If you noticed I’ve been away for the past 6 months, thank you! 😭 It means a lot to me. Even if you didn’t realize I was gone, I want to give you an update and let you know where I’m at and what’s next for this blog.

What’s been going on?

I’ve reached one of those special stages in life where I’m taught several things in quick succession and without mercy:

  1. my parents are aging and experiencing rapid health declines
  2. perimenopause (the savage years that predate actual menopause) is a hormone mine field I wouldn’t wish on anyone
  3. I’m not as fit as I used to be or think I am

So, where have you been?

To deal with #1 and #2 above, I turned to landscaping. There’s something so satisfying about the physical workout and immediate results of using lawn equipment. I didn’t realize how treacherous this could be.

After taking care of all the regular maintenance stuff, I decided to reinvigorate a little garden at the front of my driveway. I dug down about 16 inches or so and ran into some hard packed clay. Not really understanding my foe, I decided to dig it all up with a spade shovel.

a photo of my little garden with digging underway
That’s the hole I was digging myself into. Pun intended.

This is where reason #3 comes into play.

After a full 8 hours swinging that shovel into rock hard clay, my right arm was pretty sore. I rested for a week and then lifted a suitcase. Apparently, this was a bad idea. I instantly tore my rotator cuff and all dreams of a reinvigorated tiny garden for 2024 vanished.

Sadly, I wasn’t even able to type on a keyboard. It’s taken about four months, but I’ve finally reached a point where I can sit at the desk and type again. Yay, right? Well, yes… but…

I don’t want to overshare, so I’ll keep it brief. A couple weeks ago, my Dad was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer. By the time we found it, it had already spread. Things aren’t looking good, but we are holding onto hope that there might be a way forward.

My Dad is the reason I have an engineering mind. He is one of the greatest metalworkers I’ve ever known. This guy can visualize something in his head and build it. His garage is his favorite place to be. Hoisting engines, saving 4-wheelers from the dump and building tractors to move stuff around the property are just a few of the many things he can get up to in that workshop.

Lately, he’s been fixing small engines for his neighbors. Everything from week whackers and chain saws to snow mobiles and augers. He’s been a life saver for people within a 100 mile radius of his little town, and I know they appreciate him so much. They’ll be devastated to get this news, but I know they’ll lean in to help if he needs it. That’s just how it goes where my folks live.

a photo of my dad and i standing in front of his garage
This is my Dad. He means the world to me.

What about your store?

Regardless of the shoulder injury, my Etsy store has remained open thanks to the help of my 17 year old daughter. She’s been helping me to do the stuff that’s hard for my shoulder, like using the guillotine cutter or lifting boxes of paper. It’s actually been an amazing bonding experience, though I’m sure she’d roll her eyes if she heard me say that 😂

If I have to drop everything to care for my Dad, I will close the store temporarily and put a post on Instagram + a note on the store to let you know.

What’s next?

I may not have landscaping for stress relief anymore, but I do have my books. Creating a book is like meditating for me. It calms my mind and relieves anxiety. Now that my arm is working again, I’ll be creating books and posting about it like usual. The frequency of posts may still be low, but it won’t be zero. If you’ve been here for a while (or even if you’re new), you’ll know I value quality over quantity. I’d rather put 100% of my effort into one post than 40% into 10.

In short, keep your eyes open for new incoming content and learnings!

Thank you for sticking around <3

Kindly,
Misty