Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Multitasking

 I have been attempting to:


*get rid of a desk
*get rid of some unwanted cat food and a cat tower
*get a new prescription filled
*pay a few bills
*do IT security training for work
*clear up a speeding ticket I got earlier this year
*coordinate with a handyman to install more shelving in this house
*pre-plan a train trip to NC
*get folks interested in a day trip to St Pete
*make a loaf of sourdough bread
*coordinate an investment with Sean
*start a new jigsaw puzzle because I am insane that way

Hoo doggie, yes, that is a LOT when I see it all written down! No wonder I have not been successful at some of these. Today. I have not been successful at them today. But a few are done, and a few are started. and that is good enough.

Tonight is trivia night!

Cinnamon sugar lava pancakes

video on how to 

Monday, May 25, 2026

New travel plans

 train ride up to Raleigh Durham

Researched: would cost us $950 train ride which includes two days of food

If we don’t go see Patrick in R/D … or after we have and we liked the train ride, maybe we can do Savannah as well. 

catching up

 How have I not updated in days? Ooops

We had a reading vacation weekend at our house with Matt& Heidi and Deb & JT and Barbara (for one day). Very relaxing, low key. Spending time with friends 24/7 can be tough, but it worked with these people. I got lots of reading done 0-- some of Crying in the H Mart, and a lot of Count of Monte Cristo. Also, we played 3 board games, and getting Hans Teutonica off my shelf of shame, and a puzzle/mystery game. Showed our friends Lake Morton and Inklings and Peach House and Bonnet Springs.


In anticipation of their visit, I got a lot of small home projects done. So lots of wins. 

I have had great sleep, and plan to go to bed early tonight again! [narrator: that didn’t happen. Late night coffee ice cream and too much screen time did not help]

New resolution: reading in backyard in morning before work. Spend time with birds. Get reading done. Less scrolling phone in bed.


This was a great way to avoid news and spend less time doom scrolling.



Tuesday, May 19, 2026

29th wedding anniversary

29 years ago, while on our honeymoon, I married Sean Brodrick on a beautiful beach in Jamaica. It was a non-traditional wedding, but it worked for us. 

Through ups and downs and two kids and occasionally different approaches to life, we’ve made a good team most of the time. Enough of the time to weather any rough patches.

Donald Vaughan introduced us. He said to me: “you two have the same energy.” I was like “whatever man, I can use a free dinner!” But it turns out he was right. 

On our first date, we learned we both like and decorated our houses with gargoyles — a somewhat rare oddity — him because of horror movies, me for a love of architecture. That night, Sean introduced me to hard cider, and also he got lost and we did a detour through the Ft Lauderdale airport. I still refer to it as our favorite airport; we flew out of there for our honeymoon/wedding 2 1/2 years later.

The internet tells me that the 29th anniversary is the Furniture Anniversary. Whatever. We are celebrating tonight with a talk about e-bikes at a bookstore, then rum drinks at a bowling alley tiki bar. We like to do it our own way. 

I love you, Sean. Let’s keep this going. 


Steps to lessen phone addiction

Today’s steps to lessen phone addiction:

  • -AC maintenance check
  • -Phone call with insurance company 
  • -House projects with a deadline motivating me
  • -Leaving phone in charger during the day 
  • -Trying out a new board game

Saturday, May 16, 2026

If we had 9 children

  • ​Eleanor
  • Peter
  • John 
  • William 
  • Margaret
  • Clementine 
  • Twins: Andrew & Amelia 
  • Michael 

Small Joys Project

Back in January 2023, I came across a British woman on Twitter who had written out 365 small joys on pieces of paper and put them in a jar, ...