I know I keep saying it, but this year keeps on rushing by. March 2020 by itself felt longer than the entire first half of 2021, I think. Really, Covid has just warped time to where it doesn’t seem to go at the same pace it used to. And don’t ask me to tell you what day it is. It is Friday, right?

Also, um, the pandemic isn’t actually over yet. But even at my local grocery store these days, I’m in the vast minority of people wearing masks indoors. Even the kids who are clearly too young to be vaccinated yet. We’ve not beaten covid yet by a long shot, and I wish we’d stop acting like we had. Hot vax summer? Not for those of us with kids, to be sure.

Friday’s Frugal Five

1. We have potatoes! The first batch I dug up a couple weeks ago was a total bust, so it was very satisfying to get a much better harvest this time around. The soil in the first bed isn’t in great shape, and the lack of potatoes confirmed that. The potatoes went on some homemade pizza, and it was delicious.

I planted some beans in their place to help add some nitrogen to the soil and will be adding chicken manure after that. Here’s to hoping with some extra love that bed can be more productive again without having to dig it all out and start over.

2. Sunday I went horseback riding again with a friend. I so appreciate being able to go out with her for a low key ride and chat for a few hours. We’ve been riding in a county park that’s been specifically set aside for equestrians, and it’s a beautiful tree filled park.

I almost didn’t go this past weekend because I felt like I’d had a lot of other things I’d been doing as of late and felt guilty about leaving the house again without the kiddo. I mentioned that to the husband and he all about kicked me out the door to spend time with my friend. It was such a good day, and I really appreciate a partner who encourages me to do things for me and to not feel guilty about not “mom-ing” all the time.

3. The stock market took a plunge on Monday and all the big media could talk about was the “crash.” By today, it’s old news and hardly anyone remembers that little “dip” on Monday. It’s a good reminder that time in the market matters, not timing the market. Best to set your investments and let them ride.

On Monday though, when there was a lot of stress and consternation about the markets, I recorded a short video on my thoughts to help those who were struggling with it. If you missed it, you can catch the video over on Instagram.

4. We unexpectedly woke up to rain earlier this week, which meant that the laundry hanging out on the back deck got to hang on the line for a bit longer as it dried out for a second time. With the extended weeks of dry weather, it didn’t even occur to me that I might need to bring them in case of rain, but by the end of the day, the clothes were dry again.

While SeaTac (the official location to measure precipitation) got only a “trace” of rain, we got enough to soak the garden beds and skip watering. Microclimates are weird, and we definitely seem to get slightly more rain than some of the surrounding areas. During such a dry stretch, I’m definitely not complaining.

5. Lindsay, a former personal finance blogger and local friend, came for dinner on Thursday night. In the past few week, I’ve gotten to see a number of people in person that I haven’t seen since the pandemic began, or in Lindsay’s case, for the second time. With friends, I can ensure that they’re fully vaccinated, so I’m much more comfortable welcoming them into my home. At the store, I’ll continue to mask and keep my distance.

Since she’s someone I knew would appreciate a local garden dinner, I decided to make a meal that centered around what I could pick that night. I settled on this Skillet Chicken with Rhubarb, since I needed to harvest my rhubarb and wanted to experiment with a savory use for it.

It also called for garlic, onion, thyme, and green onions, all which also came from my garden. The chicken was a (large) local source, as was the wine that went into the sauce. It was an awesome meal, and one that will definitely be repeated in the future. And the leftover sauce and rice (with a little chicken) came with me for lunch at work.

PS – my panel for the Plutus Impact Summit is tomorrow! You can register for the free event here.

Exercise Update

Friday was a half hour on the elliptical before heading home for the day, plus a long working walk. Sunday was horseback riding day.

Monday was an elliptical at the end of the work day and then a run in the evening around the neighborhood. Wednesday was another long walk and then a swim.

How are you feeling these days? What are your thoughts about where we’re heading with Covid into the fall?