Life Adventures for Miles

After yesterday's sun, we had an indoor day. It was quite calm up till she realized it was raining and she perked up. Today was a Tuesday of crafting: weaving and repair work on a Luna stool (that changed the shape and color and adding more mulch) for me and after making a mini loom from leftover cardboard, (easy peasy stuff! make a shape and cut an equal amount of slits on the sides you want the warp to be) Luna got to play around with it and ultimately make a rainbow weave pattern. Yay for today!

This morning, watching the pool maintenance kicked of Major chick of sunny day swimsuit wearing fun. The splash pads (concrete surfaces with various chlorinated water fountain amenities) have been opened so we walked the 2. something miles to enjoy it. Sadly I always forget that this one is bringing your own shade as they...forgot that part, and the sunscreen so my poor child has a good red/tan due to having a blast for 2.5 hrs. Then we decided to try some fishing (not as exciting without daddy) and eventually after a break-in wondering the grasses, we settled in for some calming resting (educational) screen time. The walk home was made longer(ish) as I somehow didn't pay attention and walked on instead of turning off so I had a bit more of a trek then I thought it would be. We had a good meal and spent the rest of the day in the normalcy of playing and building and coloring and gaming. All in all good times for a Monday (well any day really).

So This book is not a new one but one that is a well-known story. It is the first of 3 and one of my husband's favorites. Based on the fictionalized story from Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras about historical French figures, this fictional book relays the story of D'Artagnan who is from a poor but noble family, and his beginning years of military life in France. While he doesn't get into the Musketeers in the beginning, he does befriend 3 of them, resulting in willingly going on such adventures for his king and country. With his wit, courage, and cocky but respectful nature, he ultimately wins himself a leadership within the Musketeers. Alexandre Dumas wrote this book in 1844. His portrayal of historical figures seems to be highly exaggerated which gained popularity but also probably indifference with those that knew the true historical beings. The adventure tales of D'Artagnan are considered in the swashbuckling adventure genre (which I find quite fun). However, while it

Have you ever just sat and listened. Mind off and senses on? Felt the floor/ground underneath you? Soaked up the rays/ weather of the moment? Hear the songs of the bugs and birds and/or the rhythmic patterns of the urban and or rules life go about you? I admit this isn't something I usually do unless I am camping (which is a blue moon at this point), however, after waking up at 1am and laying in bed till 515am I couldn't stay put, not even the shower and morning routine helped and by 630am, that morning sun was calling me! So I took my camping/livingroom/computer chair out in a sunny spot (the side of the apartment building) and just sat and soaked. I heard the cicadas, the morning birds, the patterned whirring of the generator fan/AC units, and the music of the early morning traffic on the nearest street (we live close to a major street) to my seat. I gotta say, that mindful mental health thing about nature/meditation/relaxation worked pretty well for me.  An hour and a half l

My child is crazy about blocks and this week she enlisted me to make some crafts for her. I was lucky enough to have blueprint(ish) pictures for some, however, I went off on my own for some of them. There were cats and dogs and castles, towers, busses, trains, seesaws and dining room tables (she quickly put that to use for her pups) and my favorite, the robot! Now while my child loves to build and/or enlist others to build for her, her (more recent) favorite thing to do with these constructions is knock them down. Due to this, I didn't get to capture the creations as much as I wanted to, however, she had a blast, and isn't that all that matters? 

Another fishing day, today. This time it was a solo Luna adventure and I think without daddy worming, she was much more comfortable fishing in a puddle. Being the active short spanned 4 years old she is, she graduated to singing and dancing and playing in the puddle (she was eventually "driving") sans shoes and having a grand old time! Another thing is we saw was a turtle and I think it freaked her out. Poor girl.

So I reworked my mental health appointment so it's teleconferenced today (mostly due to lack of a babysitter and possible emotional state afterward). It was as short as the others, nothing changed but we did talk a bit about being more assertive in dealing with people. I realized my circle of people who know me hasn't changed...and I've let most of them in one sense or another lead at one point or another so...do I accept them in good faith when taking over or is there a way to assert myself so they know that I know what I am doing and don't need to be led. On another note, my husband is coming home a day early and my child and I celebrated by playing wheels on the bus with her using her ginormous caterpillar. We also played who took the cookie from the cookie jar, blocks, ball, mud drawing, magic wands (turning us into animals), races, and afternoon snack picnics. Yay for fun!    

Today was a sunny sunny day with light rain till the end of the sunny sundown. We had picnic meals.  The game squish became a workout and I was happy to note that while she got lazy and did some fancy talk between 40 and 100, she was consistent in her 100-110. Woot woot!  In one of our picnics, we went for a walk around a pond-ish area...I was freaking out! My child just sped through and rushed with no fear (even dragging me at parts as I was walking slower, paying attention to the splash sounds that followed then proceeded us. Luna was convinced it wasn't a fish, but a fox... This fear thing though, I realize that I am finding myself overly cautious and fearful/intimidated by the day. For someone who thought herself less cautious then she should have been growing up (due to obliviousness vs luna's headstrong confidence), it's startling to notice me swinging in the opposite direction, especially since having a Luna!

So this week my husband is gone off on a work adventure So again, this week's posts might be wonky. After taking over the truck (yay we have a truck for a week!) I and my child had good donut and hashbrowns for breakfast, and then luckily getting home for an all-day storm in blue skies. Thunder all day with spurts of rain and lightning. It was crazy, even big enough to blink the power in and out a couple times! So we played with our screens, the sand toys, the blocks, and the paw patrol. We played beach, doctor, and car driving. We had a variety of snacks and made noodles. Luna got to pop out and explore and inspect some puddles too. It's been a good day, wonder how the rest of the week will turn out!?!

Crafting this week was with sand! We made sandcastles and sand crabs and little fishies and we even made mountains! It was a lot of fun and a medium I don't work/play with a lot. For Father's Day, he wanted to be out in the nature of it all. We had some Waffel House, beach fun, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, 5 guys, fishing at a private campsite (Whiteoak), and some store strolling before dinner out. Mmm, Yummy! This year I even had the bright idea to get his family soaring eagle paintings framed. He was very happy about that, and one of them even looks 3D! I get super happy just looking at it!

I learned what Juneteenth was today. It made sense in my head when I read about it. My husband is very much a...literal?...American about it all. Equal means equal, all lives matter, we are all people and should be treated as such whether your black, yellow, white, red, purple, blue, green, male, female, a transvestite, an executive transvestite, from Earth, from Mars, from Transylvania, from the Moon, it's all about the character and the actions or reactions he perceives from you that matters to him. I would have to agree with him on that point.  However, history and culture don't always react to form in that way. As all those sayings state, the victors write the tales, the loudest cry is always heard first, ect.; it's the voices heard (and usually the loudest money and movement talks) that create society's norms and culture and history. Also to note, while all lives matter, one should not ignore that each life has its own piece of history, culture and societal norms t

This is a memoir of a "white trash" homestead from Bobbi Conn in the valley of the Appalachians. A story of a child from a broken and battered impoverished home, mostly due to the father's all-around abuse. To the adult women who found herself in similar situations. She talks about the culture of deep Christian beliefs and the punishments of her 80s childhood. She talks about being a single mother and how she learned that her drive was to be better to her children then what she was given as a child. She also ultimately learned about her roots and how to love herself (or at least understand that she is deserving) despite and because of her roots. I related a lot to her. Not in her upbringing, but in her feelings of self-worth. She is a normal human being who just kept going. It's beautiful. It was sad and depressing but also a bittersweet inspiration. I would totally recommend this book. Also, what does this say about me that I can read/watch about trama and death/abus

Boring day of repeat, we did have some good sun so I and my child went outside for some fun. The day got hotter and hotter so we took lots of inside breaks but it was three for three lessons this week as we talked about opposites today. She very much had fun figuring it out starting with sun/shade and hot and cold and ending with over/under before stairs distracted her. We even talked about the opposite of lost ("daddy is lost") when she noticed my husband was not at home, luckily the lost/found was cemented in when he came home just minutes after we talked about him being "lost." The greeting when she saw him was adorable!

Gemstones have been around for a looooong time! They have been a fabric of our history (both literally and figuratively) since man understood how to create things. While synthetics didn't seem to be developed or understood until the 20th century or so, people have been mining and wearing for life and death. Gemstones come in all different colors and have been divided for such purposes as their usefulness and appearance. 1812 Fredrick Mohs created a standard of 10 minerals to be the poster children for understanding the hardness of all minerals. Geology.com clued me into some facts!  Diamonds: Carbon atoms covalent bonded, make sturdy and durable, and versatile gemstone that has been around for many moons and hopefully be around for many more. The natural gemstone are formed underneath the earth's surface (high temps and pressure of the mantel layer) and have been found at the surface by surviving volcano eruptions! Sapphires and Rubies: made from the mineral corundum and get th

It has been a pretty slow day...even for the four-year-old (she took a nap!). Another rainy day so it was indoor couch potatoes all around. I did, however, get my results from the sleep study-no apnea, yay- and it was pointed out that I had very good lungs (lifetime of not smoking, apparently) and that my problems were more mental (recommendation for medication, depression, and sleep hygiene) then the physical signs of sleep apnea. I did have a thought that they send you in the way before the doc is ready so there is no suing of times going on. I mean seriously. Why have we waited just to have us wait again? They call you in early or later than your appointment time, depending on how busy they are, and then people like me are waiting waaaay past their appointed time. Wouldn't just be easier to keep you in the waiting room until the doc and or nurse are actually ready for you?  I have been going down the quiz shows of youtube this week. I am finding it kinda fun to see how much of t

The rain gave me a good adventure today. In between bouts of playing in the rain and jumping in puddles, we had some school learnin'! We did some math (or is it science?) And learn about ramps and balls. We had 3 different sizes and different angles of both balls and ramps. We also looked into different materials (blue rubber ball vs air ball, human ramp vs wood, vs metal). We also talked about obstacles (why does a certain (bigger) ball get stuck and the other (smaller) ball not. The small ball was always the answer (yay). There was also a logical speech an out how the pole piece was broken on the ramp and that it needed to be fixed with a screw. This gave way to kicking g the soccer ball around. As always the puddles turned into drawing pictures (little and big flowers), but also today we had paw patrol ice cream and floating plastic vs leaf bathtime races (in the puddle) and watching the world from higher ground and seeing all the colors (standing on a big green utility station

So...we are patterning new Sunday routines, it looks like. Time out for window shopping/browsing and or fishing. And the reason for the outings: hair cutting (there was a close call in which my daughter wanted to chop off her longish hair and look like daddy's buzzed fade, everyone involved would have been in dramatics!). Then it's home for getting ready for the next week (laundry! Oh the horror!!!) I did a zoom call with family today too. High-speed German...is still difficult to navigate but I caught some words and the gist of snatches of conversations so I am pretty proud of myself. Yay me!

Easy stuff this week, I found some clothes in my stash of sewing stuff so I mended them for use (instead of cutting them up for fabric). I also worked on a weaving mat. The mat is the size of my loom so it should be pretty big. Just mindless stuff that I don't have to think too hard on! Woohoo!

Today was basic decompressing from the intense week of stimulation...plus it was rainy. While Luna enjoyed the rain and cozy cuddles I thought I'd revisit a subject ( different book by the same people though) that I read about in the first week's (month's?) blog posting: mindfulness.  The intro discusses why we have negative thoughts...or well, thoughts in general (it's your brain's way of processing the synapses it computes). There are four parts and the first part. Is decluttering your thoughts. Causes of cluttered thoughts can be daily stress, the paradox of choice, too much stuff, and the negative bias (the brain is hard-wired to remember negative more than positive as it produces more mutual stimuli). Habits that help are: deep breathing focus, meditation, reframe the negative thoughts, and construct them in a new positive way.  Part 2 was decluttering your life obligations, such as: defining/identifying your core values, clarifying your life priori

Today was an easy day. Low maintenance from the intense stimulation of the week. The start was okay. She woke up early and had a good mood (and time to adjust to doing things), then we began the day's adventure. It went well for a bit, the Marine Monument Gardens was a short walk but very nice to be at. It was more like a green space honoring the Marines than a garden so Luna had a wide space to become very bored, but also room to roam free...which caused a stir. I tell you, what, this girl played that audience done but good! It took twice as long as it could (should) have because of it too. However, we finally got to walk about a very short but pretty wooded nature trail (Oakhurst nature trail). After the Sonic lunch, we decided the afternoon was for rest and relaxation so we all found our own beds and vegged until dinner (pizza).  I think it was the best choice as it gave everyone time to recharge without any...longer-lasting effects. All in all, this Luna grandparent week visit

I often wonder I am a narcissist.  Is that the right word? Growing up the outside perception was of a sheltered spoiled brat trouble maker (so I've been told). Through my adult life I've noticed a pattern of...feelings when in situations where an audience is occurring (whether small or big, us hosting or someone else),  mostly left out and out of place...and in some sense scolded.  But also envious, stressed, sad, and awkward. Now that I have a child, I have found that while they say, yes, you can bring her, they never seem to be prepared for her. This means that when the inevitable happens...I am usually the one that misses out due to needing to entertain her elsewhere. Do I just want the attention, to be a part of it all, all about me?  Or is just adult responsible mom life stuff. When I brought this concept up to my husband in the recent past, he gave me a weird look and apparently found it an amusing notion as he told the rest of the company we were keeping (whi

Today we went to the beach, then a picnicked Bojangles (it is like a Popeyes) and then explored Fort Macon! Luna had a blast! I got to jump some waves and we learned that her coast guard rated floaty held up well. However, the undercurrent and wave action was pretty strong so we mostly played in the world's biggest shelly sandbox! The fort's tunnel system and green spaces let her run and run and run! We just had to be careful on the steep steps, mucky grass, and stone edges. If you are ever in this part of the world, I would recommend it!   

This week I have in-laws coming for the whole week so, the posts might be short and easy. So lately its come to my attention that while I have yet to truly embrace the fact that it is okay not to have everything be perfect (probably due to my interpretation of those who mostly influence me -family and friends- teasing and critiquing everything I do and am vs them just stating facts. Examples are the "messy hair" that my child has after I do it vs when my husband does it, that I was a "troublemaker" growing up and that I am "wrong" in any statements (or facts) and any actions I partake in (like being a band from writing, coloring, cutting or pasting anything for an intended audience, even if the said audience is 5-year-olds) I have made strides in not care as much (also probably because I can't be bothered to have the desire or energy in trying to be such). Some (and or good) are my crafting, cleaning, and overall general appearance. A more lighter-hear

This week I took pockets I made and repurposed them into the insides of a bag liner. Then I lined the purple fabric that made up the bag with leftover brown fabric (from the Luna stool and the laundry hamper). It was a lot of work but pretty fun to do!

This week, my book is called: the accidental president. The author weaves a tale about Harry Truman's story. He started in humble beginnings, getting nowhere fast, when WW1 happened (he was 33) and he jumped into it with both feet. It seems while Truman was in all accounts a true man of average. Even as life, it seemed,  for this man of humble beginnings, had it out for him; he threw himself in everything with gusto, learning as much as he could. While life and its age of time seemed to play hard to get before and right after WW1 (he failed in all his business trials), he found himself a cog in the wheel of politics through his connections. While his core ethics were never changed, he knew what side his bread was buttered and often had to look the other way in the corrupt machine of Kansas City Missouri's politics. As he went from the country judge of 10 years to (what seemed a random) candidate to the Senate, he found himself somewhat freed-rather judged by his own

After my wake up call before 5am from the sleep study people, I was home by 520 and decided more rest was better than being awake, I was awake for the final time when the Luna child jumped onto my bed and glomped (tackle hugged) me closer to 8am. After the day of blinds breaking and attempting to call daddy to fix the blinds breaking she did, She decided the Frisbee was calling. So we played Frisbee catch...and then took turns throwing it around until she became bored (and frustrated) with her Frisbee reflexes and choose the favored ball instead. In a brief stint of a combination of the 2 in which we tried keeping the ball up by bouncing with the Frisbee (sort of a hacky-sack volleyball), we abandoned it for some color and posing pictures. After a nonresistant break for shade and water and food, we played with her sticks and dirt and "tree-house" and finally got a good block walk (in which I ended up agitating an anthill unknowingly) and came home to relative peac

Today has been largely a slow day. We had some fun Simon says dancing, ball, and balloon playing, however, it mostly has been a day of quiet independent play and screens. We pigged out on leftovers and snacks. I've been prepping for my sleep study tonight and watching YouTube in between. For whatever reasons I have been drawn into horror mysteries and historical happenings. From how the Celts changed Britain (ST. Patrick and his skillfully subtle changes outlining how paganism have similarities-also the fact that it was basically outlawing the caste systems and implementing education) to horror mysteries in history and true crime biographies. Of course, my gossip (talk) shows, crafting/sewing videos and Time Team videos are still there. I subscribed to a new guy (The History Guy) who I find quite entertaining. Another guy (Simon Whistler) Who has a good like 56 channels and I'm not sure if he will ever stop. He is super entertaining though. All of his channels are information d

Another bright and sunny day with some wind, today, and thus a day out on the sun! Luna, with great enthusiasm, ran down the open corridor, and with a stick as her tool and dirt as her median, she conquered the car spotted near the mailbox alcove. We drew family pictures, dug holes, "planted" seeds that grew into flowers (and popcorn) and talked opposites (as she noted one hole was in the sun and the other was not) and then played jump the hole, in which, jumping over and not in, was the goal. She, of course,  then noticed that the shrubs could be an instrument and led in our music lesson (PJ Masks theme song). Alas, the fun and games ended when she resisted the idea of staying put when we were taking a water break...and when all the hullabaloo was over it was agreed upon that we wait for her father to go for the walk we were planning to do after said water break. We shall see what happens!

There was a lot of learning today. Well, every day of learning but today we did a lot of "school" learning! Our morning was the normal fare in cuddles and morning conversations. food and drink. Then she found her toys and we played with blocks and paw patrol (those pups did a lot of saving today). In between bouts of educational shows, she would find new direct games of fun. A game of catch quickly turned into counting (10s, and 1 to 1 counting from 20, 10, and 5) and ABCs (both sung and said with sounds to boot). Taking fun pictures preceded a lively (one-sided) conversation on an old cell phone. Hide and seek and keep away gave away to digging bubbles-and bath toys-in the bathtub. We had lots of fun sliding around the "ice" in the kitchen while we made the afternoon meals and snacks. She, of course, had her independent moments in which she explored in the sun and wanted to quietly play and read in her room. Oh and the art on the wall of that dot to dot painting! T

So I have mulled over an idea to help my speech. People often tell me that I am hard to understand, I mumble, I miss letters/words (or whole sentences) I circle talk and repeat (redundancy), and a whole host other things. So I thought recording myself reading stories might help me with all that. Problem is, I don't like myself or my voice on recordings/videos and even the thought stresses me out, so... I have already mentioned connotations and perspectives and judgments when talking about language and all that factors into it (the culture/society and all its environmental factors) but well, I will talk about it some more. :) I recently firmly decided not to be ashamed of my independence co-dependency. We all have it too some degree or another and there is only a certain age range that society and its culture (admittedly mostly western) have really decided it is shameful to have it within that range. For example, I was once heard about someone living at home with his parents, being