A HBD Surprise

BIG NEWS ... drumroll ...

I'm going to be a Granny again in January!!!!!!!!

Got the ultrasound picture wrapped for my birthday AGAIN. 

So much fun. 

As soon as I felt the frame, I knew. 

We'll know the gender in about a month. 

Shhhhh ... for now it's a secret. 

My other DIL gave me a color analysis and I'm super excited. That's totally her love language. 

Funny story -- the night I tested positive for COVID, my son went to CVS to get a test for him and also bought a pregnancy test. They were both positive. Missed opportunity to take a picture of the tests together. Thankfully, my DIL was and stayed negative for COVID. 

Also funny story, my DIL and younger son said they hit it out of the park with birthday gifts this year and the only way they could be out gifted if my eldest announced a pregnancy. Hahahaha. And I absolutely loved their gift -- they did knock it out of the park. 

I've been slightly MIA. Dang, I'm busy and I can't seem to un-busy myself. 

Am I managing my calendar horribly?

Am I managing my mind poorly?

Something needs to change and I can't seem to change it. 

Actually, if I'm narrowing it down, what needs to change is my mornings. Summer mornings are tough because things need to happen early in the morning. Outside workouts, gardening. Add plans or obligations and my mornings are too full and too rushed. 

I barely have time to chat this morning because I need to get moving for a hike and before the hike, I need to tend to the garden. It's going to be high 90s today and I can't let a day slide in this heat. 

Broken record. Can I move things to later in the day? Doesn't seem to work well. I get interrupted as the day moves on and the peaceful morning routine to start the day well is anything but peaceful.

Should I decide peak summer months have a different morning routine?

Lots of questions, no answers. 

If I can get a couple/few days a week for a full morning routine, that's enough, but something screws up every single morning lately. Issues that I can't deflect or say no. It's beyond frustrating. 

So much to chat about, but I have no time. I probably CAN move this journaling to later in the day or before bed. I might do that this week and just "publish" in the morning. 

Food for thought on my hike today. NOT hiking with the Tuesday group because they are starting later and hiking 90 minutes away. No thanks. Local trail so I can acclimate to this heat wave before a big hike on Friday. 

Hope you're having a good week. Later gators. 

Back to Basics

I have a rushed morning today ... of course I do. Geez. 

Summers are hard on mornings anyway. Lots needs to happened before the heat sets in -- outside workouts, gardening, Farmers Market (today). Add the rest of my morning routine and it feels like a push, too much.

Maybe I need to put some of my indoor morning on for early evening. A calming bedtime routine!?!? I've tried this before with a very limited-run success. Time for another try because I'm not enjoying or having enough time in the morning to get to it all. 

I'm heading back to some basics and just a couple of days worth and it feels SO MUCH BETTER. I drifted unknowingly and it's time to tighten it back up again. It makes such a big difference.

Drink more water.

Daily meditation -- even if some days are just a few minutes.

Speaking up about what works for me (I can't go that early, can we make it an hour later?)

Smaller portions.

Walk more.

Less snacking, less sugar.

Making morning time for outside workouts -- hiking, running.

DNFing books when they don't work -- unclogs my reading.

Enjoying some poetry sprinkled in my reading.

Strength and balance work. 

Finding fun, unusual things to do.

In my hiking.

In my thrifting.

In the creative arts.

In exploring towns. 

Saying yes to adventures

BECAUSE

I've left space in my calendar for quieter things.

(This one is huge.)

More calendar space for creativity. 

Painting. 

Journaling. 

Projects. 

Outfits.

New recipes. 

Garden planning and putzing. 

Big gist is SPACE (my word for this year ... I must have known before it actually registered). I think the juice is in the space between things. Probably more on this later. 

This feels like ME and I forgot it a little bit. 

I'll be chatting about all the birthday year stuff soon. This is a little preview, but in the name of the above list, time for a meditation. Then an outside run. Then a little garden time. Then a big Farmer's Market (not our local one this week). 

Have a great day. Later gators. 

It was HBD (!!)

I had a really nice birthday.

Run felt very hard since it's been a minute, but always feels great when I finish. Got the run in this week before temps climb again.

Lunch was fun with my son -- 2nd year in a row lunching with him on my birthday. Found a street spot, parallel parked -- that felt accomplished. Ceviche for lunch.

Atlanta is super high tech -- driverless cars and delivery robots. Still shocking to see. They were everywhere.

Finished my first watercolor painting for the picture wall. That's on my 26 for 2026 list. Also filled a few more picture frames. 

Not exactly a masterpiece, but it's whimsy and I like it. Here are a couple of other filled frames.

Picture from a children's book.

Pressed flower card from my friend.

I had a few birthday calls too. 

The scheduled call with an old friend was interesting. We've been friends for about 27 years. Had SO much in common. We were so often on the same wave length even not living near each other for well over half of our friendship. 

What's interesting to me is talking to her shows me how much I've changed in the last 6 or 7 years. She doubled down on the same trajectory and I took a left turn. This is probably a little judgmental of me, but it seems like she hasn't grown. Lots of diet and body image talk. Lots of brag-book chatter with rose colored reporting. Outdated thinking. 

It's been this way for a while and yesterday's conversation hit home how different we've become. Believe me or not, it's less about judging her, than being grateful I made changes. It's a feeling like THAT could be me and I'm glad it's not. I could have continued to grow those things, but instead I planted something different. 

What a relief to be over body image and diet crap. What a relief to not feel like I have to peacock to show my worth before I could ever admit anything vulnerable. What a relief that I don't need to give subtle jabs to cover for what I really want. What a relief to update my thinking and evolve with new ideas. 

We are still close friends who've shared a lot of life. I wonder what's in store for us in the future. It was kind of a cool revelation on my birthday. A reminder to keep building WHAT I want and WHO I want to be ... keep going. It makes a difference. 

Hubby got home in time to tuck me into bed.

Lovely birthday. I felt the love and friendship and really felt seen by the people in my life. Couldn't ask for more. Also, a few little accomplishments scattered in and that felt like the right foot to begin this next year. 

From my garden. Little flowers
around the center -- incredible. 

I have my Friday morning coffee and then I invited the group to try the new Lebanese cafe for lunch. 5 or 6 of us going -- it'll be a fun morning.

Have a happy Friday too. Later gators. 

HBD to Me

Starting another year and I'm grateful. 

What's on the birthday agenda?

Outside run -- I try to do an outside run every birthday. I'm a bit stiff and cranky in my joints right now, but I'll give it a go. I'm not sure why I do a run, but it's tradition. I suppose there will come a year I can't run anymore so I'll enjoy it while I can. Hah -- might be this year, my hip is giving me grief. Always aches and pains. 

Midtown Atlanta with my son. He's working in the office today and invited me for lunch.

Birthday call with a good friend -- her birthday is Monday and we do a call every year at the end of June. She was available today so we scheduled it on my actual birthday. 

Maybe little spatterings of fun in-between things. Or some quiet time. Or watercolor painting. 

I registered for a club hike for next week. It's been a long time since I've hiked with the group. I'm ready to focus on getting back to it for longer hikes. This one is a fast 10 miler with elevation and a picnic after -- should be fun. It's a trail I know well so a good one to get back on the horse.

I made another cucumber chopped salad -- I guess this is my summer repeat while the cucumbers are producing. It's so good, but a lot of fiber. Nighttime gets a bit windy lol.

Look at this GF bread from Trader Joe's -- it's always wonky. This one looks like a tooth. Why, Trader Joe's?!? Never a square slice. 

New thrifted rug. It's handmade and really fun colors. Couldn't find a place for it, but I'm happy to add some color to the workout room.

Breakfast with my friend was really nice. She was up against babysitting so had to change the time -- I guessed as much. She bought me little vases from Montana and made a pressed flower jar. Very kind and perfectly me. We had a nice catch up and a good conversation.

I should have time for a birthday meditation today after all. I've been reflecting and reviewing the year -- more on this soon. It's kind of a return to basics for the year ahead. I've been playing around with new things and having fun with it, but somehow stepped a few too many steps away from my base. Time to strengthen it again.

Stronger and lighter -- this year's motto. I'll try it on and if it doesn't fit after a few months, one of the classics will come back (choose the bigger life, keep going, walk until the day becomes interesting). 

More on this later too. 

I also want to do a post about summer books. I've been lazy about book talk. Stay tuned.

Lots of "more later " --  mornings have been a bit rushed and I haven't had as much time to do the more thoughtful chats. That's a little part of that base I want to get back to -- slower rolling mornings to have more time with my morning routine which really sets me up for a good day.

On that note, have a good day. Later gators.

Eeek, A Birthday Mood

I'm in a bit of an ungrateful mood this morning. I know it's sort of my fault and I know it's JUST a temporary mood. 

The week seems to have gotten away from me. Where did my downtime, reset, reflection time go?

I have a lot of birthday plans this week and I'm very grateful to have so many people in my life who want to celebrate my birthday -- I feel this and it feels good. 

Here's the mood ...

I said yes to some changes that are making the quiet bits difficult. I didn't feel like I could say no since these plans are people celebrating with me. If I had all the facts (so to speak) before I originally said yes, I would've made different decisions. 

Then the add-ons of normal life interrupting. Duke threw up 3 times again this morning. Hubby called me at 5:30 because he's in the UK and "knew I'd be up." 

I'm trying to have a bit of a morning before breakfast with my cancel friend that WAS a lunch and got shifted. Now I have a very rushed morning and the long birthday meditation is out the window -- no time the rest of the week. 

Could I change some of my plans until afternoon? 

Not really.

Can't garden in the heat of the day because it stresses the plants.

Meditation in the afternoon doesn't hit the same for me.

Workout, dog walk -- all need to be early. 

Even if I can change some things around ... I don't want to and that's what's frustrating me. 

I don't want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Said with a total tantrum vibe.)

My friend shifted lunch to breakfast to accommodate HER schedule and in the process MY schedule got messed up this morning. 

And I agreed to it. 

And it will be fine.

And I'll have a nice time.

But ... ugh.

Guess I'm more frustrated with myself. I don't mind a full, energetic day at all, but I LOVE slow roll mornings with my routine and quiet evenings. I thought I had that protected this week. I have some soul searching to figure out how to do this better or shift my perspective. 

In other news ...

I did a practice watercolor picture ahead of a larger one for a wall frame in my bedroom. It's okay (not that the bigger one will be a masterpiece hah). That's why it's a practice on a small sheet. The plan is a bunch of little birds all over 9x12 with music notes floating around. 

Color isn't quite right. I'll add different shaped birds too. I wanted to start the bigger picture yesterday but my plans changed and I ran out of time.

Painting is the one thing that I can easily do anytime. I usually prefer afternoons so maybe today. Watercolor is at least a 2 day process so it can dry. 

Okay, that's all for today. I have to get going for a quick garden time, workout, and dog walk. I'm trying to change up this mood and bring in a different perspective. Wish me luck. Later gators. 

HBD Week

Birthday week continues ...

I started the scent flight from Ode to Perfume. Did I talk about this? 

5 samples selected based on a questionnaire. Video explaining why each was chosen and instructions on how to experience them.

First -- spray the card, wave it, wait, smell. 

I did this with all 5 and put them in order that I liked them. Made notes on the back. I really liked 3/5.

Now I'm trying them -- favorite to least favorite to see how they do on my skin. 

My favorite on paper was AWFUL on me. I had to wash it off before bed. Totally different scent experience. I sprayed #2 on this morning and it's not as bad, but I don't like it enough to wear it out in the world. This is not boding well to find a scent I'll wear. 

I'm shocked, but now I understand my mistakes buying perfume. I can't believe how different they smell on me after a bit of time on my skin.

Duke hid after I sat down.
Don't think he liked it either.

This is very unscientific, but I think I have particular skin. A number of lipsticks turn a bright shade of pink after about an hour on my lips. I have to wear brown based lip color or put a base on my lips -- and even that can change if it's not enough of a brown base. 

I think perfume does the same -- a little presto change-o. Maybe this happens to everyone?!? I'm only wearing the perfume in the morning (before my shower) or when I change into pjs. I don't want to scent my clothes if I'm not going to like the perfume. 

A couple of plant things ....

Saw this beauty on a morning walk with Duke. 

Pretty shape, pretty color.

Looks like a phyllo pastry with slightly burned edges.

Thai basil is such a beautiful plant. Easy to forget it's a delicious herb too.

HBD lunch was really nice. We had a particular lively conversation. Had to call it at 2 hours because of parking limits in the town. I think they do themselves a disservice. I planned to stop in the vintage store before I left, but no time before we'd get ticketed.

Chatted with a good friend for another couple of hours when I got home. Also, lively, fun conversation.

Today is the only non lunch-out day this week. Volunteering for the local road cleanup again. Two hours walking the road -- weather is much cooler this morning so it should be nice. I enjoy spending time with this group of ladies.

Also chores! Watering my indoor plants -- such an effort in this house. I'm going to try and get some watered before I leave this morning. I saved a couple of good podcasts for the plant care today. Distract my way through it works the best. A few other little things too.

Picking up my grandson from school and back to his new house for the afternoon. Then the evening is mine. I finished a book yesterday -- "Woman on the Ledge." Fun, quick suspense. Twists, but not super believable. Library book so worth the read. 

Oh, and I watched this movie. The book was even better, but this was still so good (maybe because I also read the book). Cried at the end. This is one of the reasons I like alone time -- would never have cried if people were around (it's a me-thing), but it feels really good to cry at a movie. Cathartic, but no lingering emotions. 

I had a full day and it felt good. I made a cucumber and bean salad with all the garden things -- chopped my heart out. Baked banana bread for my grandson. It was a little bit of everything yesterday. Even though today is more obligation based, I want to find that same intention. 

Hope you also have a well intentioned day. Later gators -- I'm off to water plants. The good news is the level of dread is equal and opposite to the delight I feel when it's finished. I'll be positively skipping by this afternoon hah! 

Better(!!)

Quite a bit better. 

AND, the universe WAS all up in my business yesterday. Power went out 4 times while I was riding the Peloton and the internet went down for about 15 minutes. I powered on and eventually finished the workout. Duke threw up in 7 places on my new bedroom carpet during the never-ending workout attempts. Used every last drop of the carpet cleaner AND it's no longer available for delivery.

Yep, I declared EASE and UNBOTHERED and the universe is showing up to help me practice. Maybe I should retract that declaration.

But ... I did my sheets anyway. Hubby worked around it. I waited to help the kids until I tamed the garden a bit. Passed out a big bag of veggies to a neighbor (always my delight). THEN spent the rest of the day packing, cleaning, moving. 

Hubby and I tried a new bakery that opened 2 blocks from the house. Turkish treats and coffee. Family run to help an autistic son who has a passion for coffee. Lovely people and story behind the cafe. My neighbor gave me the heads up it FINALLY opened. I love that our neighbors are community minded -- all part of being a good neighbor. I passed the info along and am going with friends on Friday. 

Gave Turkish coffee a go
even with the caffeine hit.
Hubby got the biscuit.

I feel better. Just getting a few things off my plate helped -- mostly helped my mental load. I feel ready to enjoy my birthday week. 

Today??

Another Peloton workout (too humid for a run).

Birthday week meditation.

Lunch with my HS friend at a favorite restaurant. 

Reading this afternoon. 

Reflection time for an intentional year. 

Quiet and fun -- I love this combination.

On that note, time to workout. 

Have a good Monday and start to the week. Later gators.