Asheville Monday

It was a quiet day. 

Drove to Asheville in the rain.

Front blew over and blue skies for the afternoon.

Here's a little spring in our yard.

The angel broke in a storm
and now it looks creepy
and old. I like it better this way.

A few bushes in bloom.

Wind chimes hidden in the tree.

Our fireplace and original
stone wall. Little garden
where they meet. 

Base of my favorite tree.
HUGE hickory that shades
the patio all summer.

I sat outside in a rocking chair and read this book while hubby watched a game.

Easy read.

Twilight knockoff.

Watched the first episode of season 2 of Your Friends and Neighbors on Apple.

Upstairs to read about beavers (yep, -- Eager Beavers).

We have beavers and their tree work on a local hiking trail -- I wanted to learn about them.

This was the sunset outside my bedroom window.

Slept with the windows open. 

It's FREEZING in the bedroom in the best way.

I slept well.

Woke to birds singing.

Not a bad way to wake up.

Today is a Peloton workout.

Brunch.

Maybe the teahouse?!?! Might not have time ... dang.

Nature walk with hubby and Duke.

Dinner with my sister and family. 

A mini-vacation.

No stress.

No volunteering.

No chores.

Have a good Monday. 

Later gators.

Rainy Easter Drive to Asheville

We had a super family day. 

So much fun with our grandson! He's a delight. He loved the egg hunt and especially the 2 "egg" cars he found in 2 of the eggs. Clear winner (no surprise that was his favorite).

We went to the park and played on the slides, blew bubbles, played ball. The fun kept going that meant NO nap. Eeek. 

He loved the bed, but it's not going to hold up well. It's already warping from him climbing in and out. Maybe I need to reinforce the sides a bit. Problem for another day.

Combination of no nap and a lot of fun, meant he cried when it was time to leave in the evening. It's somehow sweet that he's sad to leave. Probably not so much us as playtime with different toys, but I'll take it. We made it all better by giving him the "egg" cars to hold on the way home.

We're leaving for Asheville this morning. FINALLY going. I need to squeeze in a bunch of plants into a packed car and I have a feeling that won't go well in hubby's eye, but it is what it is. I grew these babies from seeds and I'm not letting a few days away take them out.

We have fun plans waiting for us in Asheville and beautiful weather once the rain pulls out today.

Today is a rainy travel day and nothing else. Everything will be closed for Easter. Arriving in time for hubby to watch sports so I'm going to get a chunk of reading time. Rushed morning and fully chill day.

Have a good day and Happy Easter if you celebrate. Later gators.

Happy to be Wrong

Well, well, well ... 

I'm really happy to report I had a 2-1/2 hour catch up call with my friend of almost 40 years. This was the first conversation since January 2021 (very specific because that's when she had a job situation change that brought the peacocking to a head) that was NOT peacocking. 

We actually TALKED. Like we used to. About everything. Little life details and moments. 

It felt good and I hope this is the start of us back in stride. 

I stayed up late for this conversation because it was so nice to be ourselves with each other again.

And, interesting thing ...

Her daughter is having problems in a friend group because of one specific person. Guess what that reminded me of ?!?! And my thoughts about her daughter's situation weren't at all wishy-washy. 

Maybe I should take my own advice.

I'm not going down that Easter bunny hole today, but you know I'll explain soon. 

Anyway, today is our family little, kind of, sort of, Easter celebration. We're not religious, but it's an excuse to get together with a few Belgium chocolates from hubby's trip and plastic eggs for our grandson. We're going out for a brunch, early lunch situation and maybe coming back to the house. No one has really confirmed the details other than they'll see us today. My kids did not get my planning genes. 

Hope you have a great day. Later gators.

"Good Thursday" Recap

Yesterday was a nice ME day.

I ran outside and then went on a hike with hubby and Duke. Lots of pretty nature.

These are so fun.

Tended to the grow room -- hardening off the herbs and peppers and tomatoes.

Walked to lunch with hubby. Sat outside on the porch of the restaurant, in the shade, people watching -- really nice lunch.

Painted Elmos and Cookie Monsters (I really like how the "young" Cookie Monster turned out) while I caught up with my best friend.

More pins arrived from E-bay. I give so many away it was time for more.

Ended the day reading more of my bookclub pick. It's over 650 pages. I'm 2/3 finished. I like it, but it could be a lot shorter. Geez.

Today is NOT a me day, but it'll be productive. 

Most of the day volunteering with various things and a home visit tonight (eeek -- hate to flank the day, but it's necessary). 

I'm supposed to have a catch-up call with a friend (my former best friend) after the home visit. She's all about herself these days (years actually), but there are slight glimmers of the old her. I know this is a mid-life crisis kind of thing with low self-esteem that looks like peacocking. But I'm over the putting down, never interested in me, exaggerated bragging (nice way to say lying). After being patient, talking to her about it, and no change, I pulled back. The ball is in her court if she wants an active friendship. She reached out to catch up. We had the HS call last weekend so we did recently catch up. Curious if this is wanting a connection OR wanting to brag about her life. We'll see. 

BTW, I don't so much mind the bragging. I mind the one-way street. 

This has been a prickly friendship that I've had to reevaluate too. But it's not the same as "that" person. Even so, I had to make difficult decisions. You're not my best friend when you consistently put me down. We've been friends for almost 40 years. I held up my end of a bestie and she didn't. I pulled back to preserve the friendship so that it can come back. I really, really want her in my life. This happened a couple of times in the decades of our friendship, but it's never lasted this long or been this intense. 

This is definitely my friendship-working era. I've worked out a lot of things -- a lot of what I expect from a friendship. I finally know I deserve to be treated well. Of course, there are phases, and situation, etc (on my end too), but overall I want someone who cares about me, wants the best for me, etc. and I want to feel that way toward them too.

It's okay if friendships don't have time or need to pull back or stay at a certain level. But I don't accept being unkind or not happy for me or game play ... all these things. AND this is a personality type I'm drawn too because of childhood crap. It's a pattern I need to break and am slowly (too slowly) learning how to do it. 

I want to add a disclaimer for my ego ... I have a number of wonderful, beautiful friendships. It's these problem ones that I talk about here because I'm still working on how to handle them. I talked to my best friend from college for 2 hours yesterday -- not a snark, not an ugly feeling, nothing but laughter and connection. 

I'm very wordy this morning. On that note, have a "good Friday." Later gators.

Eggs, Box Bed, Garden Update

Hello. 

Did I share that my neighbor is exchanging fresh eggs for garden greens? How fun is this?!?! Of course, I'm a little scared to eat unpasteurized eggs. Should I be? Just googled ... need to fully cook them (i.e. no runny yolks), but should be fine.

Easter colors

I made time for a little creative project yesterday. 

A while ago I made a little bed for my grandson's Elmo doll and he SITS in it with Elmo. How cute is that? And how does he actually fit?? It's a LITTLE bed.

I decided to make him a bigger one that he can fit in with his stuffed animals. He likes to "read" to them. 

Big box, leftover wrapping paper, extra bed pillows ... and ta-da! I need to paint a few Elmos and Cookie Monsters on the bed and it's finished. Temporary fun out of things I had at home.

I'm glad I took the time to do this. 

Nature, garden, and creativity are mood boosts in the best way.

Lifted some of the heaviness yesterday.

I started hardening off the peppers and herbs too. We have a few colder days next week and then it should be time to plant. I'm holding off as long as I can. April 18 is summer plant day according to the almanac. I might be able to sneak it a week early depending on the forecast.

Meanwhile, greens are fabulous. Peas are slowly coming along. Something ate the radishes and turnips. Cilantro and spinach never germinated. About a 50-50 spring experience. I'm at the absolute height of the work of the garden. Spring to summer shift with grow room is a lot. 

I made some grow room mistakes. but next year I'll do better. It's all about mistakes and critters and weather. And despite it all, things actually grow. So satisfying and awe inspiring. Fresh, homegrown vegetables. It's fabulous and I LOVE sharing things from the garden. I've already given greens and it brings me such delight to share. 

Hope you have a good day. Later gators. 

Heaviness

No closer on the court report -- worked all afternoon to find out EVERYTHING changed and it needs to be redone. And the changes for the family are upsetting to me. I have a meeting this afternoon with my supervisor and will start again.

We got a date for our friend's services -- not until summer. Phew. We have so many weekends that are obligated to things that would be difficult to change because they involve other people and travel plans. This is a conflict with a volunteer event, but that's okay. I was worried the service would be one of two weekends that we wouldn't change our plans.

This is a heavy week. So much sadness -- of course, the shit show from our government and the hate it spurs, but also personal. The volunteer position and the family crisis is upsetting and heartbreaking. I've worked with them for over 2 years. Our friend passing and his family in such grief is awful.

I don't have much on the calendar the rest of the week because we had planned to go to Asheville initially. I'm keeping it this way. I need space and time alone. Sometimes you need time with people to lift you up, but right now people and THEIR complaints, etc are irritating to me. 

What I need is a good, hard cry, but it's not coming yet. Emotions about lots of things are piling on and eventually I'll hit a tipping point -- probably during meditation some morning. 

I have home stuff to work on and that's the agenda for the next couple of days. Postcards to write for campaigns. Court report to write. Grow room fixes (lord help me). I'll add some nature and reading and fun too.

I'm going to do whatever I can to hold no early or late obligations. That didn't happen yesterday. I made an early appointment (dumb) and I had a late call for volunteering. Why do I do this to myself?

I think my hormones are off too. My estrogen was cut in half and hot flashes are back -- fun times. I feel off and a little light headed at times too. 

I hope you have a good day and I'll take one too. Later gators.

Shifting ...

Not surprisingly, and much to my relief, my friend backed out just before we were meeting. 

I think it was the right decision. Yesterday would've been too much for them.

Of course, I wish the flip-flop never happened, but it's completely understandable. 

I ended up going with one friend after all (the other already made different plans). 

I seriously considered if this was just a doomed effort and I should call it for this year's bloom.

But we went and it was a nice day and a pretty nature walk. (Choose the bigger life.) We haven't had rain for quite a bit and the flowers seemed a bit less vibrant, but it was still a beautiful show. 

Someone put rocks on the stump.

Spring colors growing
on dust on a granite slab

Grandpa's Beard

View from the top.
All shades of green in the
trees surrounding.

Nature landscaped

Diamorpha in bloom.
That SHOULD be a puddle
of water.

We shifted our trip to Asheville to next week. I already have plans setup. That helps the timing right now. I have a lot to do with the volunteer position this week and so much to do here overall (looking at you, grow room). 

My day is open to hike with the Tuesday hiking group after all, and I'm choosing not to -- that says something to me. I want to use the time to work on the court report, BUT in the past I would've made the time for both. I haven't hiked with the group in almost 4 months. Crazy. And interesting that I don't have an interest. I won't be able to hike next week because we're heading to Asheville. The lunch is right up the hill (5 minute walk) and I'm not joining for that either. Maybe the decision is making itself -- not sure, but it seems like that's where it's heading. 

Since I'm not hiking I was able to get a last minute appointment this morning for my 11s -- it's been a long time and I kind of forgot about it. Noticed them in the mirror -- oh boy. 

The rest of the day is working on volunteering and the court report. I have A LOT. It's always a spin up before a court date and this is another big one. 

Hope you have a good day. Later gators.