Tag Archives: Scout

Around Here

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Around here, there’s a lot to say and nothing to say about how my time has been occupied and where my thoughts wander. Sunsets are welcome as are good books, long weekends and days when I don’t even consider turnjng on the tv.

Around here, I’m trying hard to dial back my stress levels and all around busyness and am avoiding troubling situations when possible. I’m trying to drill to the core of some health issues and am starting to feel like that is a lost cause.

But, around here, we don’t quit and we don’t lose hope. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. That may be the case but I’m convinced it will work one of these days.

Around here, Scout is suddenly sleeping very close to me at night and I’m drinking in the warmth of his little body and the purrs and soft snores that lend such comfort.

Around here I’m still thinking about the wonderful hike I took Saturday and about how lucky I am to live in a place where nature is so accessible to the public.

Around here I’m still thinking about the art we saw, the book shopping we did, and the great pizza we had from a little place in Columbus on Sunday. These handmade prints are accompanied by an old recording of natives speaking that sent shivers down my spine.

I like art that feels meaningful, that I can find a connection to so it’s not just something on a wall but something I will remember.

What a nice day that was.

Around here, it has been windy and cooler than normal. I’m bracing for the summer that’s to come and thinking about ways I can lean into the misery and try to enjoy it. Stay tuned.

Most of all, around here, I’m thinking about the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have served our nation over our storied history. We are a young country and one with a government prone to mistakes but I will always be grateful for those who answered the call to serve our nation and I am proud of our military.

I didn’t do anything patriotic this Memorial Day weekend other than think about this very topic, admire the flags our local volunteer firefighters put out, and watch the National Memorial Day concert on PBS.

Nonetheless, I have something to say. If you are reading this and you are a veteran or active duty military, I want you to read these words:

Thank You For My Freedom.

Around here, your sacrifices mean everything.

Scout’s Scare

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Scout has spent most of the last 36 hours or so either sitting next to me or resting where he can keep me in sight. That’s fine by me. You see, we’re both a little paranoid after something that happened Saturday night.

He’s a house cat. I found him as a baby, roaming the streets of the village where I work. He’s never been outside uncontained and unsupervised since that day and is quite happy to be secure here at home. 

After a long day out and about Saturday, I came home to find my back door hanging wide open and Scout was not waiting for me in his usual spot. 

They say that when you think you’ve been robbed or that someone’s in your house, you shouldn’t go in. I was conscious of this but I had Adam for backup and I didn’t think twice about barging in. 

Luckily, Scout was waiting for me to find him in his safe space, in the bedroom, and purred loudly when I picked him up. 

There were no signs of anything missing or moved. No signs that anyone had tampered with the door. 

Something had come loose in the door knob and it had come open. I don’t believe it was open long. Actually, Scout has a habit of hopping up on the stool next to the door and stretching his body over to rest one paw on the door knob and the other on the window. I’m pretty sure it came open under his weight and he very smartly ran to safety. 

Regardless, things could have turned out much differently. I could be telling you that my little Scout was missing.

The last eight days have been hard for a variety of reasons. I am tired, frustrated, angry, and tired of feeling put upon. But yesterday, I habitually reminded myself that no matter how annoyed/angry/tired I may be, at least my Scout isn’t lost.

This is what matters. The rest is beyond my control. 

I know it freaked him out too because he’s staying close and letting me pick him up anytime I wish. In fact, I periodically pick him up and pack him around, telling him what a good, smart boy he is and how proud I am of him for being so brave and smart.

He’s humoring me but will eventually get sick of all the extra affection. Until then, I’ll give him extra ear scratches and will fly him around the house like Superman as much as possible.

Look after your furbabies, friends.

January 31: No Spend Challenge Update

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It’s January 31 and that means my No Spend Challenge is officially coming to an end. However, I’m retooling the rules for February. That means I’ll continue a variation of what I’ve been doing only with a few exceptions.

Meanwhile, January went well. I mostly stayed within the confines of my rules with a few exceptions including dinner out with my cousin who I haven’t seen in ages and coffee shop drinks when I met a subject for an interview at work. That coffee shop is a local business and I didn’t mind at all spending a few bucks to support them. There were also some grocery items that I didn’t technically need but were on sale and I will use. With the rising cost of groceries, I’ll take a deal on staples when and where I can. 

The fact things went well doesn’t mean there weren’t unexpected expenses. For example, Scout developed an issue that required a vet trip and an allergy shot. I would never make my cat suffer for want of a vet visit just because of my challenge. I injured myself that same day, winning a trip to urgent care and to the pharmacy for meds. However, a No Spend Challenge isn’t an excuse to avoid seeking medical care for myself either.

Of course, I did stop at Dollar General on the way home to grab something I needed. In a fit of feeling sorry for myself, I bought a Diet Coke and some sugar free candies. This was purely off script and outside the rules but it sure did taste good after the stressful couple of days I had endured.

There were other things I learned and that I noticed this month. In addition to cutting out shopping, I have seriously reduced my exposure to things and people that influence my thoughts and actions. The more distance I put between me and social media influencers, the happier I am.  

I figured out that it took precious little to transform my bedroom. A fresh coat of paint (purchased in December) did wonders and I shopped my house for things to bring it all together. Three dollars worth of craft paint updated picture frames for a gallery wall. There are things that I want to find for that room but I’m going to be very particular about buying exactly the right things. In other words, there’s no rush.

Values based spending isn’t something I have talked about here yet. This has been intentional because I suspect this will open the door to some political commentary that really isn’t welcome here. However, I will say this. I value money in the bank more than stuff on my kitchen counters. I value supporting small businesses and those that support my worldviews more than big conglomerates that lack any hint of moral character. I value the promise of adventure and travel in the near future more than I can say. I value my peace more than anything else and how I spend my time and money help me to protect that. 

We have talked a lot this month about my No Spend Challenge. Why have I brought you on this journey? I suppose I just want to encourage folks to think about spending and accumulating stuff in a different light. I have wanted you to see that when you shop, you’re also choosing how you spend your time. In that moment, you’re investing precious time. More importantly, how much time did you spend earning the money you’re trading for things? Do you want to take a vacation or retire someday? It’s easier to do these things with money in the bank instead of clutter in the closet. 

I’ve had a wonderful month of sleeping in on the weekends, purging stuff from my home, working puzzles, reading and feathering my nest. While I have missed adventuring, the weather hasn’t been good for it and I have no regrets. I’m going to continue focusing on these things with a couple of small adventures along the way in February.

One question people often ask is what I’ll buy first when this is over. It’s like they think this challenge is something to endure and just get past. I do have a little list of things to buy for my new blue bedroom. There are a couple of books and I’m starting to think about freshening up my bathroom with paint and new floors. My aim is to sort out the bathroom updates before summer.  Nothing is urgent. I won’t be out shopping anytime soon. 

Tonight’s agenda includes a regular scheduled haircut and a few groceries and supplies from the store. When I tried to make a grocery list yesterday I thought it was interesting that I couldn’t think of a thing to write on it other than water, cat food and sunflower seeds for my birds. I do have a better list than that now but it took a while to figure out. 

We will keep talking about this No Spend Challenge and how it will evolve into February. I have some more practical tips to share so stay tuned.

Presents

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I occasionally find myself standing in a checkout lane holding a coaster, lotion or tv remote that belong on my nightstand. You see, Scout enjoys knocking things down to watch them fall. Sometimes those things fall on the floor but they often land in my open purse to be discovered later.

He’s a cat and that’s the sort of thing cats enjoy. I just call them “presents.”

Yesterday I was digging through my purse at work only to discover he had left me something else this time – one of his beloved catnip filled mousies.

You can tell it’s well loved. I’m honored he would trust me with this treasure and it brightened my day.

The little things really do make all the difference!

Serious Bird Watching

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Yesterday was a busy one for Scout. As Mother Nature dumped several inches of snow on our ridgetop home, birds of all kind flocked to our feeders. I worked in my home office, natural light filling the space and setting the stage for a calm day.

But it was not to be.

Scout enthusiastically worked a rotation that involved bird watching in the office window, bird watching from his perch near the back door where he can see two feeders, AND sitting on top of anything I was working on.

He particularly detests the sound of pen to paper so I was reprimanded any time I tried jotting down some notes. Eventually he had to be removed from the office which resulted in him crying woefully to be let back in until he was a jerk again and got put out once more.

Of course, I didn’t take pictures of the bad part. I just want to remember how excited he was to see so many birds today. His wide eyed wonder at the world afresh with snow always makes me happy as well.

It was a good day.

The Week Between Years

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Darkness has fallen, Scout is sitting in a box I had hoped to use, and sweet potatoes are roasting in the oven. The wind is vicious here on the ridge and it’s raining hard enough that I can’t help but wonder what it would look like if it were a few degrees colder and snowing.

It’s the week between years. Those precious few days between Christmas and New Year’s where we are all in a cookie coma and no one knows what day it is. It’s going on 5:30 p.m. and I can honestly say, I don’t recall looking at the clock even once today.

I don’t care what time it is.

Instead of following schedules and clocks or responding to buzzes, dings and rings, I’m simply enjoying the quiet of my home. Truth is, my home is a bit of a disaster as I continue disassembling Christmas and reimagining some pine and lights into something beautiful for winter. I have been putting away Christmas gifts, pausing some to read a chapter in my book and allowing Scout the chance to enjoy my being home. Every time I sit to read, he cozies up next to me for a catnap and a good snore.

This is the week I typically spend preparing for the next chapter. After months of adventuring followed by a season of gluttony and spending, it’s time to dial back the celebratory, almost uncontrolled aspects of my lifestyle into a season of wintering.

I’m so excited for this upcoming season of hibernation and rest. I will take my cue from nature and spend the next couple of months quietly resting, recharging and nurturing myself.

Each January is defined by a No Spend Challenge. This serves many purposes for me and is something I eagerly anticipate every year. I have written about this before and will again soon but, in short, it’s a time to reset habits and to go back to the roots of who I am and what I value. January is defined by staying home to rest and to appreciate all that I have already. It’s defined by finding creative solutions and using what I own rather than embracing the cultural norm that new is always better and that spending can solve every problem.

I reduce food waste, read lots, create more and feather my nest in ways big and small. 

Sometimes the challenge lasts just for 31 days while some years it extends into February and March. Some people in my life think it’s silly or that it’s a form of deprivation but they couldn’t be more wrong. It’s about celebrating all that I have and realigning my values so that I’m using my time and resources in ways that are meaningful to me. 

Those sweet potatoes in the oven have been languishing here for a while. They could easily be wasted if forgotten. They will be used as a base for bowls for a few days – breakfast bowls with eggs over easy, sauteed peppers and onions as well as perhaps a salmon bowl or two with chipotle ranch dressing, spinach and green peppers. Every ingredient will be from my fridge or pantry and will require no store runs for oddball things that will be used just once.

My mental shift into January has begun although, it turns out I have a return to make at TJ Maxx tomorrow. Since I’ll be in that store and a few others, I’ll look around but am hoping the sight of what’s left on the bargain table carcass after the post holiday sales will leave a lasting impression of just how much excess junk there is out there that I simply don’t need.

Meanwhile, my friends, I hope you are enjoying this week between years and that you are living your very best life embracing what you value. Have a great evening!