The Weekly Ramble – March 14, 2025

Hey, hi, how are you? Here’s what I’ve been doing, eating, listening, reading, and writing this past week. Let’s chat DST, clean fridges, audio books + kindle, and more.

I didn’t understand how the earth moved around the sun at different angles until I was much older. Probably in my 30s was when I noticed that the sunlight came into the house from different windows throughout the year. For much of the year, light doesn’t hit this painting, but now it does.

I thought it was so pretty next to the flowers that our new friends brought me on pizza night last week. I learned that I do not own a vase large enough for such a generous bouquet!

The painting is of a little fishing village in France, the very street where we spent our honeymoon in 1994. My French family owns a vacation home that they generously donated to us then and again when we took the kids to Collioure in 2014. Michele commissioned the painting as a wedding gift.

Just typing these last few paragraphs reminds me how well God has provided me with generous and kind friends. Sigh.

Here’s what’s been going on this week.

What I’ve been doing

Again, the week flew by. I knew DST would be a butt-kicker, and it was. I’m exhausted. Anyone else?

Besides trying to manage my sleepiness, I’ve done blog work, though the minimum. The food blog industry is not really one I enjoy anymore. I was always resistant to call myself a “food blogger” and now that it’s gotten so cut-throat, I feel that even more.

I’m in it, with no view of winning it, though.

On Tuesday, I did tax prep, something I also don’t really enjoy. Still I love my tax preparer and we’re going to hang out next week.

Wednesday, I treated myself to working on my book. More on that below.

Thursday Bryan and I drove up to Burbank to meet up with the Sacramento FishFam and catch a hockey game. I love it that our adult kids want to hang with us. We stayed overnight in LA and had a fun time catching up, even though it was short.

We’re battling traffic coming home today with Pizza Night and Game Night and FishGirlfriend coming for the weekend. Lots of fun stuff!

What I’m eating

I can’t think of anything amazing that I’ve eaten recently. I did finally clean out the fridge, though.

It had gotten a little scary. Heading into a busy food weekend, that’s probably a good call. I’ve got Shepherd’s Pie on the menu for game night and Irish Stew with real lamb for Sunday Dinner.

I am enjoying Built Bars. That’s about all I can say about that.

What I’m listening to

I finished Mere Christianity. As I mentioned last week, I have zero recollection of the first reading back in 2011.

That said, it may be my new favorite book. So much has made so much more sense about God after reading, er, listening to this book.

Also:

• FishChick16 and I are also listening to Perelandra during our car rides.
• I’ve enjoyed the last few episodes of What Have You Podcast. Those girls crack me up!

What I’m reading

This is my current TBR pile. I struggle so much with reading paper books, but I really need to force myself to finish these books I’ve started. They’re all good books!

What I’m writing

Updates on my writing journey:

• This week I ended up doing more reading and figuring out where I’m at than making actual progress.
• I am doing the free trial of the Scrivener writing program. If you have experience with it, please share!
• I am stuck in the middle of the plot, trying to make sure that the conflicts are sufficient to make it worth your while. For someone who generally hates conflict, this is hard.
• I really love my characters and hope you will get a chance to read them someday.
• I’m still struggling with others’ (and a little of my own) judgement over romcom not being highbrow enough.

I’d love for you to pray for me in all these ways. Thank you!

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