Sunday March 27, 2022 
The daffodils are up!
The witch hazel is out and smells great!
Jelly dog trying to fit in a Toyota Tacoma.
Hat product shot.
Butterfly Messenger Bag product shot.
This week was warm enough in the first part to be hot while standing in a tshirt at the delicious Mexican food truck and then by Friday colder than the last 2 weeks and this morning we had a light dusting of snow. Oh well, pretty normal Ohio spring. Events of the week were get new tires and a shock mount repaired on my car. I borrowed Ben’s truck and it is small and Jelly is big and she sat on the passenger seat with her front paws on the floor and her face jammed up on the dashboard basically against the front windshield. It was pretty cute. Then she laid down and put her paw and head on my lap. That was sweet. I did a long needed run to the grocery, then came back and took Jelly for her sunset walk. I stayed home after the park walk and worked on sewing stuff. I’m focusing on these guitar straps I’m making with Ruvane from Coin Guitar Picks and also trying to photograph all the merchandise and post it. That takes forever. So much to do! Blah blah. Jelly dog has a UTI and needed antibiotics, Ben and I had morning coffee and music time every day before our park walk, and Thursday Gathering Stars band practice was a go and no one was out sick.
Ukraine is still being bombed and attacked by Putin which is awful.
Earlier this month was the 2nd year anniversary of the pandemic and lockdown so I looked up the numbers of cases in the United States since it began (79,845,043) and the number of US deaths (975,465). It’s almost unfathomable and it’s kind of surreal that we all have to keep existing as if everything is normal again. It’s really not, it’s different and will never be the same now that we know a pandemic can occur very rapidly again in the future and probably will. I think a lot of people including myself, will always have a new outlook on life. That’s why the number of people quitting their jobs and doing something they like has increased. I realize not everyone can do that and I’m grateful I was already doing what I like and managed to stay in business the last 2 years. I have a sense of unrest now that doesn’t make sense and I can’t really describe it accurately. I just feel like taking off and traveling but I’m conflicted because I also love being settled and feeling safe and secure and staying home. It could just be end of winter cabin fever. I really can’t take off and travel right now because I have too much to do to get ready for spring shows and I have self imposed musical goals to work on. Ben caught the viral bronchitis I had so he’s been suffering a bit this week so on both Friday and Saturday nights we had a bed party and just watched movies starting at 8 or 9pm. I know that sounds very normal but he is a night artist and likes to work until late so for him it was like giving up. I get more done in the mornings when I can think and my brain isn’t exhausted from living all day lol.
An interesting story I’ve personally been witnessing is my friend who lives in San Francisco’s journey to find a place to live. He has had an amazing rent controlled apartment in Noe Valley which is a good area for 20 plus years but this month the owners have decided to sell and now he and his partner need to find a house to buy or rent. Rent for something comparable will be 4-5k/mo so it makes sense to buy if they can. The market is so crazy out there I would just move somewhere else but they love it and also have work there. The houses they can afford are in unacceptable neighborhoods and that is still paying in the mid 500k’s so they have to go to 700k to find an ok neighborhood but that isn’t even in SF proper, its out in Vallejo or if they’re lucky Oakland. How is this housing market sustainable? Who can afford that? It has been fun looking at the houses he sends me though. It did make me realize that outdoor spaces can add a lot to your house’s appeal if you were selling. I love outdoor spaces and am inspired to make mine nicer this year. I bought in a crappy neighborhood and only spent 120k but love my little manageable house and it has a cute backyard and bonus garage patio. I hope that my home value will increase but it might take awhile. It has increased 15K in less than a year so that more than covers the new furnace and AC I put in. I tried to talk them into buying near me because they could get a huge house in Clintonville but they hate Ohio winters. I totally understand that. #metoohateOhiowinters