Lights On!

When Covid 19 hit, I had to come up with a new way to offset the costs of this blog since commissions and sponsorships dried up. It was recommended that I allow advertising on my site, like permanent ad banners, but I find that annoying on other sites so I didn’t want it on mine. I instituted a monthly subscription instead and one benefit is an extra post each week — like this one.

So, hey Patrons! After last week’s post, I immediately went out and tried my lights in the ceiling with this little battery pack I’ve got and they worked!

I don’t know why I didn’t think to try them out the day I wired them, especially since they might not have worked and I already had them secured in the ceiling! I have learned since then to try everything right after I wire it!

And wiring I have been…

I got these under cabinet lights working and installed the light switch for the ceiling lights you can see in the background.

And I got this light switch, which is a dimmer even, working for the under cabinet lights.

I drilled a hole in the shower ceiling and put this light in and wired and working. I still have to do the switch though.

I got this baby working! You can’t see the blades because this is a picture of it in action. This doesn’t have a switch. It has a remote control and everything works beautifully!

I put this gooseneck reading light up above the bench seat, but I’m not sure about it. I only have it glued up there and the second one already came unglued. Plus, they are bigger than I imagined and seem to get in the way. I don’t know. I’m going to leave it there for awhile and see if it bugs me or gets in the way or not.

Just taking a little roll in the grass on our walk

Alright, I’m here to tell you that I feel pretty confident wiring up electronic gadgets. Now, if there is a problem, I don’t feel like an expert who could trouble shoot something, but really it’s simply wires that go from power to switch to appliance. Not rocket science!

I’m done wiring for the time being because I’m waiting on a couple of other items, but I’m pretty much done wiring all my lights. I will be wiring each appliance or gadget as I go, so that will happen over the next few months. Really, with the fan and lights working, I could manage in this van on a road trip right now!

Since electricity is done for now, I started working on my roof rack that will hold the solar panels. This is one of those projects that I had no clear idea of what to do and couldn’t find a step-by-step video or blog post to walk me through, so I had to engineer it myself. This should be done this weekend so I’ll go through the blow-by-blow for you next week, but so far this is what I’ve accomplished:

See the metal brackets up on the roof? I figured out how to attach them without drilling any more holes in the roof!

And the other side. The most nerve-wracking part of this project is unfolding the heavy ladder in the front yard, in front of all the neighbors, and all walkers walking by, and hoist it onto the side of the van and climbing up there.

First bracket, I carefully climbed the ladder with my tools in my pockets, feeling totally self-conscience, but by the fourth bracket I was climbing the ladder confidently with the tools in my hands, like a boss. Out in the country, I didn’t have an audience, or at least not much of an audience, but here I do, so that is something I need to get over.

We’ve found our favorite place to walk

The other thing I’ve been working on is putting together my butcher block counter. Wanna sneak peak of it?

This is in the garage (my new work space) and each day I glue a few more boards to the counter. It should be done by next week, so you will be able to see it done soon!

It’s funny, as I write this and show you all the pictures, it seems like I’ve done a lot of work, but each day when I’m actually out there working, I feel like I get so little accomplished. I seriously say to myself “I gotta get something done to show my readers”! Plus, I look around and see how much more I still need to do and it can be overwhelming. Yes, I do try to remind myself how much I’ve already accomplished, but I am really feeling the deadline to be done by September 1st.

It’s raspberry (or blackberry?) time in Michigan

At least I’m not moving in the middle of the summer! Sometimes when I try to find a tool or something I’ve purchased for the van and everything is in disarray, I remind myself that we did just sell a house and move in the middle of this big project, so it’s normal that I can’t find a little metal tab or that little screw thing. Slowly the garage is getting some order to it, at least in the van build side.

I have a new mantra that I saw written on a wooden sign: “everything is figureoutable” ! This is so true and I am living proof of it!

Alright, well, I’m going to head back out there. It’s finally not raining and 85 degrees here, so I’m not going to melt as I work outside, like I have been this last past week. Even the humidity seems down today, so this is a good day to finish a roof rack!

Take care everyone!

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Sunset On The Lake!

Hey everyone! I hope you’re all doing ok.

This is just a quick post because I don’t feel like I have anything interesting to say today, but wanted to show you a pretty evening sunset when I walked down to the boat launch a couple of days ago.

The park sign says no dogs but I break the rules and go with Penny. I only go late though so no one is working the entrance to turn me away. It’s probably only a matter of time before they tell me to leave and I really don’t have a good excuse to be there.

It only takes me about 15 minutes to walk there so it’s not far and it’s a nice after dinner jaunt. Right now, after all the rain and heat we’ve had, I’m battling the mosquitoes so I have to keep moving so I’m not able to sit in one place for very long while I’m there.

Alright, I think I will probably take next week off, except for the Thursday posts for Patrons.

I hope everyone has a nice Independence Day and has lots of laugh-filled days in the coming week.

Take care until I talk to again!

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Conquering The Dragon!

This post is for subscribers of this blog who pay $5/month for an extra post each week on Patreon.com. I’ve decided to use this support model instead of allowing advertising all over my site, which I think looks terrible. Since commissions dried up during the pandemic, I had to come up with an alternative to pay for this site, since it isn’t free. So, the subscribers are keeping the site ad-free for everyone and helping me offset the costs. Thank you Patrons!

Ok, I did it. I have finally stepped up to slay the dragon and so far I am winning!

Ha ha! Of course I’m talking about working on the electricity in my van. How many months have I been dreading it? And losing sleep over it? And having others fret for me? Well, let me tell you I am doing it and I am doing it well!

I actually know what everything is in the picture above and how to use it!

Yesterday, I started wiring my little puck lights in the ceiling and the ones that are in the cabinet. I had a couple of hiccups and had to run out to Home Depot for some supplies and because I had purchased one thing incorrectly back in January. I had to spend time searching for the right tool to crimp the metal since it takes a ridiculous amount of hand strength to crimp, and I made some mistakes while trying to figure how and what part to crimp, but I did it! I have wired my lights!

I haven’t tested them yet, so I may be proclaiming victory prematurely, but just getting started working on the electricity is a victory. I have been dreading it and building it up to this huge beast that I have to conquer and telling myself that it will be complicated and dangerous and only professionals should attempt it, when really it’s just learning how to use some new tools, learning the names of parts and following directions. Like I have to remind myself over and over, “it’s not rocket science”!

This foray has got me pumped up too! I think it’s like being scared while you’re climbing the really tall ladder and making your way to the end of the diving board to jump into the pool and then when you jump and realize it wasn’t as bad as your mind made it out to be, and heck, it was even kinda fun, you immediately climb back up the ladder for more!

So for the time being, I’m just going to concentrate on the electrical stuff so I don’t forget what I’ve learned. That’s happened to me a couple of times on this build, where I think I’ve got something figured out and when I return to it a couple of weeks later, I’ve forgotten and have to re-learn it. So, this won’t be that exciting in pictures but will be super-exciting in accomplishments!

I feel more confident and kinda excited to continue figuring out this part of the build. From what I’ve gathered, electricity is the hardest part of the build, but can you imagine how good I’m going to feel when I’m done? I already feel good just wiring these little lights, I can’t even imagine how I’ll feel when I’m done. Probably super proud.

When I get done writing this morning, I’m going to see if I can figure out this battery thing that I have, that will power the lights temporarily just so I can see if they work, and if they do, I’m going to wire up the on/off switch. Then, I’m going to wire up my fan. Then, drill and install the ceiling light in the shower. Then, my two lights in the lounge. I’m excited! Hopefully I’ll have lots of installed electrical things to show you next week!

Did you happen to catch how pretty my ceiling looks? Here’s a glamour shot:

And here:

As soon as I test the lights and know that they are working then I can put the last two planks up on the ceiling and enclose the wire and then be done with the ceiling! Last weekend I figured out the ceiling puzzle by lots of trial and lots of error, but it doesn’t seem that impressive now compared to the electricity. However, I do remember an aching neck from looking up and working above my head for a couple of days, so it wasn’t easy. But, it’s all totally worth it because it’s going to look so pretty when it’s complete!

I follow this one young woman on YouTube, called Linnea (here’s her channel) and she explains everything so well for a beginner that I just take her out with me to the van (well, really I take my laptop out and her video is playing) while I’m trying to figure something out. I will actually say “I gotta go get Linnea to help me figure this out”! I’m so thankful for her that I’ve become a Patron of her!

I’ve started to get a rhythm to my post-pandemic-post-move days now I think. I walk the dogs in the morning then work on the van (or do annoying errand or house stuff) and then reward myself in the evening. Either I meet friends and go out for a beverage:

Or the dogs and I will walk down to the boat launch to catch the sunset:

Or I stay in and read my trashy historical fiction!

Only now am I starting to realize how much stress we were under when we were selling the house. I’d say from February 1st until the end of May, were pretty high stress days. Can you imagine how we’re going to feel when we’re finally out of the pandemic and look back on that time? We’re all going to need some time to sort through all that trauma we went through.

Well, I’m going to get back out there and play around with wires and stuff, so I’ll let you go. I hope you have a really nice weekend and reward yourself for making it through a pretty hard year. I’ll talk to you next week!

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Change Is Ok!

Hey everyone! How are you doing today? Did you celebrate the longest daylight day yesterday? Stay up late? Dance around in the moonlight? Or was it just another Monday? Yeah, I didn’t do any of those things either. Maybe next year….

Beautiful 46 degree morning walk this morning. No bugs and perfect temperature!

So, I want to report that I am making this transition from farm to town life and I am doing… surprisingly ok, in fact, maybe even better than ok. It’s been a month and I do not have any regrets. I know my farm and the animals that remained are in good hands. Regrets and animals. Those were my two biggest worries and they have been alleviated.

The week leading up to the closing, I think, was the hardest part for me. I kept imagining that I would regret selling the farm the instant I signed the papers. Or that I would drive by the farm and feel so sad that it was no longer mine. I was afraid I would be eaten up by regret.

And with the animals, I was afraid the new people would think of them as a burden or if I had to find BeBe a new home, maybe those people were mean or rough with horses. Or maybe even the new owners dogs would chase the cats. But, I can report, with 100% confidence that none of those worries have come true.

BeBe and Latte are loved and given more attention than I gave them. One of the cats has made his way back inside the house, so obviously the dogs are not a problem. And the shy kitty, Slavvy, has warmed up to the new owners. I know all of this because we stay in contact by text but also because she has her Facebook page covered in their pictures and has named the farm Lazy Boots Farm. Isn’t that adorable?

That’s all the things I left behind, and luckily am leaving those worries behind. So, let’s be forward-looking now.

My walks with the dogs are pretty gosh darn nice.

Our walk from this morning

We have a lot of different options for walks. On the farm, I could do the quick walk down to the creek or go out on the road. Here, there are about 10 different paths and trails I can take depending on what we’re feeling. I can choose woods, lake, marsh, field, railroad, pine forest, road, park and neighborhood. I can’t take the dogs off the leash, except in one little place, so that is a downside, but the paths are interesting enough for them so far.

Kip is enjoying a good roll in the grass

I am walking at least double what I walked on the farm because we don’t have a fenced-in-yard, so the only exercise the dogs get are when I take them out. Plus, I don’t have a reason to go outside myself unless I’m walking a dog, and being such an outdoor girl, I enjoy the walks as much as the dogs do. I bought a pair of trail shoes to complement my regular running/walking shoes just to give my feet some variety and more cushion since they are getting a workout!

He does miss rolling in the grass I think. We need to get some grass seed planted for him!

There are actually options for carry out food here! And it’s not just pizza! If you don’t live out in the country, you probably don’t realize that the only food you’re going to eat out there is what you cook. Maybe if someone is on their way home from town they can bring something home, but it will always be cold by the time it gets there and there is zero delivery out in the country.

Here I can pop out and grab Indian food, or Middle Eastern food, or Thai or Mexican or sushi or whatever. And it’s maybe 10 minutes to go out and back. I find this to be a big, big plus to living in town and try to make use of it at least twice a week.

Running errands is no big deal. It doesn’t take the whole day, something I’m still adjusting to. Forgot something on your project and need to go to Home Depot? No biggie. Send something back to Amazon? So many options and not just having to find a UPS store or FedEx store. Groceries? Big store or little store? Cheap or organic? Specialty? Exotic? I have yet to explore all the stores where I can get food.

I’m closer to most of my friends. We’re closer to fun places to go out to, and since everything is opening up, I feel completely safe going out again.

Close up of a happy dog!

Now, it’s not all great here either. Like, I never see a sunset because our backyard, which faces west, is all treed. I could walk down to the lake, but by the time the sun sets right now in Michigan it’s around 9:30 pm and I’m getting ready for bed. I miss that so maybe I need to make more of an effort and I’ll add a late night walk to the schedule.

I hear a lot more noise here. Either people driving, or motorcycles, or lake traffic with ridiculously loud jet skis. The railroad tracks are busy and probably only 1/2 mile away. There is an airport in Lansing, so jets are lower when they fly over.

When I need eggs, I drive about 10 minutes out into the country and find a road side stand. It’s not that far, and it’s kinda nice to get out into the country and look at the barns and fields and such, but I don’t miss all the work that’s associated with all those barns and fields.

Overall, I’m doing ok. I thought I would have a harder time, but I’m surprised at my resiliency actually. Usually, I associate change with things getting better, and mostly that’s the case. I guess I forgot about that during this big change.

I’m actually pretty proud of myself for adapting and moving forward. This makes me feel like I will be entering old age with a good attitude towards change. I don’t ever want to be stuck and resistant to change, since that seems like a recipe for unhappiness. I want to be able to adjust and adapt and this big move shows that I am capable of that. I’m giving myself a hug!

Alright, well, I gotta go run those quick errands and be back in time to go on another couple of walks! Ha ha! Actually, I’m hoping to be productive today and then maybe go out and do something fun this evening. Oh the options!

Take care everyone!

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Finally Some Progress!

When Covid 19 hit and took away the funding that I used to pay for this site, I decided to change things up a bit. I could have added advertising space that you all would have to look at, but instead went with the NPR model and have people subscribe to the blog for $5/month. Their gift is an extra post each week, like this one. Thank you Patrons!

Hey everyone! So, I’m definitely sleeping better this week so I’m in a better mood overall. Funny how that works! Kip is feeling better and is mostly sleeping through the night. He has given up his evening walks though. That seems fine since we’re all walking so much more than we did when we lived on the farm.

Speaking of the farm, the new owners absolutely love living there and have named it “Lazy Boots Farm”. Isn’t that adorable? They have pictures of one of our cats all over their Facebook page and it warms my heart.

But, anyway, looking forward. I have been able to work on the van and finally was able to finish the upper cabinets and install them!

Can you see the dent on the cabinet where I hit my head? No? Oh, right. The dent is on my skull!

I know it doesn’t look like much, especially when you’ve seen them already pretty much put together, but there are so many details that go into a cabinet that we take for granted. Like, magnets to keep the door closed:

And the magnet needs to be attached to something. And hinges. And handles. And doors have to line up to close.

Aww, in this picture the cabinets look like smiling faces.

And cabinet handles are a whole other issue, especially when the ones you originally bought, were completely inappropriate for this type of door. Something you would only know after making them.

And hinges! Oh my gosh they are fidgity little things! Too far forward and the door sticks out. Too far back and the magnet doesn’t line up. Plus, you have to inset them into the wood which caused me to use the metal rasp which shredded the wood. So, sanding and wood putty and lots of drilled holes and they now work!

I did order two sets (because I thought I did something wrong when I bought the first set) of these things called gas struts that hold the door open, but they were so hard to close, the hinges threatened to come apart. Even though everyone in the van building internet world recommended them, I couldn’t get them to work. I finally figured out that my cabinet doors are too light for them, so I’m in the process of finding the correct strength and will put them on.

I also had to sand and grind away the cabinet door edges because when I painted them, they became too thick and wouldn’t close. So, now after all that work, I only need to clean up some of the paint around the hinges and do some paint touch ups where they got banged up as I screwed them to the ceiling and wall and then they will be done. Whew!

I started putting up my ceiling, which is the same wood I used on the cab door. This is one of those projects where I have no idea what I’m doing before I start because there are just too many variables, so I just have to figure it out while I go along.

I don’t care for that type of project. I like the ones where I know step-by-step what I’m doing, like putting in the fan in the roof, but I’m at the point in the van build where everything depends on what you’ve done before and it’s so site-specific. Plus, I’m trying to keep this van as light as possible for the gas mileage, so I haven’t done things that other people have done, like add more wood in the ceiling, that would make this job much simpler, but what’s the challenge in that? I find my sleepless nights are a good time to figure out a project.

It’s funny, when I see these pictures of the completed projects they look so good, but when I go into the van, all I see is how much more work I have to do!

So, I’m gonna be honest and real here and say I think this project is going to take the whole summer to finish. I think, realistically, with this new move and all, I probably won’t be done until end of August. I will look on the sunny side of things and say that’s good, because then I will miss all the summer vacation crowds at the national parks, and can enjoy getting together in person with all of my friends here after a year of postponed joy.

Do you see the crane? This is on our walk from yesterday morning.
Unfortunately we scared it away as I was trying to photograph it. But, I kept snapping pics!
Here it is flying away

Alright, well, my mom is coming to visit and this is the first time she’s seen this house, so I have to do some cleaning! We are meeting my youngest daughter for lunch and then I know my mom will want to walk down to the lake so it will be a busy day, but a good day.

Ok, everyone take care, have a nice weekend and I’ll talk to you next week!

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Goodbye Pandemic!

Hey everyone! Yes, I know. The pandemic is not completely over since kids under 12 still aren’t able to get vaccinated, but I’m seeing this pandemic in the rear view mirror and it is getting further and further behind us. And yes, for people not vaccinated, it is still raging among them, but as a vaccinated person who only hangs out with vaccinated people, life is getting back to normal and I am 100% ready for it!

On our walk this morning. They did, I think, a controlled burn right next to the train tracks

Each week as I go into the grocery store, I see fewer and fewer people wearing masks, though I see the staff is still wearing theirs. I have to say, I popped into a paint store and I did not wear my mask and I felt ok about it. Two girlfriends and I even went out to dinner, inside a restaurant, sat at the bar, talked with strangers next to us and I felt totally fine.

Another view of the controlled burn

Actually, I’m kinda surprised how quickly I’m ready to drop the mask and how quickly I’m forgetting all the precautions I took the last year and a half. Remember when we were wiping down our groceries? Or the bottom of our shoes? It must be a brain function to forget a stressful, scary period in your life. It could also be that I just never went into a restaurant during the pandemic so I didn’t adopt a different procedure, so maybe it’s not that big of a deal.

But, how nice is it to get rid of that mental load? That was a huge weight that we bore. I think we’re all going to be going through some form of PTSD as we get back to normal and can fully look at what happened during that time.

I knew during the pandemic that I couldn’t look at other distressing issues because I was full up. Like, climate change took a backseat in my mind. Same with the children separated from their parents at the border. I couldn’t take on one more bad thing during the pandemic but didn’t have a choice when we all had to reckon with police brutality and racism after the murder of George Floyd. Hoo, gosh, that was bad. I remember that was a pretty low point last summer. It almost pushed me to the breaking point, or at least the closest I’ve ever been to the breaking point. Unfortunately, I don’t see that anything changed after all those protests. What a huge public outcry with no change. Something’s rotten in Denmark.

If Einstein’s theory is correct, there should be some equal and opposite effects from the pandemic, so, I’m expecting lots of good news for the people who suffered the most and lost loved ones and had to work in dangerous conditions. Are they getting their just rewards?

What about any benefits from the pandemic? I, for one, will always wear a mask on an airplane and maybe if I’m ever on crowded mass transit. I have continued to keep daily walks in my schedule. Going on a walk with a friend is a good social outing. Anything else? I can’t think of anything else.

What about cooking? Did any of you master some new recipes or new techniques? I have to say I can barely bring myself to cook or even shop for food. I’m so tired of my cooking and Dave’s cooking and our usual recipes. Everything seems so worn out and tired. Maybe it’s the heat wave we’ve been in, which makes it hard to cook, or because we live in a city now we have close options for carry out and delivery, but I am having a hard time making anything besides coffee. Maybe that’s a side effect of coming out of the pandemic? Kinda makes sense.

Alright, enough gloomy reporting. Let me show you something good.

Supposedly the person who owned this new house that we’ve just moved into, was a lady who did no maintenance for 20 years but just sat inside and smoked. Now, the inside was completely re-done with new paint and carpet and cupboards and appliances but nothing was done on the outside except a lot of brush and trees were cut down that must have had the house completely hidden in vegetation and shade.

The back deck looked like it needed to be torn off, because the wood looked rotten and felt disgusting underfoot. Like it had probably been a shady, moss and algae covered deck but when they cut down all the trees and bushes next to the house, that green layer over the deck turned black and crunchy. Yeah, super gross.

Now Dave does not like to part with his money unless he absolutely has to, so he took to scrubbing and power washing the deck, about an hour a day, since it was back-breaking, for about 6 days.

What a difference!
One last corner to go! (don’t look at that ugly brown color on the house. it will be gone soon)
And now look at it! It even feels like new wood on your bare feet!

Now the back deck is bright and pretty and lovely to walk on. Plus, it’s one thing we’ve done that shows the neighbors that we actually plan on improving the outside of this place. I can’t get Dave to move on landscaping decisions yet, but we do have an exterior painter coming to paint the house in August so that horrible brown will go away.

We’re still settling in here and trying to figure things out. The house is not unpacked and may not ever get completely unpacked as we manage just fine with less stuff. I do have the third bedroom full of my clothes that need to be sorted between winter and summer and keep and sell and give away but I haven’t felt like tackling that yet.

Dave and I do hear from the new owner’s of our farm a couple times a week. I ask after the cats and horses and she sends me pictures. Dave and the husband confer about lawn mowers since we just did a flat-out switch with them, giving them our big riding mower for their push mower. That’s all that’s needed here. The farm and animals seem to be in good hands and I feel ok about it. Still getting used to it, but like the pandemic, kinda shocked how quickly I’m moving on. I’ve always been someone who agrees that there is no use crying over spilt milk, so this makes sense. (am I just full of midwestern sayings or do you all know what I’m talking about?)

So, anyway, that’s it for me today. I’m still figuring out the grocery store thing and where to go and which place has the best whatever so I’ve got to get to it. That, and the cats are very mad there is no dry cat food so I need to go out and find their favorite brand! Wish me luck!

Everyone have a wonderful week and take care of yourself!

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The Dogs Routine

Covid 19 changed how I pay for this blog. Commissions used to offset the costs (never 100%, but still helpful) but that all dried up during the pandemic, so now I use a subscription-based model where for $5/month you get an extra post each week, like this one. These subscribers keep the site ad-free for everyone, all the time and help me pay for the web hosting. Thank you for that!

This morning’s walk

So, hey Patrons! How is everyone today? I’ve had a couple of bad nights of sleep (waking up worrying about our democracy – yes, really, plus Kip has had diarrhea the last couple of days so he’s been whining in the middle of the night so I take him outside and then lay wide awake) so I’m not at my best right now.

You will be happy to know that I have been back working on the van. I don’t have any pictures to show though because I’ve been working on the cabinets and they’ve proven to be a lot more detailed than I expected. Just making the box for them seems to have been the easy part!

I am making headway though. I did end up having to sand the cabinet doors more to get them to fit with the hinges, so that means I’ll have to re-paint them and the door pulls I bought aren’t going to work, so I’ve bought some new ones and the hinge-thingys that hold the cabinet door open doesn’t work, so I had to order some new ones. So, these cabinets haven’t been a quick and easy project to get me back into the swing of things like I thought they would, but I will know cabinet-making from start to finish after this!

I’ve set up shop in the garage, which is pretty full of all the things that used to be in our barn and garden shed. I have a table out there and turn a fan on and open up the door to the neighborhood. I have the van and truck parked right in front of the garage so I have a little privacy but I’m learning to live in the city, where you just don’t look at your neighbors in their yard or everyone walking by.

Penny and Kip though still are thinking like country dogs and bark and go crazy every time someone walks by with a dog. I’m able to tie Penny up to be outside with me when I’m in the garage but Kip doesn’t like being tied up and he never had to on the farm, so right now, he’s spending his time in the air conditioned house. I think he’s ok with that because it’s been very hot and humid and he is walking soooo much more than when he lived on the farm, so he is enjoying a cool house after a long walk.

The dogs have settled into a routine here where we walk in the morning right after their breakfast, like we used to do when we would go out and feed the horses. Then they are inside for the rest of the day, unless they pop out to go pee or if Penny joins me in the garage, until the evening when we go for another long walk.

Our walks are anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, so they get their exercise in and there are several options for trails, and we’re still finding new ones, so that keeps them interested. Plus, we see dogs all the time on our walks, so that adds a lot of drama to the walk. Not good drama. Just lots of barking and pulling and growling. My least favorite part, but the dogs favorite part!

Last night, we went out after a rainstorm and Kip wasn’t having it. He wanted to turn back after about 15 minutes. He was just like a donkey that you would see in a cartoon. He set his back legs and wouldn’t budge even though I was pulling the leash and his collar was threatening to pull off over his head. I think he was afraid he’d heard thunder, which he really hates, but he also sometimes confuses the train rumble with thunder. Either way, we turned around and headed home so Penny didn’t get all her steps in that day.

There are still a couple of things we need to figure out for the dogs so that they are happier. Like, Penny needs a place and time to run off the leash, so does Kip, but she really wants to bust loose sometimes and run crazy. I have one place on the walk where I feel I can take her off the leash but it’s near the train tracks and she doesn’t really run around and just sniffs the brush close by. She has a puppy play date today with a friend who has a fenced backyard, so that gives her some space to run fast and crazy and will hopefully get some of her energy out.

Kip needs to be able to go outside and lay on the deck or porch or yard without being on a leash. He likes to just go out there and keep an eye on things, but by himself. If I’m there, he thinks he needs to be walking. Dave installed a perimeter wire around the yard so if Kip wears a collar he’ll get a vibration when he gets near the wire so hopefully he won’t cross it. Dave hasn’t had the heart to train Kip on it yet and I refuse. I was against the idea, because I think the vibration will freak Kip out to even going out in the backyard. I think a fenced-in yard, with a pretty fence, is the answer, but we’ll see.

Hopefully next week I’ll actually be able to show you the cabinets finished and hung in the van. Then I will be able to put the ceiling up, which means installing the lights. These should be dramatic steps toward finishing the van then and inching me towards completing the electricity. Exciting!

Ok, well, I’m going to finish up here. I’m drinking my coffee but still feeling tired so I’ve got to get moving. I’ll hopefully be getting some better sleep (and maybe we’ll get some good news about democracy soon?) so I’ll be less grumpy next week!

Take care!

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Short Grumpy Post

Hey everyone! How are you doing today? I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying life! Ha ha! We gotta enjoy it while we have it.

I’m in a bit in a doldrum, so that’s why I’m writing enthusiastically about enjoying life, hoping to inspire myself. I think the newness and hustle and bustle from the move has settled down and I’m adjusting to life here plus the national news has got me down.

Plus side of the move: I’m getting tons of walks in. Down side: if I want to be outside I have to always wear some kind of bra! I’ve bought two new sports bras just so I didn’t have to keep putting on a regular, heavy duty one just to go get the mail!

Has anyone finished watching The Underground Railroad on Amazon? I did last night and wow, it’s beautifully done but such a tough, tough subject. It’s well acted and the cinematography makes for some beauty in a sad story, but I had to fast forward through a lot. It’s not about Harriet Tubman, but it’s based on a fictional book if the underground railroad was really a train under the ground. Even though the story is fiction, the outcome is still reality and I’ll say it again: America, we need to do better.

I’ve started booking my mom, sister and my trip to France for next spring, since that is something uplifting to think about. We will be gone for almost two weeks and will be going to Normandy and Bordeaux. My mom is turning 85 this summer and I think she wants to have a special trip with my sister and I while she’s still active and able. Ok, well, this paragraph started out optimistic, didn’t it?

Anyway, I haven’t taken any pictures lately so I don’t have any new ones to share and I’m a bit of a grump today, so I’ll just let this be a short post and wish everyone a wonderful week full of good news!

Take care!

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Adding More Dreams!

When Covid 19 hit, I had to change up the way I paid for this blog because the commissions, that only partly paid for the costs, dried up as we all hunkered down and stopped buying clothes. I decided against inviting advertisers to take up space on my site in exchange for $. So I’m using a subscription model where for $5/month you get an extra post each week — like this one.

So, hey Patrons! How is everyone today? How do you feel about getting back to normal? Are you quickly forgetting we were just in a pandemic or are you still feeling cautious about going out? I am noting all the new activities I get to do again. Like, I got a pedicure this week, which was the first time since 2019! I ate inside at a restaurant I haven’t been to in probably a year and a half.

I’m actually surprised at how easy it feels for me to get back to normal. We are still wearing our masks, but it doesn’t feel like the life preserver it once felt like, and I am quick to take it off when rules allow. I am very ready to have this pandemic go into the history books, but I’m afraid we will lose some valuable lessons if we forget it quickly, which it seems like the way it’s headed.

This is such a pandemic pic. Notice the hand sanitizer on the table

As you can imagine, I haven’t had time to work on my van at all, so I don’t have any new pictures to show you. In fact, yesterday was the first time I was even inside of it since we moved to the new house. I’m trying to get the house sorted and pretty much have every room set up but am wrestling with what to do with all of my clothes. When I get that all sorted out I will be back working in the van. Just writing that makes me want to get out there today. Maybe I will! Screw that pile of clothes on the floor!

This was something I’ve never seen before. I have no idea what it is. Just looked it up and it’s a wool sower gall for the tiny and harmless cynipid gall wasp. Very cool

Whether I do or don’t work on it today, be assured that I am not going to stop working on the van now that that dream is so close to reality! I do have to climb a couple of mountains, by way of Electricity Peak and Plumbing Glacier, to get to that dream, but it’s so close I can almost taste it!

And look at all the mountains I already have climbed to get where I am today. I’m saying this partly to you, but mostly to me to get me feeling confident and pumped up to get out there on that driveway with all my tools in chaos in the garage and work. You know how that drill goes. I hype myself up by writing about it and then take that bounce outside and make like a carpenter! Hey, it works!

This really is part of my new walk now. Isn’t it beautiful?

Being almost done with this van and actually getting ready to hit the road and see all the things, which has always been a far-fetched dream, has got me thinking about other far-fetched dreams. Like, I want to write a book. I think that seems do-able. I write now. I like writing. I will have something interesting to write about. I’ll have time to write while traveling. Finding something I’m good at and like to do is very rare for me, so I think I need to pay attention to this intersection of skill and interest and see where it goes.

Our new quiet contemplation spot I think, if it’s not too busy

I’ll tell you how I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to go to any writer’s workshops! Ha ha. Yep. I think sometimes when you (or maybe it’s just me) study something too much and too close, all it does is intimidate you and point out how much you don’t know. Then, you start comparing yourself to others who are successful and then that does discourage me like crazy. I think “who are you to go do/be ________?” and it feels impossible.

The view to the east

So, what works for me? Just doing it. With as little knowledge as possible. Like, look at the van. I had no idea how to do it, but I figured it out, it’s not rocket science and I did it. That’s how I’m going to write a book. Just plop it out there and see what happens next. Just have fingers hit a keyboard. Blurt out all I want to write on a screen and edit like crazy to make it make sense with no expectations and just let it be created.

Maybe this book will just end up being my own travel journal. Whatever. That’s fine. I’m not forcing this to be a revenue stream, because then I do lots of second guessing and start to resent the project. Maybe it’s going to be my evening activity or my little van hobby. Maybe no one will read this but me. Either way, I’m going to do it. You all read it here. I put it down in words and have declared it to the universe, so you all are my witnesses.

The view to the west. You can see the roofs of some houses and right beyond them is the lake

Oooooh, I’m excited. Are these next few decades going to be about chasing dreams? What other dreams do I have in me? This will be a great topic to keep my brain busy.

This may end up being a pretty interesting life after all!

Ok everyone, take care of yourself, think of some of your dreams and how to achieve them and we’ll talk again next week!

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I’ve Been A Bit Shoppy!

Hey everyone! How are you? Doesn’t it feel great to be vaccinated? Like, it feels so normal and easy to go out and about again doesn’t it? It’s not stressful going to the store any longer. I can take my time while I’m there. It feels like we are coming out of a forced hibernation and I am so glad to be done with that! Plus, it’s summer here in Michigan so it’s even to get out of the house!

I did go clothes shopping — in person! — last week, first time since pre-pandemic. I returned those white capris to J.Jill since they were way too thin but kept the black and gray ones (you saw the black ones here) and had no intention of shopping but since I was there…

Look at this gorgeous dress! The picture doesn’t do this soft pink t-shirt dress justice, it looks better on J.Jill’s website. It is the most beautiful pink and is comfy and perfect for a summer wedding I’m going to which is outside. I wasn’t even planning on shopping yet for the wedding but the color caught my eye and I thought “why not?” and I love it. Maxi dresses are going nowhere soon and this is an easy dress to wear. They also have it in brown.

I’m wearing a size medium (!). I know, right? So, it’s not that I have lost any weight, definitely not. I just tried on the XL and L and I felt swamped in them. Also, I’m feeling less the need to cover my shape or wear something like a tent. This is my shape. I’m a curvy girl. Everyone get used to it.

As you know, I have more than enough scarves but this one went perfectly with the dress that I bought it too. It’s already sold out online, so if you want it, call your local J.Jill and have them put it aside for you because it is going fast!

Now, I have a complete outfit for the wedding. I think I’m even going to wear my new very comfy sandals because it will be a garden wedding and these little yellow flower sandals will fit in perfectly!

I had a bit of a pink obsession while I was shopping! But, really, you can’t blame me! The shade of pink J.Jill has right now is beautiful.

I call this my art teacher’s top. It just reminds me of something an art teacher would wear. Don’t you just love the pockets! This is a nice weight top for summer with some arm coverage if you’re looking for that. And again, this camera is not doing justice to how pretty this pink is and I’m wearing a size XL petite.

This top is also an example of “if it looks bad on the very thin model, it may look great on our shape”. That was one of my online shopping tips from this article here.

These pants are, right now, my number one go-to pants when it’s a little bit cooler or when needing something a little more substantial than wearing the capris. These pants have pockets and a comfortable, well-fitting waistband and they fit me really well. I’m wearing size Large Petite.

And funnily, I did buy these new slippers last week too. I needed something that I could slip on quickly to take the dogs out in the yard since nothing is fenced in and they have to be on the leash every time they are even thinking about going pee or just want to look around. These slippers are soft and fuzzy on the inside but still have some rubber tread so they can handle wet ground.

Last shirt I promise!

I scored some great pocket clothing didn’t I?

If you are looking for a little more dressed up sweatshirt this one is perfect. It’s made of the same sweatshirt fabric, but the structure (the cowl neck, pockets, large hem) makes it less sweat and more shirt. Again, another gorgeous pink that is not coming through on these pics!

Of course, I cannot find it online, so you might just have to look at your local store. On my receipt it is referred to as Pure Jill Harmony rib-trimmed relaxed top if that helps you.

These are the same pants as above and I know it’s hard to tell, but they are brown, not gray. One of the very few brown items I own, but they’re so comfortable I’m making an exception! They do have them in other colors, like a pretty blue, they just only had brown at my store when I went shopping. That’s ok. I need to force myself to try other colors sometimes!

Whew, I was rusty taking these photos and writing about the clothes! I put them all in one post because they are selling out quickly, especially when they’re on sale, and I didn’t want you all to miss these items.

I’m not sure how many clothes posts I’ll be doing in the future because I am really minimizing my wardrobe, but I do have one for next week of one more item I found at J.Jill (sneak peak). I just want to add a button or two to it first.

So, besides all the shopping, I’m doing fine. Remember my mantra during this whole move (“I’m ok. It’s ok.”)? Well, it’s true. I am doing ok. I am adjusting just fine to “city” life. I’m finding some things very convenient, like food can actually be delivered to your house (not so in the country — not even pizza!). When you do want to go out and get carry-out, there are lots of options, and not just pizza!

Also, if you need something for a project, like, say some nails, it only takes about 10 minutes to pop out and get some and be back. It is so convenient.

And I am walking and walking and walking. The dogs never get off the leash, so that means Penny has a lot of energy since she’s not able to run around at will and I have to walk her a lot to burn it off. I’m trying to figure out when the trails are the most quiet, so we don’t run into anyone, especially someone with a dog, because Penny is not the best behaved in that circumstance, so I take her out at all times and we are meeting our 10,000 step goals every day!

We have yet to walk all the trails that are a 5 minute walk from the house. We’re exploring them all, which is good because it mentally challenges Penny and not just physically challenges her. Poor Kip would prefer less walks and at a slower pace (though he slows us down by sniffing everything and peeing on everything) but he doesn’t want to be left at home.

And, I’m not gonna lie, it’s easier to keep up a smaller house and easier to keep up a smaller yard. The amount of responsibility that we have is probably 1/4 of what we had. It’s interesting how we fill that extra time. I’ve started reading books again. Something I haven’t really done much of in the last few years.

Other than that, I’m adjusting to other changes like:

The different sounds I hear in my window at night. There is a busy train track about 1/4 mile away that sounds very loud at night, though I barely notice it during the day.

There is some wild animal (I think) getting into my neighbor’s bird feeder (I think) that sounds like a wild boar so I’m not sure what that’s about.

I can’t see the sunset from the back deck, because the backyard is so wooded, and occasionally I can see some glorious colors in the sky that I would like to check out, so I need to find a place to view that.

I’m actually close to a Whole Foods store. That store used to be a myth living in a rural area. I went shopping in one this week and felt overwhelmed and almost felt like crying. Like, I actually have a life where I am near a Whole Foods. Yes, it still took a lot of my money, but it is a world away from where I used to live.

Right now, I’m very alert to people walking by on the sidewalk, or neighbors working in their yard, so I need to adjust to having people nearby and not be in their business. Actually, it’s me and the dogs who need to adjust to this.

Alright, another long post today. I won’t keep you any longer but know that we are doing ok and this new chapter I’ve stepped into is going ok. I still have yet to make acquaintance with the lake, so that should be a cool benefit to living here. Either way, I’ll keep you updated.

Everyone take care and enjoy the end of this pandemic!

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