Happy July and it welcomed us with surprisingly cool weather. June was eventful in a tense way and it felt like it took a long time to complete the month BIL #2 moved out, Teddy had a lot of his teeth taken out, and it’s been incredibly hot. Then June ended with Lana getting croup. I had to ask BIL #1 to not smoke near the house to support Lana’s recovery. I’m not sure for how long he’ll have to do this, let’s just say it’s going to be for a while. I did weigh my options: I could have bought an air purifier or bought more indoor plants (to only be killed in a few weeks). But I thought asking BIL #1 to not smoke near the house was the most cost effective direction. Since then he’s been spending his days out of the house (side note: he could have just worked on quitting). I hate to admit this, but the house has been smelling better.
Continue reading The Umpteenth time is a charmTag: gardening
Staying cool…elsewhere
It’s going to 102F degrees (38.8C) today in my part of Los Angeles. Thank god we are going to the South Bay Botanical Gardens for the monthly dog walk where it will be 77F degrees (25C)!
Continue reading Staying cool…elsewhereGarden Project
Home Garden Project Reset
The first week of a new job is complete! For many weeks up to now, I was so nervous. I kept wondering if I made the right decision. Was this lateral move step back for me? Should I have stayed in my old job until the right opportunity came around? I kept thinking that a promotion would happen if I stayed long enough and kept seeking the internal job board.
After completing my first week, I think I have made the right decision to move on. I appreciate that my new supervisor is transparent and detailed with the growth that could come out from my position as it is a newly created position. And that growth also comes with a promotion too (don’t forget pay bump) which made me very happy.
Continue reading Home Garden Project Reset
It’s my dogs’ birthday weekend!
It’s my dogs’ birthday weekend! Yay! Actually, tomorrow is Teddy’s birthday and last week was Koda’s birthday. Teddy will be six years old and Koda is five year’s old. I may be a mom to a six month old little human, but I continue to make every effort for them to enjoy life like they did before Lana was born. We continue to do dog walks (plus stroller) around the neighborhood and malls, hikes, and trips to the dog park. When it comes to dining out, I heavily favor the restaurant that has outdoor dining so Teddy and Koda can join too.
My first Mother’s Day was really nice. My family came over and we had a little potluck for lunch. But later on that day, one of the foods did not sit well with and my husband. I threw up and was sick well into the following day. My husband had the same symptoms a few hours later. We have identified the food that got us sick because it was the one thing we did not feed Lana. I wanted to bring it up with my family that we got sick from that one dish, but I’ll hold back. I don’t want anyone to take it personally. Maybe the next time we hold another potluck, I’ll challenge everyone to bring a new dish — something you did not bring last time.
We are still going through the Bout of Books marathon. I am surprised to say I am still going. I thought I was going to give up on Monday when I got sick. I mean missed the morning and afternoon reading sprint that day, but I made up all the sprints reading in the evening. So far I’ve enjoyed reading. I listen to an audiobook on the way to work and the way back. Before bedtime, I read some more until I fall asleep. I just finished Big White Ghetto: Dead Broke, Stone-Cold Stupid, and High on Rage in the Dank Woolly Wilds of the “Real America” by Kevin Williamson. I am currently reading Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong, China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan, and Girl, Woman, Other: A Novel (audiobook) by Bernardine Evaristo. I also read to Lana as well. This month it’s centered around Asian stories. I am currently reading to her Filipino Children’s Favorite Stories and Filipino Friends by Liana Romula and Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories by Phuoc Thi Minh Tran.
On Tuesday, the gardeners installed the plants for the front yard. It’s not quite complete since I am still so undecided to what plants to buy and where. Right now I bought a few to start plus a young pink tabebuia tree. I am so glad I did not go on a plant shopping spree because I’ve been spending every evening after work watering all the plants in the yard to establish rapid root growth. For the pink tabebuia, I’ve been filling the tree ring. Maybe when these current batch of plants are settled then I’ll consider buying new plants.
Eat, Play, Live 