Updates May 4, 2025

As I write the date, the words “May the 4th be with you!” enter my mind, immediately followed by: wait, did I miss free comic book day?

Things have been excitingly busy.

After much debate, we have decided to not renew the lease on our current rental and instead look for housing up north. The one hesitation is that we like being near Kevin’s parents. However, over the past year, we realized that living about an hour away might actually result in us intentionally seeing them more.

We put in an offer on a place.  It is in a nice neighborhood full of walking trails and parks. It has a large deck out back, a greenhouse, and several raised garden beds.  It also has a house (important, that).  The house is smaller than what we are used to, but it is cute, and it’s the only one within our budget that wouldn’t require a lot of work. At least, we hope that’s the case. Inspection on Tuesday.

If all works out, on our way to the airport for our Scotland trip, we will drop by the title company in a couple weeks to sign papers to close on the house.  The current residents will stay in the house until closer to when we return.  Since it’s only 10 minutes from where Cass and Dan live, they can make sure the place is secured.

Lots of creative-type things to do in the area! Kevin has learned that there is a new makerspace being set up not far from the new home. Proximity to makerspaces has become part of our criteria of where to live.  I haven’t signed up for the gardening classes yet (don’t want to jinx anything). There are also book clubs, museums, nature-related activities, and other things one or both of us enjoy.

We’re still planning on a trip to the PNW at some point, but timing is TBD.

Next month sometime, I will share more details about the new home (and address), the Scotland adventure, and PNW visiting via email. If I don’t have your contact information, feel free to message me via LinkedIn to share your email. I’m amused that the “rolodex of social media” is the one I ended up keeping.

By the way, leaving Facebook was a very good idea. Life on the other side is more peaceful, and  I highly recommend it.

Brigid in Bin of Pellets

Brigid likes to get into the bin of paper pellets to play or scratch her back. It always makes cleaning the litter box more interesting.

 

The Good Old Days Include Now

, ,

Listening to “Good Old Days” by Macklemore and Kesha, the song presents a commonly-experienced story of spending our youth dreaming of the future. We spend it waiting to somehow “arrive” or “become,” only to look back later to realize that those were the “good old days.”  It inspires nostalgia, and often regret.

However, often overlooked is this part of the song:

 

Never thought we’d get old, maybe we’re still youngMaybe you always look back and think it was better than it wasMaybe these are the momentsMaybe I’ve been missin’ what it’s aboutBeen scared of the future, thinkin’ about the pastWhile missin’ out on now

 

In missing days gone by, we need to be careful not to miss out on the now. The lesson continues.

So often the now feels like not yet, or the now is full of things that are hard. How can the hard be part of the good?  I suppose it is up to each person to define that for themselves. “It’s funny now,” Cass or I will often say when talking about events of the past, remembering dangers laced with absurdity.  We look back, laugh, acknowledge the hard, the lessons learned, and appreciate the now, even as we navigate the current challenges.

Mongoose Playing Dead with Hornbill

This video makes me smile every time I see it.  I would have laughed just watching the antics of the young mongoose.  However, the reaction of woman doing the commentary inspires absolute giggle-fits.

Sophie Falls Backwards into Rice, Unsure of Lily

When Lily first joined us, it took a little while for her to learn how to play nice with Sophie and Brigid.  Even after she caught on, Sophie was still unsure. Here we see Lily hopping into a rice box to play with Sophie, and Sophie falling backwards, and her back legs tucking in.  Context: Lily was Sophie’s littermate, but while we got Sophie at 8 weeks, Lily came to us later – when she was 10 months old.  Today, Lily and Sophie play well together, with Lily allowing Sophie to set the pace and intensity of the play.

(Video from March 31, 2023)