The high of my week was meeting up with Caroline and Julie this week. Caroline is visiting California (her birth state!) from Ohio, and Julie (who lives in the Bay Area) was so kind to drive out to Sacramento on Tuesday, so we could all meet up for dinner on Tuesday. The three of us went to one of my favorite Spanish tapas restaurants in town, Tapa the World, and we had a fantastic time. It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to go from URL to IRL friends :) Both Julie and Caroline were so easy to be around. Ladies, you have no idea how much I needed the girl time this week and feel so thankful for the time we got to spend together.
I am also had the pleasure of having another dinner with Caroline on Wednesday while she was still in town. I took her to our favorite Chicago-Style Pizza Restaurant/Bar. Great food and good conversations!
Originally, Meike was also supposed to join us, but she had a last-minute contractor-emergency-situation at home and unfortunately had to cancel (YOU WERE MISSED).
The low of my week was that I continue to feel stressed out by everything that is happening globally, politically, professionally, and personally. One of these stressors would be stressful enough, but having stuff going on in all four areas of my life continues to be challenging. I am coping ok, but I am really looking forward to the day when things feel a little bit more normal again and Jon and I are both back in our home and can take a breather.
A podcast episode I recommend Gavin Newsom’s interview “And this is how democrats win back men” with Jackson Katz. They discuss the manosphere and the real impact of feminism. Really insightful.
A tip I want to share is that I figured out how to make my work calendar (Outlook) available on my iPhone (in iCal). It’s been a game changer. And it’s really easy: you just “share” the calendar with yourself and then you “subscribe” to it in iCal via the link that is provided in the email that is shared with your personal email account. Since I started going back to the office and leaving my laptop there on most days, I had no way of checking my work calendar for the following week from home. It’s usually not a big deal, but sometimes I have early Monday morning meetings. Not being sure if it’s “one of those Mondays” forced me to go in extra early a couple of times, only to find out that I didn’t have that 8 am meeting. Now I can check my iCal on he weekend and it will tell me. Hooray. It’s the little things! ;)
If you already knew all that regarding calendar sharing, my apologies, but it has been my experience that you cannot overshare any new epiphanies. Sometimes things that are “old hat” to your or things you think are “old hat” to others, might be brand-new information for someone else. Never a bad idea to share, even on the chance that they already know that. I bet you’ll hear “I had no idea” a lot more than you think.
The best money I spent was on a pair of Lucky Brand jeans. I was out looking for a wedding guest dress last weekend and of course, didn’t find one. Instead, I came home with a pair of jeans (that I LOVE but really didn’t need). Oh well. Good ol’ retail therapy FTW.
My plans this weekend include driving down to SoCal again. It’s really not what I wanted to do this weekend, but Jon is still down there. My MIL was transferred back to her home this week, and Jon needs my support getting her all settled and set up with the team of caretakers. It’s been really stressful all around. We’ve not seen much improvement in 4 months. She’s still not eating or moving much, and I can only hope that this change of scenery will turn her around on the trajectory she’s been on.
What’s going on for you this weekend? Any last-minute change of plans?
coco
May 17, 2025 at 12:35 amHoray for blogger meet up! Hope it helped to ease your stress a bit. I also really hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Nicole MacPherson
May 17, 2025 at 6:43 amBIRCHY AND JULIE AND SAN!!! ALL IN ONE PHOTO!!! I am so happy for you three! I knew she was going down to visit you but I didn’t know when, and yay, I am SO happy for you! You definitely needed some time with the girls!
New jeans! Are they the ones you are wearing in the photo? Because those look great!
Birchie
May 17, 2025 at 7:01 amIt was so wonderful to meet you! I really got spoiled with my three day blogger hangout streak – you and Julie on Tues, you on Wed, and Julie on Thur.
My plans this weekend are hanging out in SF!
Ernie
May 17, 2025 at 9:52 amWhat a fun blogger meet up. I’m so glad that worked out. It sounds like you really needed it. The situation with your MIL is so stressful. Four months of health struggles is lengthy. I hope that being back at home will benefit her. I just emailed my doc yesterday and she emailed back that I have an appt. on June 10th. I do? Nevermind synching calendars- I need to learn to use my phone calendar. I’m a remedial level phone user.
This weekend we are in Omaha for Tank’s graduation. So much fun!
Elisabeth
May 17, 2025 at 9:58 amI have been telling all the other bloggers that I am jealous about the meetup. But really, I am just so happy, especially for you. YOU NEEDED AND DESERVED SO MUCH LOVE! I know it doesn’t fix all that’s wrong in the world and even the struggle in your own life (drive safe) but I’m getting warm fuzzies thinking of you surrounded by people who love and know you. Yay for blogger meetups.
Sak
May 17, 2025 at 10:07 amAfter all your cancelled plans I’m so happy you got to have a fun blogger meet up. I’m actually also in Southern California this weekend for a college reunion.
Michelle G.
May 17, 2025 at 11:52 amHow lovely to see the three of you together! I’m glad you had such a nice meetup and that you’ve had some good things between the bad ones.
Lisa’s Yarns
May 18, 2025 at 5:52 amI am so glad this meet up worked out after the string of canceled plans you’ve experienced this winter and spring! Finally something worked out for you! Yay!!
I am so sorry to hear about how poorly Jon’s mom is doing. Gah that is so hard. I hope being back in her home environment really helps her recovery.
Ally Bean
May 18, 2025 at 7:35 amYou three bloggy friends look happy in your photo. It’s wonderful that you could make it happen.
Interesting about your Lucky jeans. I haven’t shopped in that store for ages and I cannot tell you why.
Anne
May 19, 2025 at 4:52 amThis requires all caps, and I’m sorry, but IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT PICTURE. You deserve every smile, every girls’ dinner, every bit of happiness you can get right now. I hope that it helps – just a tidge – as you navigate the very choppy waters of your MIL’s health and transition home. Also, yes to all of the current challenges/stressors/unbelievable actions by the government. I really dislike uncertainty and it seems like that is all we have these days. Thinking of you often these days, my friend. Hugs. <3
NGS
May 19, 2025 at 7:31 amYay! What a fun group of people to get together!!! I bet it was so much fun and I hope it gave you a little pep in your step with the hard things that are happening right now.
I would love to be able to connect my work Outlook calendar with our household shared Google calendar. Once or twice a week I have to go around updating my household calendar with stupid things from my work calendar. It is…a thing that annoys me.
Stephany
May 19, 2025 at 1:16 pmThe picture of the three of you together makes me so happy! I am really glad it worked out that you were able to spend time with them (and extra Birchie time!) because you need it and deserve it more than anyone!
What’s going on with Jon’s mom is so hard. <3 I hope being home helps!
Suzanne
May 27, 2025 at 6:23 amI am really late to comment, but oh what a lovely photo of you three!! I am so glad you were able to meet up with Birchie and Julie — especially so because you have had so much stress lately. I hope it was a balm to be with them. And I’m hoping that Jon’s mom is doing better now that she’s in a new location.