I’d like to return to some of my earlier creative writing roots for this newsletter. I miss writing. Not sure if I’m going to call it something specific, but just flagging there may be some peak emo or parenting or spirituality themes in the coming months. Thanks as always and enjoy.
This week was my youngest’s birthday. We had pretty much just landed after our 3 week house exchange in Europe but lucky for me, my early-summer self anticipated this and I had a stash of presents and a Notes app entry dedicated to the b-day roll-out. We keep birthdays fairly simple for our kids, but we’re not mean. They get presents. I like to cook so sometimes I make a multi-layer cake and their dream dinner etc etc and other times, like this one, it’s a Trader Joe’s butter cream, a miniature teddy bear holding balloons, and the necessary candles. Both are great (especially that teeny bear). It feels good to be free of the have-to’s and should’s—or at least these ones.
I have so many others that swallow me up on the daily I can hardly breathe, change, shower, work, etc. Like a giant mouth just outside my window waiting with gaping hole to finish the deal, but not swallow. Just wag that little finger and confirm my worst fear: I did bad. I missed the mark. Didn’t make it meaningful, forgot the date, missed the text, responded too late to the next, never responded to the text. Basically, wasn’t perfect.
How annoying for everyone else to stan a human. Totally no problem if others floof things up but heaven forbid. I’d rather lay on the tracks and disappear than bare my bruises, or paper cuts. Everyone, carry on! Everything’s fine over here! Leg’s there, arm’s over there! No big deal, oh, the napkins are there and I need to work a little late, sorry to bother.
No gremlin at the window though. No gaping mouth or hairy finger wagging my way. That would be too easy. Instead, more a shadowy wisp flitting poignantly just outside my line of sight. Far enough, sheer enough, quick enough to never be nabbed and named and boxed up neatly to go on a nice corner shelf in the worst closet in the house where no one ever goes. On purpose, because it’s dark and messy and smells weird and there might be ants.
Dark closets are kind of necessary. Where would we put our Easter decorations? Old Christmas cards? Worn-out kites with no strings. Attached, but forgettable holding centers for forgettable old things no one cares about until that one time, just in case, go ahead and keep it, why not.
House Exchange in Belgium
So we did a house exchange. It needs it’s own post. I hardly know what to say about it; it feels sacred. But here’s a few words:
Delays & cancelations
Repair, on repeat
Bread and butter, also on repeat
Golden, again, also on repeat
Forests & Cities
Indian food in London
Totoro in the West End
Cobblestones
Croissants
Bad customer relations
It was a reset, a revelation, a mess, an adventure.
What else could a momperson ask for?
P.S. Might need to start something called momperson. that feels oddly…perfect.
Reading/Watching/Enjoying
Well I forgot how to read this summer, apparently. Like logged 5 books total or something. But I’ll share the lil bit I did and enjoyed:
Middlesex: late to this party. puts me to sleep every night and stretches me as it does. What craft! And it’s a physical copy I found in a little free library which feels all the more satisfying.
Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella: soo suprisingly delightful and truly funny.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk: Read it! It won the Nobel Prize for gosh sake
Dead Money: can’t remember whatsoever!
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah: want to be wrecked? this will do it. WWII, complicated family dynamics, etc
Anna K by Jenny Lee: Too many NYC high schoolers taking drugs lol, boo, but hey, still a fun read
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez: Solid romcom. When you know, you know
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood: I love Ali Hazelwood! Spicy, smart. Actually really smart.
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (still on my Libby shelf)
Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (currently listening to the audiobook): Enjoying 50/50
The Three Lives of Cate Key by Kate Fagan (still on my Libby shelf)
What are your favorite reads of 2025 so far? Teach me what’s cool/good from Booktok, of which I never enter.
Survey
Hey. What do you want to see here? If I made a survey, would you fill it out? I can’t say I’ll 100% adopt all suggestions because I’m a gemini but knowledge is power and I’d love to know what’s working/not. Survey to come in forthcoming note, stay tuned. Promise to sweeten the deal w/ a gift card or gift or something to make it worth your time. (So much suspense.)