Just the good stuff.
Long story short: I injured my knee last week working out (likely a partial ACL tear… TBD), and so I’m basically Nancy Kerrigan. Minus the ice skating. And Olympic talent. And I Tonya Harding’d myself, with exercise. I’m in a brace (thank the good Lord it’s black, so it blends in with my entire closet) for 4-6 weeks. But it’s not all bad. I mean, there’s lot of good stuff to discuss. So let’s do just the good stuff (now that I’ve already whined to you lololol).
Slowing down, but also being productive
One of the greatest habit shifts I’ve made since starting the Mama Beasts Metamorphosis program is dedicating a full hour to myself, nearly every day. And guess what? My ability to care for my family, and our home hasn’t suffered. If anything, we all benefit when I take better care of myself. And yes, I am tremendously lucky to be able to spend my time + resources in this way. But I think many (most?) of us suffer by thinking that prioritizing ourselves is selfish. It’s not. End of story. And end of paragraph.
So since I’m not spending that hour sweating/swearing in the basement exercising (though Antoinette has programed some injury-friendly workouts for me!), I have a dedicated hour that I can use to be otherwise productive (or just rest — which is productive unto itself).
There’s a stack of books I want to read. And a list of content ideas I’d love to tackle. I even have a list of things I want to research (mostly on wikipedia). For example, how did people talk about a presidential candidate’s “likability” before the internet, or like, telegrams existed? Also, when were telegrams invented? Before or after George Washington? Who knows? (Probably most people.)
I even treated myself to a new burn book journal for making lists, keeping track of my thrilling research, and maybe even making some art (it’s been a while).
Reaching out + getting social
This time of year is so lovely in New England (pretend it hasn’t rained for 46 years). Things are blooming. People are emerging from their winter personalities. And there’s all kind of good stuff to celebrate. From Mother’s Day to MDW, our calendar has started to fill up… and I like it.
We had such a fun, low key get together on Sunday night with our friends from Southie and the kids’ old school. It’s the first time we’ve had a truly full house since moving (10 kids + 10 adults) and it was just the best. I tend to be such a homebody (and can cook up all kinds of excuses to stay home and watch Jeopardy!), but I’ve really loved reaching out + getting a bit more social than usual — both by seeing people in person and by making a better effort to connect with those I don’t get to see as often.
You likely know I, as the USPS’ #1 fan, love browsing the current stamp offerings (yes, please to the Ellsworth Kelly and Myer lemons) and dropping a little hi, hello in the mail whenever I can. Lovepop is helping me elevate my Mother’s Day mail game in particular with their collection of unexpectedly beautiful laser cut pop-up cards.
I got to preview their Mother’s Day collection as part of a paid partnership and cannot wait to mail out these beauts. Lovepop is local to Boston and uses shipbuilding technology and the ancient art of kirigami to create their meaningful, yet fun cards. You can find their 400+ designs online or in stores.
This hardworking corner
We’ve made so much progress with our new house in the past month or so. The sunroom was essentially empty until recently (perfect for dance parties), but the addition of a sofa/chaise, a giant Elephant Ear plant, and a few throw pillows have warmed it right up. And created the perfect vantage point from which Clark can spy on all the neighbors. Everyone wins.
The previous owners left this wall cubby and for a while this corner was effectively a dumping ground. It’s likely (finally) time to put away those bins containing hats and mittens, but I’ve really come to love this hardworking corner. It holds the jackets we’re currently wearing, a big basket of shoes (I’m trying to balance maintaining a house that’s both shoes off, and not terrifying for visitors), a spot for library books that need to be returned, a white bin for recycling (which gets emptied into our outdoor container when overflowing…), and plenty of plants.
Lots of good stuff. Lots to be grateful for… and now it’s time to put my leg up and spy on the neighbors with this guy.
Also On Tap for Today:
- Keeping this elderflower rose spritzer in mind for our next get-together
- The Case for Doing Nothing from The NYT
- Making a new bottle of this diy serum and restocking my (mostly) homemade skin care lineup
What’s some of the good stuff you’ve got going on?
