Happy new year, Mesa AZ is on hour 3 of fireworks. Either the rain doesn’t stop the party or we’re under attack.

My kids want tamales for our annual egg hunt. Which means I have like 4 months to learn to make tamales. Can’t be that hard, eh?

I chose a crazy SDV farm so I figured I’d pair it with too many quests at once. My cozy game feels like a frantic puzzle challenge.

I need a recipe for black beans for this weekend. It’s our Thanksgiving dinner and I am making carnitas and esquites. Or maybe Cuban black beans?

“Was silence not an option?" Listening to the Ezra Klein podcast and when he answers Ta-Nehisi Coates here he says no. If you cannot accept silence and demand someone have an opinion here, you better prepare to hear Kirk’s opinion that his death is the price we pay for the Second Amendment.

Most annoying part of living in the woods is mice. They get into absolutely everything, eventually. Off to clean up what they didn’t destroy and try to stuff even more things into rodent resistant containers. Heavy sigh.

It’s gnat season again! I don’t know if it’s drain flies, fruit flies, or some other tiny demon but they’re small enough to get in through the screens and drive me to drink… wine that attracts the stupid things. PS Zevo light traps help a lot.

Driving home to CDT from MST and struggling with whatever the RV form of jet lag is.

The Two Things You Must ALWAYS Repost If You See it. This video below. The two SHUT THE FUCK UP FRIDAY videos, where every day is don't talk to cops.

“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." – Hosea 8:7 Trump, Musk, and the entire GOP keep sowing the wind. The whirlwind is here. 🧵

This is my state’s Democratic Party chair. This is what we need at the national level.

Elon Musk, bringing his chainsaw to your job, your Social Security, your health care, your future. Don't like it? Help elect Susan Crawford to Wisconsin's Supreme Court on April 1. talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/infle...

Mama, just killed…

Finally cast on and set markers, correctly! I think this provisional cast on method was more trouble than it’s worth but I read too many project notes struggled to get the hood started with a crochet chain version.

I’m going to cast on this intimidatingly long sweater tonight. It’s Winterfolk by Joji Locatelli. Yonks and yonks of stockinette in my future. #knitting

Fresh off the needles, a pair of Fleegle heel recipe socks for my skinny footed daughter. Used a new knit bind off because I was playing yarn chicken to finish. I won by 20 inches! #knitting

Pretty much how I’m spending the winter. Occasionally also eating tacos. #knitting

Today’s completely silly and distracting #selfcare was to dig out my travel size toiletries to use at various campground shower houses. Fancy face wash and hair care products to be used up first, because they looked the least refillable.

Finally finished migrating south for the winter. Looking forward to relaxing in the hot tub and NOT driving anywhere tomorrow!

Today’s #selfcare is to listen the a podcast. A six-parter from Conflicted about the Partition of India, because I also need a sanity check. The reminder that there’s nothing new here and when you do not learn anything from history you will repeat it. That we’ve been here before and will be again.

The doom, postmortem and finger pointing going on today is my villain origin story. No one will ever believe me today but the hill I die on is how long and exhausting our election cycles are did this as much as anything else. 100 days was just about perfect, 9 years of endless got us here.

I don’t know if this qualifies as takes, just observations. 1. I just drove across rural Wisconsin and it was Harris/Walz signs 10-to-1, including my very red county. 2. Just helped a 30 year old figure out how to vote tomorrow for the first time. Without her boyfriend knowing. “Because Dobbs”

12 hours until I will be teaching my granddaughter how to knit. I’m too excited to sleep!

I have already voted so instead of doomscrolling, I’m doing a little #selfcare every day until the polls close. After a looong hot shower and some video games, I finished up getting ready to play with grandkids all weekend. It might not sound like a splurge but I live in an RV.

I have already voted so instead of doomscrolling, I’m doing a little #selfcare every day until the polls close. Today my hunny brought me peanut butter fudge as a surprise! And I binged a season of In The Dark podcast I forgot about. One more week…

I have already voted so instead of doomscrolling, I’m doing a little #selfcare every day until the polls close. Today we hung the comforter and duvet out on the clothesline and it smells like crisp fall breeze. And I put a snazzy new case (and wallet) on my phone.

I have already voted so instead of doomscrolling, I’m doing a little #selfcare every day until the polls close. Today I washed all dog’s toys so they don’t smell like death when he hides them under my pillow! And packed up yarn and stitch markers for my granddaughters.

I have already voted so instead of doomscrolling, I’m doing a little #selfcare every day until the polls close. I found comfy new t-shirts Thursday, and finished packing to migrate south yesterday. Next weekend I’m going to teach my granddaughters to knit so I set up their needles today.

Within a few minutes after the rain started the fire was floating, over the top of the pit and across the yard, and that’s when the storm really got serious.

Hit the clearance sales at the outlet mall today, and had dinner with my hunny… what on earth happened while I was away from the internet???? Who? With the what?? WHY???!! Him too? Oh no. Oh no, John Ringo NO

I am “just found my favorite pillow, that has been out of stock for years and I thought was discontinued and I’ve tried almost 10 other ones that don’t work for me, and ordered it YAY” years old. Also it was at a store where I get free shipping and a coupon.

Need to go to Costco in a bright blue neighborhood today. They’re going to be completely out of margaritas and confetti, aren’t they?

To the tune of Badger Badger: Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty Felon, felon! A snaaaaake, ooo

My feed has another round of Civil War revisionism, more anti-vax theory and something something brain worms… I have a big box of the good thumb tacks and a fresh ball of red string. I’m going to go see if there’s any connections here.

Puppies are exhausting. #stopeatingmyhouse #chihuahua

My partner got me a new friend: Pippin! He’s 15 weeks and so very, very puppy.

My partner got his second shot Friday. My ndn daughter got her first shot TODAY! My youngest daughter manages a busy Cstore gas station and will have her shots before the end of her maternity leave. I’m having a very lovely deep breath today. #CovidVaccine

Baked LOTS of bread, and a pumpkin cheesecake. Prepped the tiniest turkey I’ve ever made. Ready for #thanksgiving2020 for my little Covid pod. I’m thankful to survive the year. Please let me and mine survive another.

How do you continue to just live in this world?

I’m so tired of severe belly pain. I wish doctors would believe women. Before it gets to this, preferably.

If you want to know whether it was a dog whistle, check to see how the dogs are reacting. #Debate2020

I still don’t have my ballot, a full week after my partner received his. Mailed the same day. Since Mr. Trump called his “people“ to watch the in person polls I guess I’ll be volunteering on Election Day to preserve integrity. Lort knows “his people” don’t have an ounce.

Watching Street Food on Netflix: Delhi. I’ve gotta ask... are there women in Delhi???

Took my post-surgery partner on a trip so he’ll relax and recover. He’s currently wiring a 30 amp plug in his daughter’s pole barn for our RV. I’m out here drinking wine and hoping he doesn’t electrocute himself. Which I suppose has stopped me worrying about popped stitches.

Trying to keep my kids mentally healthy during this crisis might be my greatest parental challenge yet. My younger two have been working all along, the youngest still trading custody every week with an increasingly nervous co-parent.

Visited my kids, from a distance outside, yesterday. Nothing will break your heart like your 6-year old grandson explaining, “I miss you Nana. But I can’t hug you because there’s bad germs.” Except maybe the younger ones who didn’t understand why I didn’t hug them. 😢 This sucks.

Bought lb of yeast and gallon of sanitizer. I feel like I beat a particularly difficult dungeon on a really crappy level. Is the end boss Ganon The Intubater? Glad I’m a completion nerd that wanders around leveling up and getting extra weapons before every battle I can avoid.

Listening to the Finding Fred podcast, because I need some time in the neighborhood right now.

It’s been a long, awful week. My dad won’t stay home, my kids are breaking, and yesterday a college classmate of mine died, alone. For the first time since I left the church 25 years ago I wish tomorrow meant the resurrection of grace and faith.

Got my boyfriend hooked on real bread, and the decision to try to save small businesses we care about during this crisis. I have a loaf of bread today described as: Wheat and White blend with spinach, roasted red peppers, swiss cheese and a little garlic and dried onion.