Sunday Happy

What. The. Fuck.

We are all thinking it in some shape or form because this new world we are living in so strange, and kind of scary. But I am ok. Are you ok?

So the week, well it’s been a blur. Ever since Sunday we have stayed away from everyone except my two older sisters with the littles and Barb. And those guys are staying away from everyone too. We are in our own quarantine bubble. With Megan still working and Erin being a single mom with 3 kids, the mr, Barb, and I have become child care for the other guys. A kid walking service as it may seem.(HA)  Everyday we have been taking the littles hiking in the woods. It is so good for them and so good for us. Fresh air, trees, the sound of bird chirping… Nothing beats it. And I think after this is over, that’s what I’m gonna do. Dog walkers are a dime a dozen. Little walkers, that is where it’s at. I’ll pick up your littles, run them through the woods and then drop them off exhausted and covered in mud. Now that is genius! I am so smart!

Other then that, just staying away from everyone! We are not doing any jobs at the moment and are lucky that we can still do a few things that need doing without having to worry about being in contact with people. The mr has done a few things for some elderly people this week that are to vulnerable to go out into the world because he is an amazing and generous person, but he is being safe and keeping all the distance. I know that this has been harder on him then on me. He is a very social person and usually sees and talks to dozens of people everyday. Usually in and out of multiple peoples houses, in stores, just basically all over, so this week he has been home and I think he might be going a little nuts! But he is fine and is dealing pretty well. Then there is me. Besides from not working at the studio or going to the gym, my life has not taken a hit what so ever. And my food diet has stayed exactly the same and I know I am very lucky to have been living the life of a vegan hermit for years now. Beans, oh I got beans. Bread, well that gets baked here everyday. Boared, um, heck no, I have a million things on my list of things to do and my studio is in the basement so there is always work to be done. And no, I would rather not you come over to my house. Ever. This has already been my life. I think the hardest thing for me at the moment is just the worrying about the world and worrying about my parents and those that are high risk. It is overwhelming and that is when I start to feel crazy and scared. That is when I open a book and read. Everyone is doing all this TV watching right now and I get that. You do you. Me, reading is what is keeping my brain sane, it’s my escape. What about you? Are you a reader or a watcher? If a reader, what are you reading now? I think after I finish this book I am currently on I’m going to go for round 5 of re-reading all the Harry Potters. It’s been a few years and I think it’s the perfect time, don’t yo think?

Today. Well the mr and I are going to drink coffee together, talk about the news that happened over night and then some things that are a little less heavy. Then I am going to bake another loaf of bread for lunch, rake the yard and assess the garden beds, and drink more coffee. After lunch we are grabbing the littles and walking them down to the waterfront to get their daily dose of sunlight and exercise and yes, we are going to feed the ducks.

Oh, and Happy SPRING!!!! And stay healthy.

Internet that I have looked at this week.

-Even though shit is mad crazy right it is not an excuse to waste food! What to Do With Ingredients That Are About to Go Bad. Also. The Right Way to Freeze Basically Everything

-I think this is a lot of peoples truth right now. I Can't Stop Eating My Coronavirus Food Stockpile

-Let the fart jokes begin! Let the Music Play: Joe Yonan’s Guide to Minimizing Bean-Induced Flatulence

-These are the coolest puzzles. A LITTLE SOMETHING OLD SCHOOL.

-America's Shopping List: Here's What We're Buying The Most. Do you have your oatmilk?

-Nows the perfect time. How to start birding in any US city

-Important. How to Clean Your Ears (Properly), According to ENTs

-Wow. This is awesome Japanese Chef Has Filled Notebooks with Delectable Illustrations of All of His Meals for 32 Years

-I Tried the “Whipped Coffee” Trend Taking Over the Internet. Here’s How It Went. Thinking this could be a great way to frost a cake!

-Now more then ever it is important to know what you are eating! The dark side of convenience food, and what the future holds for ready-to-eat meals

And pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

How are you doing? You good? You taking all the care you need to with yourself and other? Good good. Keep positive, wash the hands, and think about the fun things one can do will maybe being stuck in one spot for 2 weeks or so.

Which then leads me to think about all the babies that are going to be born in 9-10 months from now.This would be a great time for you to learn to knit a baby blanket or something…And that is where my mine goes. Hehehe.

So yeah, this week has been a week for sure. Nothing really feels normal at the moment which is a hard feeling to processes. The mr and I are still doing the things we need to do, but with caution and know that at any minute, things could change. But that is life in the great scheme of things so we do and we live and that is that.

At the beginning of the week I did manage to go for a lovely walk with Megan and Barb, which I think for the next few weeks at the very least, is going be our mode of interaction. We also managed to get to my moms for a dinner and some good trash talk with the boys. Then on Tuesday morning, I had just got home from a very nice walk with the mr and clumsy me, I opened a desk drawer a little to forcefully and pulled it completely out. It dropped on my foot and everything fell out. No big right? Well after I picked up the contents of the drawer I was left with a giant puddle of blood. The drawer hit my toe so hard it ripped my nail completely out of the toe and split the toe in half. A toe disaster if ever there was one. And me being me, decided no doctors (I probably should have gotten stitched). Needless to say, me and my foot were in a bad place. I couldn't walk and it fucking hurt like crazy. So yeah, that really screwed up my weeks well but it’s doing all right now. I am walking, I am doing normal stuff, just keeping a close eye on my bandaged toe and hope that it doesn’t fall off.

Other then that, I did work at the studio and managed to move over a thousand pounds of clay. I did a little grocery shopping (that was madness and pissed me off. No flour anywhere. So if you are a person that bought flour that usually doesn’t, good for you. I am excited for you that you are planning on baking. But please don’t be an asshole and not use it to only toss it in a a few months. Make sure to USE IT!), and we stopped in on the littles to suck in there youthful happiness. I did end up at Costco this weekend at opening time. That was something. The line out the door alone freaked me out. But I was lucky. Got in, got my flour, and got out. I was hearing of talk from fellow shoppers of how much toilet paper they could fit into there cars and it seemed like people were starting to get toilet paper crazy. I was worries a t.p. riot was about to happen. But what I want to know is how much freaking toilet paper do people really need anyway? Are they building bunkers out of it? I mean you can’t eat it or do much of anything other then wipe your ass with it. But apparently when shit starts to hit the fan, people want to clean the shit up with something and toilet paper certainly does clean up shit. HAHAHA, I am so funny.

So yeah, crazy times. I have just been trying to stay put as much as possible which is easier then you think when for a good chunk of the week I could barely walk. And honestly, the social distancing thing, well I have been living this life for a long time now. I am very, VERY, good at social distancing. Not that a pandemic is anyway shape or form good, I do love the excuse to not have to talk to anyone or get close to anyone, or be social at ll. Stay the fuck away! But that’s my normal so this is working for me. HAHA!

And now it is Sunday. A day to decompress. l I think the mr and I are going to pack up a lunch and go find an easy hike in some woods. I can walk well enough, it’s been gorgeous out and the woods, they be calling to me. And then I need to run to the library because while everyone is talking about all the binge watching they are doing right now, I am just super happy to read my ass off. I see days ahead, me sitting on the front porch with a big cozy sweater, humongous cup of hot beverage, book in hand, feeling the spring air on my face.

I am really too good at this.

Stay healthy and responsible friends!

Internet from the week.

-These are very good rules. The Etiquette Rules of Coronavirus Grocery Shopping: Be a Good Person and Follow These!

-Covid-19 Fears Shouldn't Trash Your Zero Waste Efforts, I worry people will say fuck it and go all crazy being wasteful for the foreseeable future. Lets not do that ok.

-I definitely bake when I am stressed. Good thing I keep a pretty decent stock of ingredients on hand, just in case I need to bake 14 days of cakes, breads, and cookies. Quarantine Baking in Times of Crisis

-Impacts of Technology During Mealtime. One of the top arguments of every person I know.

-What would happen if the world reacted to climate change like it’s reacting to the coronavirus? Seriously. Why aren’t we freaking completely the fuck out about global warming?

-Oh how I wish I had a cabin in the woods right now. This All-White A-Frame Cabin Mixes Rustic and Scandi-Modern, and It’s Dreamy

-Bread goals. Twisting Vines and Leafy Botanics Carved into Crusty Breads by Blondie + Rye

-Speaking of bread. Introduction to tangzhong. On my list of things to try these next few weeks.

-Dolly Parton Wants to Recreate Her Famous Playboy Cover Four Decades Later. You do you lady.

-Do you use vegan butter? We Tasted 10 Vegan Butters in the Name of Science

Pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

We finally got us some real winter around here and I couldn’t be any happier! YIPPE!

How was your week? Mine was good, if not a little on the hectic side, but what is new?

I started out Sunday at the art market. Of course by the time I got there I was feeling like complete shit. The ick that was in and out of me all last week was in at the time and I just wanted to curl into a ball and sleep. But I trudged on and had a great time, hanging out, talking to people, checking out the other vendors. Iit was cool, and completey exhausting. I learned real quickly that the hardest part about selling stuff in person is having to be a person and talk to a lot of people. HA. So after the market, I came home, ate soup, and slept. Spent the next day not talking to anyone and keeping myself on the low key trying to keep the ick a bay.

And then Tuesday and Wednesday came any went with the normal stuff of work, family, life.

Thursday was very productive. Woke up to snow which started the day great, and the mr and I (but mostly the mr) spent the day tearing out old cupboards from the basement and building out shelves for my studio. And let me tell you, having a wall of shelves, fantasticly built shelves mind you, in my studio is a game changer. I have so much space now and it is freaking amazing. That mr. He really is just a pretty great dude.

Friday started off with me chipping away at least 1/2 and inch, if not more, of ice from the car. Seriously took me like 20 minutes to get it cleaned just enough to drive, which was the last thing I was interested in doing at 5am. But what are you gonna do? Anyway, I managed to de-ice, and go along my way, even if I did break the stupid ice scraper. Oops. But it was all worth it because after the night of ice, we got the snow storm! I think it was reported we got 15 inches, all within like 10 hours. Heavy, big, beautiful snow. I was home early in the day and the mr came home around lunch and tried to leave again afterwards but the roads were complete shit so we were stuck. And I LOVE being stuck in snow weather. It makes me feel like a kid again and that nothing but being comfy matters. So I spent the afternoon interchanginging my snow boots to shovel and walk around in the storm, and my respirator because when I was inside, I was in my studio, with my new shelves,c leaning away. I am trying to get all the dust and grossness out which is a hard task to do to a 100 year old basement that is now a pottery studio, but I am trying!

Yesterday was amazing. All the fresh snow, the bluest of blue skies, crisp, clean, cold air without much wind. A+ perfection. Sure my shoulders were a little sore from all the shoveling that Friday brought, but good sore if that you know what I mean. And so the day went. Did the usual, got the chores done, the grocery shopping in, the work done. Then we hung out with the littles for a while. The mr and Miley shoveling out the driveway, me and Judah attempted to make paper flowers, and hung out while waiting for Coco to come home from the hospital. (He had to spend a few days there because he choked and aspirated but he is doing alright now.) When he finally did come home, the first he did was throw a fit because he wanted chocolate. So all was good there and so we left and came back home to eat and sleep.

Today I am going to hit the gym early, come home and toss beans and pre-chopped veggies (because I planned ahead!) into the slow cooker for dinner and then I am back at it. 11-3, selling my wares at the art market (It’s in Winooski at 2creativecommunity) Rainbows and heart mugs. So if you want to pick up a little something sweet for your sweety and/or yourself, come on down. And yes, Valentines day is next week, but that really shoudnt’t be the reason to buy a heart of rainbow. Treating yourself and/or a lover/friend/sister/brother/mother/crossing guard (you get the idea) to a piece that makes you/them happy is what it’s all about. And it lasts every dang day forever!(Unless you break it so don’t do that.)

Click on the links to read the internet stuff that I read this week.

-I used to nap a lot more. I think I need to make more time for it. How Long Should a Nap Be?

-Why Some Vegetarians (Like Me) Aren’t Excited About Beyond, Impossible, and Other New Meatless Meats. This is my truth!

-I clicked on a thing and ended up seeing this Sabrina Cord Pinafore Dress. And now I want it.

-This Charming A-Frame Cabin. I could live without the hot tub but the stove… Swoon!

This. Bumblebees Are Disappearing Because Of Extreme Heat. And this. It Was 65 Degrees In Antarctica This Week Feeling pretty freaking fucked.

-So sweet and I want it! Carpenter Dad Turns His Kid’s Drawing into a Real-Life Piece of Furniture

-Why Grocery Stores Have Tiny Kid-Size Carts. I just thought it was to keep the kids busy while the grown ups shopped.

-Whats even the point without “Be mine”? Sweethearts Conversation Hearts Are Back, But They're Not Very Chatty

-Most humans don’t have tails. So why do we have the bones for it?….MOST? I miiiight be one of those that have a little tail. HA

-The Dark Origins Of Valentine's Day. It’s not all dark. am a V day lover. The mr and I always take the day to spend together. We usually go for a hike or something outdoorsy, pack a lunch and get good coffee. And a few years ago we started a tradition of buying a new plant for ourselves, together. Because that is what valentines day is, a day to spend together. Chocolate and flowers not needed!

Pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

Happy New Years!

Can you believe it? 2020. Not only a new year but a new decade. I mean, wasn't it just Y2K like a few years ago? Haha. Y2K. Do you even remember that?

The past week was good. Kicked it off by making a Pokemon ball cake for Judah’s birthday (he is now 10 freaking years old) and going over to participate in birthday party stuff. Then it was New Years Eve and Day, which the mr and I just kind of spent chillin a bit, took an afternoon and ran out of town. Nothing special and no we didn't stay up all night. I don’t think I could even if I wanted to. HA. After New Years, the fog of the holiday season kind of rolled in. My brain shut down from over stimulation, my body is feeling tired and sore, and I just feel off. I think a big part is the weather. It has been way to warm, damp, no snow, and just not wintery enough. Dang it, I need me some winter!

Anyway, the rest of the week went by. Started packing up the loft so Barb can move in next week before she goes back to school. I have been going to the new gym everyday, trying to get used to that new fancy building (I love it, but still miss the old building). We spent time with Coco and Judah being awesome and eating popsicles. And we have been watching the heart balloon move around he house as it slowly sinks further and further to the floor.

Now we are at Sunday. Not sure exactly what’s in store. I am going to the gym and then there are a few things that we need to get done this afternoon, but we were thinking we might grab a little or two and try to hike up a small mountain. Or maybe even just go for a long walk through some trees. It snowed yesterday and I am so excited and am very much in need of outdoors and trees and quiet.

Internet for your taking.

-I think keeping the thermostat at 55 is right. With a fan blowing too. Your Bedroom Is Too Hot. What is the ideal temperature for sleep?

-Why you shouldn’t bother making a resolution in January. Right? Right!

-Looking for a good mustard? Mustard Manual: Your Guide to Mustard Varieties

-The best things to eat and drink to fight wintertime dread. Soup. Aways soup.

-I have been saying this all along! Never Cut a Squash Again.

-Did you know that scrabble pieces were made in VT? Three shifts at the Scrabble factory: The inventor

-5 Reasons Why a Homestead is an Excellent Place for a Child to Grow Up. I wish I grew on a a farmstead. Hopefully someday I will be living on one though.

-Make This the Year You Finally See the Aurora Borealis. I sure am hoping I will!

-I am all about CBD, but this? Seriously, a bodysuit infused with CBD? What the fuck. I Spent a Full Week Wearing a CBD-Infused Bodysuit

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Hello, hello, hey hey hey!

So how are we all doing? Enjoying all the enjoyment and taking the time to relax and be merry and all the good stuff? I sure hope so, at least for a little while at some point in your time. And now we are in the home stretch. Just a few more days and New Years. Can you even believe it? Another year gone by and into a new, shiny and fresh one. Goodbye 2019, and heeeeello 2020. Be good to us!

So the week. What a week. There was so much going on that I can’t even remember it all. Besides a little bit of this and a little bit of that, there was night time light drives, long walks, a few little craft projects, food shopping hell runs (I thought I was in the clear when I didn't have to do much of any shopping for Christmas presents but then after spending an afternoon grocery shopping a couple days before Christmas , I realized that food shopping might actually have been worse then any other store. People were ruthless and crazy and just about foaming at the mouth!). There was baking cookies, and cake, cooking food for normal consumption, cleaning and just get ready for all the holiday stuff.

Christmas Day/Camerons Birthday came. The mr and I spent a little time just the two of us in the morning, trying to take it easy (the mr was kind of sick) until the house filled up. And filled with family it did, and it was great. Food, music, a little gift exchange and then birthday cake for the birthday boy (16 like what!?) We hung out, played with new toys, Megan helped me do some dishes, and then everyone got sick of each other and were exhausted and left. (I love when they come, but I also love when they leave. ♥️) Then the mr and I power cleaned for a while (the house wasn’t too bad this time) before sitting dow to do our own Christmas stockings. I got him a new hatchet, some crocs (so he will stop wearing mine), made him a shrinky dink trout needle minder and stuffed some candy and kiwis in there for good measure. Me, well the mr embroidered me a napkin with so much love, carved me the most beautiful salad serving spoons, added in some crazy fruits, purple carrots, and a couple bulbs of black garlic. The napkin and spoons are amazing and my favorite, but the black garlic…holy crap, that shit is AMAZING! I have limited myself to eating only a couple cloves a day, when what I really want to do is just eat it all at once. So good!

And then Anthonys birthday was the next day. Spend half of it making his cake with homemade caramel and decorating it all fancy like. Then there was his party (he is 18, wtf?!). Jeff Dad had just got into town then too so I talked to him a while, and then home we went for a little crash. Friday I spend the day doing some work and baking for Saturday and second family Christmas. It was a blink of a day because all of a sudden it was Saturday and I still had to go grocery shopping for more food and get more food ready, again. Da ja vu for real.

And so they came, again. Shannnon and I had it down and made a million mini pizzas. People were then fed and then we played, exchanged a few presents with dad, had more cake and cookies, and then they all left.. This time we were not so lucky and I was stuck with cake and sticky stuff all over the floors and light switches. The bathrooms were a disaster and the recycling/compost/ even the garbage can were over flowing. Again, not as bad as past family get togethers, but the mr and I definitely spent the rest of the night cleaning. And I still am not quite done yet. {the floors need a second moping and the rug needs another good vacuum… and some other stuff, but you don’t care so why am I telling you?)

Anyway, so I am ready for a freaking break. Today I am going spend a few hours at the gym saying goodbye to the old building {last day at the current location because they built a new one) then I am going to go have coffee and bring cake to my mom, come home to make one more birthday cake for the week, and then crash. I don’t want to do anything by curl up on the couch with tea, my book, which I barely have had time to even open this week, and chill the f out. One more brtihday party this week and then I am done. Hopefully this crazy storm we are suppose to get tonight will be all snow and we will end up with feet upon feet and be stuck in out own separate homes for days… One can only hope. Haha!

Links from my time on the internet.

-People Can't Even Agree On When The Decade Ends. I never even thought about the logic. I guess it isn’t really the end of a decade, is it? What are your thought?

-Speaking of decades . The Top 10 Food Trends of the Entire Decade

-This would be the perfect cabin for me to hide in.

-Are You Cleaning Your Couches Enough? I AM!

-I made the mr a needle minder with shrinky dink paper.. Don’t tell me it’s not magic! The Science of Shrinky Dinks

-We have a Christmas baby in out family. Not sure how he really feels about it. I know I would hate it, but that is because I like to hide on my birthday. Can’t hide on Christmas. The Christmas Baby’s Dilemma

-The most environmentally-friendly ways to get rid of your Christmas tree I think we are going to feed ours to some goats.

-An Expert's Advice on Coping With Post-Holiday Depression and the Dreaded January Slump.

-It’s that time of year where people often to forget to drink…WATER Effects of Dehydration to Your Body

-Cabbage Is Your Next Great Vegetable Crush. Cabbage is half my diet (I for real eat a head of day). It really is the best. Cooked, raw, leaves peeled back and then dipped in mustard. The possibilities are endless and so delicious.

Pictures from the week.