The Plot Bunny Farm

Last night, we got our first bit of wintry mix — mostly rain, trace of snow that stuck around on the grass for a little bit after the sun came up. The kids were incredibly happy to see the snow. (Me, I told them to make sure they caught their buses this morning because I wasn’t driving anywhere!)

Anyway, it was nice to see a winter trying to be winter, and it’s always good to see happy children. (Also on my gratitude list right now: the smell of the bread that’s about to come out of the oven.) What are you grateful for this week?

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Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

It’s been windy and cool the past few days. Makes a nice break from that almost-80 it was trying last week! I just wish the weather would settle down.

Little things are pleasing me today: the girl’s first soccer win yesterday, getting my e-mail cleaned out, looking forward to some D&D after a few months of primarily board games.

Oh, for reference, I took screenshots of my actual avatar for Habitica and the pet page with the name showing. Fine, you can still think it looks like a cat. But it’s a fox.

So what are you grateful for today?

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

This is probably going to sound silly, but I parallel parked today when I visited the library. I was dropping off some books to donate, so I wanted a close parking place. The only one available required parallel parking.

I realize this is a skill most people learn when they are decades younger than I am. However, I have literally never before properly backed into a single-car space, then turned the front of the car so I would be parallel to the curb. And today, I did it.

Also? It got cold enough last night that there were no gnats at the girl’s bus stop this morning!

And … our neighbor has a couple bookcases sitting by the curb, free for the taking. My husband asked where I thought they could go. After some thought, I pointed out a couple places in the dining room. Is this ideal? No, but it’ll do for now.

So those are a few of the things I’m grateful for today. What are you grateful for?

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

As is probably obvious by now, I track years by school years as well as calendar years. Gives me twice as many new years! Of course, I’m rarely ready to start new projects when the new year rolls around, but I do have a burst of energy and attempted organization, so with luck, this’ll mean that I actually get Treachery finished this month. Helping in this are two apps, both of which I’ve mentioned before: Freedom (to keep me off the Internet) and Scrivener for iOS (so I can write even away from the computer).

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Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

One of the main reasons I do these gratitude posts on Mondays is to remind me that I have so much that is good in my life. This can be an especially valuable reminder on Mondays — our culture has built up a sense of dread about starting the week, so this is my attempt to counteract that. Not always easy, especially when I’m having a rough day. Or a rough week.

So here are a few bright spots in this day:

• The temperature is under 80°, and it’s breezy. Yes, it’ll be back above 90° later this week, but right now, it’s lovely.
• The part to fix our broken toilet was about $2.75 with tax, and the toilet is working now.
• Verizon Wireless support on Twitter is trying to help me get my data plan sorted out after much frustration on my part. (Fruitlessly, it turns out, but they tried.)
• My friends encourage me on rough days.
• I got lovely new art supplies last week and took some time to play a bit this weekend!

What are you grateful for this week?

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

Wow, that happened fast.

It’s been cooler here than the middle of the country, for which I’m grateful, but it’s also been beastly humid with lots of thunderstorms.

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Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

Every now and then, I think I should water the yard. I worry about my blueberry plants (now with a dozen berries!) or the petunia that my daughter’s class gave me. And then, this being Pennsylvania, it pours. We’ve been here almost a dozen years, and I still find it weird — will always find it slightly tone-deaf — that people can worry about a drought if it doesn’t rain for two months (usually July and August). Two months does not a drought make. (It does, however, lead to times when it’s not ridiculous of me to wonder whether I should water the plants.)
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Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

Last week, I didn’t plan on getting much work done, what with it being the last week of school for the kids. Sure enough, I did lunch with my daughter’s class, plus the annual outing with the kids for ice cream. Also did a trip to a library in a neighboring town, plus ran through the car wash because the girl really loves that.

And, of course, different flowers are blooming. Last week marked the end of the peonies for this year, but the rose is blooming, as are the red hot pokers, and the Monarda (bee balm) will be starting soon. Clematis is budding, too. Not expecting anything from the crape myrtles until next month, though. So what do we do with this bounty of blossoms? Well, the girl wanted to take flowers in to her teacher. Hence, the bouquet.

Now we’re back to remembering how to deal with Mom wanting to work with the kids at home. We’ll get it straightened out by the end of the week, I’m sure. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying their enthusiasm.

What are you grateful for this week?

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

Spring continues, and the weather doesn’t seem to be sure what it wants to do. It rained most of last this week. This week looks to be mostly sunny, but cooler and much windier. Also, lots more pollen. We’ve moved on to pine pollen predominating, I think.

On the other hand, we’re still getting beautiful displays by plants like our azalea bush, and the peonies are starting to bud out, so I’m looking forward to their fragrance soon. (I take extra antihistamines for it. Yes, I’m still and always grateful for all forms of modern medicine!)

The other thing I’m really grateful for today is supportive friends, the ones who encourage me to stretch myself and who are there with words of encouragement if things don’t go as I’d hoped. You know who you are. Thank you!

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

April went fast, didn’t it? Actually, the first third of the year vanished fairly quickly. I know I’ve been doing things (taxes always seem to rob me of early April), but the time always manages to surprise me.

Tonight, my daughter’s Brownies troop (Girl Scouts) are doing a Mother’s Day dinner. We were warned to bring appetites and told “all bets on diets are off 🙂 desserts will be served!” Which, of course, is why I’m posting my blog now, rather than doing it during her meeting while I wait for her (my usual m.o.). So, time with my daughter — first thing I’m grateful for today.( Read the rest of this entry » )

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.