Asheville!

Asheville is doing its thing. 

Easy drive.

A few good podcasts and I was here.

Got a text from a hiking friend who's in town for a funeral. She was 5 minutes from the house and did a quick stop over. Her extended family was in the car, so it was really fast, but unexpected fun seeing her. 

My friend arrived later in the afternoon. 

She brought a hostess gift. Asked a friend in TX to find me a copy of Lonesome Dove (one of her favorite books and a book I've been trying to find used). How lovely is that? She remembered I was searching for it with no luck. Now it's one of my favorite gifts -- she and her friend went to so much trouble to get this. I asked how she knew her friend could find it ... TX always has copies and her friend loves to thrift. 

Also beautiful strawberry
plate and pitcher.

We had a great vegan dinner. Mocktails and split a few dishes. Didn't remember to take pictures of it all, but here's a sample.

Spicy Curry

Best of the meal.
Sauce under was incredible.

Pineapple, ginger, cardamom.

She was a bit hesitant to tell me she likes to go to bed early. WHAT?!?! Perfection! 

So far, so good. 

As for today ... mountain walk, massage, shopping, Michelin star Indian street food for dinner, EARLY to bed hah.

Have a good one. Later gators.

Asheville #3 ... Maybe a Charm

These last couple of days have been that 50-50 of life. 

We said goodbye to a friend and it was hard and beautiful -- as it is. We felt a strong connection to friends as we gathered. Lots of hugs and laughs and some tears. 

"That" person was there and behaved as expected. We actually had a pointed exchange because I'm tired of her, every bit of her. Now I feel that drama level again. She's so intrenched in my world and it sucks. I'm sure there's some growth or grand purpose to my involvement with her, but it's a lesson I'm not asking to learn. I probably shouldn't have poked the bear, but I hate how some people feel they can say or do anything unchecked. I checked her ... and she hit back, hard. 

Pride walk was AMAZING! Loved every minute. It was so humid, but a great turnout and such a good time. I stayed for part of the festival too. My friend hit it out of the park. P.S. The shoes were fun and held the color.

Marshaled the walk.

So many colors and rainbows.

Ready to volunteer.

Kids closed on their new house. People are renting back from them for 3 days and it's going very poorly. The owner inherited the house and doesn't even live there. She's being awful to them and might stick them with things left unfinished. Their realtor didn't protect them against this in the contract. 

They scheduled their move the weekend I get back from Asheville. No rest for the weary. I hope that changes because I planned a quiet weekend to relax and recover from the first half of June. I'm trying (and not completely succeeding) to keep the rest of June chill and easy. Summer of ease and unbothered is not starting well.

Maybe that recovery can come from this trip to Asheville with a friend. I'm psyching myself out because I don't think I'm going to get enough sleep or downtime. Probably isn't true. I'm remembering last trip and how that felt. They're different (hopefully). 

I'm also more recovered. The heart issue from Covid has finally stopped. My period is almost finished (I think). My neck and back are improving. 

The only day that will be a push is Tuesday. Leading a hike I'm not 100% confident about, driving up and back down a switchbacked mountain (freaks me out a little). I need to keep perspective though. It's one little part of the week AND my friend will help -- she's an experienced hiker. 

Weather looks good for the trip. The higher heat will move out today and hopefully the humidity too. Ready for mountain air. 

Remember the spider and computer debacle? The 'u' key is sticking from the computer toss. You don't realize how often you need that letter. Dang. Glad I didn't completely break it. P.S. Spider is no longer with us, but he got the last laUgh. 

Rushed morning, but hopefully that's the last time I use that adjective this week. This week was planned as a wellness moment for body, mind, spirit. 

Can it be done?

Will it be done?

Eeekk. Fingers crossed. 

Off to Asheville. Third time's a charm?!?! 

Have a good one. Later gators. 

And I'm Home Again

Very quick Asheville run, but well worth it. 

Full clean, all the nitty-gritty spots and the house looks great. It's been too long since I've done a complete head-to-toe clean. Did a bit of yard work too. 

Never left the house. It was HOT and HUMID and I decided not to take a mountain or town walk. My neck and back are mending and I didn't want to set either off from the hills. 

I feel better. 

But guess what?? 

I got a period. 

Full on, or so it feels.

Cramps, the works. 

Of course I did. Now what? Does the clock start again? Can I celebrate next week? Will I need an ultrasound and $$$.

Day 3 and I need to use a tampon. It's not just a little spotting. 

I can't even give it much thought. I give up. This June is not the June I wanted at all, but it's the June I'm getting. I'll deal with this after the Asheville trip. 

Tonight is the first of the funeral events. Dinner. It's going to be a late night. The RSVP list is as expected -- out of town family and very close friends. We aren't either, but she asked us to come so we're going. I looked at the RSVP list for the funeral and it's missing a lot of friends. I hope this means people didn't RSVP but are coming to both. 

Hottest and most humid day of the season so far. It's absolutely miserable out there. Ditto for tomorrow. Ugh and double ugh. Pride Walk will be a soupy mess.

Big spider just landed on my lap. Threw the computer, spilled my coffee. 

That's all for today. Dang. NOT a good start. 

Asheville #2

Yesterday was a better day. 

First day that felt like I could ground a bit.

A day where I didn't feel like I was catering to everyone else. 

I'll get that over these next two days too. Of course, I'm driving and cleaning -- not exactly on my list of "best of" ... but I desperately need some alone time and this will do well enough. 

I do this thing where I need some space, panic that I'm not getting it, need space even more from that panic ... and so on. I haven't felt this at THIS level for a long time. 

It's been a series of events that added up to now. 

Covid is the biggest offender. I'm still recovering. I'm still "off," not myself.

Anyway ...

Yesterday's bookstore day was really good. It's an adorable few blocks of gentrification in an otherwise industrial kind of area. Stores, restaurants, 2 coffee shops, one teashop. Easy-ish drive. I love that I know about it now and will be back. 

Top tear Indie bookstore. Shelves were well curated, great shelf talkers, good vibe. I got a few books. 

Lunch was really good too. -- Asian fusion. This friend also has food sensitivities so I knew her restaurant pick would be good for me too. 

We stopped at a teashop walking back to the car because the restaurant served iced tea from this store and it was really nice. I got a few loose leaf herbal blends. 

We made a date in July for another bookstore afternoon. 

I did a fun thing. Got a recommendation for a perfume scent flight from a small, women owned business in Denver, CO. Ode to Perfume. $70 for 5 samples of perfume that are hand selected from unique options. They send a questionnaire and then select for you. 

A little birthday moment for me. I'm back to enjoying personal scents. A friend got me hooked on Crown Affair -- hair perfume. It smells so good. I've also bought a few higher end body washes with more of a designer scent. 

Since June isn't the June I planned, I'm making another plan. Adding in small birthday delights. Little moments for me. Trying for at least one a day. Got a few in yesterday and ordered the perfume flight today. Hoping to find a couple of moments in Asheville too. Of course, not all are buying things hah, but nothing wrong with some treats either. 

I'm going to try an easy workout this morning -- first in almost a week. If anything hurts when I start, I'll bag it. 

Going to grab a few podcasts for the drive too. I'm looking forward to these 2 days far, far more than I expected. I thought this little trip would be the worst of them all, but I wonder ... fingers crossed for a nice couple of days.

Have a good one. Later gators. 

I'm back ...

I've been a little MIA. 

My back and shoulder are out and that's put a damper on ME. Both are improving, but ever so slowly. 

Asheville was nice, but kind of not fun. I was the driver of the weekend and felt burdened by it. I'm sure it was because I was hurting and all-the-things aggravated my shoulder, neck, back. It felt like I was doing for everyone else at my expense. One ask after another. 

No one person was too much, but it was a full house and everyone needed something. Trying to rest my shoulder, and another "need." Also, literally driving the car and that was the worst and that's all I did for the weekend. Being in charge is the achilles heel of hosting.

 

Chauffeur extraordinaire. 

Constant conversation.

Questions, asks, favors, people-pleasing. 

Came home to more "obligations" for others yesterday. 

I have an extremely strong urge to run-away and be totally alone lol (!!) Desert island without the island (sand, sun, ocean). 

That said, Asheville was also good. Party was fun. Happy to be with family. Got some good thrifting. Here's my new nightlight hahaha! No mountain walk, no teahouse though. Too busy pleasing guest agendas -- aka, hosting.

She glows red when it's dark.
Cracks me up!

My days are PACKED until June 20 and it doesn't feel great. I'm regretting it. Dang. Not the feeling I wanted for June.

So I decided to make a shift. My birthday is the end of June and that will signal the beginning this year. Instead of June being "my month," I'm pushing it forward to July. Hubby is away for a week and that'll be my secret birthday celebration and the birthday year planning, etc. 

All the pressure is gone to make these next 10+ days "perfect" and worthy of menopause and 56-- now I can accept it for what it is instead of holding the expectation. It's worth remembering that my secret birthday celebration needs to be solo. 

Pride walk on Saturday -- I'm volunteering before the funeral. The day called for sharpie pride shoes. I didn't have a yellow marker though.

Color with sharpie. 

Brush 91% rubbing alcohol over to get a blended look. 

Dry, rinse, dry. 

I rinsed them this morning. They'll bleed color for a few times, but they look fun.

Two little things that delight me:

1. I stocked the LFL in Asheville and it got lots of use this weekend. Little joy whenever anyone stops. 

2. A woman who walks her dogs by our house in GA, stopped to say she took one of the free pepper plants and she has tons of peppers and a new love for gardening. 

Cue the happy dance. So much fun!

Today has been long on the calendar with a bookclub friend. Bookstore crawl and lunch -- her plans (aka I'm not driving this at all), but was bummed about the timing. Downtown, lots of driving, etc. Repeat of this weekend's thrift crawl antics. 

She texted to say she can't get something that involved planned -- she's not a plan executor. Kind of funny since it's been 2 months in the works. So we're doing a one-stop, close to home, bookstore and lunch. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!  I needed simpler today. We're taking raincheck on the other and it may never come to pass and that's okay. This is so much easier and will be just as fun -- I've never been to either. 

Then off for a 24 hour Asheville visit to clean and prep for next week. Probably no time to do much (teahouse or mountain walk), but we'll see. If I can get it finished Wednesday, maybe I can do something on Thursday morning before I drive home if I feel okay.

Okay, that's the update. Hope you're having a good week. Later gators.

Asheville Trip 1

Asheville or bust -- with my aunt. Kids come tomorrow. 

Thrifting all afternoon. So much so, we're packing lunch for the car so we don't waste time at a restaurant. My aunt is the EARLIEST bird and she just got home from Italy. That means EARLY riser to an extreme. It's a bit of a push for me this morning.

Car packing (partial packed, but most waits until day of).

Gardening tending (have to water pots and pick).

Workout (because I won't this weekend).

 

The good news is she wants to go to bed early too. 

I selectively use ChatGPT because of how much water the computers use, but there are times it's so helpful (like diagnosing Covid based on my strange symptoms).

I used it to plan a thrift crawl for Asheville. I know the antique stores, but not the thrift stores. Gave me a curated list which I refined and then asked it to map out an order based on several factors. Bam. Done. 

I didn't ask for more details, those I looked up. This list would've taken me forever and I don't think I would've done as well. There was one mistake -- one place on the list is permanently closed, but seems otherwise great. 

Three trips to Asheville in the next 2 weeks. All VERY different. 

This one is shopping and family. 

Next one is cleaning.

Then the big menopause/birthday week -- spa, hiking, all things me.

In between the trips is SO much work. One thing at a time and no use thinking about it now (so I keep telling myself). I had no way to predict the things that got added on. Emergency court report/date for my volunteer position. Kids are closing on the house (work for us). Closet sale came early and we are helping the kids do their closets. Two day funeral for our friend with some tasks for me. 

ALL in one week that already has obligations. It's a bit of a nightmare, but I'm trying to not let it affect my celebration week. I want to enjoy every moment of that week and not think of it as a task list. 

Anyway ... time is ticking and I need to get ready for my very early aunt. Have a good day! Later gators.

Too Much

I'm driving too many busses.

June keeps growing in ways that are work for me. Could I say no ... of course, but not really. 

My friend asked for even more help with the funeral service. I won't say no. 

Kids need help with their house situation. Also won't say no.

Both trips to Asheville with company have become complicated. 

Lots of little things adding up everywhere I look.

You know the reason?

Ease and unbothered summer declaration.

Dang, universe. You got me.

I'll try to hold that declaration while I dream about the quiet after these 3 weeks. 

In some good news ... first of the tomatoes. Delicious. I ate them straight from the vine. Cherry tomatoes grow like a mad woman, but produce early and well.

Pickled cucumbers with jalapeños -- everything from the garden. Garlic, dill, peppers, cucumbers. I tasted them this morning and they're amazing.

It was a cool, crisp morning so I ran a little after 6 o'clock. It was nice to get out early and be finished early. A few bits more on my morning and it's a day of errands and work ahead of an early start to Asheville tomorrow.

Hope you have a great day. Later gators.