Analog hobbies and other self-care activities to try

This post was written for Life According to Steph by our friend Maggie Hammond. Maggie is proud mama to two little people, and has one too many furry friends. Passionate about alternative medicine, education, the great outdoors and animal welfare.

Thanks to the pandemic, the lines between work life and home life have become blurrier than ever. Homeschooling, Zoom calls, and email answering, as well as relaxing, were all magically supposed to happen in the same living space. 

Being cooped up indoors meant checking emails during dinner didn’t seem so bad; finishing work late became the norm, and missing lunch became a bad habit. 

Now, to help with self-care, a new trend of analog hobbies is emerging. Today we’re talking about what analog hobbies are, activities to try, and other self-care ideas for 2021. 

What are analog hobbies? 

Analog hobbies are creative outlets that don’t require a connection to the digital world. These types of hobbies typically require hands-on engagement and full focus – so they’re great for living in the present and practicing mindfulness. 

It’s so easy to end the day scrolling through our phones, and we quickly lose sight of all the things we used to love doing that didn’t require electronic devices to be permanently strapped to our hands. 

Analog hobbies to try 

1. Reading 

On vacation, some of us dip our toes back into the world of reading and curl up with a good book. But in everyday life, we often find it hard to dedicate time to reading – and not just reading our phones. You can join in the Show Us Your Books monthly event to find some new pieces to try or visit your local bookstore to see what’s popular at the moment. 

2. Gardening

If we are all staying at home, we might as well make the most of it. If you live somewhere without a garden space, create a small indoor garden. Try your hand at this hobby and bring new freshness into your home. 

3. Sewing, knitting, crochet

There’s something very peaceful about sewing and knitting. Whether you’re an expert or beginner, getting into these analog hobbies can open the door to a whole world of creativity. 

4. Baking 

Bread, cakes, cookies – all the good stuff, some people take real enjoyment out of baking, and it’s a hobby the whole family can benefit from! 

Other Self-Care Ideas for 2021 

Hobbies are only one side of the coin. To ensure that your 2021 is successful and you have enough energy to try out the above activities, you need to focus on self-care. There are plenty of other self-care activities to take part in for 2021 to achieve a happier and healthier life:

1. Get a full body massage  

After a long year of stress and hard work, your body deserves a little release. A full body massage will leave you feeling revitalized and ready to achieve your goals.

2. Book a dentist appointment 

A huge population in the US suffers from dental anxiety, and as such, never visit the dentist. Even if you are normally good at seeing the dentist, if your dental hygiene has taken a hit over the last year because of the pandemic, then take the time this year to book an appointment at bafdentistry.com, and you’ll thank yourself later. If you take the time to improve your dental hygiene, you will feel more confident, but you will also be at less risk of developing long-term health conditions. 

3. Deep clean the house 

Whether you do it yourself or hire a cleaning service, you can bring a new lease of life into your home with a deep clean – perfect for trying out the above hobbies. Everything from using a toothbrush on the tile grout to cleaning inside the cupboards can be tackled, which leaves more time to do the things you love. 

These are just a few self-care activities to try this year. Let us know what ideas you have!

5 tips for planning the perfect getaway

This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind. Author: There's not much Lucy doesn't know about her two passions: fashion & interior design! Having worked in the fashion industry for six years, she has a keen eye for all things on-trend, with a focus on new developments in both the interior design world and on the world's catwalks.

It’s always nice to dream of the perfect getaway, so just how should you go about it? Planning the perfect trip isn’t easy, but it should be simple and fun with these five tips. 

Here are some ways you can make sure you’re ready to relax when you wake up on the day of your big trip. 

Start Early 

It’s never too early to start planning the perfect getaway. It might be a little way in the future, but you can always start putting plans in place and saving up for when the big trip does come around. 

The earlier you start planning, the more flexibility you will have with things like flights, and it allows you lots of time to decide on what you want to do. Get your loved ones involved and start planning the trip of a lifetime. 

Get Away from the Crowds

We put a lot of planning into our trips, and we invest a lot of money, so we want to know we’re going to have a great time. This can lead people into going to the same old places that everyone else is going to, but there’s a whole world out there to explore. 

Sometimes it’s nice to branch out and visit a completely new destination, so don’t be afraid to explore. You’ll find there are lots of different options, so focus on your research. 

Get the Right Price on Flights 

A great way to get some inspiration for possible destinations is to simply put your dates into a flight comparison site and see what destinations come up. Not only is this a great way to discover new places, but it also allows you to find a great price on flights. 

There are sure to be tons of great destinations you hadn’t thought of, and you might find you can get some good prices on travelling there. The same goes for hotels; make sure you’re doing your research and looking around for the best price. 

The more you save in these areas, the more you can spend on the rest of your trip. 

Think About Transportation 

You want your trip to be as hassle-free as possible. 

When you arrive at your destination, you should be on vacation already, so you don’t want to spend your time figuring out how to get to the hotel. Instead, make sure you have this planned out. If you’re arriving in Kingston, then book a Kingston airport taxi service, and make sure you’re not stressing out, trying to navigate the city. 

It’s a simple tip, but it’s one people often forget. 

Plan Your Luggage Allowance 

Don’t get caught out by being over-weight with your luggage. You want to save your money for making your trip perfect, not handing over cash to the airlines because you’ve brought too much stuff. 

You can bring as much as you like, but just make sure you’ve factored it in when you book the flights. This way, you don’t get caught out by extra fees. 

4 ways to revamp your home for less

With most of us being stuck inside at home for weeks on end, it’s easy to get bored and a little frustrated with seeing the same old walls. You might have also started to notice those annoying DIY projects that you had always meant to get around to sorting out and may even be feeling a little sick of your old look. 

Luckily, these issues are very easy to fix, and you don’t need to spend a lot to do it either. It’s possible to give your home a fresh lease of life with some quick and simple changes that will make your living space feel welcoming and inviting again.

Create a statement wall

A large statement wall is a great way of adding a bold new look to a room without having to put in a huge amount of effort. Start by adding in one key feature, such as a fireplace from stonewoods.co.uk. This can be a great place to center your attention, plus you get the added benefit of it making the room cozy and warm!

You can make your statement wall as bold and dramatic or as minimal as you like; it all depends on your own personal taste. Having a richly patterned wallpaper on one wall, adding special light features or oversized artwork, or even painting it a contrasting color from the rest of the room are all great ways of achieving the look. Make it work with your centerpiece in terms of aesthetics, design, and colors. 

Add bright new colors

While toned down neutrals have long been in style, having a room filled with gray and beige can start to feel a little drab. However, this doesn’t mean you need to throw them all out – you can simply add some brighter pieces to help your home feel a little more vibrant and energized.

Try a few key pieces, such as a throw, cushions, or vase in rich primary colors or jewel tones, to add a point of interest. Even bringing in a fresh bouquet of colorful flowers can make a great difference.

Change your bedding

Your bedroom is one of the most important rooms in your home, as it should be a place to feel relaxed and comforted. If it’s started to feel like a space that you don’t enjoy spending time in, then it’s time for a much-needed intervention.

While a bold new makeover can take time and require a lot of investment, making a small change such as adding fresh new bedding in an appropriate color scheme can do wonders to uplift it.

Freshen up your artwork

If you have a gallery wall featuring art, photographs, prints, or other items, then a great way of keeping things interesting is by rotating what is on display every few months. This can help keep your walls look new by giving you something different to focus on each time you change them. You can even tie them in with a new color scheme, just as going for a monochromatic look with black and white photos or picking images featuring a stand-out color.

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This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind. 

Friday Five 1.29.2021

1. If you haven't, you need to see MFD's there's a bat in my house video from yesterday. I got the bat call during a busy part of my work day with him screaming and hanging up. I called back, thinking something really bad was happening, and he answered also screaming. Finally got out that there was a bat in the house. I was annoyed and said deal with it and hung up. Cue to like 9 pm at night when I finally see the facebook live video and I am fucking screaming laughing from him screaming like a loon and Mae on the video not giving a fuck. Him on the phone: I couldn't believe I was making these sounds. And I like bats. LOL forever, worth a watch.

2. Damn this extremely cold weather straight to hell. I haven't even been to the beach since Monday. Tuesday it rained and Wednesday I wasn't here. If the winds die down I might try to go this afternoon. I hate being stuck inside. 

3. The only time I ever read two books simultaneously is if one is non-fiction and my brain requires a break to process. that's what I have going on now. I did finally win a goodreads giveaway after five years so that's exciting. I already have the book from Netgalley but still. Find me on Goodreads here. 

4. My brain had so many trains on its tracks yesterday that when I turned my computer off I felt like someone was doing this to the top of my head. I don't like it.

5. I've been using this Seche Vive Gel Effect Top Coat about weekly since Thanksgiving. I hate when people just start using something and are like "I love it." Especially skin care because, no. Your face could be berserk five days from now Give it some time. Anyway by now I'm confident in saying this is a good one to switch to. It buys me about 1-1.5 extra days with most polishes and the overall wear is better - minor fading/chipping from the top, not deep gouges of missing polish down the side. Of course I don't even want to talk to you about your chipping polish if you don't use a base coat too. 

Happy birthday to my cousin Tiffany today!

Happy Friday to you all!

Thursday Thoughts - Lady Day got diamond eyes she sees the truth behind the lies

1. I was super pumped to get my Mom Mom's chair from my Dad and Carol who are moving later this year and don't have room for it. Here I am in it in her apartment in the early 80s and here it is in my basement today. I love it so much and I'm thrilled. 

2. I bought a pair of shoes on super clearance at Madewell for...sometime in the future. I am typically a TOMs wearer anyway, even to work. I push the envelope on casual shoes. Wearing actual shoes felt illicitly thrilling. I have *got* to get out more. 

3. Thanks to Kristi for the color and chop. I feel lighter and free. The top left is the before. 

4. I've been ripping through some books this week. Both of these come out next week. In other entertainment news, I am obsessed with this group on facebook - the same video of the same guys dancing to a different song every day. I howl. Like choking laughter. 

5. Do your dogs watch TV? Bruce does (first photo). Ben will sometimes. 

6. Thanks to Mush for sharing the Princess Bride thing with me. People who woke up to injustice only under the Grifter's regime and now find free time on your hands, don't fret and do not go back to sleep. There is plenty of work to do. That doesn't stop because someone you voted for in office. Check out the First 100 Days project on Mural Arts Philadelphia, a new art project designed to engage the public around policy issues that could (SHOULD) be addressed in the new administration. We must press Biden to work FOR THE PEOPLE. All the people. Fuck corporate welfare and the billionaires. True equality will require radical, massive, sweeping change via programs/public work projects/financial reforms/regulations, the likes and scale of of which has not been seen in this country since The New Deal (1933-1939) after The Great Depression. True radical change will address white supremacy across all systems. That starts with all of us. 

7. I had no lettuce but plenty of veggies this week, so I just ate them with dressing and croutons. Since I was in Philly to get my hair done, we ordered sushi as we usually do when I am back there. 

8. If a dog had a mug.

9. Reminder:

10. E-cards: 

Whew. Back at the shore as of last night. Last Thursday Thoughts of January. Time keeps on ticking.

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Angel of Harlem by U2

The Groundhog Day of it all wall

There's a theme in my life, every February. I feel like breaking out. Going somewhere, doing something different, getting out of my everyday life for a while. A need to escape. A longing to travel, to see and to do almost anything other than what I see and do daily. 

I fully believe in the restorative nature of the winter season - a time to pull in, hibernate, heal, reflect, restore, rest, sort, hygge, embrace, renew, build up energy, read, look inside and really clean out the internal clocks. But about this time, even with two months left of winter, I'm looking to break free, to look outward instead of in, to open the door and stick my head out and look around at the world. 

That's not different this year.  I want to go everywhere and see everything. Even when I don't live in a world that allows for that at the drop of a hat anymore. Whatever sparks this urge in my brain and body didn't get the Cancelled/now virtual due to Covid memo. 

If anything the February restlessness has arrived earlier and the desire feels more desperate, likely because I see and do less. I want to go somewhere I haven't been, do something I haven't done, but also...to do things I have. To reclaim the options we've all always had until we started living in Coronaland. These options still exist, of course, but the ease and comfort of doing them does not exist on my risk/reward spectrum. I want to eat at restaurants, actually AT restaurants and not take out, like every day and not do dishes ever again. To take a spur of the moment drive to visit a friend. To not have to plan doctor appointments near my office looking over my calendar with the precision required to plan tactical missions deep in enemy territory because I don't go to my office anymore. Because I need permission from my company to even go into my office. To be surrounded by movement and life in the city that I can observe at a remove.

There's a caveat of privilege to everything I write all the time, and never more than being a middle aged white lady office worker in Coronaland. I have it so fucking good and I know it. I work at home. I can stay safe at home. I'm not required to go anywhere. I'm not a frontline worker putting my ass on the line and my job does not require me to be in person. We took financial hits but were in a position to weather them. This is not an "I am sick of being stuck at home/life is bad because of Covid" post. I know why we're home and that we're lucky to have homes and I take neither lightly. 

I just wanted to acknowledge the Groundhog Day of it All wall out loud in case you also find yourself in front of this same wall every year around this time of the winter, and this year you find the wall way more extra than it normally is due to the ugly Covid 19 wallpaper this miscreant world applied to it. And you want to beat on it with your fists more than normal due to more worries and roadblocks and fears and so many people hurting physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. Everything is extra in Coronaland, including February restlessness. I'm not offering solutions to it. I'm just naming it. 

If you have funds, please consider donating to a charity that works with unhoused people, fill up your local food bank, and support your local shelters. Ask after your neighbors, especially the infirm or seniors who might see or hear from even less people than you do. Check in on people who have lost people in this pandemic, or gotten ill themselves. And as always wear a mask. Sign up for vaccine info as it becomes available in your state. The Groundhog Day of it All wall is enough without the extra Covid layer. 

TWTW - excitement abounds

Friday MFD and I took Bruce and Ben down to the beach for a sunset run (them running, not us, don't get it twisted), then he made crab and shrimp ravioli with salad. We started watching The Stranger on Netflix. 

Saturday In a miraculous turn of events, no dog got up before 8. We eased into the day. MFD got some stuffed bread and a pie for National Pie Day from Bennie's, and I picked up a book at the library along with the required groceries. 

I had the best friends out for a very cold sunset walk in their matching vests. LOL forever. I made veggie beef barley soup which is perfectly hearty for a cold winter day, finished a book, and we watched the rest of The Stranger. 

Sunday was a day of rest. We took a super freezing walk in the north end, I painted my nails (9th & Maxwell Eggplant), read a book, and we watched One Night in Miami and Places in the Heart.

I ended up throwing pork chops and baby potatoes in the air fryer and I did week prep things like making a fresh batch of coffee and putting recycling out and packing stuff up to go back to Philly and stuff like that. I finished a book and started reading another too late to be advisable. 

I slept like shit due to dogs and here we are. 

Good thoughts to Mom & Rich and Sean, they had to put their girl Sasha down on Saturday. 

How was yours? 

5 Household Updates To Do In The Winter

This post was written for the Life According to Steph audience by Lucy. There's not much Lucy doesn't know about her two passions: fashion & interior design! Having worked in the fashion industry for six years, she has a keen eye for all things on-trend, with a focus on new developments in both the interior design world and on the world's catwalks.

Very often, in January, it can feel like winter is just dragging on. With the constant bad weather,

from snow to rain, getting outside and doing the outside jobs is probably the last thing on your

mind. There is definitely something about winter, though, that makes you want to spruce the

place up, especially straight after Christmas when everything is looking a little bare after the

decorations have come down. Here are five ways you can give your home that little winter

update you have been wanting to do. You can spend a fortune or go down the DIY route; it’s up

to you.

Give Yourself A Kitchen Makeover

More than ever before, people are setting to get into cooking proper home-cooked meals. Due

to spending more time indoors during winter, this gives you the perfect opportunity to do this

yourself. Rather than heading out to a restaurant to eat, whipping up a delicious meal in your

own kitchen can be fun and more healthy, so why not treat yourself to a new kitchen? A new

kitchen will offer you the perfect environment in which to cook in. Check out places like

granitetransformations.co.uk for some great inspiration as to what’s in style right now.

Replace Area Rugs

As far as upgrades go, area rugs are a cheap and easy upgrade that doesn’t involve the need

for workmen to come to your house or the hassle of moving furniture. You can find a great

selection of area rugs from as little as $30 online, perfect for giving your place a quick burst of

new color.

Get Into Candles

Candles are amazing, not only do they smell great, but they can be really relaxing, and you can

buy them in pretty much every color. Want to make a safe fireplace looking area in your home?

Switch out the real flame candles for fake flame candles that are safe to use around children

and babies.

Cover The Couch

If you’re sick of the color of your couch but can’t quite stretch to getting a new one or getting it

reupholstered, why not go for some couch covers? Years ago, couch covers always looked

terrible, but recent advancements in elastics and stretchy fabrics have meant that you can pick

up some really nice couch covers that actually look good.

The bonus is they will protect your current couch, too, meaning you can hold onto a couch that

has seen better days for a little longer while the paycheck doesn’t stretch to a new one.

Buy A Salt Lamp

Salt lamps are a lovely, soft, warm light to have in the house. They absorb negative energy and

help to keep you calm and happy while they’re on. The warm glow of a Himalayan salt lamp in

rose or in white is something quite special, and you could spend hours simply enjoying it.

Salt lamps are definitely good for that more hippy/boho look and for giving your living areas a

little calm look, but the lamps can be incredibly delicate, so be sure to handle them with care!

Friday Five 1.22.2021

1. I know I've talked about how much Ben loves toys, but he also loves blankets, especially soft blankets like the velour jawns and the barefoot dreams blanket. He has claimed that for himself. As an aside, does anyone have the BarkBox sheep toy intact they would be willing to part with? It was a favorite and he eviscerated it finally this week. It had a good long run though. I can't find it for less than 20 freaking dollars on ebay. I love my dog but no. I'll gladly pay shipping if anyone has it and will part with it!

2. T-shirt of the day, a Christmas gift from Carol & Dad from a personal favorite, Wire and Honey! And the dregs of my coffee batch. I let it run too low, and on a Friday. Shame.

3. I drove down to 25th Street for sunset last night and it was all decorated with shell necklaces along the fence. 

4. Bruce has been a total butthole this week and has been on the table to get my attention numerous times. 

5. Upholding white supremacy sounds like "why does it matter if what color they are/not everything is about race/you are so divisive." From an article in The Atlantic a few years back: At the time of his death, the country had turned on MLK, and one major driver was a concerted effort among conservatives to take "white supremacy" and flip it on its head, and to gaslight Black activism. The same thing is happening now, has been happening all these years. White supremacy has gone nowhere in the post Jim Crow world, and white people ignoring it won't make all the problems that stem from it go away. Best to start wading through it and dealing with it. 

p.s. Like the rest of the country, I cannot stop. It's nice to know people in the White House working on something other than seeking to do harm, causing chaos, or engaging in menacing chicanery every minute. 

pps last night was out of this world. Thank God for waterproof boots

ppps Today is the 48th anniversary of Roe v Wade and we have never stopped fighting for control of our bodies from government law. The convenient Christianity of this country is exhausting. 

 

Happy Friday!  What are you up to this weekend?

Thursday Thoughts - And whatever you're looking for hey don't come around here no more

1. Obviously I am fucking thrilled we have a woman Vice President, that adults who speak in full sentences and work are back in the White House even if they were nowhere near my top picks, I can follow the White House on social media again, some egregious shit of the previous administration was addressed immediately yesterday, there were no inaugural balls, someone has a fucking plan to get this pandemic under control, Eugene Goodman (the Capitol police officer who diverted the insurrectionist MAGA mob) escorting VP Harris and serving as acting Deputy Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, and that The Grifter and his Grifter Family are gone, but the best things to come out of the 2021 Presidential Inauguration are the Bernie memes. By far. I saw a Fleetwood Mac Rumours album version and a Springsteen Born to Run album version today too. I am here for all of them. I want to see all of them. I wish I took the day off to see all of them. They are so on brand, and the freaking mittens are made out of recycled materials by a woman in NH. I love it all. 

2. I had myself an early lunch for the festivities, wore purple/gold/white for suffrage, and got some white roses to mark the occasion. No matter how you vote or if you like Kamala Harris, electing a woman VP is a massive milestone in this country.

3. Work is busy, and my spare time has been spent trying to figure out who someone local named just John Michael with the profile photo of Clark Griswold as Santa is. It is a locked down and/or a burner account. Anyone know this person or know someone who knows them? They are extremely comfortable mentioning me, my mental state, and my physical location for someone I've never met, spoken to, or interacted with. I want to know if their online obsession of bringing me up in conversation over the past eight or so months (well, I'm only aware of it in the past eight months, it could be longer) is going to manifest itself physically and be a danger to me or my property. I confronted them online months ago in a neighborhood facebook group and they never answered/disappeared. MFD has also confronted them yesterday since they bring me up in relation to him. No response there either. That's two opportunities to answer that were not taken. I have no mutual friends with them and have no idea why they are fixated on me. Plenty of people hate MFD and don't extend it to bring me into it. If you and I are not friends on facebook and you know who this person is, help me out with a name or at the least a "they are/are not a danger to you." We have cameras at home obviously but I don't walk around with a camera on me obviously. If all they want to do is be a creep about someone they don't know online, that's fine. I just want to make sure that's all it is. Especially in the days of MAGA men angry enough with life to become domestic terrorists with no provocation. 

4. What else. Oh yes. Remove Biden flags, your trump flags, your Confederate Flags, and any bastardized version of the American flag. There is only one flag and it's the American flag and that flag belongs to all of us. The flag display was magnificent this week. 

5. Since we do not consider Biden or Harris gods, we will be holding their feet to the fire to deliver better to the American people. We do not deify leaders or install them on pedestals. They are mortals and they get paid BY us to work FOR us. Don't get twisted again, please. No one was sent here by freaking God to save you, and if they were they are certainly not going to be holding office in D.C. I hope everyone holds the new administration accountable. If your version of accountability or criticism  in regards to Harris is rooted in misogyny or racism, I will come for you and I will be relentless. 

6. As relentless as Ben is in loving the toys he cherishes to death. 

7. I attended a ticketed event with Ijeoma Oluo at the Free Library Author Events on Tuesday for her new book Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America and it was cold and I was tired so I was freaking glad it was virtual and I could lay on my bed looking like a troll throughout. If this was non-Corona Land I would have bought the ticket months ago like I did for this and when the day came I'd be sour because I would just want to go home and put pajamas on. You can skip the sourness and wishing for pajamas and to be horizontal when shit is virtual. 

8. Skies have been stellar at night this week.

9. Reminder: Don't entertain a damn thing. (via)

10. E-cards: Looking forward to Friday in a big way

Happy birthday AEB!

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Don't Come Around Here No More by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

The Secret to a Pest-Free Winter

Pests are a nuisance and don’t belong in your home. They can also be destructive and dangerous. For example, termites will eat the wood in your home, potentially causing structural issues. Rodents can gnaw through wires and cause fires, and a wide array of pests carry diseases that can make you ill. In some cases, these diseases can even be fatal.

Aside from the fact that these pests don’t contribute toward your mortgage payments, they are not something you want in your house. You need to prevent their entry and the best time to do his is during the summer before winter arrives.

Of course, you can instigate the following tips at any time of year, they will ensure no more pests can enter.

Get An Inspection

Speak to your local pest control company and book an annual inspection. The experts will check your home for any signs of infestation. They will be able to quickly and effectively deal with any issues your home has. In addition, they can help provide advice regarding the most common pests in your area and tips to keep them out of your home. 

Having an inspection annually helps to ensure that the pests stay out of your home.

Examine The House

This is something you should always do as winter approaches but it can be useful to do several times throughout the year. All you have to do is walk slowly around the outside of your property. You’ll be looking for any cracks and gaps that will allow pests into your home. 

Pay particular attention to areas around doors and windows. Don’t forget, pests can get through the tiniest of gaps, seal them all. It can help to keep your house warmer.

Cleaning 

Pests are attracted to places that are warm and have food and water. Your house is going to be warm, you need it to be. But, you can make sure there is no food available for the pests. You need to place all open food packets in sealed containers, wash dishes up as soon as you’re finished with them, and wipe all surfaces down with disinfectant spray. 

It’s also important to vacuum and mop regularly, eliminating the smallest of crumbs. 

The cleaner your home the less appealing it is to pests. This works all year round.

Remove Water

As mentioned, pests need water to survive. You can make your home less attractive by eliminating any standing water. This can be difficult if you have pets as you may have water down for them. Other than this, you should trace all sources of standing water and eliminate them.

It doesn’t just deprive the pests of water to drink, it prevents mosquitoes from laying their eggs.

Check Your Plants

If you have indoor plants make sure you take a look at them and verify pests aren’t hiding on them. It’s the perfect spot for most pests to use as a base. 

You need to make sure they are not overwatered and they are cleaned-out often, this prevents them from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests.

TWTW - getting hygge with it

Friday was a grind, so I took the best friend dogs to the beach at lunch to clear my head. It was a great day out there. MFD arrived, we had a contractor out to look at some work, and we ordered pizza for dinner. I was dead asleep on the couch before 9. 

Saturday Thanks to Gus's early rising, I was up and at the laundromat by 7:30. It was a big day out for me. I got Bruce a jacket and picked up a scarf at one of my favorite stores in town, and did curbside pickup from the library. 

We did a family beach walk in the afternoon. 

A post-walk rest before I spent a few hours working before groceries got delivered. Melissa, Blane, Stephanie, and Alex stopped by on the way back from WW/Cape May. It's so good to see people in person even when you can only see half their faces. I made wings and salad for dinner and we watched Palm Springs. Also perused homes for sale, candles at Kevinfrancisdesign.com, and best heat pipe tape because some cold cold is coming for us in the next few weeks. 

Sunday I finally addressed my fucking terrible heels and did my nails (OPI This Shade is Ornamental). I did my toes with OPI Rainbows A Go Go and why does Marshalls have to bugger things up with the price tags. I also exfoliated everything and washed my hair. 

We did a long walk down at Corsons Inlet. Even Gus did the whole way with only a 15 minute carry by MFD. 

Of all the damn shows we haven't watched and we started re-watching LOST. I also did some work, some reading, some shore house booking business (one week open for the whole summer, and one I'm holding off the market for now). Dinner was a Trader Joe's pot roast I had in the freezer along with TJ's carrot coins in the air fryer, mashed potatoes a la MFD, and the beloved Grands Flaky Layers biscuits. 

And it was the last weekend trump was president. Hallelujah and amen.

MLK Day. If you have not read Letter from a Birmingham Jail, please take the time to do so today. If you have, but it's been a while, maybe another read. I've been reading it every year the last five or so. 

Let's go beyond sharing a MLK quote today and live a little like he and all the other people before and after him pushing for Black freedom lived. I hope we can find a way to be in service to our communities despite the pandemic (let me know if you need some ideas) and anti-racist today and every day, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and all the Black people who have existed within structural and systemically racist systems and dealt with personal racism because white people have refused to address white supremacy. This is our work. It's past time. Let's do it.