Monday Missive – 27 Days

Yesterday was a wash for me. I started a couple of posts, but I think I was experiencing bloggers block if there is such a thing. What I wrote lacked authenticity. I do not know whose voice my attempts were written in, but it was not mine. Those posts are now steeping in my drafts folder.

On a positive (at least for me) note the first day of spring is only 27 days away so let’s pocket that good news and get started.

• When I lived in Alaska, the first day of spring meant very little. It was ‘breakup’ (when ice on the rivers breaks up) we looked forward to. To give you an idea, I think the deadline to remove studded tires was May 1st. In contrast, ‘termination dust’ (snow on the mountains) signals the coming of winter, but we won’t discuss that now.
• We ordered seed potatoes to plant again this year. We did not have a bounty of potatoes last year, but we did have enough to enjoy.
• The big box stores have lettuce, spinach, and cilantro starts. It is tempting to buy them, but we wait. It does suggest it is time to visit the organic garden shops.
• So many members of my family are struggling with different challenges. For this empath, it is hard to listen but yet not take on the struggles. I try to put my energy into positive thoughts and encouraging words. Much of my day yesterday was spent on the phone, serving as a sounding board.
• I have an aching desire to travel and see my family. I know Covid is still here and still a challenge, though. Yes, the numbers are falling but we have been here before. It is so easy for my mind to spin negative thoughts around Covid.
• The goldfinches are starting the slow transition from their drab brown color to their eventual bold yellow. Another sign spring is on its way. It will not be long until the redbud trees and the dogwoods start to bud out.

How about you? How are things in your part of the world? Are you looking forward to spring? When do you think you will feel safe to travel again?

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Monday Missive – Nov 1, 2021

Here it is a brand new month. Today marks the beginning of a very hectic month for me so let’s get started.

• Today is the first day of NaNoWriMo. I have not started writing yet. I ordered some special tea just for the event. But first, a little housecleaning must be done.
• My blogging may take a hit this month. I will keep up with a few weekly prompts, but I am not sure how much else I will be able to post this month.
• I spent my first cup of coffee emailing companies about online orders that have gone awry. One order has shown no status change since they charged my credit card three weeks ago. The second is an order I placed this morning for coffee. They ran a promo (3 for x dollars). I placed the order and it was discounted but I was still charged $3 extra. No big deal except do not run a promo that does not work. It irritates me. Vent over.
• Well, my vent is not really over. Amazon packaging has gotten bad. I have received two orders in the last few days where an item with cardboard packaging was put into one of their white shipping envelopes. The corners of the item box were all banged up. I am trying to be patient and understand the shipping issues, but when it is an intended holiday gift, it is frustrating.
• I heard from all my six grandchildren this weekend which was a nice treat. It was over text for most,  but I will take it!
• November! How did I manage to have three medical appts, a dentist appt, two PT appts, NaNoWriMo, and Thanksgiving all slammed into one month? It is going to be a fun ride. Oh, and I desperately need a haircut!
• I had my flu shot last week and I will have my Covid booster this week.
• Hubby installed all new under cabinet lighting in our kitchen this weekend. What a difference!
• Shopping- I have done a lot, but we have two grandchildren with birthdays in December as well as Christmas. And Hanukkah falls in November this year!
• Okay, that’s enough. This sounds all stressed,  actually I’m feeling pretty good. I guess I just needed to clear out the cobwebs!

Happy November! I hope your month is a little less hectic than mine.

Monday Missive – Labor Day Edition

Today is Labor Day in the United States. I have worked in non-unionized factories (terrible) and unionized factories (better). I have worked for large and small corporations. Manufacturing was a place I felt needed strong unions because working conditions were often poor and manufacturers were often located in rather depressed areas where people needed to work regardless of conditions.

I remember when my parents both worked for the United States Postal Service during the wildcat strike of 1970. Striking against the federal government was illegal. At that time they achieved collective bargaining rights, but not the right to strike. The American Postal Workers Union was formed a year later.

Some unions perhaps had or have too much power. Regardless of where you stand on unions, let’s all support good working conditions for all people.

• L’shanah Tovah to all my Jewish friends. Sundown tonight marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.
• October 1st starts the beginning of InkTober® where artists are challenged to create one ink drawing per day based on a prompt list. The last few years, InkTober® has been embroiled in controversy surrounding the trademarked name and logo. The prompt list is out, but I am unsure if I can publish it here.
• November 1st marks the start date for NaNoWriMo – a challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I managed to accomplish the word count last year. Now I just need to decide if I want to tackle it this year.
• The position of the sun is definitely changing. Our nights have been cooler, but it is still very warm during the daytime. Fall is coming.
• I am looking forward to cooler weather and turning over the garden in preparation for fall planting. Cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, cilantro and dill!
• I was delighted to see a deer in our back yard yesterday. There is something inspiring about the elegance of a deer. They see and notice everything – every tiny movement.
• This weekend was the annual apple festival in a nearby town. We still do not feel comfortable in crowds where people may be unmasked. Our positivity rate in our county is near 20%. I do plan to go to one of the orchards mid-week to get some apples.

That’s it for now. If today is a holiday for you, enjoy and try to remember the reason why.

In honor of Labor Day, here’s a clip from the movie “Norma Rae” starring Sally Field.

Monday Missive – Christmas is a Go!

We are finally ready to welcome Christmas. The house is decorated and we have a selection of SiriusXM channels of different types of Christmas music I can play on my iPad or through our internet radio (I am enjoying Acoustic Christmas). We have the subscription on hubby’s truck that allows us to play it on other devices. Nothing left except just enjoying the holiday.

• Yesterday was my grandson’s birthday. It is so hard to believe he is 8 years old! He was always my little cuddler, but I am afraid after the pandemic is finally over (I am hopeful) he will have outgrown me snuggling with him on the couch.
• Speaking of hard to believe – We have 6 grandchildren. 3, 8, 11, soon to be 14, and soon to be 17 and soon to be 19. Time is moving at a rapid pace and there is simply no way to slow that clock down.
• So, yes, we are decorated and ready for Christmas. Most of our packages are being delivered directly to their destination this year so we have relatively few to wrap. Good for us, bad for the parents.
• Speaking of packages, we ordered a starter electric guitar for one granddaughter as a combination birthday/Christmas gift. The shipping was a mess. After days on chat with The Guitar Center, the package arrived! You would think that was a “Yay” moment, but unfortunately it arrived in pieces. Long story short, it was returned for a credit and a new guitar selected, but what a mess! This may be an insight into part of the reason they are filing for bankruptcy – or perhaps this is a side effect of the filing.
• I am hopeful of getting back in the jewelry studio today. I had to order a “third hand” because the one I had somehow disappeared. I am hopeful this one will do the trick. The base contains a strong magnet rather than a wing-nut to adjust the angle. It comes with cross-lock tweezers to firmly hold an object in place for soldering. Fingers crossed.
• My decluttering and cleaning is progressing. I hope to keep things orderly. What is it about horizontal surfaces? Some scientific principle I am unaware of – that any horizontal space must be filled? No? Just my house?
• The virus continues to rage and there is no leadership currently in the US to combat it. I saw an article this morning about a mass hospitalization of 300 people in India. Not Covid or any of the suspected possibilities. Some thinking this could be water contamination. Suddenly very thankful for my little independent well.
• I was helping a friend get back into her WordPress blog after being absent from blogging for a while. She came back to the block editor. I had forgotten how frustrating it can be for people who started with the good old original WordPress.

That’s it for me.

Monday Missive – Life is a Whirlwind

🎶  You know that waking up is hard to do, now you know, you know it is true 🎵

That is what started running through my head as soon as the alarm went off this morning. It is grocery pickup day so we set the alarm. I have really come to enjoy waking up naturally even though I rarely sleep late. I find the alarm jarring.

This last week started out slow but sped up by the weekend. Sometimes I don’t know where the time goes. Life under quarantine evolves at a rather strange pace.

• I finished Michelle Obama’s book Becoming. It made me realize even more how much I miss the Obama White House. A president and First Lady who were involved in the betterment of our country. People who could write and speak eloquently and still remain down to earth.
• I just started reading Little Fires Everywhere. I am not into the book far enough to know if I will enjoy it as much as other books I have read of late.
• Yesterday hubby let me give him a haircut. (Hey! I watched some YouTube videos on how to do it!)  We ordered shears and a cape and we went outside and I cut his hair. It did not turn out bad at all.
• Our garden is still doing well. We have lots of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Our determinate tomatoes are starting to develop fruit, but they are not nearly ready to ripen yet. Yesterday, I used the last of the dill from the garden and made some ‘refrigerator pickles’. We should be able to sample them tonight. Fingers crossed!
• For those who follow her blog, my daughter got a new job and she starts tomorrow. I am hopeful she will be able to blog about it, so I will not blab all the details other than to say she is extremely excited.
• Last night I received a text from my 10 year old granddaughter. It made me so happy that she thought of us. This was always our tradition when they visited us.

• There has only been a little progress on the workspace. Hubby tended the kiln fire Friday night and did not get home until 4:00 am, so Saturday he slept most of the morning then we just chose to enjoy the rest of the day. He cooked Cornish game hens on the grill along with some grilled mixed peppers and onions. SO good!
• Highs are predicted to be in the 90s (F) all week with little or no rain. Let’s hope the humidity stays low. It is hard to believe it is only 71 days until fall.

Onward and upward as they say. Stay safe everyone.