In a world where so many people view daily activities and events only in terms of “content” and “post-ability”, where does that leave the average person who is not trying to be an “influencer”? Those of us who consistently feel like followers and not leaders, mostly because we don’t play by the rules of the almighty algorithm?
Well, I have chosen, instead, to be a creator. Oh, not a digital creator. But, a creator of the written word who actually takes pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and shares a part of the heart and life not geared towards likes and shares. Yep, I’m one of those crazy people who just keeps plugging away with writing a blog or maintaining an Instagram account because it provides them with joy – even if it is only measurable in their own mind.
Given that perspective, I am going to start a new category of posts here on Janie’s Porch. A regularly scheduled (hopefully, weekly) journal entry on topics or events that have gotten my attention over the last few days. I am definitely not calling this a newsletter – rather, just a multi-topic post made on a semi-regular basis. And, since I’m all fancy over here, I’m going to call this online journal “Porch Posts”.
While there were no major dramas or life-changing events in our lives these last few days, perhaps reflection on some of the simple pleasures and daily goings-on can still be documented in a way that will elicit a simple nod of understanding or agreement. After all, isn’t daily normal life worth celebrating?
The power of strategic meal planning…
One of the things my husband does best is grill and smoke meat out on the back patio. We jokingly call him “the grill-master”, but it’s true. Every single thing he cooks out there is so much better than anything we can get in a restaurant. It’s a lot of work, though, so he is smart about it – he often cooks more than we can possibly eat in a single sitting. For instance, this past week, he smoked an 8-pound pork roast. It took him the better part of a day going in and out to monitor the heat and add wood, but we had more than enough for dinner that evening and to make care packages for my parents. In addition, he shredded the remainder and we have since enjoyed simple meal prep for pulled pork sandwiches and pork with pepper fajitas. There is still a tub of the shredded meat in the freezer for future use. Now, that is stretching the food budget and mighty strategic use of a piece of meat!
Our tax dollars hard at work…
The city is currently resurfacing the streets in our neighborhood. Their plan of action involved “stripping” the old surface off all the streets before coming back through to “resurface”. It’s nasty, messy and stinky – and I am so ready for it to just be over now that we are entering week 3 of the process! I feel for the workers out there – since I don’t believe we’ve had a day below a hundred degrees in over a month now. But, there is a coating of heavy dust all over the yard, on plants, everywhere and the fresh asphalt stinks to high heaven in this heat. Please pray for me as they are working on the section of street right in front of our house today and my patience has worn thin…
Grandbaby #10
Nope, that’s not a typo. Welcome to our newest grandchild – Charlotte Anne, three weeks old today! (So, I am reaching back a bit farther for this one…) This makes our tenth grandbaby and Mimi is already pondering how to cope with all the birthdays and Christmas shopping. But, seriously, this is the stuff life is made of! Grandchildren are a huge blessing. And the reward of having raised children to be parents themselves means that, at the end of the day, they have diaper changing and feeding duty in the middle of the night. We grandparents get to enjoy all the good parts and leave the hardest work to Mom and Dad!
What I’ve been reading…
In anticipation of going to see the new movie, Where the Crawdads Sing, I pulled my copy of the book off the shelf for a re-read. Gotta say, this one is destined to be a new classic and was just as enjoyable the second time around! In addition, I was able to read an advance copy of Bernice Runs Away, by Talya Tate Boerner, and it did not disappoint. It was entertaining and touching, one of those rare finds you can’t put down and hate to see end. Watch for this one coming in October, 2022!
Wrapping it up…
So, there you have it – the “this & that” of life I wanted to document in this online journal and share with you. If you’re new to the Porch, I hope you will take a moment to comment or click on the “contact” link to drop me a line and introduce yourself. I look forward to our next visit!
Welcome to the porch... 