Life Lately

 

I know, I know. Early this year, I had made a vow to post more often, and while I have managed to create a post each of the past two months, it just hasn't panned out the way I had hoped. While moving up positions at work means more money, it also means more work. Except in the dead of summer, I am busy all day, every day, at work, and I come home mentally drained. Still, I had made a promise to myself to start living life the way I used to before the long stretch of years that saw me backslide. Weekends, then, have been for living life, and I sure have been living it. 

Besides this, it's been quite the year so far. While I'll save more details and progress later in the year, I was faced with a serious health issue in late February. It was the second time I had to stare at death off in the distance and make big changes to my life. My illness is relatively straightforward and easy to cure, but it will kill you if left untreated. I had to start taking medicine & supplements, and completely gut my diet. This means I had to give up most foods and alcohol. All those times I waxed about changing my relationship with booze came to fruition, whether I wanted it or not. Three months in, the change to my life is incredible. I have been able to incorporate a couple of foods back into my diet, within reason, and can cut back on the amount of medicine I need to take. Still, I have to be on the more lax form of treatment until an entire year has expired.

Between work, illness, and rebuilding a life I love, my blog has taken a back seat. I think about you guys all the time, though. And now that I am feeling way better than I have in a decade and things are slowing down at work, I can finally start blogging again. In fact, I've been thinking a lot about a few of the books I've started and might, just might, start working on those this summer.

In the meantime, let's catch up with the last few months of my life, shall we?

Along with all the changes I've had to make in my life, I've implemented others as well. This includes reading books regularly again. I've nearly done with this beautiful copy of The Hobbit that I borrowed from my bestie.

Not long after going on my strict diet, it was time for the Spring Ladies Wine Day with my friends. No, I did NOT drink. Instead, I purchased some portable packs of THC/CBD mixers and would get seltzer water to mix them in. We had a great time, and I was still able to enjoy being California sober. As a side note, this was on March 21st, and it was 96 degrees out that day! This winter was the mildest I can remember in a long time.

On Easter Sunday, the kids and I took a little day trip. Per usual, I packed up a picnic lunch, and we hit the road. We went first to Clarinda, Iowa, to check out Glen Miller's birthplace and museum. Of course, my dumb ass forgot that everything was closed because of the holiday.

Still, we walked around the house where Glen was born.

We then drove on to Shenandoah, Iowa, to check out the Everly Brothers' childhood family home. It's a very small house and is open to the public. Since no one has to man it, we were able to check it out.

It was one of the tiniest houses I've ever been in. 

We drove up to Viking Lake State Park after this, ate a picnic lunch, and checked out the lake.

My uncle was driving through Omaha on his way home in early April, so he stayed with me for a few days. I took a day off work, and my son & I took him to the Swedish Heritage & Cultural Center in Stanton, Iowa, a place I've been to before. After my last visit there, I knew I needed to take both my dad and uncle there sometime, since they are both 100% Swede. Fun note, I'll be taking my dad next weekend.

We sat and had afternoon coffee with the local Swedes, which in and of itself is very Swedish.

The first two times I came to Stanton, I was not able to get into Mamrelund Lutheran Church, but this time, one of the local Swedes let us in to see. We were all thrilled, my uncle especially.

My son moved back to Omaha in November, which makes my heart happy. He's been on a health journey right alongside me, so we've been walking at least a few times a week during my lunch break. One random Tuesday evening, though, we headed out to Schramm State Recreation Area to walk around. It was a beautiful day with the first vestiges of Spring around us.

We started a little fire in the shelter's fireplace and enjoyed the beautiful April weather.

Later in April, my friend Audrey came down for one night as she had concert tickets and needed A) someone to go to the show with her, and B) a place to crash. While I wasn't crazy about the second two acts, I am a big fan of the first band, Frozen Soul. I own one of their albums and was able to purchase a patch for my battle vest.

Even though my illness has contributed a lot to my feelings of exhaustion, I was told that I needed to actually be more active, as it would help. Since that was one of my New Year's resolutions anyway, I have been getting out so much more this year. Another weekend, another light hike in the woods with my son.

As usual, a view of the Omaha skyline from the bench at Neale Woods is an interesting dichotomy.

The next Saturday, my friend Rebecca and I went hiking at Schramm. She's trying to get outside more, too.

That evening was spent around a fire at my friend Libby's house.

The next day was yet another hike out in the woods with my son, this time at Hitchcock Nature Center.

The first week in May, I took a couple of days off as Libby and I drove down to Kansas City to see David Byrne in concert. For those who don't know who that is, he was the main singer and second guitarist for The Talking Heads. He did a nice mix of solo stuff and Talking Heads songs. It was an awesome concert.

Total Wine has a whole section of THC/CBD drinks, and this is my favorite of their offerings. It's like a hard seltzer, but no calories, no sugar, no alcohol, no carbs. It's nice to be able to have "drinks" with my friends that give me a nice little buzz without the alcohol.

I went to the second weekend of the Nebraska Renaissance Festival. We ALL know that I wouldn't miss this for anything.

On Mother's Day, the kids and I went out to Schramm, grabbed a shelter, grilled food, ate, and played games. It was the perfect day.

This is a bridge on one of the preferred trails my son and I will walk on lunch break.

Last weekend, my friend Dora and I went to the Holland Performing Arts Center to see the Texas Tenors. What a fun time that was!

Since it was Memorial Day weekend, I hosted a big grill out at one of the state parks. All my friends, my kids, my friends' kids, and my kids' friends were all there. It was great fun, but I didn't take a single photo. Since I had hit my three-month mark on medicine and diet, I was able to start having a few alcoholic drinks. I had a couple at the grill out, but I'm not going down a slippery slope (and I find being California sober much nicer in many ways), so I stuck to my THC drinks the rest of the day.

Yesterday was a busy day of homemaking, which was necessary as I've been so busy. My exhaustion from illness/treatment is finally waning, so my son and I walked a bit of the MoPac trail, including the Lied Platte River Bridge, which spans the entirety of the Platte.

We stopped at Cellar 426, where we each had two glasses of wine. I didn't want or need any more than that. 

And now, we're up to date. Yes, I still need to post up last year's vacation, and damnit, I will. It's time.

Have a great week, friends.