I figured I’d sit down today and catch up a bit — not just on what I’ve been doing since the move at the end of April, but on what’s been shifting inside me too. It’s been… a time. Interesting, messy, clarifying, all at once.

I already wrote about the whole internet saga, so I won’t rehash that here. If you missed it, the post is up: When the Internet Goes Quiet: A Month of Disconnection and Discovery.

What’s funny is that now that the internet is back, I can’t seem to slip into the same routines I had before. A month offline rewired things. I built new rhythms, new habits, and now I’m trying to find a balance between the old and the new. I’ve only had Wi‑Fi for a week, and most of that time was spent updating my poor neglected computer, digging through hundreds of emails, and catching up on WordPress posts. I even reconnected with a few people on the Mainland, which felt good.

Weekends are still offline territory for me — that’s hubby time.  We’ve been spending our time catching up on the TV shows we watch! Monday was used catching up watching YouTube videos I missed. Yesterday I went out early, got my hair cut, wandered the Mall for a bit, and today is the first real stretch of hours I’ve have taken to just sit, breathe, and write. The housework can wait. It always does.

Moving

Moving at the end of April was… well, let’s just say I don’t recommend it at my age anymore. 🙁 Hubby and I did the whole thing ourselves with a rental truck that had no ramp and no dolly. I drove, which was fun! We hand‑bombed everything over two trips, and I pushed myself way too hard. The only blessing was that our new building has no stairs. It took seven hours, and it took me two weeks to recover.

The next day I almost went to the hospital because the spasms in my lower back were so bad. I called my doctor instead, and she put me on muscle relaxers that slowly got me through the worst of it. Now I’m in physio, working on strengthening my legs and hips. They won’t touch my back until I see the spine specialist who did my surgery in April 2024. Hopefully I didn’t undo anything with the move — I don’t think I did, but you never know.

My Health

During my physio assessment, I learned that I’ve lost about 50% of the muscle strength on my left side compared to my right. My left leg has also shortened a bit more — almost two inches now instead of the inch and a half I had before. So I’ve been referred for orthotics to get a shoe lift. Apparently it should help my gait and maybe even my back. I had one many years ago and hated it, so I stopped wearing it. That one’s on me.

On the bright side, my blood pressure has improved. Losing one of the four medications I was on for it feels like a small victory. I guess a month without doom‑scrolling world news did me some good. I didn’t have the data to look anything up anyway. I finally upgraded my phone plan, so at least now I can check bus schedules while out without worrying about using up everything. 🙂

Somewhere in the middle of all this settling in, I finally went and got my eyes checked too. It’s been a while, 3 years, and I knew things were getting fuzzy — but I didn’t realize just how fuzzy until I was sitting there trying to read the chart. My prescription has changed quite a bit, so I have to get new glasses soon. I’m actually looking forward to them. It’ll be nice to see the world crisply again, instead of feeling like everything has a soft filter over it. One more little piece of getting myself put back together.

Lately I’ve been trying to keep myself moving — a little every day, even if it’s just gentle walking around the apartment or going outside to walk the property with others here — and doing my physio exercises every second day. Getting outside to run errands, or check out the Harbour, in between has become part of the routine too, especially now that the weather is finally cooperating.

June has its own personality here, weather‑wise. With the icebergs drifting past the Island this time of year — and there have been thousands of them — they drag the cold right in with them. We’ll get a beautiful day, like yesterday’s 19°C, and then the temperature drops the moment the north wind decides to show up. It’s a strange mix of spring and winter sharing the same breath, but that’s Newfoundland for you. The landscape is always reminding you that you live on a Island sticking out in the North Atlantic Ocean!

Tomorrow I’m scheduled for bloodwork at the hospital nearby, so I’m planning to walk over, then wander downtown afterward to take in Water Street and the Harbour. I’m already looking forward to sitting by the Atlantic again, letting the salty air clear my head the way it always does. It’s become one of those small rituals I have come to depend on since moving back home almost 6 years ago. Wow, it blows my mind how fast time goes by!

Our New Space

I absolutely love our new apartment — and the building too. The neighbours are wonderful, and I’m already making new friends. We sit outside on the benches or picnic tables, or walk the property, chatting in the sunshine like people used to before everything went digital. It feels like a real community here.

The apartment itself is bright, spacious, and easy to clean. The ceilings are high, which makes everything feel open. The kitchen is smaller, but I’m adjusting. I have more cupboard space and brand‑new appliances, so I can’t complain. We still need a microwave, but that can wait. I’ve done without one for many years before…

We got rid of our kitchen table since we never used it, and I turned the dining room into my workspace. I tossed my old desk — it was too big — and bought a new one with a built‑in power box, 4 drawers, and a light strip. It’s snazzy. It took me 3 hours to put it together, as I am slow and I took my time, but I love it! Hubby set up his desk beside mine with the printer between us. It works. He’s not on his computer nearly as much as I am.

Since moving in, we’ve replaced a lot: a new bed frame, a new dresser, new sheets and a comforter, even new curtains, especially blackout ones for the bedroom, and we just ordered one of those boneless sofas everyone raves about. I’m excited for it to arrive next week. My son got me a bookcase for Mother’s Day, and it fits perfectly in the space behind me, holding all my books and paperwork.

Even Hope loves it here. More room to waddle around in — though she still prefers “lying down and catching the toy” over “running after it.” She’s a watcher, not a chaser. I’m trying to encourage more movement, but she’s not convinced. I’ll keep trying, as she needs to lose weight! I’ve gotten into going from room to room when she is in the mood to follow me around, as at least she is moving then. 🙂

Mental Work

Lately, I’ve noticed a kind of mental clarity settling in that I didn’t realize I’d been missing. It’s not dramatic — more like the fog that’s been hanging around the edges finally lifted enough for me to see clearer again. The move, the forced break from the internet, the new routines, even the physical work of physio… it all seems to have shaken something loose.

My thoughts aren’t racing the way they used to. I’m not carrying that constant background hum of tension anymore.  There’s more room inside my head, more quiet, more space to actually hear myself think. I’m finding it easier to focus, easier to breathe, easier to just be in my own life without feeling pulled in a dozen directions. It feels like I’m myself again— steadier, softer, and more present to the now than I’ve been in a long time. Life has become peaceful…

Does anyone else spend time away from the internet for a reset? If so, what does it change for you?