A garden post! June!

 Here are things growing in our beautiful weedy garden! (Not to be confused with a weed garden!) 

I'm starting at the right end and going down. It's along the fence line in our backyard. Last November I had a bunch of trees cut down in my yard that were invasive and horrible. Now it is so sunny and open back there and we were so happy to try planting a garden. The chipmunks steal but we try to just keep planting extra. heh. I think the strawberries will be a no-go. Ever time a berry has appeared the chipmunks steal 'em. I'll keep experimenting with deterrents but my mom is an amazing gardener and her advice is to plant extra. :) 

We did just little plots of each, turning over the dirt with a shovel - trying to incorporate a variety of things we like to eat but also keep it manageable. For lots of these varieties I realize you can do much with one or two plants vs 12 or 30 etc. Some are in containers. 

Green onions, sweet peas are ready, carrots, beets, a variety of hot peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, yellow squash, cantaloupe, okra. Dill, basil, rosemary, chives, mint, cilantro. Sunflowers, zinnias, coneflowers, petunias. 

A real update

 I like dropping off some words here whenever I can because as the years have passed it is nice to return here and read them. 

The overall vibe of my life feels brighter and more active to me. My partner and I like doin' shit and it makes me happy. We go on walks and go camping and see live music and daydream about our future and have some goals and he helps me do things and get shit done. It's been just over 2 years and I'd really like to live together but it has been a journey and my kids just aren't ready for that. To them it still feels pretty new. There is so much to navigate - trying to thoughtfully determine whether your kids are ready for a partner to sleep over, etc. x 1 million. We've taken our time and not pushed and that feels right. I'm learning to explore where the sweet spot is in respecting their wishes but also pursuing mine and I see the times they will adjust with me and do something because they know it is just kind of the nice thing to do. 

Pursuing a routine that will make more space from screen time and keep my people doing other stuff. Always and forever the goal, roads of good intentions, etc. YOU KNOW HOW WE DO. The collective. We're trying. You're trying. 

I started a new job about 9 months ago and it has caused me some grief. I have grieved not doing nurse stuff all the time and instead having to do more paperwork/professional email communications/be at a desk at a computer. I'm also in the community in schools a ton working in public health and THAT is something I love. The job does not feel like it's one for me long term but I've tried to do my best and rise to the occasion in coordinating shit and typing emails. My job previous to this one was a pediatric clinic for 11 years and that's what I enjoy. I truly enjoy patient care and interacting one on one like that. We'll see where I go next. It is a goal/dream of mine to go somewhere to work for the summer in a kids' camp. When I was in college I spent a summer working at a kids' camp in Alaska and it was just un-fucking-believable. It was lovely to spend the time there for a summer instead of just a short vacation or something. It gave us a chance to hang out with locals and get to know the community more. My partner works from home and I've asked my kids what they think about being away for the summer. I'm going to explore this more. I also have a home and 6 pets to consider soooo.... maybe a local summer camp? 

Stepping away to do my adult homework/taxes - since they're due today. 

:) 

Hi!

Well how the hell are ya? Even though it's been a minute I'm still here! What's going on? 

I'm feeling glad for Spring, for warm sun and to plant some shit. 

My kids have both had weird almost-gun incidences at school in the past week and it has me feeling just bad inside. 

In love with a fucking gem of a human. We have a goal to keep incorporating more concerts and camping into our lives and it's going great. It makes me happy. 

Have fallen out of my near daily walks through the winter but always pursuing more movement. 

We've grown a lot since I last posted here. It's been cool. 

Update me. 

Welcome to 2022.

We've been expecting you.  

Here we are. How are you? 

Hope you are keeping going. 

We've had a trip of a year and it's been beautiful and hard. 

Grateful we're still here. 

My oldest has covid, my youngest - something else? He was sick first so maybe his is covid too. I'm to assume so. 

Started writing this in the wee hours of of the first day of the year and since then I myself have covid too. We're all ok right now. 

 My son told me his teacher smells like strawberries. 

3rd grade, 8th grade 

I'm dating someone.

Planning a trip. (With C*V!D in mind - driving, distance, etc) 

 

What's happenin'?

Comin' round a bend here. 

I've been hitting this "Chill Covers" playlist realllly hard and it's SO fucking good. 

Some examples: 

Those songs - they all take me somewhere. 

I've been camping twice in the last 5 weeks. Such happiness to me. 

Fire and stars and all the sounds. 

School will be out soon. I'm not wringing my hands, you are! 

The people and the routine have been so helpful for my kids' mental health. 

How you doin' over there? 

Last 8-10 weeks have been different. 

Fckys.