Me, to Jesse: I want to quit my job.
Jesse: WHAT? You love that job. What happened?
Me (laughing): Oh, not THAT job. My other one. My unpaid one.
I was only kidding, but I also told my mom that the only reason I could keep working is because I found something that I love enough to make it worth it. I have zero understanding of how full time working families do it. (My mom says they have fewer hobbies and less of an obsession with things being just so.)
May was just a month. Lovely and fast and too full and exhausting.
June feels a bit that way too. Abram is now a freshman. V has their last day of school today before becoming a junior. I am officially the mother of two high schoolers. I have two detail things to finish (a runner for the stairs and pocket door hardware) and a lot of painting and then I will be unpacking boxes and reorganizing paces and returning our basement to a teen hang out. We’ve been so hot, and dry, and hazy from Quebec wildfires. Temp are supposed to cool down this week, but there is still little to no rain in the forecast and every morning we get a new air quality alert.
Let’s talk things.
Watching: Succession. I’m glad it’s over. I didn’t like a single character but felt compelled to keep watching. I loved The Diplomat and the last episode of Ted Lasso. (The rest of the season felt meh, but I love all the characters so much.) I also watching Missing on Netflix one night while knitting away. It’s not my usual fare, but held my interest.
Knitting: I’m working on Jesse’s socks. Finished one. Almost at the heel on the second. I think I’m going to try and do at least one pair of socks a month this year. I owe so many people socks! I also really want to get the sheep pillow finished at some point this year.
Reading: Yellowface by R. F. Kuang (I stayed up too late to finish this. The main character is truly horrible and yet I liked and rooted for her. I loved it.), When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo (weird and beautiful) Horse by Geraldine Brooks (beautifully written, a little heavy handed at times early on, but I thought the ending was very well done), Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman (the person who recommended it called it “quiet” and that was such a good descriptor. It’s also very sweet.) Heartburn by Nora Ephron (very strong voice, but otherwise unimpressed). I’m also slowly reading Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond and trying to get more time to read The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (VERY sad. VERY good.) Since goodreads is Amazon, I’m trying to transition to using The Storygraph, if you want to follow along with what I’m reading.
Making: The garden is in and sprouting. The heat has definitely upped the weed pressure so I’m impatiently waiting for the plants to get a little bit bigger to help keep those at bay. My carrots did well until I thinned them but now I have no carrots. I think the heat fizzled them out but the beans and tomatoes are growing. I smile every time I see my zinnias getting a little larger and I’ve got my fingers crossed for my pumpkins. I have the worst luck with pumpkins.
So that’s me. Would love to hear how are doing and what you have been -ing the last few weeks!
I’m so sorry to hear that you are already dealing with smoke and air quality issues. I heard a story on the news yesterday that our (NW) dry spring means we are likely to have an earlier (thus longer) wildfire season. It rained for what felt like forever, but since the rain stopped it’s been nothing but sun and warmer than typical heat. š
Things: Never watched Succession. Tried, but just can’t spend time with characters I don’t like. Agree on Ted Lasso, completely. Watching Shrinking, which is OK. Love Somebody, Somewhere (so much). Sad to see Maisel end, but also glad that it ended well. It was time.
I started Storygraph at the beginning of the year, but didn’t get past January. Am working my way through Maggie O’Farrell’s oeuvre; currently on Hamnet, which has gorgeous writing. Tried and abandoned Dani Shapiro’s Signal Fires. Can’t remember other recent reads; they are on my phone, which is in the house. I am in the backyard (before it gets too hot), on my laptop, watching the large community of blue birds that are living in our arbor vitae. Better than TV or books right now. Gardening as much as possible. Painting projects (garage, shed, north side of house). Trying to get everything done before we leave in a few weeks for Louisiana. Trying not to freak out. Failing, mostly.
Hope you and your high-schoolers have a good summer. Saw something this morning about how parenting teens is 98% waiting and 2% being available when they need you right now. That sounded about right to me.
It goes to show how spoiled I am that you say āalreadyā in terms of smoky haze. Itās VERY rare that we have any sustained issue here – maybe a freak day or two because of some weird atmospheric pressure/wind situation, but never like this. Itās unsettling TBH.
I can imagine it does feel a little overwhelming to be trying to get yourselves ready for Louisiana while also finishing up the house projects you currently have!! Iām sure it will all get done and if it doesnāt, it will be fine until you are back (whichever end of the equation that falls).
We quit our prime membership so I never did get the see the end of Maisel, but Iām adding Somebody, Somewhere to the list.
Also I agree with the 98/2% comment and am so jealous of your bluebirds – that sounds like a lovely way to spend some time!
We woke up to haze this morning too. So much of Canada is burning. In our area we haven’t had rain in I don’t know how long. š
Carrots are hard. I think I’ve only ever successfully grown ONE carrot. My parents managed to grow carrots year after year without any problems, so I don’t know what I do wrong. Most years I don’t even try, but this year I decided to give it another go. Nothing is up yet, but I planted late, so I’m still hoping.
Your reading list is incredible, Kate! You’re the second person today to recommend Yellowface. I just finished rereading The Day the World Stops Shopping by J.B. MacKinnon, which is an excellent book about consumptionāboth the need to slow it down as well as the perils of slowing it down. I think Bleak House will be up next (or perhaps a reread of the entire Borrowers series if I need something lighter for the summer!).
On the weekend, while waiting for my youngest son to get home from prom, I binged Platonic. We don’t normally have an AppleTV subscription, but someone got a new device, so we’ve got a free trial. The show did make the evening fly, but although I did really appreciate Rose Byrne’s character, Seth Rogan’s was not my cup of tea. I also recently watched The Reader on Netflix, which was good but disturbingāand very R-rated.
Knitting away on socks (for my youngest son) and a cardigan (for me), and wondering what the next big project will be. I’m thinking of making a striped crewneck using all my odd balls of yarn and then steeking it to make a cardigan. I’ve never done that before, and I may not be brave enough. Maybe a scrappy throw would be a better bet for my leftover yarn. Today I finally harvested the rhubarb and made several jars of jam, which I’ll store in the freezer because I’m not brave enough to *actually* can anything. (There’s a repeating theme here, haha.)
It was lovely to see a post from you today, Kate. Have a good week, and good luck with getting the final bits of the renovation done! I imagine your two (!) high-schoolers will appreciate having the basement back. š
Thank you for commiserating on carrots. We had a pretty successful year with them last year. I figured the trick to germinating them – giving them a good soak and then covering them (we use a board across the bed) so the soil stays damp for about a week, but I think uncovering them right before a stretch of 90 degree days without any kind of hardening off process was my mistake. Good luck with yours! I know they can be finicky!! Iāve had to decide that this is a garden year where the strong will survive and the rest Iāll get from the farmers market. Itās just too hot and dry and I donāt have the time to baby things and for all that it looks to be cooling down to reasonable June temps, I see zero rain in the forecast and like you itās been a bit since weāve had ANY.
I just watched the first two episodes of Platonic the night before last but havenāt decided if Iām going to keep going. I really am trying to spend more time reading – especially books we carry so I can recommend them. The downside is how quickly my TBR grows when Iām surrounded by so many options!
I love the idea of a steeked cardigan made with leftover yarn. I bet itād be lovely. The idea of steeking that terrifies me too though!! So much work to have something go wrong!!
I wish I knew when/what to do with rhubarb. I inherited two plants but I can never tell when itās ripe and then itās done. I bet your jam is lovely. My mother in law makes a raspberry freezer jam that is a family favoriteās ! However you choose to preserve – youāre preserving!
Itās always good hearing from you, Marian! Xoxo!
I know you don’t need/want any more work right now, so this is just for future reference. Rhubarb is harvested in spring or early summer when the stalks are between 7 and 15 inches, so there’s a lot of leeway there. The colour doesn’t matterāsome varieties never turn red, so green stalks are good too. You’re supposed to pull the stalks, not cut them, but I am just now learning this! You likely already know that the leaves are toxic and should not be eaten. A few weeks ago I made jam using a bag of frozen chopped rhubarb I still had from last year’s harvest. I rinsed off the considerable frost and boiled it up, and the jam was delicious despite all that. Rhubarb is also really good combined with strawberries (in a pie, for example) or in a crisp combined with apples.
Maintaining two separate veggie plots along with working at your new job may be a bit ambitious, that’s for sure. The farmers’ market sounds like a good plan. š
Thank you so much for this, Marian!! It helps A LOT. The red/green thing was what was most difficult!! Mine isnāt very red ever and so I always felt like I was missing my window!!
You are the mother of two high schoolers! Oh this cannot be. I think your mother is probably right about how families with two full-time working parents do it, less perfection + fewer hobbies.
I’m glad some of your vegetables are growing. Your raised beds are beautiful. I’ve probably said that before but they do look inspiring.
We’ve been watching Frankie Drake Mysteries lately. Based in Toronto in the 1920s they’re light with fabulous costumes and interesting sets. I’ve never seen Succession or Ted Lasso, but I do hear about those shows often.
Not much else happening here. Well, things happening that are worth mentioning. I’m in a holding pattern at the moment, trying to be grateful for waiting.
Trying to be grateful for waiting is impressive. So Iām giving you claps for that. Where can I find Frankie Drake? That sounds fun to watch!!
And my mom is probably right – she has this habit of usually being so.
V is going to be a junior?? Why this surprised me given that E will be a sophomore is beyond me. š¤£
The picture on the deck is gorgeous.
I also want to quit my job. I have a love-hate relationship with my “full-time job.” I’m grateful, but I’d also like to do other things.
I’ve been watching (what else?) documentaries and docu-series. I just finished Bright Lights, about Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, last night. I cried and cried when I found out Debbie had a Christmas table set when she learned Carrie had a heart attack on the plane ride home. Debbie died two days later as a result of heartbreak. Gah.
I’m going to make cream cheese blondies later. Would you like to come over? ā¤ļøš
Trying to be grateful for waiting is impressive. So Iām giving you claps for that. Where can I find Frankie Drake? That sounds fun to watch!!
And my mom is probably right – she has this habit of usually being so.
Okay, I have no idea what happened that my comment to Ally ALSO went to you.
Yes to blondies and coming over to visit! We can talk about the things there is to love/hate about our full time jobs.
Bright Lights sounds so good!! I always loved both of them. And I think I would cry and cry when I found out about the Christmas table. I did know she died almost right after!
Hi Kate! Itās been awhile. I wondered who is sitting next to Jesse? Iām going to guess itās your mom. And you are taking the photo. And it doesnāt seem to me at your home, but maybe the lake cabin? (Another guess).
I caught on to your humor about āquitting your jobā. Thatās funny.
Iāve been reading Awakening by Nora Roberts. It started out really great! A quarter way through I became bored. Now half way Iām extremely bored with it. I taking it back to the facility library! I cannot find a reason to read a book that bores me. I will see if the facility library has We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo (weird and beautiful). Hope so!
Watching just the news on TV. Watching the bay water and activities on the bay front from my 15th level balcony. Water views are always lovely no matter the weather or my mood.
Glad to hear that you are still working with the home garden! Iām m eating more fruits such as watermelon, bananas, apples and oranges, but of course growing none.
Hope to see your next post soon!
Iām it took so long to get back to you, TD! Work and kids – you know that other job š – have had me hopping. Itās really lovely to hear from you! I think water watching is in my top 5 favorite activities of all time!
The picture is of Jesse and his dad at their place. Itās a lovely area. We havenāt made it there much this summer but Im hoping to remedy that soon!
Iām in agreement – no reason to read a boring book. There are too many others out there to choose from!
The garden is growing but weāre at the stage where itās all work and the reward hasnāt yet arrived. Fingers crossed it does! Weāve been SO hot and SO dry.
Hope you are well!! Your comment makes sounds as if youāre in good spirits which makes me glad if thatās the case!