I'm starting to think I should post these the first week of the next month - as I'm not keeping up with the last of the month! This month's hold up was the addition of these hooligans to the household. The black boy is Jake and the tortoiseshell girl is Kali June. And they are trouble! But of the very best kind. They are what happens when you tell 11: "Aunt Lorraine will probably let you play with the barn kitties." and she talks her dad into 2 of them. (And you don't object because they are adorable.)
So, we're getting the dog and "big kitties" used to the new kittens (we call them purritos because we wrap them up like burritos to give them meds and they purr.) She was 1.12 lbs when we got them and he was just 1.07 lbs - they are tiny and into EVERYTHING. Also very fast and make the dog a bit nervous.
- Week 1 - the dog had to be in his kennel with a sheet over it to tolerate them.
- Week 2 - the dog had to be in his kennel to deal with them. But does not growl at all when he looks at them in their kennel to check on them when they cry.
- Week 3 - the dog sleeps in his kennel with the door open as kittens frolic.
Books: Nope. Didn't happen. And this is the month the Kindle Unlimited made their money back on last month when I read a zillion books. Actually didn't read any whole books in May. (See "Stress" below.) I've got a couple in partial progress - using the 10 pages a day procedure although that's still iffy as my preferred method - on a couple of books but not very far in. (The Elizabethan history and a book called "Lab Girl", if you need to know.)
Gratitude: Kittens. Lilacs. Friends who drink wine during bad garage sales. Gardens - I've always said, no one plants hope like a gardener. It's different every year as we learn and start over. (This year, I added curry, beets, strawberries, and broccoli. We couldn't find decent seed potatoes so those are a no-go for this year.) I found the most adorable farmers market and an upstart. It was good to explore. And, always, Guy. He lets me have wings and keeps me rooted.
Listening: The Art of Manufacturing podcast. Side Hustle podcast. Business Boutique podcast. More of Halsey's album Castle.
Perfumes: We are in "Danger Will Robinson" territory! I'm super bored of my perfumes and I have waaaaaayyyyy too many. Ugh. #FirstWorldProblems. So I went ahead and bought an inexpensive one to see me through; I added Hardcore Happy by Pacifica to the line-up. It's a great quick workday perfume.
Recipes: I didn't make up anything new but I did bake a bit. And I made Onion Tartlets using a version of this recipe. (I added cheese to half the batch.) Plus my semi-famous Avocado and Black Bean Salad (image right).
Self-Care: Well I tried several new masks, and I now understand why Alba's Hawaiian detox sheet mask was on clearance - it should definitely cover the nose! That's important in a clay mask.
And, I've been obsessed with oils lately. Not just my usual Extra Virgin Olive Oil from DHC. I've been using a selection of others and have a new favorite thing! 100% Pure's Blood Orange Cleansing Balm is the THE BOMB. If you ever loved the idea of an old-fashioned cold cream (which are petroleum-based) but wanted something more natural - this is the solution. It's dissolves off even stubborn mascara and lipstick with a very thin coating and a warm cloth. (I will also note I'm having an problem getting the mascara stains out of my wash cloths but I suspect this may be an issue with my detergent.) Your skin is cleansed of both make-up and oil + super soft. I do like to double cleanse or toner after, but it's lovely. When I cleanse with something else, I've been trying different moisturizing oils as my last step. The Physician's Formula Bright Booster has a surprisingly robust ingredient list and is still light on the skin. I like it most around the eyes. Little Barn Apothecary has a lovely Helichrysum + Violet Fortifying oil which is nice to use, but based on the 22 year old on their website video, I'm not sure it meant for more mature skin. (It's made out of the herb - helichrysum - that curry is made from.) What I really need is an oil that makes forehead "crinkles" disappear.
Stress: The non-profit I'm president of has required so much blood, sweat and tears over the last 10 months. I'm just a month away from stepping back to a lesser role and I'm obsessively finishing up items - it's eating away at all of my time. And in the free time I do have, we've got senior things happening - Awards night, graduation, and more. It's amazing. It's awesome. I'm super proud, and I have only the tiniest bit of a stake in this.
Things 11 Said To Me: I explained to her that Dad had made me zucchini lasagne. Her answer was, "Why would anyone eat that????" in a tone of absolute disgust. (Gluten sensitive, vegetarian on aisle 5......)
Watching: Devious Maids. It's not just Susan Lucci's presence that makes this a soap opera. It's fun, and Hulu is my new favorite thing! (I'm in Season 3. Total binge).
Random: I hosted the world's worst Yard Sale. According to the Goodwill guy (where the stuff went after the hard fail), I had great things! But it rained. And I live in the country. And the balloons I had up disappeared during a quick inside trip - for the next 4 hours not one person stopped by..... The lesson there is location, location, location - next year I'll just rent a table at the church in town! But, on the upside I did manage to finally open and clear through those last 7 boxes I'd not opened in three moves!Take-away - Adjust. Life is a constant series of changes. Keep your center strong and be ready to adjust. (Applies to yoga and life.)
Original musings posts you may enjoy:
- Message in a Bottle (2016)
All photos by moi! And you can tell...
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