A lot has happened since we last picked up the podcast mic, so this episode is packed with updates. We cover house improvements, awkward and funny moments, renovation plans, and even an attempt at metaphors to describe graphs and charts you can’t see. We talk about why house projects have slowed down recently, which jobs are left on our list, and how our feelings about having fewer tasks to do have shifted over the years. There’s a spontaneous musical moment that captures our family’s contentment with a smaller home, an explanation for why Sherry swears she can’t show her face in one Florida city anymore, a festive game we enjoyed, and a TV show we’ve been eager to recommend.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, or Spotify.
What’s New
- In the episode we explain why we aren’t returning to a weekly podcast schedule. Instead, we plan to release occasional, in-depth catch-up episodes. Above is a photo of our extra-fancy recording setup from the week we recorded, and yes, those Ikea cabinet boxes you can see in the background are real.
- If you missed any house updates from the past year, our blog’s homepage lists everything in chronological order. Highlights mentioned in the episode include our new pool, a pantry added to the kitchen, a closet added to the bedroom, a small fenced firepit area, a hanging daybed we built, and a recently completed kitchen porch. We also described what the inside of the kitchen looks like now.
- We recently shared a holiday gift guide, an update on the family room, a roundup of seven favorite storage furniture pieces that make our home more functional, and a tribute to our dog Burger, who passed away in October. We still love looking at pictures of him, so we included one in this post.
- About that narrow drawer next to the stove: we showed an older photo from a kitchen organization post when it only held a bottle of olive oil and a jar of salt. The old cabinet frames ate up a lot of space; by switching to frameless cabinets and shifting the stove slightly we’ll gain significantly more storage.
- We discussed paving the front driveway eventually. Right now it’s a pine-straw-over-sand setup, which shows tire marks when the vehicle is used. Our current favorite parking spot is along the side of the house near the kitchen porch, so the front area will mostly remain guest parking. We’re still a one-car household, and our trusty Toyota Highlander from eight years ago is still going strong.
- If we ever build the “guest house” (basically a shed with a bed), it would sit behind the large tree where the green fence is now. The pool sits on the other side of that fence, so the plan would be to reconfigure the fencing to preserve that beautiful tree and fit the small structure in comfortably.
- Sherry mentioned that “circles make you happy,” a concept influenced by the book Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee, which we discussed in a past episode and later followed up with an interview of the author. That idea about shapes and happiness came up while talking through design choices and how small details influence mood in a home.
What’s Not Game: Holiday Towns
- We talked about curious place names that feel festive and shared an article that rounded up American towns with holiday-themed names.
- We also mentioned Santa Claus, Arizona — an abandoned theme town — and some photos and pieces about it that we found interesting during our research.
That’s Embarrassing
- Sherry’s embarrassing moment in St. Augustine thankfully wasn’t captured on camera, and it didn’t ruin our visit to that charming historic city. We visited just after it was lit up for the holidays and thoroughly enjoyed wandering the streets.
- Away from the more touristy spots, some of our favorite discoveries in St. Augustine were a taco place we loved so much we went twice, a local ice cream shop, and a stroll around Castillo de San Marcos. Those three experiences stood out as the best of the trip.
We’re Digging
- One book I recently enjoyed is Home Before Dark by Riley Sager, a suspenseful read we mentioned in our holiday gift guide. It’s a strong pick if you like thrillers with an atmospheric setting.
- We also recommend the show Only Murders in the Building, which we both enjoyed. It’s a witty mystery with great chemistry among the leads; be aware it includes some adult language.
- Sherry sleeps with a weighted blanket she’s loved for years. She appreciates its washable cover, softness, and breathable fabric that doesn’t sleep too hot. For a lighter cozy option, we recently got a furry throw for the downstairs sofa that the whole family adores in a neutral color.
- There’s a photo showing the bed made with Sherry’s weighted blanket tucked under the duvet on her side, which demonstrates how easily it blends into the bedding while still providing comfort. And yes, you’ll spot Burger in a few of those shots, because he was always there for cozy moments.
If you want to revisit anything we’ve recommended on past episodes, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been “digging” in our show notes, including books from our Book Club. It’s an easy way to find titles, products, and episodes we’ve mentioned over the years.
A final thank-you to the sponsor of this episode, Agility Bed. They offered a promotional code for listeners during the holiday period, and a continuing discount that could be used after the promotion ended. We shared the details on the episode for anyone interested.
Thanks for listening and for following along with our home projects, stories, and recommendations. We’ll pop back in when we have more updates to share.
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