Welcome back, friend.
I hope this finds you with a warm cup of coffee in hand and the birds singing sweetly to you. I managed to make a delicious coffee creamer with some of my homemade vanilla extract and I have to say it’s delightfully cozy. Just what I needed to start this coming week…it’s been a bit more hectic than I planned…
I have been going over my schedule with a fine tooth comb and really trying to optimize it while also being majorly sidetracked from the bare minimum of my routine. This week we are looking after David’s Uncle’s dog, Joe, while he is vacationing. Joe is much older than Ellie and requires assistance for his basic tasks and getting around, so a good portion of my time has been spent making sure he is comfortable and his needs are taken care of. I love this little guy, he has the sweetest demeanor, and have been enjoying this side quest very much. And…I reluctantly admit, I am struggling to get my new routine up and rolling with him here.
Am I making excuses for myself? Yes AND this time is giving me a ton of clarity into how I want my days to be set up and what will ACTUALLY work for me. So while I go back and forth between feeling like a failure for not getting on top of my to do list and being grateful for another adorable distraction, I am still planning. I think it’s the perfect storm; time to plan before diving into things willy nilly. I now have time to go back through the “Life’s a Game Masterclass” by Amanda Goetz to help me set my new schedule. This will be my second time working through it and it has helped bring clarity and distilled my path forward.
If you were to ask Ellie, she might say Joe being here has really thrown a wrench into her plans too. She’s used to her routine and hasn’t had to split the attention she gets in awhile and she makes it seem like she’s severely neglected. I guess all the treats and her early morning walks don’t count for much. She has been pretty helpful even so and I think it’s been really good for her to have another dog around. The cutest part is that he keeps finding his way towards her for some snuggles; she always accepts.
A little snuggle sesh in the works
If you were at all curious about the coffee creamer I mentioned earlier here’s the secret: make a simple syrup ( equal parts sugar and water brought to a gentle simmer/boil ) and add your vanilla extract and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to cook off the alcohol before turning off the heat. Once that has cooled off mix it with your favorite cream; this is VERY customizable so there’s room for you to play here; I use half and half. Put your mix in a sealed container and make sure to label it with the date. That’s it. That’s the secret sauce. I encourage you to play around with it, add cinnamon or pumpkin spice if you’re feeling like getting your Augtober on. Have fun!
Anyway, I hope your week unfolds smoothly and brings a little treat too. I’ll meet you back here…
Same time next week.
— Sara
