Main Events
I had a tough beginning of July. I flew to Miami for the funeral of my cousin Diana, who passed away in June. It wasn’t unexpected – she had been fighting cancer for six years and on hospice for six months – but it was very sad. She was a sweet, encouraging soul who loved animals and music.
My mom has been in Miami since the day after C3’s first birthday party, living at my grandfather’s house. My grandfather was in the hospital for most of June after a bad fall. He was discharged and came home the day I left. My mom helped my uncle take care of my cousin’s arrangements, and is now caring for both of her parents… because my grandma is also on hospice. While I was there, my grandma was doing so badly that we were all just praying for her to hang on until Diana’s service was over. She wasn’t there at all mentally when I went over to say goodbye to her. I thought she would pass within days, but somehow, she rallied. I’ve talked to her on video chat several times, and she knew who I was. Not having to turn around and go right back for another funeral has helped emotionally, but this is still a rough time for my family. Please pray for my mom, as I don’t know how she’s holding it together.
We did get to enjoy some time with relatives we don’t see very often, like my cousin Kayla and her husband. I think she’s actually my third cousin, but whatever. She’s the sweetest. My immediate family and my uncle also had a spontaneous nice dinner at Rusty Pelican to celebrate Diana’s life. My parents used to go there for all their anniversaries, but I had never been.
In happier news, I think I mentioned last month that I have a new niece! My brother couldn’t come to the funeral due to having a newborn. The baby is eating and sleeping well and doing great! Also, after many years in the Nashville area, my sister and her family just moved to northern Alabama, where my BIL is from. It’s the same distance from Memphis. They did a new build, and it is beautiful. I’m having to remind myself of the things I love about my 105-year-old house, because… all those closets! All those bathrooms! Energy efficiency! Sigh. C3 and I are hoping to visit next month. In summary, this summer has really been a time of upheaval for my whole family, good and bad.
Reading
The Lazy Genius Kitchen: Have What You Need, Use What You Have, and Enjoy It Like Never Before by Kendra Adachi (4 stars) I read this in a bit of a fog and probably need to skim through it again. The principles are great, but I could have used a section on how to make them work when you’re not the only person making decisions about your kitchen.
Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke (3.5 stars) A short workplace novel told entirely in Slack messages. It’s kind of silly, but I enjoyed it enough to finish it.
The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman (5 stars) As a graduate of the Class of 97, I could not have enjoyed this topical history/assessment of the decade more. And of course I had the phone on the cover.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (4.5 stars) Another sort-of pandemic novel from ESJM that jumps around in time, and to the moon and back. It has a touch of Interstellar.
Currency: a short story collection by Kiley Reid et al. (3.5 stars) These short stories were free on Prime Reading and interesting enough to keep downloading them. A few were extremely meh for me. I liked Jia Tolentino’s best.
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub (5 stars) More 90s! More time travel! More emotional father-daughter bonds! These are a few of my favorite (literary) things. I’d never read any Emma Straub, but apparently she is my jam.
This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg (4 stars) It’s rare that I buy a book almost immediately after learning of its existence, but that’s what happened with this novel of a young woman raised in hiding and on the run. I HAD TO FIND OUT WHY.
Listening (Podcast-Only Edition)
Lazy Genius Podcast #270 – A Midsummer Pep Talk. I needed this so much, I listened to it twice in the same day.
Maintenance Phase: Pete Evans Part 1: The Paleo Way. I don’t know why, but this episode was SO FUNNY to me. I was LOLing in my car.
Pantsuit Politics: the roundtable Now What? Hits Home (I’m currently reading the book), and January 6th Hearings: Mailbag.
D.L. Mayfield’s The Prophetic Imagination Station: God Lovers, a conversation with Erin Moon about the Christy Miller series. I loved how this held space for nostalgia/fondness for these books and Robin Jones Gunn without sugarcoating anything. I’m here for everything D.L. is creating right now, including her newsletter God Is My Special Interest about the intersection of neurodivergence and faith. Sooo interesting. As she said on this episode: “I’m coming for all of it. ALL. OF. IT.”
I went on a new-podcast binge this month and subscribed to Sounds Like a Cult (where has this been all my life?!?), The Bible Binge, Under the Influence, Good Inside with Dr. Becky, Unruffled, Terrible Thanks for Asking (a little iffy on this one tbh), and The Simplified Podcast. Feel free to weigh in on any of these. Please note that I don’t listen to every episode of every podcast I subscribe to – this just gives me more of a selection. ALSO, my oldest friend Christie just started The One Sentence Podcast about women’s incarceration and the American justice system. It is compelling and I’m proud of her for using her voice in such a meaningful way.
Watching
We’re immersed in the final episodes of Better Call Saul. Only three more to go. I hope Jimmy/Gene and Kim reunite in the end, but it could really go in any direction. We’ve also kept up with For All Mankind since it’s been back! On the edge of my seat for multiple plotlines, and also, DANNY STEVENS IS THE WORST.
Around Town
I hadn’t attended the neighborhood Fourth of July parade in years, but we went as a family and had a good time!
One Sunday we went to Memphis Chess Club for an early dinner, and determined it is far too cool/scene-y a spot to bring a baby, even in the daytime. Lesson learned. C3 looked cute on this couch though.
We decided to get this wagon after talking to someone who had one at the parade. It has cup holders and a sun shade, kids can sit inside (strapped in) or sidesaddle, you can pull or push it. It would be useful at the beach, at the Shell, for tailgating or neighborhood events, giving a pile of little cousins or friends a ride around the block… I think it’ll serve us well for many years to come.
We went to Belly Acres with my dad, and C3 sat on the tractor for the first time! He’s getting so big!
At Home
After attending Carmeon Hamilton‘s talk about houseplants, I have been propagating All The Things (and also painting more pots, a project I started last fall). A local Twitter friend brought me some gorgeous Japanese laurel that she had propagated. This week I took some of my rooted cuttings to the CYCA Plant Swap and came away with two plants that had been missing from my collection: a monstera and a (raven) ZZ plant! If you’re local and interested in some swaps, I am all about it. I already started another pothos cutting. My goal is to have plants in almost every room next winter.
I have yet to have a successful food garden in this house, and so far, 2022 is no different. We’re in a level 2 drought and the plants just aren’t happy. However, Taylor bought me a blueberry bush and it has so far produced FOUR berries!! Here are two in the berry box I finally got, after wanting one for years (actually a set of three). I’m keeping tomatoes and avocados in them.
The wonderful tenants in my old condo bought their own place last month, so we’re currently sprucing it up for new renters (a friend from high school and her husband!). Going over there still brings up a lot of feelings and wistfulness, but I love being able to show my son where mommy used to live. <3
Eating
I regained a little cooking mojo this month. A few things I made: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Goat Cheese Chicken; Healthy Breakfast Casserole (for brunch with Kara); Sautéed Shrimp with Mango Salsa & Coconut Rice (the recipe called for cauliflower rice, but I rebelliously used the real deal. Have I mentioned my 2-cup rice cooker is one of the best things that ever happened to me?? I also grilled the shrimp on skewers).
We’re working on C3’s toddler diet. He likes most foods, but getting him to eat at the table is a real job. I haven’t figured out what’s bothering him. He’s mastered feeding himself (yay!), but only with his hands, not utensils yet. About half of what he picks up gets thrown on the ground, so some spoon-feeding is required to make sure food is getting into his body. Regardless of the type of feeding happening, he starts yelling and crying after a short time at the table. After some struggle, I give up and feel guilty and stressed about whether he’s getting enough to eat. Sometimes I give him a puree pouch, which he then flings all over himself and the surrounding area. Repeat multiple times a day.
Wearing
I’ve done too much retail therapy this month, with all the sales and the fact that I’m still figuring out what fits me and looks good. I have a pretty consistent thrift-store-to-giveaway-pile pipeline. Matrescence is so fun! I placed a large J. Crew Factory order that I later realized almost made a capsule wardrobe. I love all of the items, so my only regret is not also getting that blue top in yellow (it’s sold out now). I also decided I don’t have to hide my body in a solid one-piece indefinitely, and got THE CUTEST gingham high-waisted two-piece suit on clearance. I’m still waiting for some orders from Old Navy, ThredUp, and Soma (though most of the Old Navy order is for the baby).
Beauty
I haven’t done beauty recs in a while, so here are a bunch of things I’ve been enjoying. Most of them are from various Ipsy bags. I’ve tried A LOT of eye creams the last couple of years thanks to my undereye eczema, and this Yensa cream instantly went to the head of the class. I plan to invest in a full size. This body scrub is finer than most, but leaves your skin feeling really moisturized. The Paula’s Choice BHA body lotion works wonders on KP (keratosis pilaris, aka chicken skin arms). I’m on at least my second summer with this bottle, so you get a lot for your money.
Taylor gave me a spa certificate for Mother’s Day, which I finally got to use last weekend! I did a Spa Escape – a facial, massage, and mani-pedi. It was great. My facial was more intense than I was expecting. She gave me dermaplaning and I’m happy with the results (though no one warned me about the itchiness!). My skin is good these days except for a lot of closed bumps I can’t get rid of, and dermaplaning is supposed to loosen those up. I may get it again. The aesthetician gave me these samples of Dr. Babor cleanser and lotion, which is so fancy the box instructions were only in German and Russian. She recommended I start a rotation of once a week enzyme cleanser, then a scrub a few days later, then hydration a couple days after that. I’m a little bemused by the enzyme part, so please send recs.
I’m into pastels for my nails right now. It just looks clean. I did a pale lilac pink at home recently (Essie UV Got Me Faded), and then a very similar shade when I got a manicure. This is off brand for me.
Wellness
I’m consistently doing 30-minute Peloton rides now! At this point in my Peloton journey, I love Jess King, Robin, Cody, and Leanne Hainsby, and I stick to their rides for the most part. (By now I have Opinions about most of the instructors.) This month I had a spiritual experience with a cathartic Jess King pop punk ride. I also just started her EDM EDU series, because my husband loves EDM-type music, and I know very little about it.
In general, I’m doing okay. Having C3 in daycare at last has been huge. It’s a big change, but we’re all adjusting well. I’m feeling some residual disappointment and restlessness about missing my New York trip, as almost everyone I know jetted off to fun destinations this month. I’ve spent a lot of time on Google Maps and Zillow looking at cool places. Once again, I’m thankful for all the traveling I was able to do in my thirties. I think I feel more restless because I had already been locked down for almost a year and a half when C3 was born, and now it’ll be hard to do anything for a very long time. It might be for the best though, with the whole monkeypox thing. Was it really too much to ask to live through only one pandemic?
Random Happiness
Here are some TikTokers who consistently make me laugh: @csapunch, @badparentingmoments, @shrimplybeautiful (shrimp raves!), @kaylareporting, and @millennialkyle (he has one schtick, but I love it every time). I’m also slightly obsessed with @mummysflippinhouse (her Instagram is very active too).
Your Monthly Rufus
Rufus continues systematically shedding on every baby item in the house. He also enjoys laying in the new wagon (which we keep indoors). I wish I could trust him to stay in the wagon or stroller basket on a family walk. Someone please invent a stroller that can accommodate both baby and pet! Despite the fact that it was over 100 degrees here for most of July, Rufus is always trying to get outside. One night this week, he slipped out the back door behind me when I went out to work in the greenhouse. I had a little trouble capturing him and did not like that he was out at night. I found out the next day that, no joke, a pack of dogs has been roaming our neighborhood at night attacking cats!! So thankful he didn’t run off.
Good Reads
Treat your to-read pile like a river, not a bucket
Little Ditty About Instagram, A Predatory Social App in the Heartland
MY FAVORITE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IS DAYCARE
The Mouse, the Bird and the Algonquin Round Table
Why I want to quit social media – and why I can’t
Brutally Honest Greeting Cards for Parents
How to fall back in love with reading
And something inspiring: Sighting of Rare Leucistic Killer Whale at the Farallon Islands
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