Summer Solstice

The longest day of the year has arrived. I’m glad mostly because that means the days start getting shorter and fall will come. I’m not wishing away my summer yet, I still have fun stuff planned. But looking forward to being in my car without sweating. 

I’ve had 3 days off this week. I took the days so I could go to girl’s camp, but because it was stake camp this year, they didn’t need me except for rides. I already had it on the calendar so I took the time off work anyway. It’s been nice. I did spend a small chunk of yesterday up at the campsite. Then this morning I went to do some volunteer time at the peach orchard. I came home all itchy so I got cleaned up and ate lunch then decided to do some shopping. I know, I’m not supposed to because I’m not supposed to be buying “stuff” this year. But I got a new area rug for my living room and it’s a net zero because the other one is being taken to the D.I. I am really tired of that old rug shedding weird fibers and powdery stuff all over my floor. My new one is made from a different fiber/material so hopefully that problem is gone.

Yesterday, my sister helped me install the new garbage disposal - and by help I mean she did it while I played with her kids. 🥰 We gotta do what we’re best at. It’s nice to have 2 sinks working again. And I finally sprayed WD40 on my deadbolt on my front door so I can turn it again without getting stuck. Just finally getting to the little things is really making me happy. Now I need to borrow a drill to do a few more things on my to-do list.

I miss mom, but life is still good.

Welcome Summer

Well, summer is here and so far it’s been a good one. My sister and I did a mini road trip/vacation this week. Or today.

A favorite food blogger published a cookbook and did a little book signing party in her area: Boise. So my sister thought it would be fun to go to and got us tickets for the event. Yesterday, I took a half day off work and we drove up to Boise. We had just enough time to get there, find something to eat for dinner, and find the venue as it was starting at 6 pm. The venue was some outdoor place that looks like it is probably used for wedding receptions and things like that. It was beautiful and green and had flowers and trees and a small pond/fountain thing. 

We got there early enough that the line for the signing wasn’t so long so we did that first and got to meet her and she was really nice. We had already purchased our cookbooks online and brought them with us. Then we went and got snacks. It was catered and had all kinds of bread with flavored butters. I had blackberry butter on my bread and it was so good. They also had a bunch of different cookies from the cookbook. When the line for the merchandise got shorter we got back in line and I purchased a hoodie that says Homebody on it. LOL it was weird purchasing hoodies in the heat, but it will be nice this winter. 

We left after that and checked into our hotel. It was about 8:30 and we watched HGTV until bedtime. This morning we got up and had breakfast and came back home. So it was a quick trip, but actually a lot of fun and was nice to get out.

It’s going to get hot over the next couple days so summer is really here. This was just the first thing I have planned and I think its a good thing to make time for some fun after what this year has been so far. so I’m actually looking forward to the next couple months this year. 

Walking

My sister talked me into joining a walking challenge for the summer, actually April - September. I have to walk or hike 3 miles a week, 75 miles total. If the weather is bad I can do indoor walking or other exercise but part of the goal is to actually be outside. As of right now I’m caught up and right on target, and 3 miles is not hard, but you have to be making time for it constantly. I got sick one week and got behind for a couple weeks. I’ve completed 26 miles so far. Kind of crazy to think of how they add up. 

I do feel better and am sleeping better. Not every night is great, but I’m having fewer sleepless nights. One thing I’ve really enjoyed though is getting out without my earbuds in. Instead of music or a podcast, I’m listening to the river or the birds and in my own thoughts. I’m not sure I’d want to do that for long distances, but for the mile or so I’ve been walking at a time I kind of like it. 

Now it’s getting warm though. I’m not sure how I’m going to fare through the summer. There will be fewer days walking on my lunch break. My plan is to get up and walk before work on the days I’m working from home. I actually did it this morning. I can’t say I super enjoyed it, but there are positives. The biggest one is that I’m done already and don’t have to worry about walking later. The parkway has fewer people on it and I like that. It’s cooler. With the canyon breeze in the morning, it smells like camping, which is something I love. So maybe it’s not so bad. In June, I want to try turning one of the days of walking into hiking and get out on some of the easy trails near me. Saturday is June 1. I wonder if I can get myself up and out there in the morning?

 

Memorial Day 2024

It’s been a nice holiday weekend. I was really lazy on Saturday and staying in bed reading for a while before I finally got up. It was raining so I was at peace with that decision.  Yesterday we had family dinner  at my brother’s house and I sat on the grass blowing bubbles for a bit. I don’t care how old I get, I’m always happy to blow bubbles. Before that I drove up to the Wellsville cemetery to drop some flowers off at my grandma’s grave. It’s such a beautiful drive right now. The green mountains and snow still on the peaks. 

Today we met up at the Brigham cemetery as a family and walked around putting the flowers down. We had promised my mom long before she was gone that we would continue the tradition for her. I got a new phone and the list was one thing I forgot to back up so I had to make it again from memory and I swear I missed someone, but as we walked around I didn’t notice anyone that we didn’t have flowers for. We arrived at almost the same time as some other family and it was nice to see them there. It’s really a glorious day. If summer stayed like this, I wouldn’t mind it so much. I guess it’s technically still spring but most of the kids are out of school and Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. 

I’m inside now for some housework but may run an errand and go for a walk later this evening when the sun is a little lower. Forgot to put sunscreen on my part and my head is a tiny bit red. I just sunburn so easily. 

Roadtrip!

I spent the weekend on a mini road trip with my sister and her 4 year old twins. And her dog. 

We drove down south and stayed at a hotel in Richfield. It wasn't expensive and had an indoor swimming pool. I'm not a -sit by the pool- type of person. For one thing, I don't like to sit in the sun because I burn so easily. And I'd rather read indoors. But I do find it very relaxing to play in the pool once in a while. So we took the twins to the pool both Friday and Saturday nights and it was a lot of fun. 

On Saturday, we spent the day at Capitol Reef National Park. It wasn't too crowded and I had not been there since I was a kid. I loved it. 

Plus, I really love looking at the wildflowers. 

We managed a small hike before the rain started. We were going to tough out the rain, but it lightening and thundered once and the kids were kind of done and I don't blame them. It was still such a nice little hike. 

We stopped at Fish Lake and Pando on the way back to the hotel so that's another bucket list item checked off - Pando, not Fish Lake. 

Of course, the drive home took forever and we had to stop a bunch of times for bathroom breaks but I still had a great time, even if I was happy to sleep in my own bed again. 

Sold!

We finally have officially sold mom’s house. We ended up canceling the contract we had because the buyer wanted things we were not willing to do. Then last week sometime my realtor contacted me to ask if we would sell as is for a lower price and the buyer would do all the repairs. So we said yes. We updated the new contract with new disclosures and today we transferred the title. I hope that’s the last of it.  I have to cancel the utilities and insurance tomorrow but then we wait for probate to run out and pay off the debts. It’s been a lot of work to get to this point.

Half of my dining room table is actually covered with mom’s containers of papers. I need to go through them but I just don’t want to do it right now. Maybe this summer when it’s too hot to go outside? Or whenever I decide I want my table back. 

Dealing with All the Feelings

Grief is a weird thing. Maybe it just comes in waves? I’m not all surprised that I can be happy and sad at the same time but whatever I thought I might go through when my mom died, I’m pretty sure this is not it. And I know I had some hard times dealing with my dad’s death, but I don’t remember them so much as now I just miss him. 

The last 2 weeks have been hard on me. We got the house emptied and put up for sale and had 2 offers within 24 hours. The inspection came back with a lot of things wrong. On one hand that’s what the inspector is supposed to do and it’s an old house so of course there are repairs needed. On the other hand, there is some water damage, mold, and a leak under the house that we have to repair. These were unexpected but are not crazy repairs and of course we won’t sell it with mold growing under there. But what would normally be something I let roll off and just take in stride felt absolutely devastating to me. And since then every single thing has just been too much for me to handle without wanting to have a good cry first. I know this will pass but I’m not sure how to deal with it in the meantime. 

We have a plan for the house. The buyer actually wanted a lot of repairs besides the ones we are willing to do. We have a counter offer out to her. At this point I might feel better if she says no and we have a little time to get a few things fixed before we list again. We are definitely not going to fix everything. It’s going to sell “as is” with a few repairs. 

I have a plan for myself this weekend too so I don’t just sit around and mope. It’s not the sadness that bothers me but the lack of emotional resilience I’m showing right now. Part of the plan includes a walk and getting outside a little bit - I got sick this week and am finally feeling like moving again. Then I’ve got a few things to work on. A few more things can be organized or cleaned out. I might even want to take flowers up to mom and dad’s grave. I haven’t been there since the funeral, because that’s not really where I feel a connection to them. But it might be nice. 

I will admit that I am actively avoiding Mother’s Day. I feel no shame in this. I can’t even celebrate my sisters being moms and I’m not going to try. The year at least, there is no making the best of it. I have to be at church a bit to fulfill my obligations but I don’t have to listen to any of the speakers. I’ll either be out in the foyer or behind the organ reading my scriptures or the Ensign while people talk. That’s the way I’m coping this year.