The Allusive Goldilocks Day

Guess I jinxed myself being all "it's a protected space" day ... yada, yada.

It wasn't. My court position blew up again and it's bad. Next 2 days are prioritized for this case. It's sad on too many levels -- life knocks some people down over and over. 

I didn't hike yesterday because my back has been pulling this week -- since a hard Peloton ride. "THE injury" kind of pulling and I wanted to give it an extra day since I felt it pull again in the morning. I plan to hike early today unless the court case changes that timing or my back feels at all off.

I DID get to glaze the pottery. I messed up the big bowl and had to shift gears -- went from simple to a little crazy. The colors should be vibrant once they're fired. We'll see. Here's the before ...

No new book pick. I was up late working on the volunteer case -- phone with attorney and sending emails. No coffee shop either. But, did learn that one of the new coffee shops put in court yard seating (it was only take-out until now). That warrants a visit soon.

Today is totally up in the air and it's packed from morning to bedtime.

Early hike -- fingers crossed.

Then I'm meeting someone I met through this volunteer position. She took my number and called me for a lunch date. Not sure if this will be a friendship, but it's nice to have a friendly connection within the organization. I also appreciate people who initiate -- it's a lost art these days. 

From lunch to a town planning meeting until 5 o'clock.

Dinner at 6:30 with friends. 

ALL DAY! And, if I'm being truthful, too much. I over-scheduled. That said, something will probably have to change today -- not sure where and when. Waiting on decision makers for next steps. I won't cancel the lunch, but everything else is up for grabs. 

Well, so much for learning this balance thing. I'm still getting it wrong and I'm not sure it's ever going to be a Goldilocks Day. Maybe this is byproduct of a full life. Lots of choices. I said NO a lot and here we are -- still too much. Trying to get it a little closer. Backing out of things isn't an option (unless for court stuff, of course) so I need to balance BEFORE I say yes. 

That's what's up today. Hope you have a good one. Oh, and it's suddenly spring temps today -- what the what?!? Guess mother nature can't find a balance either. Too cold, too warm ... where are our seasonal days?!?! Best run before I start weather ranting. Later gators. 

Hello, Garden 2026

Today is a protected space day.

There was "pressure" (or at least opportunity) to fill today with obligations. Two hard-ish no's to hold this space. Even a social option I declined. 

The rest of this week is FULL to the brim with all the things. Good amount of fun, substantial volunteer work, appointments. Today needed to be quiet. I'm slowly learning to balance. I was tempted to fill "just part of the day" -- glad I didn't. 

What's on the agenda, you ask (or didn't ask)??

An easy hike. 

My foot feels good. 

Taking her on the mountain.

It's been 2 months.  

Then heading to glaze pottery (from my son's gift). 

Solo.

Didn't invite anyone along. 

Quiet, creative time. 

Maybe a coffee house run -- I need to pick a new book today too.

Coffee house + new book + alone = PERFECTION

A wealth of choices (books and coffee house).

This feels right. No political calls, news feed, IG. Back at it tomorrow. 

Resting AHEAD of the week, AHEAD of the chatter, AHEAD of the hard. 

Now, ta-da, Garden 2026 (!!)

The grow room is up and running (and a little broken). One of the water trays cracked -- new ones coming tomorrow. I'll try and rig something for today. The cells get watered from the bottom until they germinate. 

Hello, little seeds.

Using gifts from the kids.
Garden apron, watering can.

One in each hole??
How?? Teeny tiny.

Progress

Beautiful pepper seeds

I have the spring and summer garden planned. 

Topper soil ordered

Seeds selected. 

Lists made. 

Grow room transplants.

Direct sow.

Temps to plant.

Depth.

Spacing.

GARDEN 2026 -- I'm excited. 

Okay, off to start this day. Fingers crossed. I actually don't feel super well this morning. I think I just need to blow out some cobwebs. Looking for the mountain and cool morning to help. Might be the start of a cold though, dang. 

Have a good Monday. Later gators.

A Mishmash Chat

I haven't been posting all the pictures, but I've been making a point to wear vintage and/or thrifted outfits each week (at least once). Wore this to the HBD party yesterday -- coat was the 70's men's plaid blazer. 

Both tops were thrifted

Got party ready ...

We had a great time. Our grandson was in such a happy mood and seemed so excited to have lots of family in one room. He's a joy!

I'm going to take my foot for a spin this morning. A long-ish walk in the neighborhood to see if I have any pain. If it's good, I'll take a short hike tomorrow for another test drive. It feels good -- just as the doc promised. I hope it holds up.

Grow room is on the schedule today too. It's messy -- I'm messy. Waited until I can do the prep outside. Once it's planted, hello, garden 2026. The fun AND the work begin. 

I said no to a few things this week.

Why is this hard?

Made space for quieter things -- things with a lower energy hum.

I've been over scheduled and over spoken for lately.

Absolutely did it to myself. 

Hands in too many pots. 

Fun things feel like pressure. 

(Um, grow room today.) 

That's a tell-tale sign.

I also instituted a new rule for nighttime starting today. NO reading text messages from certain people. It can wait, they can wait. I'm getting burned too many times with something upsetting just before bed. Happened last night again. I had such a nice day, finished my book, took one last look at my phone ... AND ... bam, stress (!!) 

Life, the country, everything is such a shit-show and I need to take extra steps to keep "fighting" the fight. Use my energy -- mental and physical, more effectively. 

Speaking of the book ... so good. Beautifully original. Heartwarming. Feel-good. Funny. You'll love it too.

That's all today. I hope you have a good Super Bowl Sunday. I'm looking forward to a homebody day in the best way -- finding some calming notes (fingers crossed). Later gators. 

Thrifting

Thrifting -- love it!

Thrifted at a local market with my aunt. 

1950's cardigan -- sweet for spring.

Knitted top -- no idea if it's old, but it fits well.

Mixing bowl -- perfect size and a pour lip.

Then she gifted me all this AND a few more things not pictured.

Card/picture holder

For plants and art supplies.

But first ...

Our Friday group donated and made supply bags for people on the streets. 

I also brought stuff to write notes and decorate the bags -- why not.

Something to do with our hands while we had the meeting.

At first, no one wanted to do it ... just me. And then everyone joined in.

Coloring calms nerves, slows things down. 

We need to be reminded to tap into that part of us. 

Already gave out the two I took for my car. 

I was approached at a gas station. 

Dinner was really nice. We walked (and argued -- not nice hah), but rallied when we got there. Our neighbors drove because of work timing. Nice conversation. I think we'll enjoy having them as neighbors and, hopefully friends too.

We're celebrating our grandson's HBD today. This year I'm not involved in the gathering because it's so small -- good to be a guest. Can't wait to see him -- it'll be a fun family affair. 

I'll fuss around and do some ME-things before the party. 

I'm tired. Good tired, but need to refuel today. 

I'm SLOWLY learning to balance. When life is going full-steam, I need to deliberately schedule the slower times. It's as important as scheduling the DOING. Sometimes it's hard to leave that SPACE, but it's my word hah. I need that reminder. 

Have a good day. Later gators. 

A Lighter List

As promised, a lighter chat this morning. 

Let's do a list.

1. I'm on a good reading streak. Finished this -- man, she could write a beautiful story about people. It was just what I needed. I've read four of her books and everyone leaves you feeling satisfied and connected to her characters. She and Lisa Genova go back and forth as my favorite author. 

Started this gem from the library. Middle-grade, fantastic premise -- love it so far. 

2. Dare I say, my foot is feeling pretty good. Maybe a hike next week?!? Lordy, that would be nice to get out in the woods. 

3. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner OUT today. Wow. Mix in some lighter, happier volunteering and a pickup of goodies from my aunt ... that's my day. Breathe. It should be a good one. 

Yesterday was good in a different way. Progress for the hard things -- productive, important, but heavy. Today is good in a way that feels uplifting. I need this balance. 

4.  Saturday: Grandson's #2 birthday -- so fun. Just a small group of family so I'm not helping with anything. That feels good too. We've giving money, but got a couple of little things for him to open since it's such a small party. I'll have fun wrapping them -- have to figure out something a 2 year old would love. Trucks and Elmo and color.

5.  Sunday: Super Bowl and we decided just us this year. Yes!! Casual, regular prep for some food. No big deal. I'll watch a little bit. Bed by halftime. 

6. Grow Room: I plan to plant on Sunday. Grow little seeds!!!

7. Rock Painting: I haven't painted in a couple of weeks. I want to fit in a couple this weekend because it's relaxing. Paint, music on the record player, candle, matcha latte. Sounds like a plan.

8. My sleep has been record good since going to the chiropractor and acupuncturist. I always say I should go for maintenance, and never do. Thinking about scheduling this along side my 11's appointment. 3-4 months apart and that feels about right. It would be a good pairing.

9. Next week feels is a better balance too. I have some interesting fun things, creative time, and volunteering -- mostly uplifting volunteering. More on this next week. 

That's all this morning. Focusing on creative time and hopefully a little hiking next week -- both are the best ways I restore and feel grounded. I need some grounding. Meditation helps with this too, but sometimes feels heavy rather than restorative. 

Have a happy Friday. Let's keep at being helpers and being good neighbors. Community is how we create a better country. Later gators. 

Feast or Famine -- It's a Feast Right Now

I had a nice lunch with our new neighbor -- nice enough that we're all going to dinner on Friday. That's a bit fast for my liking, but our weekends are unavailable until March. I didn't want to push it that far back and she invited us this weekend. She's at the lonely part of adjusting to a new place -- I know that feeling well.

Was my concern about TX right?  -- maybe. She didn't bite on anything that would tell me, other than she said she hates the extremes on BOTH sides. When you say that, it usually means you are on the right, just not extreme. Yes, the left has extreme, but there's no real comparison to the right's extreme and the left's extreme. 

However, she seems like a kind person. Seemed receptive to what's important to me -- we played the "tell me about you" kind of first "date" game. She initiated the dinner so I guess she feels we match close enough. At the very least, it's nice to have a neighborly neighbor. 

Today is a long day. Hardest of the week. 

I'll spend the day helping the family -- until mid-afternoon. 

Man, it's not going well.

There's a possibility I'll be called to testify in court next week.

It'll feel like a betrayal to the mother, even though it's the opposite. 

She has so few people she trusts and I hate that she'll feel this way again.

Then an in-person ICE-OUT training locally from 3 - 5 o'clock. 

I thought about not going, but the woman who coordinated it worked hard.

She's promised attendance numbers to the organization. 

It's full. It's hard stuff. 

Tomorrow is equally full, but a better balance of volunteer and fun. 

It starts at 6:30 picking up one of women we helped this weekend.

She needs rides to work. 

And the day goes from there. 

Feast or famine ... I'm in a feast phase right now. 

I'm taking the weekend for fun, rest, SPACE. 

It'll be a news blackout for me too.

On that note, final edits to the court report this morning before I take the long, traffic drive up north. Best get going. 

I promise more mundane, less downer posts soon. 

Have a good day. Later gators.

Chiropractor

The chiropractor/acupuncturist appointment was hopeful. 

First, he fixed my shoulder/arm which is always my ribs out of alignment. 

Then, with a few painful manipulations, my super tender spot on my elbow feels great. 

Both were instant. My overall body feels a lot better.

He said ... oh there we go ... and the pain was gone. Fantastic. 

The foot, not so much. He worked and worked it. It's marginally better, maybe. He thinks it's bone, not soft tissue. He expects it to feel fine over the next few days. Fingers crossed, but I'm not sure. He can do a lot, but he's not a miracle worker. He was never able to fix my back injury, but did amazing work when I was passing out regularly -- totally took it away after three appointments.

I had a lot of work on volunteer stuff again yesterday -- hard things. More today and a lot more tomorrow. I'm worried about it. I'm trying to manage my feelings and keep this professional. I have a job to do and I'm doing that job. Things are going to get harder before they (hopefully) get better.

Now for some fun.

I walked to the new coffee shop in town. It's a hit among the younger crowd. Colorful, hip, trendy, fun. I loved it. Excellent iced americano. They have a full cafe menu too. Took it at a table (love that they have cups for dining in) and finished this book. 

The book was interesting, but I skimmed a lot. Good reminders -- get away from ONLY task-bound lists and move to the process being the goal. Example: Taking a walk is not just something to get done and tally your step count. The goal for the walk can be the process of walking ... noticing, quiet pleasure, nature, outside, physical activity -- steps are secondary. You can be walking and not be enjoying the WHY of the walk at all if it's only a task to check off a list. 

You get the idea. 

But, before I got to the coffee shop, I stopped at an old stomping ground consignment store I hadn't been to in years -- like 8 years. I met the former owner at a meeting and she said the new owners are doing fabulous things. I love the store. I grabbed a few things. Vintage purse, alpaca scarf, picture frame. Great deals. I would've looked longer, but I was walking and quickly hit my limit for carrying. 

As for today ...

Some work. Volunteer stuff.

Some fun.

I'm having my new neighbor over to see the house. She and her husband are renting the house across the street, but building on the vacant lot with our builder. I knew she'd be curious to see the inside of our house. Then we're walking to lunch. She moved from TX. I'll report back. You know my concern ... coming from TX ...

That's all. 

Oh, I made greek lemon Avgolemono soup using chickpeas instead of chicken -- it's really good. Eggs made it creamy. I had no idea that's why it can be creamy with no dairy. 

Have a good day. Feels like it should be much later in the week than Wednesday. Later gators.