It’s official: I’ve been blogging every day for six months without missing a day. It’s been a creative experiment more than anything, something to keep me writing, especially on days when I don’t make time to write (outside my paid job). It’s also a way to chronicle my life, which probably hasn’t much interest beyond myself and a few loved ones. At least it will make remembering what to include in our annual year-end holiday letter easier to remember. I never really had a plan about a daily topic; again, it was mostly intended to relate the day’s events. I decided not to make commentary on news events or politics. There’s enough happening in our world (not all that great) that is readily available anytime and from countless sources; however, if an event seems related to my daily experience, I’ll write about it (see the January 6 entry). Otherwise, it’s my rather mundane but contented life.

The fact that I’m white, educated, privileged, and have a good job shows up a lot in the subtext of these daily blogs. At first, I felt a little ashamed of that; that is, writing about complaints with contractors when many have lost their jobs and face homelessness (here I am spending money on unnecessary but wanted remodeling). But that is my experience, which is no less valid than those who may be suffering. I can still have compassion and live my life as comfortably as I choose, as long as I can choose, can’t I? I also haven’t wanted to write on the topic of self-care too much, since that’s a separate blog topic that I—used to—write about. I’ve sacrificed that topic for many months because it’s about all I can manage to eke out this blog. But I do have plans to revive my self-care blog in the coming weeks.

So today… this morning I spent 2 hours in the garden and yard, watering, weeding, and tidying in preparation for being away for a week on a much-need vacation. After work, I baked cookies and made egg salad and chicken salad to take with us. I picked some tomatoes, a purple pepper (no, I’m not going to pickle a peck), and a nicely formed cukes. Tonight we chilled with our puzzles, watched a little television, and read. There, that’s it. Tomorrow we set out for the Eastern Shore of Virginia.