Sunday, July 20, 2008

My First Day Working from Home

On Friday I (officially) worked from home for the first time. Through the end of the summer, my boss at Living Beyond Breast Cancer has given her blessing for me to spend one blissful day each week writing and editing from the solitude of my house.

I woke up at 7:30 a.m., an hour later than usual, and showered, moisturized and dressed. Instead of rushing through a hastily prepared breakfast, I sat at my table and tasted my food. Then I walked to Dunkin' Donuts for a large iced coffee, which I drank quickly in order to pump some energy into my system.

I worked for four-and-a-half hours without interruption, writing three stories, answering a dozen e-mails, approving two designs. I even interviewed one of our consitituents. Instead of rushing the woman through our conversation--the norm lately, since I have no time to think--I listened to her. She is a 14-year breast cancer survivor, a woman retiring from our Helpline after eight years, and she shared her philosophy of volunteerism as an act of both giving and self-care. I was surprised to find myself wiping away tears.

I took a break at 1:00 p.m. and stuck a veggie burger in the toaster oven. Then I went for a short walk on the square surrounding the Girard Estate, the namesake of this neighborhood. As I wandered narrow streets, I saw cat after cat curled into a ball in the front window. During the day, our pets slumber. I had witnessed this miracle in my own home. Nanuq, who just two nights before had frightened the cable guy by knocking over the box he was repairing, lay on his back beneath the kitchen window, stomach exposed, paws in the air. Tug was in the front window, tucked into the only corner not shaded by an oak tree.

In the afternoon I interviewed another volunteer and edited three stories. The cats woke up once, when my neighbor and his young daughter tapped on the window. I stopped my work for a moment to toss them a ball and give treats. Poking my head out front, I saw two of my neighbors, house-husbands who walked back and forth with babies swaddled against them.

I worked until 5:30, resisting the urge to get "just" a little more done. I put away the laptop and headed to the yard to do some weeding. After an hour I stopped to make dinner, finishing in time to see the Phillies win a tight one. All in all, a pretty perfect day.