Five Simple Things (May 27)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Moments.

We actually got to surf twice this week, which is rare. We normally are only able to get out once a week, but having the opportunity to go twice was a blast. I enjoy each time we go out, because all anyone ever does when surfing is practicing to get better.

2. This Ladybug.

Sweet ladybug hanging out on the lavender waiting for warmer days like the rest of us.

3. This Doggy.

He is either down sleeping, or up with full energy. Hardy is such a great doggy and I love his weird, quirky personality so much!

4. This Ladder.

After the wildfires in 2020 and all of the ash destroying our pool pump we ended up posting our pool on Craigslist for free, but decided to hold onto the ladder for awhile just in case we planned to get another pool, or could use it for something else. This week we made the decision to post the ladder for sale online, after not finding a way to use it again. It was tough to say goodbye to it, but it went to someone that has a pool waiting for it. The affects of the wildfires here are still hitting a lot of people and in different ways. 2020 had such an impact on our little family alone, but the whole state, and even the entire west coast is still feeling its pain.

5. This Teaser.

We are huge "Stranger Things" fan in our house and we are anxiously waiting for the new season.

One more thing:

Yesterday we picked up our red noses at Walgreens for Red Nose Day. It's a day once a year to bring in donations through the sell of red noses and to be silly like a child. If you didn't get a chance to pick up your red nose, you can still donate here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Always take advantage and never miss an opportunity to tell the people you care about that you love them. No matter what kind of day you're having, letting someone else know how much you care has a greater impact than you realize. Your words could save someone's life that day, or even walk them off the edge. Words have power and do powerful things, so use them in a way that will always make people feel wanted, loved, and enough.

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (May 20)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This View.

Love how it looks right now. When we are inside our home, or sitting in our backyard, for a moment we forget we live in the middle of a city.

2. This Moon.

This past Sunday was a full moon named Blood Moon -Super Flower/Full Milk. We had a decent view of it from our backyard, but through the telescope, the view can't be beat. Lunar Eclipse was also able to be seen on Sunday, but we here on the west coast didn't get a good view. Holding out for 2024 for the total solar eclipse that will happen once again, but a full lunar eclipse would be awesome to see. (On May 18, we also got a view on the Spring Triangle. It's a grouping of stars in the sky that literally form a long triangle. It's stars of Spica-Virgo, Arcturus-Bootes, and Regulus-Leo.

3. These Spots.

 

Anxiety affects everyone suffering with it a bit differently and sometimes it can affect the person with a completely different symptom. When I hear that anxiety is all in your head these are the moments that people don't see. I call these spots my cheetah spots. They pop out in high anxiety situations, but when and where those situations happen varies. It could be just going into a store, a classroom, work, or an appointment. It could be sitting in traffic, feeling overwhelmed with stress, or even lack of confidence to a particular situations, or person. Sometimes certain comments made towards me also have an affect. I used to avoid being social when these cheetah spots would appear. It upset people, especially "family" that we would not show up at a planned event. They took it personally, but what they didn't see was what was happened behind closed doors. These spots eventually fade after about an hour, but the physical response of high levels of anxiety aren't all in your head. It's a genuine condition that shouldn't be taken lightly by anyone. There are coping mechanisms like the necklace around my neck in this picture, but overall, it will always be present. And, the fact that I can control it even just a small bit, gives me comfort. Don't tell people their emotions, responses, or even mental health issues are all in their head. It does more long-term damage to that person than you realize. And, be kind. Not everything people are going through is about you.

4. This Kitten.

Skylar and I visited the local animal shelter to donate a few things and walk through to see all of the animals up for adoption. I try to donate dog food around Baz's birthday and cat food around Meia's birthday. It's my way of giving back in such a way that makes me keep their memory alive and makes me feel good about helping out other animals. Meia's cat food donation has always been in the form of her favorite food, but Baz's donation has been random things he loved; soft foods and soft treats. These little kitties in this room were so playful and fun to watch. When I walk through the shelter at times I see small glimpses of Baz and Meia. I always tear up, but it's more of happy to see these small glimpses than tears of sadness. I miss them so terribly bad, but I do believe in spirits and I know they are watching me, love me, and are proud of me.

5. This Sleet.

 

 

Random bout of hail fell this week. We had been sitting outside and had just walked inside and we heard loud picking sounds hitting the windows. Weather lately is so confusing. Never know exactly what's going to happen here. Definitely didn't expect hail to fall during a 70 degree day.

Positive affirmations this week:

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (May 13)

Hello. 

Happy Friday the Thirteenth.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Cake.

Last Sunday was Mother's Day and every year I just enjoy spending time with Skylar. We sometimes take a road trip, or go shopping, but this year we decided to stay home and enjoy our backyard, while enjoying this small cake we bought the day before. After the last few mental health struggles, it was such a nice day to sit back, relax, and not put a lot of thought into having to be anywhere, go anywhere, or stress about anything. It was a good day!

2. This Display.

We went this week to IKEA to check out their new surfing display and items as part of their partnership with the World Surf League. We loved all of the great items and picked out a few for us that suited our lifestyle. We purchased the picnic basket, balance board, and handboards. 

3. This Book.

This book definitely caught my eye, especially after Betty White passed away. I've been watching all seasons of The Golden Girls and pretending like they are all still alive.

4. This Salad.

We've been digging deep into some random salads and experimenting with what works well with certain salad items and what doesn't. It's been an interesting and delicious experience.

5. This Flat.

Had a day planned to work on our bus all day and was hindered by a flat on the Compass. Not exactly sure how it happened, but this city doesn't quite clean/sweep their streets as well as they should. Thank goodness this tire was under warranty, but it would be nice to be able to trust the city streets here, debris, metal, and even pot holes have caused us a lot of car damage.

Positive affirmations this week:

Have a nice weekend and a great Thirteenth.

Five Simple Things (May 6)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Lunch.

This week we had a lot of sunshine to soak up, but the temperatures weren't too bad, so it was the perfect opportunity to eat lunch outside. With our deck we built it's a nice area to sit and relax, too.

2. This Table.

We gave our picnic table a makeover and painted it black. I've been wanting to do the black painted picnic table for awhile now, and I'm so pleased with how it came out. We used Behr Waterproofing Wood Stain in Slate color for the table. Now to give our deck a new splash of color. 

3. This Starling.

 

With having ducks the Starlings love any food left in the grass that they can peck at. We've seen a lot more random different birds landing in our yard since having ducks. It's interesting to see different species of birds come and check things out. This little Starling even sang us a song.

4. This Kitty.

Along with the sunny days we've allowed Eleven to play outside when we are out there. She is so curious about everything, but sticks close to me when we are outside. She's very clingy, but also very loving. She's enjoying the picnic table's warmth, too.

5. These Ducks.

Fern and Mallie are sure missing Happy Duck. They've been a bit less active the last few weeks and are mourning her death. It's hit all of us harder than we expected. She really was such a cool duck, so it's no surprise that the other animals are feeling that loss, too. We are giving them their space and allowing them to grieve without feeling overwhelmed. We even bought them some special treats to help them feel a bit better.

Positive affirmations this week:

Whatever you do that keeps you moving is medicine. Medicine isn't always pills, drops, or liquid prescriptions. It's also, getting outside, keeping our routine, moving the body, breathwork, being consistent with our selfcare, and taking care of ourselves the best way we can. 

Have a nice weekend.