Five Things Friday: just five things I’m thinking about or things that made my week, or things that I otherwise feel like sharing.
We had rain this week. Twice. And I can’t tell you how happy that made me. On Monday, Jon and I even took a blanket and set on the bench on the front porch to enjoy the downpour for a little while. Yeah, we’re weird like that here in drought-striken California.
I’d like to add (please pat my back!) that I am proud of myself because not only did I have the foresight to buy a cover for our outdoor furniture earlier this summer, but also that I remembered to put it over the patio set BEFORE the rain hit on Sunday. That could have been a disaster!
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Tobia recently blogged about 101 things in 1000 days – a personal bucket list, and I am highly tempted to join her. If you’ve been reading here, you know that I am not someone who shares a monthly goals list or anything like that. I usually post a “things I want to do“-list at the beginning of the year with some broader goals for the year ahead, but that’s where my goal-making ends. Which is not to say, that I don’t have a bunch of things in the back of my head that I want to do and maybe should write down at some point? I am intrigued by the longer time frame and the option to list things that are not time-sensitive, but important to keep on the to-do list.
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The guy at the checkout at Trader Joe’s did a double-take at my final receipt numbers because he couldn’t believe how much I paid for a bunch of veggies (basically) – no meat, no booze. The only things in my cart that were expensive (comparatively speaking) were coffee (non-negotiable) and the pumpkin overnight facial mask (that I was dying to try!) and I assured him that, yes, that’s what I have been paying lately for my grocery runs, trying to smile at him (behind my mask) so I didn’t have to cry!
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Nobody wants to talk about him anymore (least of all me!), but I do have to mention that I was very pleased to hear this week that New York’s AG sued Trump and his kids for fraud and that the appeals court permitted the Justice Department to resume its use of classified records seized from Trump’s Florida estate as part of its ongoing criminal investigation.
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I was highly tempted to buy a “fake” sceleton animal for our front porch at Target (they had a miniture horse! A dragon! A piglet!) this morning and also a bunch of pumpkins at Trader Joe’s, but I’ve held off because I really want to think about how I want to decorate my front porch this year. I am not much of a “sponanteous shopper” when it comes to decor, but I would like to decorate a bit. Maybe I should plan a trip to Michaels (sans the husband. :) Hi Kae!). What are you doing for the fall/Halloween season? One of the houses in our neighborhood has this GIANT sceleton up in their front yard already, but I’ve also read about so much “front yard decor theft” already on the NextDoor app. It makes me sad and almost makes me not want to decorate at all.
Have a great weekend, friends!
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
September 23, 2022 at 5:38 pmHa! I’m well familiar with the walk of shame out of TJ’s where I’m thinking “wow I didn’t know it was possible to spend this much money without buying alcohol”.
San
September 29, 2022 at 5:29 pmI am glad it’s not just me ;)
Elisabeth
September 24, 2022 at 1:03 amFront yard decor theft? I’ve never heard of such a thing – how sad!
Great work on getting prepped for the rain and enjoying it – even carving an adventure out of the experience. And several good bouts of rain is awesome news!
I do almost nothing for Halloween/fall decorations. I vacillate between feeling very lame and unfestive, to recognizing that I really am such a minimalist at heart and don’t really want a lot of clutter and more things to store. Now Christmas decorations I can really get behind. I still keep things pretty minimal, but that is the one season/holiday where decorations amplify my experience.
San
September 29, 2022 at 5:30 pmI am very minimalistic when it comes to seasonal decorations! I think I have 1,5 boxes for Christmas and then 1 other box with random other decorations. That’s it. I really don’t want to accumulate a lot of stuff… LOL
Nicole MacPherson
September 24, 2022 at 11:08 amWell, we decorate extensively for Halloween. My husband competes with a younger guy down the street. It’s very fun. No one has ever stolen anything from our yard, except squirrels! They have taken and eaten my mini-gourds. Those bastards!
I am continually amazed at the amount of money I spend on groceries, but specifically on produce!
San
September 29, 2022 at 5:30 pmRight? The grocery spending has gotten out of hand… you must be so happy to have had a bounty from your garden this year!
Grateful Kae
September 25, 2022 at 7:02 amI hope that even if you don’t end up decorating too much that you still take a solo trip to Michael’s or other similar place and enjoy some fall browsing, at least!! ;) I dropped my son off at work this morning and then swung by the grocery store and ended up grabbing some pumpkins. They are $$$$ this year, from what I’m seeing, and although I always feel lame buying pumpkins at the grocery store (instead of a more fun, pumpkin patch environment), I have often found the best prices at this one particular store! They still add up fast, and like Nicole, the damn squirrels often help themselves to them as a snack… I’ve taken to rubbing some vaseline on them, and then sprinkling hot sauce on them, and this seems to help repel them for a while. (But isn’t toxic- so later/ eventually it does wash off, and when the season ends, I will usually break them apart some and let the squirrels have at them for food.) I am planning to put up some fall decor at my house today! My mom came to visit, and she likes to do that sort of thing too, so I’m thinking I’ll pull the boxes out and make the hosue festive today!
San
September 29, 2022 at 5:31 pmI had not heard of squirrels eating pumpkins, but I guess that makes sense… but our squirrels here have never eaten mine so far (knock on wood). I’ll definitely do some fall decor browsing in the coming weeks :)
NGS
September 26, 2022 at 7:48 amThe 101 in 1001 project does look really interesting, but in my brief attempt, I struggled past about 50 things! I don’t know if that’s the challenge for me, but I do like the idea of a larger time frame and to put things on it that are a real stretch. I also really like to read the updates and see everyone’s progress.
San
September 29, 2022 at 5:31 pmI very much like the idea of a longer time frame too – less pressure, still a list to “tend to” :)
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
September 27, 2022 at 6:22 amPaul recently asked me when we were going to take out our fall decorations… well, we didn’t own a single thing. We only decorate for Christmas. So I decided I will buy one thing/year to start a small collection. Phil is not thrilled about this as he’s a minimalist and feels like we don’t “need” to decorate. But I’ll find a happy medium of having some decor but not too much. I bought some purple spider lights for our mantel yesterday and had them turned on when the boys got home from school. They were so excited! Some houses in our neighborhood really decorate, like a big dinosaur holding a pumpkin which is Paul’s favorite. It makes our walks more fun when there are decorations to spot!
San
September 29, 2022 at 5:32 pmI love that Paul asked you about decorations … that kid’s paying attention :)
Jenny
September 29, 2022 at 6:39 amI’ll be getting out my Halloween decorations this weekend! i don’t do a lot for the outside- some orange and purple lights in the bushes and a couple other things like a huge lit up spider- but I have a bunch of indoor decorations that I’m excited to put out. I wish I were there to go with you to Michaels- I love stuff like that!
I read that post of Tobia’s and it’s a great idea. But then I forgot about it so I’m glad you’re reminding me. Not sure if i’ll do it, but I’m thinking about it.
Glad you got some rain! It must have been nice to sit out and experience it like that after being in a drought for so long.
San
September 29, 2022 at 4:47 pmI know, Tobias 1001 things list is pretty cool, right? I have to sit down and start writing things out, I guess… ;)
Looking forward to hearing more about your Halloween decorations this year!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
October 2, 2022 at 12:17 amSitting and watching the rain is so calming. not only does nature revive but it almost feels like a blank slate afterwards for myself too. And I like the sound too. So fun you made a little memory of it be actively enjoying it.
Thank you for mentioning my second attempt in 100 in 1000 days. I would love for you to join. I can say from experience that not half of it will be done but it is a good indicator of things that are at this moment occupying your mind and you’ll see which goals take a priority because you will try to put them to the forefront.
Anne
October 8, 2022 at 4:47 pmOh, so glad you got rain! I love sitting and listening to it. Particularly in autumn – well, and storms in the summer. I also like the quiet of a snowstorm, and spring… okay, clearly I just like precipitation and the way it forces me in to what (for me) is probably the closest thing to a meditative state I will ever achieve. :)
I am right there with you on the orange menace. Just don’t like to talk about it, but I’m in total lockstep with your positions. Never underestimate the power of an angry woman. (Filling out my ballot tomorrow…)
And, my response to myself when I have major issues with grocery prices (this week was particularly bad… everything out all at once, again…) is to tell myself that I don’t eat out. And really, I don’t. So that food is ALL my food. Which means that, in the long run, we’re saving money? Maybe? To be fair, it only works on me some of the time but it can be reassuring to consider it from that perspective. :)
Stephany
October 9, 2022 at 6:05 pmI just realized this year that I don’t have ANY fall/Halloween decorations, so I bought some stuff at Target/TJ Maxx a few weekends ago, and I love how festive it feels inside. It’s been really fun. :)
I tried a 101 in 1,001 days before but failed miserably! I always want to try again when I read other people’s lists, but it’s so hard to think of goals beyond the first 40-50! I hope you try it, though!