, even if I can also see that it’s probably just my mind being a little on edge rather than anything actually wrong.

I’ve focused pretty well today, considering my distractions. Everest was a bit needy today. But she wasn’t too bad. I took breaks and went outside with her. Right now, I’m going to make some tea and read notes until 5.

Tomorrow is Friday! Tommy is working, so I will be studying. Tommy wants to study this weekend too. He doesn’t get a chance to study during the week, so we will do it this weekend.