Signs of spring are all around me. Daffodils are in bloom. My blueberry bushes are loaded with tiny buds. Robins have returned. Sandhill cranes are honking overhead. Woodpeckers are drilling on a neighbor’s tree. Skies are sunny with temps in the mid-60’s. Pollen season is still a few weeks away. For me, this is the ideal time for afternoon naps with the windows cracked open so I can hear the birds singing. It’s also a great time for sewing with the windows open, too! Unless the birds are singing, I usually listen to a favorite podcast or audiobook while I work.

I’ve definitely pulled back from social media. Apparently, I’m not alone as some of the channels I follow have lamented that viewers have become disengaged. Well, for starters, I find social media to be a huge time suck. Then, there’s the constant barrage of ads, negativity and stuff I don’t really care about. Even if I curate my feed, I still see stuff in my timeline that I’d rather not see. So yes, I have backed off social media. Know what? Life’s a lot richer in real life than those carefully edited/staged photos on IG. Try it sometime.

Go open your window and look for signs of spring in your area. What do you see?

Wal-Mart, you’ve lost a customer. I went in to buy 4 sets of colored markers for my students to use tomorrow. The store was a hot mess, but I managed to find what I came after. Since I was already there, I decided to pick up some other items on my shopping list. Big mistake. What’s up with all the health and beauty aid products in locked cases? Laundry products, too? When I perused the craft/sewing aisles, I noticed sewing machines, Cricut supplies and sewing notions in locked cases. What on earth? At that point, I decided it was time to check-out and leave. Oh, but not before I had to stand in line at the customer service counter to have my bill corrected because the cashier rang up too many marker sets.

Fortunately, we have other options available to obtain the items we need. I’ll use curbside pick up a competitor for certain items and a trip to my favorite grocery store for the rest. Much less stress and hassle – all with competitive prices.