It’s hard to believe I’ve been here a whole month already. I’ve fallen into a routine. If it’s beautiful and sunny outside, I walk on the beach first thing in the morning, listening to an audiobook while searching for beach glass. I have breakfast then spend the rest of my morning writing in my journal. In the afternoons Monday-Friday, I work on garden planning or watch videos for my online course. On Saturdays and Sundays, I spend the afternoons reading. I shower before going out to watch the sunset. I cook or heat up dinner while watching some Netflix, HBO, or Amazon Prime. I watch TV almost every evening. I usually leave the house just twice a week; on Mondays for the farmer’s market and Thursdays for groceries and flowers in Progresso.  

I have watched several true crime documentaries, but the last one was so disturbing, I’ve given them up for a while. So far, I’ve watched the following (and included my ratings):

• The Jinx- 10/10
• The Vow- 8/10
• What Happened, Brittany Murphy?- 4/10
• Mommy Dead and Dearest- 5/10
• The Cheshire Murders- 6/10 The killer’s taped confession was awful. There are things you can’t unhear.
• Full Bloom seasons 1 and 2- 7/10
• Bojack Horseman- 6/10 season 1 8/10 first half of season 2
• Psych- 5/10 season 1 7/10 beginning of season 2
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin (rated R version)- 7/10 I can’t believe I’d never seen this. It’s totally raunchy and irreverent, but pretty hilarious. I’m glad I passed on the unrated version, though.

I’m currently listening to/reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, The Flower Recipe Book by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo, and Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath. I’ve finished quite a few books already.

• I’m Fine…and Other Lies by Whitney Cummings 3/5
• The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron and Clint Howard 5/5
• Will by Will Smith 5/5
• You Got Anything Stronger? by Gabrielle Union 5/5
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek 4/5
• Flowers for the Table: Arrangements and Bouquets for All Seasons by Ariella Chezar 4/5
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent 5/5
• The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore 5/5

If I could rate The Woman They Could Not Silence a 10/5, I would. I didn’t know the story of Elizabeth Packard before I read this book. If you don’t want to read the book, just Google her. Elizabeth’s fight, which began in 1860, for women’s rights and the rights of those diagnosed with mental illness is both heartbreaking and inspirational. I mean, I knew that women were little more than property in the 1860s, but I didn’t TRULY know. I read with my mouth agape for much of the book, and there were many times I wanted to hurl the book across the room in anger. Elizabeth Packard could’ve just decided to accept her fate. She did not. Had Elizabeth not used her voice and her pen, the only ways she could fight the injustice she was dealt, countless women (and men, too) would have continued to suffer and ultimately die in a very broken mental health system. I found it emotionally difficult, but I’m so glad I picked up this book. Words can’t express how grateful I am for Elizabeth Packard.

Sheesh, don’t get me started on books. The other thing I could gush about ad nauseam is flowers, but I’ll save that for another week. Until then, adios!