Field Notes 7/4/25

Hey friends! It’s that time of the week again! I’m here to round up what all happened last week. I think I got myself confused with last week’s post and told you most of what happened for that immediate week so there might be some overlap and also catching up on just things in general. I will get this whole field notes thing figured out sooner or later. It might be later but we’ll work it out! Bear with me through these growing pains.

First up, I spent some time painting the kitchen and laundry room. I actually took a whole day off to get it done. I didn’t get all of it done-part of the laundry room needs an extra coat. But I knocked through a lot of it. I’m also working on patching some of the kitchen and then will get that painted. But. It is almost done. I will need to get some white paint for the ceiling but that can wait a bit. I’m trying to get a lot done before my birthday party, as I mentioned in my last field notes from last week. I still need to powerwash the ends of the house (I need a ladder to do that so I’ve been focusing on doing the parts that don't require said ladder). I came home from working the kennels on Saturday and got the whole front of the house washed! Then I had to let everything dry and then put it all back together. That’s the hardest part of everything isn’t it? Putting it all back together once you’ve torn something apart, clean it/fixed it. You admire your work and then say to yourself ‘but I still have to put it all back together!”.

I haven’t done well with eating at home lately. I’ve been way too busy but I am working on that. I do really well with a plan and then batch cooking things. Sometimes at night I am too tired or have too many projects that need attention. So if I can batch cook a few things then I can have lunch on the go and dinner ready to heat up when I get home. Did I tell you about the shrimp tacos I made? I’m sure I did, but just in case I didn’t. They were delicious! I bakes the shrimp with some veggies and some spices then made a cabbage slaw and homemade chimchurri. I put it all together on corn tortillas! I still dream of those tacos. I will make some more this coming week.

I’ve also slacked on trail running. It’s gotten so hot here and my busyness has kept me, well, busy. But we are working on that too. I either have to get up early and take Anna to the trail or do it around 7:30 at night in order to beat the heat. I’ve missed our runs and know it does my body, and mind, a lot of good to be active like that. I’m also clearing out the garage so I can get back to using my gym. I have a little gym set up in the garage that I can use but haven’t really gotten to it yet. I can feel the tides turning in the next week or so as I get things done and then can finally breath for a minute.

I think that’s about it. There’s a lot to share with you but most of it hasn’t happened yet. LOL. I have two trips to Nashville. I have an event that I’m helping with. I have all the fun things planned on the farmstead that relates to my birthday party. See? Most of it’s in the works. Oh! The July Coffee and Pie Chat has been released! Even though technically that should go in next week’s field notes, we can still include it here. Oh hell. Let’s just round up my week however I see fit. It’s my blog after all. It doesn’t have to make sense. LOL.

Oh! before I go, did you notice the logo?! I went back to my old one! I love it and I think it still speaks to who I am and my brand. I did have to go to the library and use their computers to change the colors in GiMP. It’s funny, I bought a Chromebook and have no clue how to download GiMP to it. I don’t necessarily need it that often but when I’m doing things with my logo, I do need it. Anyway, I researched online and saw that the local library has it on their public computers. So I beebopped right on over and asked the lady working the front desk if they had it on their computers and she told me no! I was baffled and told her that I looked it up on their website and asked if she knew which branches had it. She told me I could use their express computer to see if it was on there. She rapid fired instructions to me, to which I asked her to explain again. Then after I logged in, I found GiMP! As a former library director, I am a little concerned that the workers don’t know what programs they have access to. That’s a great staff training and development importunity, not to mention a great community resource to share with their patrons and community members. Then when I sat down at the extended use computers and looked at the key board, I snapped a photo and send it to one of my former employees back in NY. We had a good laugh. I was kind of known for my use of the compressed air! Where’s a can of compressed air when you need one? Or a good Lysol wipe? Yuck. Anyway, I was able to update my logo with my brand colors in about 30 minutes. Time well spent. Then I went on the prowl for some library books. I don’t utilize the libraries here like I should. I’m not sure why. Mostly I don’t get that warm, welcoming feeling you get when you go into smaller libraries. At least not at the branch that is closest to me. There is another one that seems to be slightly more friendly that is close to me too (just in the opposite direction, but in the town where I spend more time now. Why do I keep going back to the one that is closest to me, but not in a direction I travel often?!).

That’s it for this week. I am taking next week off. It’s my birthday week and I have a party to plan and execute! It will, undoubtedly, take up all my extra time. But, Anna Lee and I are in the midst of big changes and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

‘til next time
-k
xoxo