While I was searching for an old review on the blog, I found this old post and read through all the things that I was grateful for last May. Well it's probably a good reminder to catalog the things we are grateful for every once in awhile. Plus it was pretty fun for me to read back through it. So please excuse this indulgence while I catalog what I'm grateful for this year.
1) Yoga. Last year it was swimming, this year it's yoga. I've been doing it 2-3 times a week for a couple months now and I'm starting to see my strength build. Plus it's been a great way to get some meditation time in as well.
2) Hiring another hand at the Airstream garage. Not only am I not cleaning Airstreams this year but I'm also doing less prep work and tours. This also means I've been putting more time into the blog and I think it's showing.
3) You guys, my readers! I can't say this enough, but thank you guys for your support. Seriously I don't know how long I would be writing this blog if no one read it.
Pasture-raised chicken necks, from my local farmers market, for chicken broth. It was only $3 a package!
4) My Instant Pot. I probably cook with it 1-2 times a week and it's been great for getting me to eat more whole foods and buying less take out. Here's my laziest recipe: 1lb frozen pasture-raised ground beef with about 2 cups of water in the instant pot for 25 minutes (natural release) to get a block of cooked ground beef with some beef broth. Save the beef broth (or drink it right then, very delicious!) and then take out the ground beef. Throw in pasta with sauce and pressure cook it for 12 minutes (depending on what kind of pasta but I usually go with some curly macaroni type). When that's done throw chunks of ground beef back in and mix. One pot pasta plus natural beef broth. I also do the same with frozen or fresh chicken but instead of taking out the chicken broth, I leave it (but take out the chicken) and add rice and cook rice in there for some chicken rice. You can also add veggies in by keeping the pot warm with the sauté function and throwing in spinach or something.
5) Saturday's farmer's market (this was on the list last year too). I love my local farmer's market (we just finished up cherry season and now it's peach/plum season). Even though I'm moving about 25 minutes away, I think I'm going to keep driving down every once in awhile to get my fix of fresh fruits, vegetables, grass fed beef and pasture raised chickens.
6) Moving into a house and getting a bloffice. I'm definitely going to miss trailer life but I won't miss everything about it. I plan to write more about this transition when we finally move in fully (which won't be for another couple of months).
7) But in the meantime, I'm also very grateful for the current trailer we live in, our Rockwood. This was a peek into tiny living that I could do indefinitely really. And I am very grateful for the current trailer park (well it's more like an RV resort) we live in. Surrounded by nature and with the view of trees and endless golden grass outside. (P.S. This is also why California burns)
8) My Elizabeth Suzann Clydes. I have three Clydes now: the linen pants, the canvas pants and the linen skirt. I love all three though I wear the linen pants the most. Seriously my bottoms (as in pants and skirt) game has been vastly improved since last summer (which consisted mostly of jean shorts).
9) Friends and family (that's gotta be on every one of my gratitude lists).
it doesn't have to be white privilege, it's just privilege
10) My privilege. Ok I know that sounds super snotty but the truth is I'm privileged because I was lucky enough to be born into a family that has supported me (and still does tbh) financially as well as emotionally and mentally. I don't deserve it any more than the next guy. I recently watched a new documentary on HBO called "It Will Be Chaos" about refugees and asylum seekers and it made me sad but also so grateful. I'm so very lucky to not have had the kind of struggles these refugees face. I know I should do something with this "privilege" and I'm thinking about it. Giving money doesn't seem like enough. You can't pay your way to ending these problems, though of course it helps. But I want to do more.
Thanks for reading through all this and just to let y'all know I'm going to take a week break from blogging. Things are picking up at the Airstream biz so I haven't had time to do as much writing. So instead of putting out posts just to keep up with some kind of self-imposed schedule, I'm going to let myself have a break and I'll be back with more reviews in a week. And hope you guys all have a great 4th of July!