This place could be beautiful
Hi Friends,
I won’t ask how you are, because that is an unanswerable question for many of us in this moment.
I will tell you a quick story.
I’ve been…um…distracted…to say the least. I’m on my phone way too much, I’m not being productive, and that’s all fine. That’s understandable with *everything* going on. But on Wednesday night, I got into bed, did some final doom scrolling and then laid there fitfully, worrying. My husband was next to me, doing the same. And then I felt eyes on me. It was our dog, Olive. Every night before I get into bed, I tuck her into her bed next to ours, and wish her a good night.
In all my distraction, I had forgotten.
She had not forgotten.
Olive sat up in her bed, staring at me. She would not settle until I got out of bed, got her blanket, and tucked her in. She needed me to kiss her forehead. Tell her she is a good girl. Wish her a peaceful night’s sleep, with only good dreams. (Olive gets terrible nightmares, one of the lasting impacts of her former abuse.)
So friends, I know there is so much going on. Many of us feel angry and sad and scared and exhausted and very much not okay.
But please, let’s not forget to tuck each other in.
What I’m reading
The Lotus Eaters Wow. It’s been a little while since I’ve been obsessed with a book the way I am with this one. It is a stunning novel about an American female combat photographer in the Vietnam War. When I’m not reading it, I’m thinking about it, and when I am reading it, I worry I’m reading too fast because I don’t want it to be over.
What I’m watching
The Great British Baking Show (Netflix) - I am so late to this party that I feel silly for even mentioning it but it’s like a salve for my soul these days. And I am entirely charmed by the fact that it is so wholesome and then suddenly dives into cheekiness. I’m all in for discussions of Paul Hollywood’s hot cross buns.
What I’m cooking
I’m on a veggie soup kick. I make up a big batch of it, and have it for lunch all week. It’s comforting and healthy and I can drink it out of a mug so it feels charming.
I don’t really have a recipe, I just throw onions, garlic, potatoes, broccoli, and a can of diced tomatoes in a big pot of veggie broth and cook it until the potatoes are soft. Then I throw it all in the blender and blend until smooth because I have texture issues.
And then on days like yesterday when my election stress was at an 11, I enjoyed it with a grilled cheese with Dijon and apples. Because it’s all about balance, my friends.
What I’m listening to
What I’m thinking about
This place could be beautiful.
Let’s keep working to make it beautiful.
Sending love,
~Lisa