March 2021

Hi guys. Still here! Just trying to get used to the idea of integrating back into the “normal world” because holy moly but the end is in sight. Already! Actually that sounds dumb when I type it out, but it feels like “Already!” after the past year we’ve all had. (Funny how government runs more smoothly and is vaccinating ahead of schedule once you get a just-barely-competent person in the White House.)

So, here we are. A year out, and what? Who knew it would take this long for the world to right itself again, yeah? And so much has happened in that year, even though we’re all just stuck at home. My spin studio went under. So did a lot of our favorite restaurants. Kids suffered, jobs suffered. Muzz is gone. Lots of friends got sick, real sick, scary sick. A whole slew of people pretended everything was still okay and normal, which is just breathtakingly stupid. I’m still not sure if I’ve processed it all, to be honest. It’ll come with time, I’m sure. Which is the only reliable constant at this point.

We’re just digging ourselves out of winter this year. Last year was really mild, which was a bit of a gift once COVID hit (we could go for lots of walks, granted it was cold but: no mucking in the snow!). This year our snowpack juuuuuust melted, so we’re just getting out.

I don’t miss it, I must admit. We’re hitting that age where we ask ourselves, is this where we want to be as our bodies get older and tired? Because while we’re still limber and running amok now, the creaky years are likely only a decade or so away, so time to start long-term thinking about these things. At one time we thought Colorado would be a good landing spot, but we’rere-thinkingthat. Maybe we just scootch a little closer to our favorite lakes. Lots to ponder.

In other news: even with two quick-n-dirty haircuts in the past year, I’m in desperate need of a haircut. Or: am I? I haven’t had this much hair in ages and I kinda dig it. Even if I don’t appreciate constantly getting it stuck/caught in absolutely everything.

The kids are back in school! It was a 293 day break from the building for Linus, and almost a full year for Pete once they staggered to the middle schools. It was time to go back, we were all ready. It’s only two days a week for now, but all cohorts return to four-days-a-week in about a month. LORTY WHAT WILL I DO WITH ALL THAT TIME, MAYBE MY WORK DAYS WILL ONLY BE TEN HOURS LONG NOW.

Pete finally had his first day in his middle school. It was like having a pretend fifth grader for a large chunk of the year. He never had any orientation days but they are keeping the fifth graders to one wing of the school, which helps. I can only imagine it’s tricky starting a new school when it has a whopping 1,200 students (Catholic school did not prepare me for that, for sure), but to Pete’s credit: it takes a lot to faze him, he gets that from his dad. So he’s thriving regardless of new school/new kids/new errrthang.

My Hoya collection has grown this past year. I bought waaaay less plants than normal this past year (duh, although also? God bless online plant sellers). I really tuned into what I love and don’t love, off-loaded the plants that didn’t really bring me joy, and focused on those that do. Muzz and I both love Hoyas, and I have good luck with them.

When I find myself really, really missing my Muzz, I drive around and hit the thrift stores (our favorite pastime), and also hit up the plant stores to hunt for Hoyas. Most plant stores only carry the same ~4 species at any given time, although I’ve been able to score random others here and there. I have about 13 species right now and keep looking for more.

I got my first peduncles this year, too! So exciting! I can’t wait for more sunshine and warmth to see if more pop up.

Miss Halle Berry went almost a full year without a vet visit, but once numbers went down we got her in with a new vet straight away. Old age is not treating her the best, sadly: heart issues and feline kidney failure for our girl HB.

We have her on a special prescription diet now and she’s doing pretty well, the vet said she’s really healthy otherwise so she should have a few more good years in her. We’re enjoying all the time we get with her, that’s for sure. She’s a real honey and loves snuggling her brothers when they go to bed.

Usually we go out for Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, but this year celebrated at home. Honestly: the kids didn’t care and still had a blast, and lord knows it was much easier on the pocketbook (although clean up was a bit annoying).

That’s kinda it for now! I have so much catching up to do, it’s almost embarrassing. So many posts prepped, even, I just am too tired and overwhelmed to get the energy to write much these days. I’ll start chiseling away at it soon, though, I promise.

Stay safe, all, and we’ll see you again very soon. XOXO.