I am not a food blogger, but I’m sharing sub-par pictures of food because both of those salads were delicious. The beet salad I threw together with leftovers from the pantry and fridge. The chicken salad recipe I found here. Both are Whole 30 compliant and delicious.
I felt like the expedition to get my haircut needed a selfie because those are the times we live in. (I don’t know if I’ll ever get back to wearing makeup, but I do wish I had more in the way of eyelashes.)
The picture of Molly and the hard-boiled egg makes me laugh. Two sounds bring her running – peeling an egg and a cheese stick wrapper being pulled open. I don’t know how she knows a cheese stick wrapper from another wrapper, but she always knows – even if she’s sound asleep on the other side of the house. I don’t believe in teasing animals, so I broke off a piece of the egg for her once I took the picture. I also don’t believe in animals on furniture, but you can see how that is going.
I deleted my FB account and deactivated the IG, and as a reward, I got myself a subscription to audible. It took me forever to figure out what book deserved my first credit, but I ended up buying Atomic Habits by James Clear. I had been reading it over the summer and couldn’t get myself to finish. Interestingly, I preferred the audio format. Now, I’m listening to Pride and Prejudice performed by Rosamund Pike (free with my membership), and I’m enjoying it. Rita has some great recommendations on audiobooks if you are looking for suggestions.
I do have some things this week, so I should probably get started.
Watching: Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. It’s a friend recommendation, and I’ve only watched one episode, but I’m sharing because that one episode was a delight. It’s a food/travel show, and I’m going to ration out episodes one at a time like candy. I binged the second season of Virgin River in two sittings.
Reading: Do audiobooks count as reading? I’m counting them in my Goodreads challenge because otherwise, I haven’t read anything. For almost all of my life, I’ve identified as a reader. But lately, I just have had the worst time finding anything I want to read. I still have How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell and The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (a reread) and Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden in rotation, and my goal for the week is to get one of them finished.
Knitting: We spent last weekend up north. I thought I had packed all the tools for my current knitting project, but I didn’t. Past Kate deserves a nod because last time, she left me a pouch with two balls of dishcloth yarn and needles. I puttered away in front of the fire on dishcloths and then stashed it back for next time. Jesse’s socks are finally complete, but I need to block both his and Violet’s. I also added a few squares to my sock yarn blanket. If I finish that, it will probably be a decade from now, but I do love looking at the squares and remembering which ones I got in trade and which ones I’ve made into socks and for whom.
Making: I ordered a few seed packets and plants for things we’d like to try in the garden next year. We had plans to expand to a different section of our yard, but will probably postpone that until next year. I want to make sure this hobby sticks before we invest in more garden space. (And if it does, that I can’t convince my family to move to a little hobby farm instead.)
Abe’s school is doing a scheduled two week virtual plan so I’m hoping to get in some art or crafty thing with the two of them though I haven’t figured out exactly what yet.
So those are my things. What have you been -ing lately?
Hello Kate!
I’m so glad for you that you got to have a weekend getaway. And that Past Kate was so thoughtful and left knitting for you 🙂 .
What did you think about Atomic Habits? Is it a worthwhile/useful read? I’m glad you’re enjoying Pride and Prejudice. I just finished Northanger Abbey, which was the only Austen I hadn’t yet read. It’s been a very long time since I read all the others, and I’m thinking it may be time to re-read all of them. (I just started Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, and the volume includes two of his other plays, so if I re-read Austen, it’ll come after those.) I think listening to audiobooks definitely counts as reading. My husband used to read a lot, but in recent years hasn’t really found or made the time for it. He’s now discovered audiobooks (via the library) and is doing that while exercising. He listened to several random detective novels and just recently finished Anxious People. I recommended it to him based on your recommendation, and he absolutely loved it. Now I’ve got to get to it in one form or the other!
We finished the last season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine (and were sad to see it end because it made us laugh so much), and we just watched the first episode of Dickinson, which we really enjoyed. (Not sure if this is going to be one I’ll watch with my son.) We’ve also been enjoying Ugly House to Lovely House, which we’ve been watching on YouTube.
My son’s sweater is progressing nicely, but that’s come at the expense of progress on my cardigan. (My son’s is worsted weight and mine is fingering weight; I’m sure that has something to do with it.)
I hope you’re able to find some good art project for the kids for the next couple of weeks. My son is home from school too. We find out tomorrow if the caseload is low enough for him to return to school next week. (It’s not looking likely, but who knows? We’ve been in lockdown since December 26th, so I’m hoping the numbers start falling soon.)
Thank you for posting, Kate—it made my afternoon to see you pop into my inbox 🙂 .
Have a good week!
Hello, Marian!! It is so good to hear from you! I’m so glad your husband enjoyed Anxious People. I like most things written by Fredrik Backman, but Anxious People is definitely one of my favorites.
I did enjoy Atomic Habits, and while I think it might be considered full of good common sense, it was nice to have someone synthesize the information into easy takeaways.
I can see how knitting away on a worsted weight sweater might take priority over a fingering weight. I’m always pleasantly surprised at how quickly worsted weight projects go after months of working with socks. I hope the rest of it flies by so you can get back to your own sweater.
I’ve added Brooklyn Nine-Nine to my list and I’m going to look up Dickinson too. I’m trying to watch a lot less television and instead listen to audio books as I knit in the evening – I think it helps me go to sleep better – but it really is nice to have a television show to curl up with sometimes!
Here’s hoping your caseload drops low enough for you son to return to school next week! It’s become so normal having everyone here throughout the day, I wonder how I’m going to feel a year from now when (hopefully) people have gone back to school buildings and workplaces.
I, too, laughed when I saw the pic of Molly and the hard-boiled egg. If there ever was a contest for the most hopeful creature on earth, she’d win.
I like the sound of the Netflix show you mention and will add it to my list. I’ve thought about Audible, but never subscribed. Your experience with it makes me think I need to get with it and give it a go.
I deleted my FB account years ago, so I’m with you on that one. I like IG well enough to stick with it, sort of. I have yet to feel there’s any point to it, but I stay.
She really is an adorable begger which is probably why she gets more egg and cheese than she should.
I hope you like Someone Feed Phil and that future episodes are equally as good. Please let me know!
I’ve deleted and rejoined FB so many times it’s become a joke with my friends. I’m hoping this time sticks. As for IG, I absolutely love it, but…I don’t like how *I* feel or function when my IG account is active. I’m jealous of people who are better at self-regulating their usage!!
Hi Kate,
I think Molly needs a fan club, and I want to be a charter member. What a sweet face!
This teacher-librarian says YES, audiobooks absolutely count. I just closed my Audible account, though. I’m getting more than I can listen to (literally) from the public library. The downside of that is that I can’t always finish listening before they are due. I had 10 hours left of my latest Tana French to go when it was whisked off my shelf yesterday. I placed another hold on it, but I am bummed that I have to wait to listen to the end of it.
Yesterday while ironing I got sucked into watching Mad About You—both the original and the reprisal (which are free on Prime right now). I am the same age as Helen Hunt, and I remember once back in the 90s my mom telling me that she loved the show because Hunt’s character reminded her of me. Then Jamie (the character) went through infertility issues when I was going through them, and then she finally had a baby about the same time I did. I didn’t really like the new episodes all that much, but I watched a few because it was some weird combination of comfort food and astonishment over time (a recurring preoccupation for several years now, as I’ve realized what stage of life I am—somehow, amazingly—in). In a completely different vein, I also this weekend watched “Long Shot,” which I think you recommended? Stupid good fun.
Haven’t been making much of anything. Did paint a kitchen wall this weekend, though, and it makes me happy to a degree that is out of proportion to the size of the project. Sometimes you just need a little lightening up.
Good luck with virtual school. That’s all we’ve had, and might be all we have until June. It’s a thought that brings both some comfort and some dismay. It’s been the longest damn school year of my life. And we’re not even half-way through.
Hope you have a good week. As always, love to see what you’re up to.
I’m so glad you mentioned Mad About You. I’ve seen episodes here and there but didn’t have a television for a good chunk of its run. I loved it when I watched it and I think it would be so fun to go back and watch it in entirety. And I’m glad you liked Long Shot. I thought it was fun.
I’m glad you’re supporting your library. My mom just left her part time library job (which she took after retiring as a teacher) and she agrees that it’s reading and that I should get audio from the library. I’m afraid of what you mention – not finishing in time – and never getting back to find out the endings!
I’m excited for your kitchen and hope you’ll share pictures at some point. I think those projects make a space FEEL good and then you feel good for accomplishing them. I’ve been thinking my bedroom needs a dark wall but my vision is one kind one black wall with white/black graphic wallpaper on the remainder which has me changing curtains, rugs, bedding. If you give a mouse a cookie….
Lastly, Violet had been wholly virtual but Abram goes to a small private religious school and they’ve been open five days a week almost all year with a virtual option for those who choose it, or need it for quarantine purposes. They scheduled this break in the hopes to head off a post holiday spike. I don’t know if it’s done much besides make room for people to go on vacations which could lead to its own spike, but I also think they are doing the best they can. I can’t imagine how difficult this year is for educators and support staff. I really hope we have enough relief from vaccines and social changes that the 21-22 year is better. Selfishly because I think it will make V’s transition to high school that much easier. (She registered for classes this week and I just feel gobsmacked that I almost have a high schooler!)
It was so great to hear from you and what you’ve been up to! I hope the rest of your week goes smoothly.
I feel gobsmacked that you almost have a high schooler! How can that possibly be? I think I might spend the rest of my life feeling bewildered by time and our perceptions of it. I so hope next year everyone is back at school safely. What a strange thing we’re all living through.
I feel like they were little FOREVER and now all in a blink I realize I don’t have much time as I thought I did. This stage has its bumps – all stages do – but I’m pretty sure this is my favorite so far.
Any of you watching the inauguration on TV?
Hi, TD! I hope to! I have some housework and “teaching” to get done, but I know I will turn it on at some point this morning. I am READY.
Hi Kate! I know that I do not much TV, other than news type shows. I watched the entire inauguration from start all the way to the opening of the front door to their new home!! That’s a lot of TV watching!!
It was so wonderful! At times I found found myself crying and didn’t know why. Perhaps a bit a grieving hit me about all the past 4 years, the hardships created and enduring. And then when Lady Gaga sang I wasn’t sure what to anticipate with her at this type of event. Yet, LadyGaga was stunning, magical and her choice of song brought me to another bout of tears running down my face as so incredibly beautiful. Those were the good type of tears. Then J Lo… I also couldn’t imagine what or why she was to sing. Yet again the unimaginable elegance I was crying again! And Garth Brooks o could understand why he was selected to sing. And he pulled it all together with requesting every one even those watching at home to sing with him on the final verse. Which united us. And I sang out loud in my home alone with Yorkie.
By the time Vice President Harris spoke, I was a crying balling mess! So proud to be an American today! President Biden surprised me, so well thought out. Just lovely!
Then of course the young Poet Amanda Gorman was gorgeous, her beauty and graceful hands were part of the poetry, her words with so much meaning! I have never seen poetry this beautifully delivered. (I must live in a bubble with my rose colored glasses!) Even the Reverens prayers brought me to tears!
I hope that you will find time to see some of this as well as your children as it is educational and historical!
It’s been an emotional day for me!!! I need some rest now so I’m laying in my comfy bed with Yorkie to sleep. I will write to you more tomorrow after I rest as I have lots to say about your fun interesting photos and life!
I am so glad you had the opportunity to watch the inauguration. I’ve heard from lots of people who were equally as touched. I appreciated his speech and very much belief he is the right person for this time. I hope you get a good rest and I look forward to talking with you soon!
I love these posts oh so much. What was the thing that your daughter was making on the stove? I am intrigued.
I saw the comment Rita left about Mad About You. I loved that show as well. I will need to watch it on Prime.
I will also need to check out Somebody Feed Phil. I have scrolled past it several times and it looked good, but now that you recommended it, I will definitely check it out.
Watched the inauguration today and I feel very warm inside. The good kind. I feel like I can float on that for a couple of days.
I hope you are doing well. Sending you a hug. 🙂
She was melting snow that she had collected and now she has a ball jar full of snow water sitting on her dresser. I have no idea what she is going to do with it, but she didn’t leave me a mess, so I have no complaints. I messed up and started with the most recent season but I’ve since gone back and am watching in order. I only allow myself to watch one episode a day because I want to savor.
I hope you can float on that warm fuzzy for a few days. I love that!
Hi Kate! I checked out the link on the chicken salad. It sounds yummy! I have never tried almonds, apples, or grapes in my whipped up chicken salad. I’m not a fan of the flavor of thyme, but it is often suggested for chicken. I like the spinach salad idea or as a wrap.
I’m glad Marian asked about what your daughter was cooking as I was curious too. Keep us posted with what she does with it. Some sort of curious science?
I love your hair and all the curls which seems to becoming the new look. You lips are naturally rosy pink with such lovely shape that you certainly don’t need a lipstick. Around here the young woman and girls wear the false eyelashes which seem so odd to me and I have wondered how much trouble that might be.
I only would wear makeup for fancy dates or a natural looking makeup style for my working on a corporate office which was required for my position. When I retired I threw out all my makeup and bras! Yay to that and I don’t miss either!!
That certainly is an interesting choice for your first audiobook… a book that you just couldn’t finish reading! I don’t use a membership to a service for audio books, but I really do enjoy the CD version for listening to a book being read to me. Certainly it counts as a book read! But really improves listening skills, I think. And helps me feel less lonely at times. Enjoy the audiobook membership! Just this past week, I finally started feeling more rested enough to read the book that I have been reading for a very long time but found myself too exhausted to read my book. It’s a mystery (not psycho thriller), but I still am not certain who I think “done” it. I’m almost at the end!!! Then I will go to one of my Audiobook CD’s that I purchased at the bookstore a year ago. Checking books or audiobooks out at the library would cost me a fortune on late fees! My parents were avid readers who went to the library every Thursday and choose two books. They would both read both books in one week!
My creative project has been putting this property grounds and interior together into ten months. No wonder I’m so tired and wanting to spend more of my time resting now. It’s pretty good now, not perfect and not will it be. But it’s comfy, cozy, creative, simple. I’m hopeful that I will be more accepting or forgiving of it’s areas of aging disrepairs after all it’s 82 years old!
I’m not sure there is such a thing as a hobby farm. Is there? A farm or ranch is a constant daily routine of upkeep and maintenance. A sibling’s life partner dreamed of owning a horse and thought it would be a hobby. They soon learned that was a full time job, sold there suburb house and moved to the land where the horse was living. That one hobby horse became 25 years of now a farm, ranch, and a large woodworking shop. My sibling built a 300 sq ft building that they are still living in which he built by himself! Yes 3 hundred. They had plans to build a larger house on the land, but never did as life just happens! Perhaps your family will move to a hobby farm!
This property and house certainly was never close to my dreams, but it’s the roof over our heads for now! And that’s definitely something to feel grateful and thankful!!
I love the story about your sibling. Farms of about 10-15 acres here are often referred to as hobby farms as most of the time both people have jobs outside of the farm. My mom and stepdad had one for a few years – with ducks, pigs, and chickens and they enjoyed it. I think I’d like some chickens but mostly I just want a giant garden and the land. I grew up in a very rural area and I didn’t think I would ever want to live anywhere smaller than I do now, but more and more I think it would be really lovely. I love your descriptions of your cozy cottage. I’m glad you’re enjoying it despite it not being the one of your dreams. It really does sound lovely.
I have some friends who have gotten eyelash extensions and that seems like such a pain, but they look beautiful. I don’t know if I have the patience to sit there while they attach them and I know I don’t have the patience to futz around and try putting faux ones on myself.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend, TD.
Now I know what a hobby farm is with your vision of chickens, garden and land on 10-15 Acres, Kate! I certainly can vision that becomeing a reality. I actually owned a similar “hobby farm” when I was in my early 30’s with my husband at the time. It was 10 Acres with a one room rustic cabin and a loft where we had sleeping bags. No plumbing or water. We went on weekends and thought we would eventually purchase so goats! So you’re hobby farm is certainly possible!
I enjoyed my weekend very much. The weather outside was gloomy so Yorkie and I read my book relaxing in bed. No work and no projects. And I finally finished my book!! I know “who done it!”
Have a great day!!