It is September. It is the part of September that is summer, though the days are getting shorter and the slanted evening sunlight promises fall’s relief. I haven’t been outdoors since the beginning of June. Daylight lengthened, the temperatures became a heat advisory. The air became muggy, swampy. The mosquitoes swarmed even in the bleating sun. And it’s still summer, so the temperatures are heat advisory, the air is swampy, and the mosquitoes persist. At the beginning of Jun

Four hands make quick work~

Taking care of yourself is the best gift you can give to those you love.

Life isn’t a success only journey. There are periods of partial success. And there are periods of failure. I’ve lived through a period of failure stretching 16 years. Now I’m partially succeeding.

Toast 1-2 slices whole grain bread Spread peanut butter Pair with a glass of milk

Macro-organizing can be more efficient than meticulous organization

A microwave potato plus a protein is a meal. Or a microwave plus a fat is a meal. Protein: Potato + sliced deli meat on the side Fat: Cheesy potato

It rained this week. It’s August. There are wildfires raging in Washington state and Europe. But it rained here this week. It brought a moment of cool relief, and peace that we’re not in drought.

A place for everything, and everything in its place

When I first saw Julie & Julia (2009), I wanted to keep a daily blog. Be a blogger. I thought Julie Powell was brilliant. I am seduced by challenge. And I love cooking and food. The challenge. The blog. Julia Child. French cooking. The film, directed by Nora Efron, is chef’s kiss. I hadn’t been out of college long. Blogs were becoming popular then. But that’s when Internet connections didn’t have capacity for video and including a photo on a webpage meant slow loading time. F

I have a chill. And that’s not good because when I have a chill in 90°F weather, it’s not because the air conditioner to set too low. It’s because I’m sick.

At the beginning of June, I had a flare-up. I was in a temporary caregiver role, and I over exerted myself. Two months later, I haven’t returned to baseline.

Today is August 1st. August, the dog days of summer… It is the only month without any national holidays. There’s 2 months between the Fourth of July and Labor Day, and with the heat, August drags. August is the eighth month. In numerology, 8 can mean ‘new beginnings.’ A day is what we make it, each moment an opportunity to seize. August can be made. New Year’s is a fresh start, renewal. It is hopeful, and we declare resolutions and set goals. July is halfway through the year.

I’m 40-something (42) and I have almost never lived on a schedule. School was on a schedule. Work was on a schedule. I showed up. I was not on a schedule. The early bird gets the worm, the owl gets the mouse. I’m a night-person. An owl. I have a circadian rhythm that doesn’t coincide with the societal schedule. 17 years of school, I didn’t adjust to early mornings. I didn’t adjust in the workforce to early mornings. I’m a conscientious type-A person. I’m motivated by gold sta

Life will look brighter after I get some sleep;

A mental patient walks in to a bar. The bartender asks the mental patient, “How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?” The mental patient responds, “How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?” The bartender explains: Freud would say, “The light bulb represents your mother.” Jung would say, “The light bulb represents the ego.” But the psychiatrist’s nurse would say, “Turn off the light bulb and get some sleep.”

I’m in a headache event. Between intracranial hypertension IH, also known as pseudotumor cerebri, and migraines, it’s been a prolonged event. My sleep is erratic.

Sitting in the natural light of the morning The room holds in quiet Serenity The secret of the wake of sunrise

I sat in the pre-dawn morning and read poetry.

Moisturizing is self-care.