Kate's Five Things #55
What if it’s meant to be easy?
This week, I mostly weeded things. The yard, drawers, and my own expectations. I taught the kids how to keep track of their stuff, then immediately lost my own keys and felt weirdly serene about it. This is who we are—a tight-knit foursome, built to surf life’s minor chaos.
Mother’s Day landed a little differently this year. I didn’t cry or spiral or secretly wish someone would hand me a medal. I just felt… loved. Like I didn’t have to recount the year for evidence I’m not f*cking this whole thing up. I didn’t pretend to be chill about how hard it has been. I didn’t pretend it is easy, mothering other people while realizing how much mothering I still need myself.
It’s supposed to be like this. Messy. Gorgeous. A little bit stupid. Stupidly simple, actually. Kind of like being upset you didn’t see the sunrise and then realizing you’ve been sitting in a sunbeam the whole time.
So that's where I am right now. Tiny surrenders to the flow of things, wondering if it’s meant to be this easy.
House Call Last Week…
Last week, I wrote three short stories about my home life. Here’s a snippet:
“After I had hauled boxes up a new set of stairs, I’d basked in the satisfying exhaustion of being dirty and sweaty and finished with something hard. Looking at my dingy little corner of the world with mildew in the bathroom and hair from the previous owners clogging the bathtub, I exhaled. It was the most beautiful thing I’d laid eyes on. What tastes as sweet as the first licks of freedom and self-reliance?”
Want more? Subscribe here.
Five Questions (for you and me)
When did you feel most at home this week?
Sitting outside in the early evening, kids playing, the garden looking chaotic but alive.
Where are you moving forward?
Letting go of unrealistic goals (like growing 400 zinnias from seed in a tornado of a spring).
Where are you stuck?
Still trying to figure out how to finish a $12 coffee table without wrecking it. I found it at a thrift store and sanded it with dreams of a perfect finish. Now I don’t know what that perfect finish is, so I’m sitting on it until I feel brave enough to risk facing another happy accident to smooth over.
What did you consume that was regenerative?
Martyr! was so beautiful. It stirred up something deep for me, as shame is central to the main character’s emotional arc. Self-consciousness, especially when shaped by early wounds around belonging and "goodness," can become a trap that isolates instead of protects. I could talk about this book for hours.
What question are you asking?
What if it’s not that complicated?
Your turn. Pen to paper, or whatever works.
Five Things I am Using and Loving
Gochujang Caramel Cookies (New York Times Recipe)
Korean chili paste caramelizes with these sugar cookies for a flavor punch I didn’t know I wanted. Soft, chewy, slightly fancy without trying too hard. I highly recommend making a double batch.
Conclave (the movie)
Incredible acting, beautiful cinematography, and a twist that actually made me gasp out loud. I’ve been thinking about it all week.Mountain Spring Water
Someone on TikTok inspired Joe to come home with cases of this stuff. After I rolled my eyes, I cracked open a bottle and downed the whole thing. Someone told me about this local spring, and I’m going to fill up some of our empty bottles with something sourced nearby.
I found the Tiimo App through the ADHD Chatter podcast (which is great, by the way). I tried it thinking, whatever, worth a shot. It pulls together a lot of what’s worked for me, without feeling overwhelming. Easier than Motion. I’m a month in and still using it, which says a lot.
Singer Heavy Duty Sewing Machine
This was my mother’s day gift. My mom sewed growing up, and my daughter is really into knitting, sewing, and all things hand-made. My plan is to do a few kid-centric projects and then turn to some house projects like curtains!Rooms of Our Own
This week, we’re hearing from Maddy on the room that holds motherhood.
How do you spend your time here?
Currently, I sit here all day everyday with my newborn daughter -- my first baby! This room has become my maternity leave haven and I will always remember this space as the place where we first got to know each other. <3
What inspired you to design it this way?
Our small living room is the focal point right when you walk through our front door. I insisted on "conversations only", aka no TV in here. We ended up getting two sofas and a coffee table that barely fit, but it's the perfect cozy space to hang out with friends and family.
Sounds, textures, and little details that make it yours:
The sound of my baby cooing while we cuddle on the couch. The line of my dog's nose smudges across the window at all times, no matter how often I clean the window. The brass wishbone found at Loft Antiques that always sparks conversation, and the (now framed) print my husband randomly ordered for me with a sketched cowboy who's saying, "World's got plenty of cowboys; world's short on dancers."
We need more submissions! Have a corner of home that feels true? Send a photo and a few words to kate@housecall.com.
Until next week,
Kate
P.S. The most beautiful homes are never the most composed ones.
Random zinnia tip. Just scratch up the soil where you want them and sprinkle seeds down. Keep them wet, I water twice a day, and you’ll have riotous zinnias. I do them at the back of my house every year and am always successful (knock on wood). I’m going to sprinkle mine this weekend. Might be worth a try!
Love this, Kate! I live in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (where I just bought my first house ever, a fixer upper) and your posts are fueling my newfound sense of home and curiosity about the renovation process ahead. Also, I'm part of the team that organizes the yearly Writers' Conference here and we had Kaveh Akbar as one of our keynotes last February! Seeing his book in your hands immediately drew me in. He's a delight in person and on stage!