So life lately feels heavy, this week in particular. Watching the news breaks my heart and gives me panic attacks and in our world of 24 hour news coverage we can never quite get away from it, unless we make the effort. Put the phone down. Turn off the tv. I find it easy to lose myself in projects, but I don’t always have the time to do those. There are days, like every weekday, when we have homeschool and home therapy and all the other things, and it is so easy to pick up my phone and scroll in those quick in between moments. On those days, I need to rely on small things to lift my spirits. A great cup of coffee or tea. Five minutes with a good book. A long stretch.
There are some small things I am loving lately, that make me smile.
Orange is one thing. Actual oranges to eat – I love peeling one and getting hit with that fresh sharp citrus scent. So much so that I have included orange scents into my shower routine. My body wash is orange scented, and oh my shampoo and conditioner smells so much like driving through an orange grove I just stand in there enveloped in the scent for a few extra minutes. I am using The Earthling Co. shampoo and conditioning bars in Citrus Sun and it does my sun deprived self so much good. I also bought a citrus tinged perfume as well, but it doesn’t quite smack me in the face with an orange scent as much as I want so I am going to keep looking.
Also, waiting on our little orange kitten. Not much longer now!
And while I am waiting for her, I am of course getting all the cuddles from Miso. Billy and my bestie Kelly are trying to talk me into two kittens, but I think that might be hard for Miso. Or easier, if they play with each other and give Miso a break? Ugh. I don’t know. Anyway, Wyatt got a little pop up indoor tent from my dad that turned out to be big enough for Wyatt and I to sort of lay in and read. We like to climb in there and read some of his books for school, and then after that, just hang out for a bit. I love when we are in there and Miso pokes her little head in, like “Hey what are you all doing?” and then saunters in and lays on me, like she does. It is super cozy for all of us, I guess.
Tea is another thing that has been making me smile. Peppermint tea, ginger orange turmeric, lemon ginger, are all flavors that perk me up these days. And if I get a chance to go to Starbucks, I love their Honey Citrus Mint Tea. I feel like I am going to be picking one of those up today, now that I mentioned it. They are just so good!
I am also enjoying winter fruit salad. It has apples, pears, kiwi, clementines or oranges, and pomegrante seeds and I could eat it all day. It just wakes me up!
Finally, one of the books I am reading is a collection of letters between two friends, sent to each other in 1953. It is perfect to just pick up and read a few letters, spend five to ten minutes in their calm little worlds of dogs and rural life.
These are just a few small things that make me smile and pick me up when I need a little pick me up.
I hope that whatever you do today, you find something, no matter how small, to make you smile.
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
Der Dekan would probably have profited from a sibling and Gundel, too. I was a bit overwhelmed back then – during Covid – and thought it would be too much for Gundel and myself, but I should have known better. Of course I hadn’t expected him to be quite the brat he was – the worst of all of mine! He just wouldn’t get tired.
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Well. I read this earlier and then thought about it all day. And then I emailed my friend and told him if that I would take two, if they had not been all claimed. The orange female above, and also the little gray boy with a white tip tail. My friend is at work so I hope I hear from him soon. It might be easier on my senior cat if she doesn’t need to entertain a young kitten all the time.
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I am in favor of the two kitten route. If they are siblings then they should already like and play with each other. I have three. I want more but the First Mate doesn’t agree 🙂
x The Captain
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So I read yours and Cat’s opinions and thought about it the rest of the day. And then I emailed my friend and told him we would take two kittens, if they had not all been claimed already. It would probably be easier on my Miso, who is 15 to not have to entertain a kitten all alone. Lol. And it would be the orange one’s sibling so that is definitely a plus. I had three cats before, Miso and Marlow and Maggie. And my reptiles are pretty easy… so … I might end up with two kittens! I will see what my friend says when he is off work.
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Those are wonderful things making you smile right now! We love oranges when they are perfectly in season and nice and juicy like they have been the past couple of weeks. I don’t translate that to hair and body though as I tend to stick with coconut year round for that.
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Yes! They are delicious this time of year. I can’t stop with them.
Coconut is a good scent as well! I usually use orange all year except fall. In the fall I like something earthier.
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It’s always the little things that matter most. I love just to have a cuddle on my sofa with a book, blanket and cup of tea. I would love it if you would come and share this at my new Serenity Saturday link party at http://www.serenityyou.com
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That is one of the best ways to just relax and enjoy the small moments. Book, blanket, tea.
And yes, I will go link up!
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Despite the terrible news, a very cozy January so far. I love the image of you two in the tent and Miso arriving! Yes, lots of cuddles will be due, especially with the new arrival. That fruit salad looks great — and we like all the same kinds of tea. And orange!
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I am a little worried about her with the new kittens but she is such an easy going loving cat, I think she will be ok. We will just go slow and make sure she can escape them and cuddle. Because we are now getting the orange one and one of her siblings, another female. It seems like two is the way to go, and they can occupy each other that way as well.
That fruit salad is so good right now! Just so refreshing!
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That winter fruit salad looks so good.
And I love the tent! We really need to get one. Pixel would do the same thing by climbing in and curling up with us.
I told you on Insta but I am reading Miss Read’s Village School and it’s similarly easy-going like your book. It is a nice distraction from everything right now.
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It is very cozy in there lol. Our legs hang out but that is ok. Sometimes I just go crash in there myself. LOL.
I am glad that you have a calm relaxing book as well!!
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I haven’t had an orange in such a long time. Now, I’m craving them! The citrus smells are so good. I sometimes think Jack would have been much better with a “sibling,” too. He’s bored with two old people. So, my vote is for two kittens. They’re so much easier (potty training and all that) than puppies. My kids had tents that fit on their beds. We got them for Christmas one year. They really had a lot of fun in them. I think I need a tent some days!
We are watching another one of those young adult shows about kids at a magic school…werewolves against some other kinds of magical people.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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Do yourself a favor and get some oranges. They are like a wake up call during this month.
Sooooo we did decide on two! The second is also a girl, and sooo cute! I will post photos soon! Although we still have to wait three more weeks…. 😦
Honestly, I sometimes go sit in there all by myself. And sometimes Miso. Lol.
Oh what show is that? It sounds interesting!!
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Willa is glued to me at the moment – I think because Matthew had a cold and I retreated to my study and put the futon up to sleep in, and Willa LOVES the futon and treats it as a giant cat bed day and night.
I’m made happy by my Christmas Pudding flavour instant coffee (Beanies brand, not sure if it’s only UK). I got to it a bit late as I went off coffee while I had Covid and its aftermath, but it’s SO nice. Also reading some good books. Although oh dear, I have to tell you, I requested one called Muscles and Monsters by Ashley Bennett on NetGalley because it looked fun and was set in a gym in a fantasy world, so thought that might be interesting, but subsequently found out the series is very spicy and there’s like a wolf and a woman on the front so WHAT IS THIS and then I won it and I’ll have to give it a go as I did request it. Argh!
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Lol!! She is wondering what the heck he is doing in her bed!!
I am curious about that coffee now! I am going to go look it up!
Lol Liz! You found a spicy fantasy. And a werewolf? I can’t wait for you to read this and report what it is like!
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He’s an actual wolf I think. With paws! Oh dear …
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Oh dear!!! What in the world have you gotten yourself into!! Read it before the 24th!
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I agree with all of the previous comments suggesting two kittens. That’s what we did and they’re inseparable.
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We did it, we committed to two! The little orange female and a poof of a gray female as well. They are siblings so that will be fun for them, and hopefully that gives my senior cat Miso a break from shenanigans.
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That’s so exciting! You’ll have to keep us updated on how they do and what you decide to name them. We have an orange cat that my sun found in the road one day on walk (it was raining and the poor thing looked miserable). He named the cat Arcee after a transformer. Our other two are sibling sisters that we named Civi and Dia after the two games my husband and I were playing at the time (Civilization and Diablo). ❤️
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Awww I love those names!!! And why they are named that. We are getting sibling sisters, I am super excited! I hope my senior cat is as happy. Lol.
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The news this past week has just been awful. I find myself doomscrolling far too much in the evenings, so last night I left my phone in my office, and headed to bed with my book. Much better for my well-being!
Your kitty is darling! You will have so much fun with all its antics once it comes home with you.
Your photos of the Gladys Taber book brought a smile to my face. My dear friend and blogger, Nan (Letters from a Hill Farm) used to write a lot about Stillmeadow. You can read one of her posts here. (Sadly, Nan passed away last year…)
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Me too. It is a real struggle! Leaving in another room is such a good idea. Then there is not the temptation to just reach over and look.
And thank you! We did end up committing to another, a sister of this orange baby.
Awww. Thank you for sharing that with me. I am so sorry to hear that she has passed, and for your loss. I will definitely go read her posts.
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I just got those same shampoo & conditioner bars to try (my hair is having A Time, as it gets washed more frequently when tiny rooster lands on my head 🤣)! They do smell so so good.
And that orange kitten 😍😍😍
Plus cats in tents are the best. Once we had a family camp out in the back yard and our cat came and yowled until we let him in. The dog also wanted to come in, but he was a very large smelly Lab and we made him sleep outside 😂
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I get so freaked out that my hair is going to thin! Lol. My husband keeps telling me it isn’t but what if he is just trying to make me feel better? Perimenopause is so mean.
Rebecca…. guess what? We are now getting that kitten and one of it’s siblings! I will post a picture this week. Or send you one on Instagram because I can’t wait. LOL.
Miso loves that tent. She wants to be in there with us every time; she is so sweet. She also will just hang out in there all alone.
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Oh I feel you, on the freaking out that hair might thin. I do have mini spirals where I’m like “it’s not as thick as it used to be – does it still look healthy? Is this normal? Does it look okay?” 🫢 So I’m hoping these shampoo bars will help the mental element as well as keeping it healthy from extra washes.
TWO KITTENS!!!! Oh my gosh! 😀 That is so awesome and I am so excited for you!!!!
My mom found a teepee tent for my niece to play in, and the old man kitty has decided it’s as much his as it is hers. He loves it so much. Cats are just the best.
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