My brain has been very busy lately. Of course, there are the atrocities happening in communities, people terrified of ICE agents snatching them out of the street as they leave school or work or the store.
I’m grateful that I get to work from home, because we have been totally slammed with snow and temperatures below zero in Indiana.
I’m pleased that my interpreting business is doing well. I don’t often think of myself as having a business, except now it’s tax time, and I have to think about it a lot. I also recently secured a new contract that I’m excited about. It had to go through lawyers and everything, which feels so grown up. Of course I’m grown up. I’m 40, but you know what I mean.
In March, I am retaking what is called the BEI test in Michigan. I “failed” the test last May by one point. I use quote marks not because I didn’t pass (I didn’t pass) but because I don’t feel like a failure. I was told that it was unlikely I would pass that test the first time because I was so newly out of school. I’m confident this time that I’ll pass it with flying colors. I believe in myself.
The other big news around here is that I have a surgery scheduled in April. I’m not supposed to work for 2 weeks, but I can’t really swing that. Instead, I’m taking off one week and then trying to work 1 or 2 hours per day the following week, separating the hours so they’re far apart. So, my goal would be to work something like 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and then 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..
And this is what I mean by a busy brain. All this stuff is sort of piling on top of each other and swirling around in my dreams, making for some pretty sleepless nights, and some pretty irritating mornings.
🥕 Finishing a silly jigsaw puzzle.
🥕 Cooking new recipes.
🥕 Crouton the Croton hanging out with Nick in the shower.
🥕 Breakfast went at Wendy’s with my friend Ray. The breakfast biscuits are so good; don’t sleep on them. Also, afterwards we’re able to sit and color. Is anyone else into those adult coloring books that are basically like a paint by number situation?
🥕 The first horror book club of 2026 went excellent at the new location, and we even had more attendees than usual. People ate, and drank, and laughed.
🥕 My childhood best friend asking my mom for my phone number, and now she and I text back and forth about scary movies all the time.
🥕 My brilliant, wonderful friend Taylor, whom I adore. She’s a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame in biochemistry, and she also reads spooky books.
🥕 I gave my African violets little haircuts, and now they look like toddlers doing uppies.
What are your carrots this week?
Grab the Lapels 
First, I loved this “Of course I’m grown up. I’m 40, but you know what I mean.” I’m decades past that, but I do know what you mean.
I have had many carrots this week, because we are back here in Melbourne with family, and I have had wonderful interactions with so many of them, including of course the grandchildren. The first one was the day we arrived. We met them for dinner, and our grandson jumped out of the car clutching a book I’d given him for Christmas, saying “remember this book you gave me?”, and wanting to tell me about it. Another was a really enjoyable conversation with a 40-something Iranian couple – they met here but both migrated here in their adulthood (she 19, he 27). We talked about Iran, the Middle East, migration, and easier subjects like travel to Japan and being gluten-free. (It was at our granddaughter’s 4th birthday party, and these people were the parents of our granddaughters BFF at daycare!!)
Oh, and I loved watching the Australian Open tennis finals on the weekend!
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That is so charming, the little one jumping out of the car with his book. I hope he had lots of interesting things to say about it. I’ll bet a birthday party for someone turning four was just wild if there were a bunch of other children there, too.
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He did … mainly about the Gila monster which he’d just seen at the zoo. And yes … a bit wild but there were only three guests plus the birthday girl. But they were not sensible. Nearly all the gift wrap paper was unicorn- themed. What sound does a unicorn make do you know!? I couldn’t answer that question.
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Good luck with the surgery.
My carrots have been hanging out with my grandson, who is learning to walk and say a few words, and celebrating his first birthday this weekend. I made a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream icing, and he enjoyed his first taste of chocolate.
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I cannot believe he is walking. He was just born! I swear it, Jeanne. I hope he has a lovely first birthday party. That was awfully sneaky of you as the grandma to give him his first chocolate, hehe.
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It was a lovely party. Much as I would sometimes like to, I wouldn’t try anything sneaky with him as a first without consulting his parents; we had a plan to give him his first taste of chocolate on his birthday.
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Oh!! I thought the birthday party was coming up soon, and you made your grandson a cake early. I misunderstood. I was actually surprised! You are absolutely a level-headed individual, that’s why I giggled at the thought of you sneaking in some chocolate!
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You sound happy and busy! My carrots this week have been going out for lunch with a good friend, parent-teacher conferences and my kids getting to show me some of their work at school, and sorting out some boring but necessary appointments!
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What kinds of restaurants do you go to with your friend? I feel like Chinese is always the go-to around here! Also, what kind of work did your girls complete at school? I just noticed on the Facebook page of the public school my nieces go to that one of them had an art piece chosen for a special show. She never texts me about it, but I stalk her and her sister with the Facebook page, lol.
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I love Chinese food and I’m super picky about it and so we don’t have it very much here. The place my friend and I went last week is a breakfast/lunch place with sandwiches etc. It’s newish but good. We have a good new Italian restaurant in town and one my favourites is a beachside restaurant with lots of seafood and good burgers. The next town over probably has a better restaurant selection but for a mid-week lunch, this was perfect.
Pearl got to show me the art cards she’s been working on – about the size of playing cards and all different drawings of things she’s seen on their nature walks. Rose showed off her 3D painted fish and got to bring it home. They both showed me their journals and some photos of them doing projects in class.
That’s so cool that your niece had a piece chosen! Is art something she really enjoys? I love keeping tabs on the school Facebook page because I do get to see things the girls don’t tell me about otherwise. I’m also super fortunate because often the school principal will text me pictures of my kids when there’s special stuff going on at school.
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She does enjoy art! I think her favorite Christmas present is art supplies or crafting stuff, which amuses me because on the outside she likes to look really tough.
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Reconnecting with a childhood friend sounds wonderful!
I love the possum meme, LOL.
Carrot: the new season of Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix is out! I love that show. I’m on episode 4. You know I love a mystery and I enjoy these characters so much.
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I haven’t had Netflix in years, so I’m behind on what’s popular over there. The last Netflix show I binge watched was Midnight Mass, which was so good! I love me some Mike Flanagan.
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Love your attitude to the exam result. Missing by one mark must have been so disappointing.
Good luck with the surgery – remember that the body does need time to heal so don’t push yourself on the work front.
My carrots were finishing my 4th charity quilt of the year; re-watching Little Fires Everywhere (loved it) and making plans for a summer holiday in Ireland. We don’t have snow/ice here – just constant rain – nor fortunately do we have ICE terrorising people. But I still need something to distract me from gloomy world affairs
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Ooooh, what are you going to do in Ireland? And what kind of charity accepts the quilts? Is it quilts for people who maybe have dialysis and are cold, or do they sell the quilts and raise money?
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We haven’t firmed up our plans yet beyond Waterford, Cork and the Dingle Peninsula.
The charity I support is called Project Linus which makes quilts for children who have/are experiencing trauma. I don’t know about quilts for dialysis patients – would you like me to ask in one of the Facebook groups I’m in? Which State are you in?
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Oh, I’m good! I just know it’s common in the US to knit hats or blankets to donate to dialysis patients.
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OMG what is that adorable floppy bunny doing in your uncle’s lap that is about the most cute thing I have ever seen and now I want to pet a floppy bunny soooo bad!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, I am VERY impressed that you own your own business. I could never!!! That is so cool.
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Someone brought in bunnies as an enrichment activity to the care facility. Uncle Ralph, I’m told, thought it was interesting because he spent so many decades hunting rabbits!
I think you could do your own business. You’re most of the way there with your blog, radio segment, and ARC schedule with publishers.
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yah true, but I also love the stability of a paycheque, ya know? When and where it’s coming from, I need that routine
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Oh, 100%. Right now, I couldn’t do what I do without Nick’s steady paycheck. There are interpreters who hustle enough to make a whole living out of it, but I’m also aware that the risk of Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) increases, too.
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So happy to hear your interpreting business is going well! I hope the surgery in April goes well and you have a speedy recovery. Careful not to over do things afterwards, listen to your body! And good luck on your exam. I am confident you will pass with flying colors!
And yay for all the good things! Uncle Ralph petting the bunny warmed my heart.
Good thing: we had a neighborhood patrol check in call last night to see how everyone was doing and while the talk was serious, there was also lots of laughter and genuine care as we were all making sure everyone is doing ok. I love my neighbors!
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I was happy to learn that ICE is leaving, but I know many of us feel we will believe it when we see it. Also, the border weirdo said they arrested 4,000, a sad number of folks who will likely spend time in detention centers before being released to Minnesota again. But, there is light, hope.
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There is currently no sign that ICE is leaving. They took delivery of 2 dozen new SUVs the very day Homan announced the end of the surge and they have been out with redoubled force in the cities every day since. They caused a 3-car wreck in St Paul the other day and abducted a 17-year-old from the Hennepin County Courthouse. Also, that 4,000 number is full of lies. They arrest people who are citizens or have documentation and then let them go but count them in the numbers. And, they are counting people who are undocumented who have served their prison sentence and are being picked up directly upon release from jail. This is normal procedure, but they are talking it up as though they arrested them off the street when they have done no such thing. We are hopeful ICE is leaving and the media is reporting like everything is hunky-dory here now, but on the ground, nothing has changed. Hopefully it will, but don’t believe the Feds.
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I feel bad that I brought up something negative when your whole comment originally was about laughter. I am sorry for that.
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Oh no worries Melanie! We are hopeful ICE will actually leave, but so far there is no evidence. But tonight my neighborhood is having a Valentine’s Day vigil lining one of our streets for several blocks and a candle will be lit on one end and then the flame will be passed from person to person. We are also supposed to bring a Valentine to give to a neighbor. And there will be singing and hot chocolate. So lots of joy still to be found 🙂
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Oh, that sounds super lovely! Oddly, passing the candle reminded me of a news story I saw this morning that was basically Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants but with a wedding dress.
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There are a lot of carrots in this lovely post! I’m glad your business is going well. I totally know what you mean about things feeling grown-up if they have to go through lawyers – I felt the same way when I was buying my flat and kept getting calls from my solicitor. My carrot is that I am going to see my mum tomorrow – we’re meeting up midway between our two homes to go to a fabric swap at a haberdashery, and have lunch!
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Oh, yes! Buying a house feels deadly serious. There you are with the realtor, the closing entity, signing your name over and over and over again, meeting up with a mortgage lender. It’s a lot! I hope you have a lovely time with your mom tomorrow. I’m surprised you’re going to a fabric swap because I don’t remember hearing about you sewing or anything like that.
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Yes, I took up sewing about three years ago – that’s one of the reasons that my blog is quieter than it used to be! I make most of my own clothes now and a lot of the time I used to spend blogging goes there instead.
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Are you gonna show us what you’ve been making?
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Probably not – I don’t post pictures of myself very often, and they just look at bit flat hanging on a hanger!
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That makes sense. I was thinking of the posts that you’ve done of you on your travels and wondered if sharing your sewing project would be something similar, but I see what you mean.
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