Sometime you look back at a week and think, blah, or whatever, or that sucked. This week I look back and smile. It was a good week. Nothing to special, just springy and warm. I got to hang out with my peoples, see the world turn green and lush, and I didn’t stress too much about anything because what is the point? Plus I bought a single pink carnation at the grocery store at the beginning of the week for the mr. and every time I see it, I smile a little. Sometimes just a little something something is all we need.
So yeah, the week was good. There was the normal stuff of work and what not but also a fair amount of not work stuff. I saw my moms for Mothers day and brought her food. The mr and I went for some long walks that did not involve any outdoor clothing (just normal indoor clothing) We hung out with the littles for a good afternoon of tree house chilling, baby running, three wheeling, and all sorts of other fun. Miley was super pumped to show off her new shoes that are partially gold. She was obsessed and needed to wash them off at the end of the day. Those were the days,when you cared about your shoes? (I am assuming you don%u2019t now , like me, but maybe you do.) Also Barb finally come back to me (school is over so she has time again) me and I feed her soup. Megan also came over for a soup lunch and a walk because that is what we do. (We are a family of eaters and walkers.) I worked on some clay rainbows, planted some more plants, and cleaned under my fingernails. The one big thing that I tried to accomplish and haven%u2019t yet managed is the bike thing. I have been shopping for a new bike and it is so so so HARD! I am not good at buying anything in general, especially when it is for me, and not food, and costs more than 5 bucks. But not just that, it%u2019s that there are so so so many bikes to choose form. I am all like , YIKES! And so I did myself a favor and just gave myself another week to ponder and look and decide. The right bike will present itself when it is suppose to, or when I finally break down and just buy this one.
Yesterday was a good solid day of getting shit done. I got the winter tires changed to summer (thanks Justin!) and hung with Alex while it was happening. We talked music and cassette tapes and how music is everything. Then I went home to the yard and all the massive piles of leaves, dead tree(so sad) and over all lawn degree and the mr and I got it all into the truck to send off to compost land. After hitting the transfer station to offload we made a really quickly stop over to see Anthony getting ready for his prom%u2026.Oh my shit. The kid is like not a kid anymore and was wearing a tux and looking all old and what not. The shinny ass shoes alone were too much for me. (more shoes that need cleaning). How is it possible that I have a sister that is old enough to have a kid that is old enough to be going prom? OH, because I am getting old. That is how. Ha.
And after that, it was back home to finish cleaning and eat dinner and water the garden and feel exhausted but accomplished. I don%u2019t mind being super tired, just as long as I have something to show for it (The yard looks A+ so I am happy)
I think today mainly going to be a work day. The mr has a project that he is in the middle of so he is going to be doing that all day and I have a few things I need to get done and then a ton of other things that need doing as well. Don%u2019t worry, I will be spending some of that time outside with the green things in the dirt, making sure I have sun screen on, listening to some good tunes and drinking coffee like it is going out of style.
The ways of the internet this week.
– The news of abortions and women reproductives rights has been front and center this week. The lengths women have to go to to do what is right for themselves is shameful at best, but basically pretty fucking grotesque. These are the people that are trying to help. The Secret Baby Catchers of Alabama.
–Report: U.S. Navy Cracks Case Of Majestic Sky Dick. Phew. Now we know who to hire for our own sky dick.
-Can%u2019t wait for that new pool to be build around the corner%u2026NOT. And really, didn’t we all know this already? Your Neighborhood Pool Is Full of Unshowered Pee-ers
-A lot of breakfast food in America is basically junk food if you really think about it. Muffins (really cupcakes), pancakes (really cake covered in maple sugar), Pop tarts (pie) yogurt (almost ice cream)%u2026 Its all just desert with a different name. I Broke Breakfast. Americans eat a narrower variety of foods for breakfast than anyone else.%u00a0
-Imagine the magic.. I get feels just thinking about this place. A Fleeting Dandelion Wish Processing Facility Appears For Two Days Outside of Los Angeles
–ECLECTIC DINING STYLE.. I want all the tables and chairs. Just where to put them%u2026%u2026????
-After reading the list, I feel pretty dang awesome cause I clean all that shit! Cleaning Supplies Might be Spreading Dirt Around Here%u2019s How to Clean Them This Weekend
–How Did Chickpea Flour, A Staple Of Indian Cuisine, Become A Health Food Sensation? Because it is amazing. See recipe for Socca.
–Have you tried plogging, the Instagram trend that might be the sustainable sport of the future?. Even if it%u2019s trendy and a way to be cool, well it is pretty cool and great and I am all for it.
–Can %u201cIndie%u201d Social Media Save Us? Something needs too.
Pictures from the week.
And all of a sudden the world is green and it is mazing and magical. The best time of the year, when all the cool and wet weather pays off with sunshine and flowers and the greenest greens. No longer freezing and it is yet to be too freaking hot. Spring spring SPRING. It is not lost on me. I take it, I suck it up, I appreciate it all. Even the cray cray rain storms. What a time, what a time.
Last week we started off Sunday going to see some jumping fish. We packed our lunches, grabbed the camera, drove the 2 hours to the river and sat around watching and waiting. Sadly we saw no jumping fish. And that was that in case you were wondering. One of these years we will see it.
The rest of the week has been a little crazy. In between work and chores and life stuff, just about every day we have had anywhere between 2-4 littles. What for their parents needed a sitter or a ride here and there cause their car broke down. Or just some aunt and uncle hang time because who doesn%u2019t want to hang with us? So beside the mr finish off the trophies for the Lund Family Fund Raiser, me working the pug mill at the studio, or us trying to trade off the car in hopes that we both can get where we need to go in time for getting there. (Oh man the car thing, that is a whole other beast.) Yeah, it%u2019s been busy and hectic. On the bright side we have spent a lot of the time running around outside, drawing, and eating. A few little highlights. One of the nights So was feeling a little sick and Coco was feeling mean and wouldn’t let her nap on the couch so she ended up dragging a bunch of pillows into the pantry and falling asleep. It just made sense. Then there was Judah with his mad drawing skills drawing me pictures of vegetables (amazing) then farting with his armpits. And Miley, with her tude and phone. Getting her to hang out and just be sweet was nice. And Coco. That freaking little. Always happy, always eating, always causing trouble. Loves to run into the garden and jump all over the couch covered in peanut butter. (that is the baby, not me. ha) We found him a three wheeler. His legs might be too short but we will figure it out. It is gonna be a fun summer!
After the week long little marathon that ended with sticky littles eating pancakes (and being dangerously low on maple syrup), thrift store shopping (I scored the best new photo piece), and stopping in on my maybe future new bike(???), I came home and cleaned the crap out of everything. It never fails to amaze me how gross kids can be. The toilet alone, well, lets not go there.
Today, as it is Mothers Day and all, I am going to be a dutiful daughter and go see my Mama. Right now (at the wee early hour of 5 am, I%u2019m about to pop some bread and then a cake into the oven as offerings. We are going over around lunch so I%u2019m going make focaccia grilled cheeses (with the fresh bread) and hand over the blueberry cake that she loves. Then hopefully just spend a couple hours drinking lots of coffee and chilling on the porch.
Look at me, I am such a good daughter.
Links of interest on the internet.
–Yes, I’m In School for Nutrition. No, I Don’t Want to Hear About Your Diet. I feel this. Sometimes people feel like they need to tell me everything they eat, for approval or something. And I actually don%u2019t mind talking about what people eat. I’ll even make suggestions about foods that I like to eat or ways to prepare certain things but I stay away from telling people what not to eat%u2026 (people always assume I am going to tell them to not eat meat. I say, I do me. You do you.)
-I don%u2019t know how may times I have seen Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure. This should be good. PlusI totally have a thing for Keanu Reeves. Bill & Ted are embarking on a third excellent adventure next year
–How Weeds Help Fight Climate Change. Weeds are not the problem friends. The chemicals that people use to get rid of them are!
-If you are interested in VT State Parks, here its the list of all the parks opening days. Can%u2019t wait for CAMPING!!!
-Did you go through an Arizona iced tea phase? I had a very brief stint with the green tea%u2026 I can%u2019t even imagine drinking one now. The Dream of the %u201990s Is Alive in AriZona Iced Tea
–An Interview With A Man Who Eats Leftover Food From Strangers’ Plates In Restaurants. I think this is awesome and have much respect.
-A question the I didn%u2019t know I wanted answered until I read this article. Why do cats%u2014and so many other animals%u2014look like they%u2019re wearing socks?
-I get all sorts of feels when I see pandas. MY favorite favorite animal growing up. I carried a pink polka dotted panda around with me for years. SO many panda things. So this is fantastic and I hope to visit one day and hug me a panda (with pink polka dots) China%u2019s new panda park will be three times bigger than Yellowstone
–I have heard and seen some crazy fights in the past in places we have lived. A good few actually. It is never a comfortable thing but sadly, we got used to it. Listening to My Neighbors Fight
-Mothers Have Been Complaining About Mother%u2019s Day Breakfast in Bed for More than Half a Century. Why Does It Go On?. I am a strict, NO FOOD! in bed person. It just have zero desire to eat in bed so breakfast in bed sounds terrible to me. Plus I am awake at 430 every morning and I don%u2019t eat for a few hours after I wake up. It just wouldn%u2019t work.
And pictures from the week.
I think we are pretty much out of the clear. Yes I woke up yesterday morning to a light coating of snow on the ground, but I feel like that was it. It has got to be because I have to wash my winter jacket that is as of now, covered in dirt and concrete so it needs to be washed. And once it is washed, it is getting packed away with all of the other winter stuff. So you see, we really cannot have any more winter jacket weather because I won%u2019t have a jacket anymore. It must be sweater weather or warmer and that is that. Are you listening weather?
The week good, if not a bit hectic and all over. There was work, paper work, the %u201cmust not be mentioned%u201d and no they are not done yet but must be by next Monday or else. The mr has been running around all over town doing this and that which has been a slight pain because when he is super busy and I am busy and we only have one car and my bike needs a good tune up before it is safe%u2026 Well it makes things some what difficult. But so far we have managed and there wasn%u2019t too much arguing over car. We did manage to take a nice walk down by the lake, I also was able to sneak in a warm afternoon of clearing out the garden and picking up yard trash. The back porch is almost ready for summer living and green things are popping up all over the place making me ache for more more more. Think of it, trees with leaves. I am getting more excited every day.
Friday was a crazy day. Woke up, went to the gym with no plans other then work at the studio and having the littles over for dinner. By the time I came home I had plans to quickly make a cake before work because the littles pizza party turned into a family birthday party for Megan. So I made that cake, ran to work, moved 700lb of clay and loaded kilns. The mr picked me up with littles in tow, we ran home in time for all the family and partied partied until I kicked everyone out of the house at 7 because I was exhausted and plus Megan needed to go to Costco so she needed to leave anyway. Ha.
Yesterday, after a near sleepless night due to a racing mind, we woke up (again, to snow. BLAH), I bundled up and out we went to spend half the day pouring wet, heavy, cold concrete. I must say, pouring concrete usually isn%u2019t the worst, but yesterday, well it was. First off, we were working in very tight quarters making moving somewhat difficult.. Secondly, I was sore from all the clay moving the day before. And I was freezing. And tired, so so tired. By mid morning my fingers and toes had tuned to ice, I was covered in so much dirt and concrete, the mr was basically rolling around in dirt (reference picture above) so was trashed worse then me, but we were getting it done. The mr was brilliant and saved us so much time and hassle by coming up with a tarp and jostle concrete mixing technique so that was good. Anyway, the concrete was all poured and it is over. (Now we wait for it to set to finish porch construction) The rest of the day was short and went by with cleaning the house. I don%u2019t know how my family does it but there were sprinkles from the cake EVERYWHERE!
Today, after a quick romp to the gym, the library, the grocery store, and all the other little chores I need to do, the mr and I are going for a drive to look at a van. We need a work car. The life car is getting trashed, we have been having to get materials delivered (which costs money and stupid time) because we cannot fit wood and big stuff in the car, and it is just not practical for us to share. So van. A van for work, A van for cross country travel. A van for sanity. Hopefully this van is the one. Wish us luck.
Some stuff from the internet that you might care to look at.
-Thinking real hard about buying these Birkenstocks%u2026but not sure. Any opinions?
–Stop Asking Kids What They Want to Be When They Grow Up The question forces children to define themselves in terms of work. And really, what do you consider grown up?
-Gluten sensitive? Try sourdough. Why Some Gluten-Sensitive People Can Still Eat Sourdough Bread.
–Kitchen spices look startlingly different in the wild. So pretty
–Brown is one of my favorite colors
-Got a power drill? If yes, you also have a oven cleaner. I Cleaned My Oven with a Power Drill
–All Right. Some Cats Do Fetch. Only never fetched. That would have been beneath him. But he did respond to his name. Cats Might Not Act Like It, But They Know Their Names As Well As Dogs
-I very much like this house.
-Will Kevin Costner be my neighbor? Floating cities could ease the world%u2019s housing crunch, the UN says
–10 Things Nobody Tells You About Plywood. I love a good application of ply wood. We have plywood floor tiles in the pantry and our kitchen cabinets are plywood and they are great.
And some pictures from the week.
Hey there people. Happy end of March. Yes, it is true, already a quarter at the way through the year. And no, I don%u2019t know how it happened either. But so that is the way of time now isn%u2019t it.
A week, oh what a week. Not going to lie and say it as all to fanatic to start with. We have been so busy with work and other stuff. Other stuff being bills and paperwork and me trying to get the taxes done. (New rule. We just not mention taxes again until they are done). We did manage a warmish walk to with the littles to spend an hour arguing over weather they can get a king sized candy bar at the store over a lollipop (ended up with gummy worms). There was also a little wood carving, yarn weaving, library pursuing , and neighbor visiting to be had, but other then that, not much else of interest. The week just came and settled into what it was.
And then it was Friday which was a shit day. First off, it was the anniversary of Seans death so you know, already a not great day. But better yet, I Woke up at 4, stub my toe hard on the way back from the bathroom, laid in bed in pain until the throbbing subsided, went to the kitchen to start coffee. As soon as a I turned the faucet on, a little mouse ran across the counter. It took me a good minute of just staring at counter before I registered what happened and started to scream FUCK, FUCK FUCK! I woke the mr up with my profanity. Yup, a mouse in the house, munching on the a bowl of squash seeds I left on the counter. So what can you really do at 4 in the morning? Not much so I went to the gym. I then came home and started cleaning before I had to work at the studio but as I started in on cleaning, the vacuum decided to stop working. Agh. And so the cleaning ceased, I went to work, came home, ate dinner, emptied all the food from the pantry into bags and boxes, then felt all to defeated and sad to do much of anything so just crawled into bed. I figured I would just deal with it all Saturday and I just really needed the day to be over.
Yesterday was the lady, my moms, 60th birthday. Whoop whoop!!( HAPPY HAPPY TO MY MOM). I woke up, baked two cakes, two batches of focaccia, and home made mac and cheese, salad, prepared other foods, and then something for my dinner (my breath still have not recovered from the funk that is of a red onion eaten raw).There was a quick detour during the bake-a-thon to the library for the annual seed swap plus I definitely took out everything from the pantry and vacuumed and sprayed every surface and inspected every piece of food for mice disturbance. (I pretty much have the cleanest pantry ever now.) As for the rest of the house, it is still a mess. Not anything to do with mouse mess, just my Saturday, tear the house apart before I clean and put it back together, mess. While baking I starred in on my weekly clean but things happen and all of a sudden it was time for the mr and I to pack up all the food and head over to my moms house. There we finished food preparing, helped Erin decorate and clean up the house, and then lost my mind a bit. After a near breakdown due to lack of sleep, I mellowed out in time for everyone to show up while Mark and Paul were out with my mom for coffee. When they came home, Mom walked into a house full to the brim with all her kids and most of the grandkids. She was so very happy, I think%u2026.. Ha, no, she was. We then ate the dinner I spent the day slaving over, played outside, went for a walk that looked like a parade, came back for cake and ice cream and presents (everyone got her plants.), and whoa, before I knew it it was 7:30 pm and I was still awake and not in bed. Craziness. But that was it, I lost all steam. We came home to a half trashed house and I basically just assed the f out. The mr set the mouse traps. Have- a-heart, but also some not. I don%u2019t want to know. I just can%u2019t.
Today I am going to clean clean clean. Then maybe clip my toes nails, brush my hair, and get my head ready for the hectic week to come. It%u2019s going to be a full one. There is concrete pouring, the dreaded %u201cnot the be mentioned until they are done%u201d papers, I have a shit ton of stuff that needs to be glazed, seeds to start, yards to clean. It%u2019s spring. Everything needs to be done. Good thing the world has coffee. I am going to need it all.
P.S. It is official. The sandals are out. No more shoes for the next 6 months!
Here are some interesting reads from the interent this week. Read what you want.
-The most significant event in the history of earth. Thats some shit. The Day the Dinosaurs Died
–Why Do I Put Off Doing Things I Love? I know I have been guilty of doing before but I really try to use what I have, especially it is my favorite. Having shit just stashed away is pointless. Use it (whatever it is)
-I want to experience the greatness of the cherry blossom. 25 gorgeous photos of cherry blossoms
-Life we would be something with giant cats. Japanese Illustrator Imagines A World Where Humans Live Among Giant Animals
-I love airbnb but this is definitely something that has crossed my mind and kind of freaks me out. Airbnb Has a Hidden-Camera Problem. But there are cameras and hidden cameras everywhere so%u2026.
–Why Rewatching the Same Shows Is Actually Good For You. I get this. I barely watch tv, but when I do, I like to watch old shows that I have watched before. Gives me good feels and plus I don%u2019t have to pay attention. Plus. Too Much Video Streaming To Choose From? It’s Only Going To Get Worse
-Whoa dude. Yep, You Can Juice a Lemon Without Cutting It%u2014Here’s%u00a0How
–14 ways to break your plastic habit. Even doing a few of these things will make a difference.
-Awesome.KAWS Floats a Massive Inflatable Sculpture in Hong Kong%u2019s Victoria Harbour
–GREEN IN THE KITCHEN. Yes to all of them.
Pictures from the week.
Hey there lovely peoples. So nice of you to stop by. Hope all is well and dandy with you. Well and dandy.
Holy crap am I one tired lady. Mentally and physically but mostly mentally because it has been one of those weeks. It all started off with the mr and I both feeling like absolute crap. Sinus infections and some other fun stuff. Heads and brains super dysfunctional (although we can%u2019t blame being sick for all the dysfunction). I blame the ick on the weather and it not being spring yet. But let%u2019s not talk to much about the weather. It%u2019s a touchy subject for me right now and I just can%u2019t. Anyway, the week started slow. We got a few things done that needed doing then got ready to take off for PA to visit with my dad and go to my grandmothers funeral.
Took off mid week, the mr driving the 6ish hours down and over. A super sunny and bright day it was . One might think that sounds kind of nice but I hated it. Brightness while in a car without sunglasses makes for brain pain, at least in my case. So I had my head under a blanket for a few hours. Got to PA alright but as soon as we pulled into my dads driveway the wave of pain knocked me to my knees and I got a full fledge migraine. I haven%u2019t had one of those fun episodes in years and I can safely say that I hope to NEVER get one again. But after a night of zero restless sleep, I got up and rallied and went about the next day as half a human baking machine. Made the breakfast pancakes, some lunch, a birthday cake, cookies, my dinner, and cinnamon buns for the next morning. %u201cDon%u2019t worry%u201d my dad said. .%u201d We can go to the store and get as much flour and sugar as you will need!%u201d And so we did because I used a lot of flour.
The next morning was the funeral. Early to wake, walked the dogs, fed people buns and headed to the Catholic Church. The one my dad and his siblings went to for their entire childhood. OH boy oh boy, what a hoot. Their mother finally got them to go back one last time. HAHA. And as for me, I can say that was the first time I have ever been in a Catholic Church (for church reasons) and seen a catholic funeral. Very interesting to say the least. And I do go to hand it to the priest. He was pretty cool. Hip, sweet, not a typical catholic church man, and he kept calling my grandmother Ava instead of Eva. That got some laughs. My grandmother would have loved it.
The funeral ended and we all went to a restaurant and did the food thing with the family love fest. It was very bittersweet. Sad because of the loss but we were celebrating a freaking amazing lady and her amazing long life. Oh Grammy. She was the greatest, coolest, funniest little lady ever and I will miss her deeply. So yeah. Then after all the food we topped it off with the birthday cake I made for Teena cause it was her birthday too. My family, we packed it all in because that is how we do it.
After hugs, pictures, Shannon falling asleep in a booth, we headed back to the car and away we went, a long drive home with lots of shitty weather and bad roads. But we made it. And I even unpacked the car and managed to shower off before passing out. And a pass out was exactly what I needed and still kind of do. I told myself I would let myself sleep in a bit, but 430 came and look at me, awake.
So it%u2019s today and I must do some stuff. I%u2019m going to go to the gym for the morning, Run run run until I cannot possibly run anymore. Then I will come home and eat eat eat until I can not possible eat any more. After that it is a bunch of chores that need to be done and I need to go see the littles because I miss them. And I know I will need a nap at some point because I am feeling the even all the coffee in the world will not be enough to keep my brain afloat for a full day. Or maybe I%u2019ll just go to bed at a unreasonabley early hour. (5ish sounds good to me. Ha. But really) Yup yup, looking forward to that.
Until then.
Internet link from the online.
–Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood. NO SHIT for reals.
-My Library even lends out baking pans and garden tools! 8 Unexpected Perks of a Library Card. And I don%u2019t think the article mentions, but library cards are cool people card to. HA
–Thank a cloud today. Five reasons you shouldn’t take cloud cover for granted. OH how I love me a nice cloudy day.
-Nothing like FRESH HORSERADISH ROOT. Might be picking up a piece today to knock out my sinus crud.
–Do anxious owners make for anxious dogs? Yes. There is no question in my mind what so ever.
-I listen to a story about this article on NPR. It%u2019s really crazy how people, especially in our culture, are living to work,n to working olive. Workism Is Making Americans Miserable
–A scientist on the myth of ugly produce and food waste. Interesting, very interesting.
-I don%u2019t need a baby nursery but if I did (or ever do) I want it to look just like this. MARIGOLD%u2019S NURSERY TOUR
-What. I thought they were real. Balloon Birds by Terry Cook Mimic Their Real-Life Counterparts
–Vanuatu Has One Of The World%u2019s Strictest Plastic Bans. It%u2019s About To Get Tougher. We all (the entire world) should be getting tougher.
And some pictures from the week.
Did you get a good dumping of snow this week? Sunday was awesome. A good foot and a half and it came down fast. Enough where everyone was pretty much snowed in for a least part of the day. Too bad it was mother freaking cold out so being outside for too long was very uncomfortable, but still. Any snow is good snow to me!
Monday was still crazy with the snow and all the roads so things were not much different then Sunday. We managed to make it up to the hospital for a visit with Coco, and the mr did work some and had to go into town to shavel more, but other then that, we pretty much just hung around the house. I really wanted to go cross country sking or snow shoeing but it was still like -20 out so being outside for more then a half hour wasn%u2019t the smartest. My body couldn%u2019t handle it, but man, after a few walks in that cold, my nose and eyeballs felt like they were going to shatter. Oh and it was my birthday so there was that.
After a semi quiet Monday, it was back to it. Coco was in the hospital up until Friday so we had the older littles all week. So we would work and do our thing during the day but then meet them at home after school, do the homework, eat the snacks, make the dinners, fight about computer time and showers. Just the every day type of stuff. Then we would get them ready for bed, do balloon yoga, look up real estate listing for houses with a private bathroom for everyone that was within their school district (found and it was a million dollars) and then get their butts to bed. Part time parents we are. Good thing we like those littles.
Friday when Coco was finally released from the hospital prison, he and the other two came over for dinner, abc puzzles, and a sled walk. After that Coco went home while the two others slept over. Slightly burnt popcorn while they watched Bio dome and who the heck knows what else they did.. I was so exhausted I passed the F out.
Saturday was pancakes with the normal hoopla and then the littles went home. After that the mr and I did a few things, he worked, I cleaned. Right back to the grind.
I am hoping today will be a good day. We might get a little fresh snow and it%u2019s suppose to be hella warm out (mid 20%u2019s to 30 degrees!) and the roads are not treacherous so that means we can grab our snow shoes and head out into the woods. I need, like really really need some nature action. I didn%u2019t get enough last week. After that, well, I don%u2019t know. Maybe I will just build a snow fort in the woods and hide out for the rest of the week. So if you really need me, you might want to check the trees.
Interent to check out while I am away in my Snow Castle of Solitude (thats what I will name it)
–Sorry, SweetHearts Candy Hearts Won%u2019t Be Sold This Valentine%u2019s Day. Are you going to miss them?
-People are already complaining%u2026 It%u2019s way to early for that. Wait until mid March, that%u2019s when the fever really sets in. Yes, cabin fever is real%u2014here’s how to prevent it
–What’s Healthy At The Grocery Store? Shoppers Are Often Confused, Survey Finds. Ill tell you whats healthy, the stuff that is not in a box or can or has 1-2 ingredients like a bag or dried beans or whole wheat flour.
-Wool is an amazing fiber. 10 Things Nobody Tells You About the Benefits of Wool.
-Fresh spices are always the best but sometimes you find a little baggy stuck in the way way back of the spice drawer sooooo.. How Long Do Spices Actually Last? We Asked an%u00a0Expert.
–New ‘tent’ makes it possible to camp underwater. Always up for a new camping experience!
-Pack your bags for crazy town! 7 Things to Know Before Checking Into %u2018Lindsay Lohan%u2019s Beach Club%u2019
-The mr and I are back on finding a van or something to run away in. NOT YOUR AVERAGE AIRSTREAM. Any one of these will do.
–Can Americans learn to love ugly fruits and vegetables? I sure hope so. I never understood how people can think of produce as %u201cugly%u201d. The more fun the shape, the better. And a few dings and bruises in the food never hurt anybody.
–Can We Stop Calling Cake “Bread” & Bread%u00a0″Cake”? It%u2019s something about baking anything in a loaf pan. I call banana bread baked in a circular cake pan banana cake. It is what it is.
Pictures from the week. o
Mid January and I love it. Yes I know it is coldest part of the winter and still dark early and people are still crashing over the holidays, but this time of year always makes me feel like the world is all for me. Even the cold, the super cold that is scaring most people inside, well I love that too. Crisp and clean and oh so beautiful. I%u2019ll take this freezing cold any day over being hot. I am a winter lady here through and through.
This past week had been busy busy. Mark and Paul turned 21(Happy Birthday BROS!) and had a little birthday party, alcohol free, but with 2 cakes. Drove out to the North East Kingdom in a freaking snow storm to see some of the mr%u2019s family. We went and made dinner with the littles then watched Miley play her saxaphone in the sixth grade band concert. I finally got to pick up farm share. (I went through more then half my stock of frozen garden veggies over the past week which is sad because I have been rationing them and hoped the chest freezer of veggies would last a little longer..Oh well) The mr spent half a day creating ice sculptured on the porch. We did some work and dealt with annoying things. All this while I have barely been able to move my neck. I think the drive to Rhode Island last weekend started off a tweak in my neck the has turned into a pinch nerve or something and I have been spending more then too much time in pain with either a ice pack or hot water bottle propped up on my neck. It has sucked and still really does. I can%u2019t wait for the day when it doesn%u2019t hurt. It%u2019s gonna be amazing.
Jeff Dad came into town for a long postponed weekend. We did dinner at Megans, I made soup and so much bread. Then yesterday the whole family came over for the postponed Christmas with Dad. Sure I had no tree, and there was no Christmas music or anything, but it was super fun. The kids were all behaving and being nice to each other, probably because they were not all cracked out on sugar. I fixed a bunch of food and it was all eaten. We all exchanged presents. Jackson stuffed his shirt with my squash. Good time. And my house got trashed which was a-ok because it was cleaning day anyways.
And to is Sunday again already. In a few hours the mr and I are zipping, if that is what a 4 hour drive is called, down to Rhode Island again for the afternoon and then zipping that 4 hours back. Excited to see family, not excited to sit in the car for 8 hours. My brain and neck already hurt thinking about the drive.
And then I am taking tomorrow off and doing nothing, or as close to nothing as possible.
Interenting from the internet.
-Have you watched and started to %u201ctidy%u201d your life? My life is pretty tidy so I am good on that but it seems eveywhere I go I am hearing people talking about it. Marie Kondo and the fantasy of a tidy life, explained
-Who knew those little demons were actually helping to grow the rainforest. How termites help rainforests survive climate change
-I never use measuring devices when cooking and even sometimes when I bake (as long as I am not writing a recipe) It really is a lot less dishes and hassle to use the old eyeballs. Your Life Will Change When You Learn to Eyeball Measurements
-I have thought about this on multiple occasions and the song always changes. What%u2019s the last song you want to hear beforeyou die?
–ISLAND: A Cast of Colorful Creatures Pop, Quiver, and Hiccup in a Charming Stop Motion Animation. Only watch if you want to smile.
–How Much Junk Am I Consuming Online Every Day?. People average 12 hours a day%u2026That shit is crazy! I feel pretty good about my 1ish hour of digital anything a day. If you want to stop, read. How to go on a low-information diet
-Good time of year to get all the shut eye you need. Why do people need to sleep?
-Why Costco? 27-Pound Bucket of Macaroni and Cheese and %u00a0Costco%u2019s Giant Tubs of Nutella
–Don%u2019t Reply to Your Emails. Ok. I won%u2019t.
-I didn’t know I wanted a net in my house until now. 10 Homes With Nets to Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Pictures from the week.
What a world wind of the first week of the year. I feel like nothing has happened and everything is happening all at once. With all the holidays birthdays and family gatherings, happy and sad ones%u2026 it has been a lot to take in. I am in serious need of some time hiding away, not that I don%u2019t love everyone and have had loved being around them, its just been a lot and I can only hold it down for so long. You feel me?
We started the week with Judah Birthday (Happy birthday Judah!!!). I made an ice cream cake and the mr slept on the couch for half the day until it was party time. Poor guy, he has got such a heavy sinus infection so he has been feeling like shit all week long. Some days worse then others, and he has been trying to push through but this infection had really taken hold. I have been pushing all my concoctions and tinctures and good stuff into him and I think we are started to see some of the better feeling mr.
New Years was low key as can be. We went for a little drive, a little hike, and that was it. I stayed awake until 9 then passed out which is exactly my kind of night. New Years day was much of the same, went for a long walk to the river, hung around the house trying to get the mr better. and was just so exciting because I got to start a whole new calendar and binder system. Fresh paper, a nice new pen, and not a cluster fuck of a bunch of bills and papers yet. It was like the excitement of shopping for new school supplies. It really made me happy.
After A calm New Years, it was back to the grind. Working and doing the life thing. The littles over a few times for games of Sorry, and trying to french braid Judah%u2019s hair. Sophia came over for a day and helped me repot some plants, spun around in circles on the kitchen floor for like an hour, and hit Barb right in the face with a snow ball. I finally took the tree down and packed up most of the Christmas decorations, deep cleaned the pantry, and made the phone calls I have been dreading making for the past few weeks. Get it done, got it done.
Yesterday was another long ass day. We grabbed our nice shoes (are hiking boots nice shoes?) and climbed back into the car for the 4 hour drive to Rhode Island for Seths Memorial. 150 plus people packed inside his and Pamula%u2019s loft to listen and honor this amazing person. And I must say, it was sad, but so good. So much love and sharing. Music and food and family. Hearing the stories and the way he impacted so many lives, it really was just such a lovely night and really gave me a bit of happiness from such a shitty situation. After hanging at the loft and spending as much time as I could around all the people, the mr and I jumped back into the car and drove on home. By the time we got home, we were pretty trashed. Walked in the door and crashed. That was only just a few hours ago.
And yet I am still awake. I don%u2019t even know how Im still woke up at 4:30 this morning. My brain knows no other way I guess. For the rest of the day, after my 4-6 cups of coffee (I will drink all the coffee and then some today) I am heading to work at the studio for a while, going to do some gym, maybe hit the library, then I need to go grocery shopping because farm share was canceled this week and now I am running dangerously low on food. After that I will probably come home and crash. Yeah, and then off to a fresh week of more family and birthdays and work stuff, but hopefully this week the mr will not be sick, I will catch a little more sleep, and the snow storm that we are suppose to get will actually be and we get 2 feet of snow. That would be just so nice.
Internet from the internet.
-Top sky-watching events coming in 2019. Super blood moon eclipse is my birthday!
-Me. Why Am I Always Cold? I started eating more cooked food a few years back because I would be freezing after I ate.
-Bread inspiration for sure. LEOPARD BREAD
–The 100 Best Pens, As Tested by Strategist Editors. I love pens, really good pens. I draw with then so I have my own little box of special pens that no one is allowed to use besides me.
-We are aassholes. We’ve wasted so much plastic, it’s almost impossible to picture%u2014these charts will help
–When Too Cute Is Too Much, The Brain Can Get Aggressive. Yes, Have threatened to %u201csmoosh%u201d or %u201cpop%u201d a baby or puppies head off. What I find really works is when the feeling strikes, punch the mom, it helps.
–I Keep My Holiday Lights Up All Year Long%u2014Here’s Why You Should, Too. I love my lights, they make me happy.
–Dog influencers are so popular, they need their own talent agency. Hope this dogs are getting a cut of the pay to go towards all the best
-When someone tells me a fact that I might not believe I ask were they got the info from. If they say the internet, I assume there is a 50/50 chance that is is wrong. How Much of the Internet Is Fake? Turns Out, a Lot of It, Actually.
–What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.? Seems like these food should also be banned in the stare too.. Hum.
THE LOVELY CRAZY
May 20, 2019 by maximios • Blog
Sometime you look back at a week and think, blah, or whatever, or that sucked. This week I look back and smile. It was a good week. Nothing to special, just springy and warm. I got to hang out with my peoples, see the world turn green and lush, and I didn’t stress too much about anything because what is the point? Plus I bought a single pink carnation at the grocery store at the beginning of the week for the mr. and every time I see it, I smile a little. Sometimes just a little something something is all we need.
So yeah, the week was good. There was the normal stuff of work and what not but also a fair amount of not work stuff. I saw my moms for Mothers day and brought her food. The mr and I went for some long walks that did not involve any outdoor clothing (just normal indoor clothing) We hung out with the littles for a good afternoon of tree house chilling, baby running, three wheeling, and all sorts of other fun. Miley was super pumped to show off her new shoes that are partially gold. She was obsessed and needed to wash them off at the end of the day. Those were the days,when you cared about your shoes? (I am assuming you don%u2019t now , like me, but maybe you do.) Also Barb finally come back to me (school is over so she has time again) me and I feed her soup. Megan also came over for a soup lunch and a walk because that is what we do. (We are a family of eaters and walkers.) I worked on some clay rainbows, planted some more plants, and cleaned under my fingernails. The one big thing that I tried to accomplish and haven%u2019t yet managed is the bike thing. I have been shopping for a new bike and it is so so so HARD! I am not good at buying anything in general, especially when it is for me, and not food, and costs more than 5 bucks. But not just that, it%u2019s that there are so so so many bikes to choose form. I am all like , YIKES! And so I did myself a favor and just gave myself another week to ponder and look and decide. The right bike will present itself when it is suppose to, or when I finally break down and just buy this one.
Yesterday was a good solid day of getting shit done. I got the winter tires changed to summer (thanks Justin!) and hung with Alex while it was happening. We talked music and cassette tapes and how music is everything. Then I went home to the yard and all the massive piles of leaves, dead tree(so sad) and over all lawn degree and the mr and I got it all into the truck to send off to compost land. After hitting the transfer station to offload we made a really quickly stop over to see Anthony getting ready for his prom%u2026.Oh my shit. The kid is like not a kid anymore and was wearing a tux and looking all old and what not. The shinny ass shoes alone were too much for me. (more shoes that need cleaning). How is it possible that I have a sister that is old enough to have a kid that is old enough to be going prom? OH, because I am getting old. That is how. Ha.
And after that, it was back home to finish cleaning and eat dinner and water the garden and feel exhausted but accomplished. I don%u2019t mind being super tired, just as long as I have something to show for it (The yard looks A+ so I am happy)
I think today mainly going to be a work day. The mr has a project that he is in the middle of so he is going to be doing that all day and I have a few things I need to get done and then a ton of other things that need doing as well. Don%u2019t worry, I will be spending some of that time outside with the green things in the dirt, making sure I have sun screen on, listening to some good tunes and drinking coffee like it is going out of style.
The ways of the internet this week.
– The news of abortions and women reproductives rights has been front and center this week. The lengths women have to go to to do what is right for themselves is shameful at best, but basically pretty fucking grotesque. These are the people that are trying to help. The Secret Baby Catchers of Alabama.
–Report: U.S. Navy Cracks Case Of Majestic Sky Dick. Phew. Now we know who to hire for our own sky dick.
-Can%u2019t wait for that new pool to be build around the corner%u2026NOT. And really, didn’t we all know this already? Your Neighborhood Pool Is Full of Unshowered Pee-ers
-A lot of breakfast food in America is basically junk food if you really think about it. Muffins (really cupcakes), pancakes (really cake covered in maple sugar), Pop tarts (pie) yogurt (almost ice cream)%u2026 Its all just desert with a different name. I Broke Breakfast. Americans eat a narrower variety of foods for breakfast than anyone else.%u00a0
-Imagine the magic.. I get feels just thinking about this place. A Fleeting Dandelion Wish Processing Facility Appears For Two Days Outside of Los Angeles
–ECLECTIC DINING STYLE.. I want all the tables and chairs. Just where to put them%u2026%u2026????
-After reading the list, I feel pretty dang awesome cause I clean all that shit! Cleaning Supplies Might be Spreading Dirt Around Here%u2019s How to Clean Them This Weekend
–How Did Chickpea Flour, A Staple Of Indian Cuisine, Become A Health Food Sensation? Because it is amazing. See recipe for Socca.
–Have you tried plogging, the Instagram trend that might be the sustainable sport of the future?. Even if it%u2019s trendy and a way to be cool, well it is pretty cool and great and I am all for it.
–Can %u201cIndie%u201d Social Media Save Us? Something needs too.
Pictures from the week.
And all of a sudden the world is green and it is mazing and magical. The best time of the year, when all the cool and wet weather pays off with sunshine and flowers and the greenest greens. No longer freezing and it is yet to be too freaking hot. Spring spring SPRING. It is not lost on me. I take it, I suck it up, I appreciate it all. Even the cray cray rain storms. What a time, what a time.
Last week we started off Sunday going to see some jumping fish. We packed our lunches, grabbed the camera, drove the 2 hours to the river and sat around watching and waiting. Sadly we saw no jumping fish. And that was that in case you were wondering. One of these years we will see it.
The rest of the week has been a little crazy. In between work and chores and life stuff, just about every day we have had anywhere between 2-4 littles. What for their parents needed a sitter or a ride here and there cause their car broke down. Or just some aunt and uncle hang time because who doesn%u2019t want to hang with us? So beside the mr finish off the trophies for the Lund Family Fund Raiser, me working the pug mill at the studio, or us trying to trade off the car in hopes that we both can get where we need to go in time for getting there. (Oh man the car thing, that is a whole other beast.) Yeah, it%u2019s been busy and hectic. On the bright side we have spent a lot of the time running around outside, drawing, and eating. A few little highlights. One of the nights So was feeling a little sick and Coco was feeling mean and wouldn’t let her nap on the couch so she ended up dragging a bunch of pillows into the pantry and falling asleep. It just made sense. Then there was Judah with his mad drawing skills drawing me pictures of vegetables (amazing) then farting with his armpits. And Miley, with her tude and phone. Getting her to hang out and just be sweet was nice. And Coco. That freaking little. Always happy, always eating, always causing trouble. Loves to run into the garden and jump all over the couch covered in peanut butter. (that is the baby, not me. ha) We found him a three wheeler. His legs might be too short but we will figure it out. It is gonna be a fun summer!
After the week long little marathon that ended with sticky littles eating pancakes (and being dangerously low on maple syrup), thrift store shopping (I scored the best new photo piece), and stopping in on my maybe future new bike(???), I came home and cleaned the crap out of everything. It never fails to amaze me how gross kids can be. The toilet alone, well, lets not go there.
Today, as it is Mothers Day and all, I am going to be a dutiful daughter and go see my Mama. Right now (at the wee early hour of 5 am, I%u2019m about to pop some bread and then a cake into the oven as offerings. We are going over around lunch so I%u2019m going make focaccia grilled cheeses (with the fresh bread) and hand over the blueberry cake that she loves. Then hopefully just spend a couple hours drinking lots of coffee and chilling on the porch.
Look at me, I am such a good daughter.
Links of interest on the internet.
–Yes, I’m In School for Nutrition. No, I Don’t Want to Hear About Your Diet. I feel this. Sometimes people feel like they need to tell me everything they eat, for approval or something. And I actually don%u2019t mind talking about what people eat. I’ll even make suggestions about foods that I like to eat or ways to prepare certain things but I stay away from telling people what not to eat%u2026 (people always assume I am going to tell them to not eat meat. I say, I do me. You do you.)
-I don%u2019t know how may times I have seen Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure. This should be good. PlusI totally have a thing for Keanu Reeves. Bill & Ted are embarking on a third excellent adventure next year
–How Weeds Help Fight Climate Change. Weeds are not the problem friends. The chemicals that people use to get rid of them are!
-If you are interested in VT State Parks, here its the list of all the parks opening days. Can%u2019t wait for CAMPING!!!
-Did you go through an Arizona iced tea phase? I had a very brief stint with the green tea%u2026 I can%u2019t even imagine drinking one now. The Dream of the %u201990s Is Alive in AriZona Iced Tea
–An Interview With A Man Who Eats Leftover Food From Strangers’ Plates In Restaurants. I think this is awesome and have much respect.
-A question the I didn%u2019t know I wanted answered until I read this article. Why do cats%u2014and so many other animals%u2014look like they%u2019re wearing socks?
-I get all sorts of feels when I see pandas. MY favorite favorite animal growing up. I carried a pink polka dotted panda around with me for years. SO many panda things. So this is fantastic and I hope to visit one day and hug me a panda (with pink polka dots) China%u2019s new panda park will be three times bigger than Yellowstone
–I have heard and seen some crazy fights in the past in places we have lived. A good few actually. It is never a comfortable thing but sadly, we got used to it. Listening to My Neighbors Fight
-Mothers Have Been Complaining About Mother%u2019s Day Breakfast in Bed for More than Half a Century. Why Does It Go On?. I am a strict, NO FOOD! in bed person. It just have zero desire to eat in bed so breakfast in bed sounds terrible to me. Plus I am awake at 430 every morning and I don%u2019t eat for a few hours after I wake up. It just wouldn%u2019t work.
And pictures from the week.
I think we are pretty much out of the clear. Yes I woke up yesterday morning to a light coating of snow on the ground, but I feel like that was it. It has got to be because I have to wash my winter jacket that is as of now, covered in dirt and concrete so it needs to be washed. And once it is washed, it is getting packed away with all of the other winter stuff. So you see, we really cannot have any more winter jacket weather because I won%u2019t have a jacket anymore. It must be sweater weather or warmer and that is that. Are you listening weather?
The week good, if not a bit hectic and all over. There was work, paper work, the %u201cmust not be mentioned%u201d and no they are not done yet but must be by next Monday or else. The mr has been running around all over town doing this and that which has been a slight pain because when he is super busy and I am busy and we only have one car and my bike needs a good tune up before it is safe%u2026 Well it makes things some what difficult. But so far we have managed and there wasn%u2019t too much arguing over car. We did manage to take a nice walk down by the lake, I also was able to sneak in a warm afternoon of clearing out the garden and picking up yard trash. The back porch is almost ready for summer living and green things are popping up all over the place making me ache for more more more. Think of it, trees with leaves. I am getting more excited every day.
Friday was a crazy day. Woke up, went to the gym with no plans other then work at the studio and having the littles over for dinner. By the time I came home I had plans to quickly make a cake before work because the littles pizza party turned into a family birthday party for Megan. So I made that cake, ran to work, moved 700lb of clay and loaded kilns. The mr picked me up with littles in tow, we ran home in time for all the family and partied partied until I kicked everyone out of the house at 7 because I was exhausted and plus Megan needed to go to Costco so she needed to leave anyway. Ha.
Yesterday, after a near sleepless night due to a racing mind, we woke up (again, to snow. BLAH), I bundled up and out we went to spend half the day pouring wet, heavy, cold concrete. I must say, pouring concrete usually isn%u2019t the worst, but yesterday, well it was. First off, we were working in very tight quarters making moving somewhat difficult.. Secondly, I was sore from all the clay moving the day before. And I was freezing. And tired, so so tired. By mid morning my fingers and toes had tuned to ice, I was covered in so much dirt and concrete, the mr was basically rolling around in dirt (reference picture above) so was trashed worse then me, but we were getting it done. The mr was brilliant and saved us so much time and hassle by coming up with a tarp and jostle concrete mixing technique so that was good. Anyway, the concrete was all poured and it is over. (Now we wait for it to set to finish porch construction) The rest of the day was short and went by with cleaning the house. I don%u2019t know how my family does it but there were sprinkles from the cake EVERYWHERE!
Today, after a quick romp to the gym, the library, the grocery store, and all the other little chores I need to do, the mr and I are going for a drive to look at a van. We need a work car. The life car is getting trashed, we have been having to get materials delivered (which costs money and stupid time) because we cannot fit wood and big stuff in the car, and it is just not practical for us to share. So van. A van for work, A van for cross country travel. A van for sanity. Hopefully this van is the one. Wish us luck.
Some stuff from the internet that you might care to look at.
-Thinking real hard about buying these Birkenstocks%u2026but not sure. Any opinions?
–Stop Asking Kids What They Want to Be When They Grow Up The question forces children to define themselves in terms of work. And really, what do you consider grown up?
-Gluten sensitive? Try sourdough. Why Some Gluten-Sensitive People Can Still Eat Sourdough Bread.
–Kitchen spices look startlingly different in the wild. So pretty
–Brown is one of my favorite colors
-Got a power drill? If yes, you also have a oven cleaner. I Cleaned My Oven with a Power Drill
–All Right. Some Cats Do Fetch. Only never fetched. That would have been beneath him. But he did respond to his name. Cats Might Not Act Like It, But They Know Their Names As Well As Dogs
-I very much like this house.
-Will Kevin Costner be my neighbor? Floating cities could ease the world%u2019s housing crunch, the UN says
–10 Things Nobody Tells You About Plywood. I love a good application of ply wood. We have plywood floor tiles in the pantry and our kitchen cabinets are plywood and they are great.
And some pictures from the week.
Hey there people. Happy end of March. Yes, it is true, already a quarter at the way through the year. And no, I don%u2019t know how it happened either. But so that is the way of time now isn%u2019t it.
A week, oh what a week. Not going to lie and say it as all to fanatic to start with. We have been so busy with work and other stuff. Other stuff being bills and paperwork and me trying to get the taxes done. (New rule. We just not mention taxes again until they are done). We did manage a warmish walk to with the littles to spend an hour arguing over weather they can get a king sized candy bar at the store over a lollipop (ended up with gummy worms). There was also a little wood carving, yarn weaving, library pursuing , and neighbor visiting to be had, but other then that, not much else of interest. The week just came and settled into what it was.
And then it was Friday which was a shit day. First off, it was the anniversary of Seans death so you know, already a not great day. But better yet, I Woke up at 4, stub my toe hard on the way back from the bathroom, laid in bed in pain until the throbbing subsided, went to the kitchen to start coffee. As soon as a I turned the faucet on, a little mouse ran across the counter. It took me a good minute of just staring at counter before I registered what happened and started to scream FUCK, FUCK FUCK! I woke the mr up with my profanity. Yup, a mouse in the house, munching on the a bowl of squash seeds I left on the counter. So what can you really do at 4 in the morning? Not much so I went to the gym. I then came home and started cleaning before I had to work at the studio but as I started in on cleaning, the vacuum decided to stop working. Agh. And so the cleaning ceased, I went to work, came home, ate dinner, emptied all the food from the pantry into bags and boxes, then felt all to defeated and sad to do much of anything so just crawled into bed. I figured I would just deal with it all Saturday and I just really needed the day to be over.
Yesterday was the lady, my moms, 60th birthday. Whoop whoop!!( HAPPY HAPPY TO MY MOM). I woke up, baked two cakes, two batches of focaccia, and home made mac and cheese, salad, prepared other foods, and then something for my dinner (my breath still have not recovered from the funk that is of a red onion eaten raw).There was a quick detour during the bake-a-thon to the library for the annual seed swap plus I definitely took out everything from the pantry and vacuumed and sprayed every surface and inspected every piece of food for mice disturbance. (I pretty much have the cleanest pantry ever now.) As for the rest of the house, it is still a mess. Not anything to do with mouse mess, just my Saturday, tear the house apart before I clean and put it back together, mess. While baking I starred in on my weekly clean but things happen and all of a sudden it was time for the mr and I to pack up all the food and head over to my moms house. There we finished food preparing, helped Erin decorate and clean up the house, and then lost my mind a bit. After a near breakdown due to lack of sleep, I mellowed out in time for everyone to show up while Mark and Paul were out with my mom for coffee. When they came home, Mom walked into a house full to the brim with all her kids and most of the grandkids. She was so very happy, I think%u2026.. Ha, no, she was. We then ate the dinner I spent the day slaving over, played outside, went for a walk that looked like a parade, came back for cake and ice cream and presents (everyone got her plants.), and whoa, before I knew it it was 7:30 pm and I was still awake and not in bed. Craziness. But that was it, I lost all steam. We came home to a half trashed house and I basically just assed the f out. The mr set the mouse traps. Have- a-heart, but also some not. I don%u2019t want to know. I just can%u2019t.
Today I am going to clean clean clean. Then maybe clip my toes nails, brush my hair, and get my head ready for the hectic week to come. It%u2019s going to be a full one. There is concrete pouring, the dreaded %u201cnot the be mentioned until they are done%u201d papers, I have a shit ton of stuff that needs to be glazed, seeds to start, yards to clean. It%u2019s spring. Everything needs to be done. Good thing the world has coffee. I am going to need it all.
P.S. It is official. The sandals are out. No more shoes for the next 6 months!
Here are some interesting reads from the interent this week. Read what you want.
-The most significant event in the history of earth. Thats some shit. The Day the Dinosaurs Died
–Why Do I Put Off Doing Things I Love? I know I have been guilty of doing before but I really try to use what I have, especially it is my favorite. Having shit just stashed away is pointless. Use it (whatever it is)
-I want to experience the greatness of the cherry blossom. 25 gorgeous photos of cherry blossoms
-Life we would be something with giant cats. Japanese Illustrator Imagines A World Where Humans Live Among Giant Animals
-I love airbnb but this is definitely something that has crossed my mind and kind of freaks me out. Airbnb Has a Hidden-Camera Problem. But there are cameras and hidden cameras everywhere so%u2026.
–Why Rewatching the Same Shows Is Actually Good For You. I get this. I barely watch tv, but when I do, I like to watch old shows that I have watched before. Gives me good feels and plus I don%u2019t have to pay attention. Plus. Too Much Video Streaming To Choose From? It’s Only Going To Get Worse
-Whoa dude. Yep, You Can Juice a Lemon Without Cutting It%u2014Here’s%u00a0How
–14 ways to break your plastic habit. Even doing a few of these things will make a difference.
-Awesome. KAWS Floats a Massive Inflatable Sculpture in Hong Kong%u2019s Victoria Harbour
–GREEN IN THE KITCHEN. Yes to all of them.
Pictures from the week.
Hey there lovely peoples. So nice of you to stop by. Hope all is well and dandy with you. Well and dandy.
Holy crap am I one tired lady. Mentally and physically but mostly mentally because it has been one of those weeks. It all started off with the mr and I both feeling like absolute crap. Sinus infections and some other fun stuff. Heads and brains super dysfunctional (although we can%u2019t blame being sick for all the dysfunction). I blame the ick on the weather and it not being spring yet. But let%u2019s not talk to much about the weather. It%u2019s a touchy subject for me right now and I just can%u2019t. Anyway, the week started slow. We got a few things done that needed doing then got ready to take off for PA to visit with my dad and go to my grandmothers funeral.
Took off mid week, the mr driving the 6ish hours down and over. A super sunny and bright day it was . One might think that sounds kind of nice but I hated it. Brightness while in a car without sunglasses makes for brain pain, at least in my case. So I had my head under a blanket for a few hours. Got to PA alright but as soon as we pulled into my dads driveway the wave of pain knocked me to my knees and I got a full fledge migraine. I haven%u2019t had one of those fun episodes in years and I can safely say that I hope to NEVER get one again. But after a night of zero restless sleep, I got up and rallied and went about the next day as half a human baking machine. Made the breakfast pancakes, some lunch, a birthday cake, cookies, my dinner, and cinnamon buns for the next morning. %u201cDon%u2019t worry%u201d my dad said. .%u201d We can go to the store and get as much flour and sugar as you will need!%u201d And so we did because I used a lot of flour.
The next morning was the funeral. Early to wake, walked the dogs, fed people buns and headed to the Catholic Church. The one my dad and his siblings went to for their entire childhood. OH boy oh boy, what a hoot. Their mother finally got them to go back one last time. HAHA. And as for me, I can say that was the first time I have ever been in a Catholic Church (for church reasons) and seen a catholic funeral. Very interesting to say the least. And I do go to hand it to the priest. He was pretty cool. Hip, sweet, not a typical catholic church man, and he kept calling my grandmother Ava instead of Eva. That got some laughs. My grandmother would have loved it.
The funeral ended and we all went to a restaurant and did the food thing with the family love fest. It was very bittersweet. Sad because of the loss but we were celebrating a freaking amazing lady and her amazing long life. Oh Grammy. She was the greatest, coolest, funniest little lady ever and I will miss her deeply. So yeah. Then after all the food we topped it off with the birthday cake I made for Teena cause it was her birthday too. My family, we packed it all in because that is how we do it.
After hugs, pictures, Shannon falling asleep in a booth, we headed back to the car and away we went, a long drive home with lots of shitty weather and bad roads. But we made it. And I even unpacked the car and managed to shower off before passing out. And a pass out was exactly what I needed and still kind of do. I told myself I would let myself sleep in a bit, but 430 came and look at me, awake.
So it%u2019s today and I must do some stuff. I%u2019m going to go to the gym for the morning, Run run run until I cannot possibly run anymore. Then I will come home and eat eat eat until I can not possible eat any more. After that it is a bunch of chores that need to be done and I need to go see the littles because I miss them. And I know I will need a nap at some point because I am feeling the even all the coffee in the world will not be enough to keep my brain afloat for a full day. Or maybe I%u2019ll just go to bed at a unreasonabley early hour. (5ish sounds good to me. Ha. But really) Yup yup, looking forward to that.
Until then.
Internet link from the online.
–Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood. NO SHIT for reals.
-My Library even lends out baking pans and garden tools! 8 Unexpected Perks of a Library Card. And I don%u2019t think the article mentions, but library cards are cool people card to. HA
–Thank a cloud today. Five reasons you shouldn’t take cloud cover for granted. OH how I love me a nice cloudy day.
-Nothing like FRESH HORSERADISH ROOT. Might be picking up a piece today to knock out my sinus crud.
–Do anxious owners make for anxious dogs? Yes. There is no question in my mind what so ever.
-I listen to a story about this article on NPR. It%u2019s really crazy how people, especially in our culture, are living to work,n to working olive. Workism Is Making Americans Miserable
–A scientist on the myth of ugly produce and food waste. Interesting, very interesting.
-I don%u2019t need a baby nursery but if I did (or ever do) I want it to look just like this. MARIGOLD%u2019S NURSERY TOUR
-What. I thought they were real. Balloon Birds by Terry Cook Mimic Their Real-Life Counterparts
–Vanuatu Has One Of The World%u2019s Strictest Plastic Bans. It%u2019s About To Get Tougher. We all (the entire world) should be getting tougher.
And some pictures from the week.
Did you get a good dumping of snow this week? Sunday was awesome. A good foot and a half and it came down fast. Enough where everyone was pretty much snowed in for a least part of the day. Too bad it was mother freaking cold out so being outside for too long was very uncomfortable, but still. Any snow is good snow to me!
Monday was still crazy with the snow and all the roads so things were not much different then Sunday. We managed to make it up to the hospital for a visit with Coco, and the mr did work some and had to go into town to shavel more, but other then that, we pretty much just hung around the house. I really wanted to go cross country sking or snow shoeing but it was still like -20 out so being outside for more then a half hour wasn%u2019t the smartest. My body couldn%u2019t handle it, but man, after a few walks in that cold, my nose and eyeballs felt like they were going to shatter. Oh and it was my birthday so there was that.
After a semi quiet Monday, it was back to it. Coco was in the hospital up until Friday so we had the older littles all week. So we would work and do our thing during the day but then meet them at home after school, do the homework, eat the snacks, make the dinners, fight about computer time and showers. Just the every day type of stuff. Then we would get them ready for bed, do balloon yoga, look up real estate listing for houses with a private bathroom for everyone that was within their school district (found and it was a million dollars) and then get their butts to bed. Part time parents we are. Good thing we like those littles.
Friday when Coco was finally released from the hospital prison, he and the other two came over for dinner, abc puzzles, and a sled walk. After that Coco went home while the two others slept over. Slightly burnt popcorn while they watched Bio dome and who the heck knows what else they did.. I was so exhausted I passed the F out.
Saturday was pancakes with the normal hoopla and then the littles went home. After that the mr and I did a few things, he worked, I cleaned. Right back to the grind.
I am hoping today will be a good day. We might get a little fresh snow and it%u2019s suppose to be hella warm out (mid 20%u2019s to 30 degrees!) and the roads are not treacherous so that means we can grab our snow shoes and head out into the woods. I need, like really really need some nature action. I didn%u2019t get enough last week. After that, well, I don%u2019t know. Maybe I will just build a snow fort in the woods and hide out for the rest of the week. So if you really need me, you might want to check the trees.
Interent to check out while I am away in my Snow Castle of Solitude (thats what I will name it)
–Sorry, SweetHearts Candy Hearts Won%u2019t Be Sold This Valentine%u2019s Day. Are you going to miss them?
-People are already complaining%u2026 It%u2019s way to early for that. Wait until mid March, that%u2019s when the fever really sets in. Yes, cabin fever is real%u2014here’s how to prevent it
–What’s Healthy At The Grocery Store? Shoppers Are Often Confused, Survey Finds. Ill tell you whats healthy, the stuff that is not in a box or can or has 1-2 ingredients like a bag or dried beans or whole wheat flour.
-Wool is an amazing fiber. 10 Things Nobody Tells You About the Benefits of Wool.
-Fresh spices are always the best but sometimes you find a little baggy stuck in the way way back of the spice drawer sooooo.. How Long Do Spices Actually Last? We Asked an%u00a0Expert.
–New ‘tent’ makes it possible to camp underwater. Always up for a new camping experience!
-Pack your bags for crazy town! 7 Things to Know Before Checking Into %u2018Lindsay Lohan%u2019s Beach Club%u2019
-The mr and I are back on finding a van or something to run away in. NOT YOUR AVERAGE AIRSTREAM. Any one of these will do.
–Can Americans learn to love ugly fruits and vegetables? I sure hope so. I never understood how people can think of produce as %u201cugly%u201d. The more fun the shape, the better. And a few dings and bruises in the food never hurt anybody.
–Can We Stop Calling Cake “Bread” & Bread%u00a0″Cake”? It%u2019s something about baking anything in a loaf pan. I call banana bread baked in a circular cake pan banana cake. It is what it is.
Pictures from the week. o
Mid January and I love it. Yes I know it is coldest part of the winter and still dark early and people are still crashing over the holidays, but this time of year always makes me feel like the world is all for me. Even the cold, the super cold that is scaring most people inside, well I love that too. Crisp and clean and oh so beautiful. I%u2019ll take this freezing cold any day over being hot. I am a winter lady here through and through.
This past week had been busy busy. Mark and Paul turned 21(Happy Birthday BROS!) and had a little birthday party, alcohol free, but with 2 cakes. Drove out to the North East Kingdom in a freaking snow storm to see some of the mr%u2019s family. We went and made dinner with the littles then watched Miley play her saxaphone in the sixth grade band concert. I finally got to pick up farm share. (I went through more then half my stock of frozen garden veggies over the past week which is sad because I have been rationing them and hoped the chest freezer of veggies would last a little longer..Oh well) The mr spent half a day creating ice sculptured on the porch. We did some work and dealt with annoying things. All this while I have barely been able to move my neck. I think the drive to Rhode Island last weekend started off a tweak in my neck the has turned into a pinch nerve or something and I have been spending more then too much time in pain with either a ice pack or hot water bottle propped up on my neck. It has sucked and still really does. I can%u2019t wait for the day when it doesn%u2019t hurt. It%u2019s gonna be amazing.
Jeff Dad came into town for a long postponed weekend. We did dinner at Megans, I made soup and so much bread. Then yesterday the whole family came over for the postponed Christmas with Dad. Sure I had no tree, and there was no Christmas music or anything, but it was super fun. The kids were all behaving and being nice to each other, probably because they were not all cracked out on sugar. I fixed a bunch of food and it was all eaten. We all exchanged presents. Jackson stuffed his shirt with my squash. Good time. And my house got trashed which was a-ok because it was cleaning day anyways.
And to is Sunday again already. In a few hours the mr and I are zipping, if that is what a 4 hour drive is called, down to Rhode Island again for the afternoon and then zipping that 4 hours back. Excited to see family, not excited to sit in the car for 8 hours. My brain and neck already hurt thinking about the drive.
And then I am taking tomorrow off and doing nothing, or as close to nothing as possible.
Interenting from the internet.
-Have you watched and started to %u201ctidy%u201d your life? My life is pretty tidy so I am good on that but it seems eveywhere I go I am hearing people talking about it. Marie Kondo and the fantasy of a tidy life, explained
-Who knew those little demons were actually helping to grow the rainforest. How termites help rainforests survive climate change
-I never use measuring devices when cooking and even sometimes when I bake (as long as I am not writing a recipe) It really is a lot less dishes and hassle to use the old eyeballs. Your Life Will Change When You Learn to Eyeball Measurements
-I have thought about this on multiple occasions and the song always changes. What%u2019s the last song you want to hear before you die?
–ISLAND: A Cast of Colorful Creatures Pop, Quiver, and Hiccup in a Charming Stop Motion Animation. Only watch if you want to smile.
–How Much Junk Am I Consuming Online Every Day?. People average 12 hours a day%u2026That shit is crazy! I feel pretty good about my 1ish hour of digital anything a day. If you want to stop, read. How to go on a low-information diet
-Good time of year to get all the shut eye you need. Why do people need to sleep?
-Why Costco? 27-Pound Bucket of Macaroni and Cheese and %u00a0Costco%u2019s Giant Tubs of Nutella
–Don%u2019t Reply to Your Emails. Ok. I won%u2019t.
-I didn’t know I wanted a net in my house until now. 10 Homes With Nets to Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Pictures from the week.
What a world wind of the first week of the year. I feel like nothing has happened and everything is happening all at once. With all the holidays birthdays and family gatherings, happy and sad ones%u2026 it has been a lot to take in. I am in serious need of some time hiding away, not that I don%u2019t love everyone and have had loved being around them, its just been a lot and I can only hold it down for so long. You feel me?
We started the week with Judah Birthday (Happy birthday Judah!!!). I made an ice cream cake and the mr slept on the couch for half the day until it was party time. Poor guy, he has got such a heavy sinus infection so he has been feeling like shit all week long. Some days worse then others, and he has been trying to push through but this infection had really taken hold. I have been pushing all my concoctions and tinctures and good stuff into him and I think we are started to see some of the better feeling mr.
New Years was low key as can be. We went for a little drive, a little hike, and that was it. I stayed awake until 9 then passed out which is exactly my kind of night. New Years day was much of the same, went for a long walk to the river, hung around the house trying to get the mr better. and was just so exciting because I got to start a whole new calendar and binder system. Fresh paper, a nice new pen, and not a cluster fuck of a bunch of bills and papers yet. It was like the excitement of shopping for new school supplies. It really made me happy.
After A calm New Years, it was back to the grind. Working and doing the life thing. The littles over a few times for games of Sorry, and trying to french braid Judah%u2019s hair. Sophia came over for a day and helped me repot some plants, spun around in circles on the kitchen floor for like an hour, and hit Barb right in the face with a snow ball. I finally took the tree down and packed up most of the Christmas decorations, deep cleaned the pantry, and made the phone calls I have been dreading making for the past few weeks. Get it done, got it done.
Yesterday was another long ass day. We grabbed our nice shoes (are hiking boots nice shoes?) and climbed back into the car for the 4 hour drive to Rhode Island for Seths Memorial. 150 plus people packed inside his and Pamula%u2019s loft to listen and honor this amazing person. And I must say, it was sad, but so good. So much love and sharing. Music and food and family. Hearing the stories and the way he impacted so many lives, it really was just such a lovely night and really gave me a bit of happiness from such a shitty situation. After hanging at the loft and spending as much time as I could around all the people, the mr and I jumped back into the car and drove on home. By the time we got home, we were pretty trashed. Walked in the door and crashed. That was only just a few hours ago.
And yet I am still awake. I don%u2019t even know how Im still woke up at 4:30 this morning. My brain knows no other way I guess. For the rest of the day, after my 4-6 cups of coffee (I will drink all the coffee and then some today) I am heading to work at the studio for a while, going to do some gym, maybe hit the library, then I need to go grocery shopping because farm share was canceled this week and now I am running dangerously low on food. After that I will probably come home and crash. Yeah, and then off to a fresh week of more family and birthdays and work stuff, but hopefully this week the mr will not be sick, I will catch a little more sleep, and the snow storm that we are suppose to get will actually be and we get 2 feet of snow. That would be just so nice.
Internet from the internet.
-Top sky-watching events coming in 2019. Super blood moon eclipse is my birthday!
-Me. Why Am I Always Cold? I started eating more cooked food a few years back because I would be freezing after I ate.
-Bread inspiration for sure. LEOPARD BREAD
–The 100 Best Pens, As Tested by Strategist Editors. I love pens, really good pens. I draw with then so I have my own little box of special pens that no one is allowed to use besides me.
-We are aassholes. We’ve wasted so much plastic, it’s almost impossible to picture%u2014these charts will help
–When Too Cute Is Too Much, The Brain Can Get Aggressive. Yes, Have threatened to %u201csmoosh%u201d or %u201cpop%u201d a baby or puppies head off. What I find really works is when the feeling strikes, punch the mom, it helps.
–I Keep My Holiday Lights Up All Year Long%u2014Here’s Why You Should, Too. I love my lights, they make me happy.
–Dog influencers are so popular, they need their own talent agency. Hope this dogs are getting a cut of the pay to go towards all the best
-When someone tells me a fact that I might not believe I ask were they got the info from. If they say the internet, I assume there is a 50/50 chance that is is wrong. How Much of the Internet Is Fake? Turns Out, a Lot of It, Actually.
–What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.? Seems like these food should also be banned in the stare too.. Hum.