Have a Lovely Weekend.

Joanna, I’ve lost track of how many years I’ve been reading your blog. I feel as if you, your collection of contributors, and followers are my tribe. Once again, like so many times before you are spot on with a suggestion! I arrived home tonight to open the amazing birthday gift I bought myself on your suggestion. The Lake and Skye is absolutely perfect. I’m divorced, living with a pup and cat, have spent more time working and being alone this last year than I have in my entire life and I so look forward to still feeling connected to women friends, thanks to your transparent and lovely blog. I’ve forgotten many, but yours remains my favorite.

I ordered the Lake & Skye perfume based on your recommendation and am so glad I did. It arrived in my mailbox today and I’m already obsessed! Thank you for the tip, Joanna! :-)

Joanna, I just received my Lake & Skye 11 11 perfume and wow…the scent is beautiful. Thank you for the recommendation, Lisa

I would also LOVE to read a full post on your lifestyle and see your farm! This sounds like a dream.

On the topic of picture books: anyone else jumps straight to the photo section of any biography? I love those 10 or so pages that give a glimpse into the person’s world.

The picture book piece from the NYT spoke to me. I have a toddler and have been enjoying picture books with her a lot (sometimes, I enjoy them more than she does). At Christmas, we got her the Winter book from the ‘All Around Bustletown’ (a German Wimmelbilderbuch with large-scale images featuring different stories throughout) and I became obsessed.

I soon ordered the other seasons for myself (we plan to give her the Spring book on Spring Solstice and so on) and in the evenings, after she went to bed, I’d dig them out and immerse myself in the characters’ stories, and how they (and the city pictured in the book) changed and evolved throughout the seasons. I consider myself an avid reader and love a good novel, but for once, following a story through illustrations was a very special way to spend some quiet time. The book is full of characters whose stories evolve throughout the narrative year, and a few one-off characters that left me curious and wondering about their lives and stories. It’s a simple, kid-friendly series but as an adult, I got totally hooked!

I love picture books, I still remember quite strongly the books my elementary school teachers shared, books by Patricia Polacco, Chris Van Allsburg, Tomie dePaola, Maurice Sendak, Arnold Lobel, Bill Peet, and so many other one-offs. I still want to live in them!

When I was in junior high my uncles gifted me Griffin & Sabine, which also made quite the impression. I didn’t know they made picture books for grownups.

Yay!!! So delighted you are reading The Friend, Joana! Looking forward to hearing what you think :)

I love the article about picture books! The first book I read this year was The Lost Spells, written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris. It’s Robert’s lovely poems about nature set against Jackie’s beautiful paintings, and it immediately brought me back to reading books as a kid.

That house exterior is incredible. Reminds me of something out of Grand Designs!

Thank you for sharing Jessica Olien’s posts on infertility! She captures those feelings so honestly.
Through her posts via hashtags, I found “the fertility tribe” – site and app that has helped me with my journey!

Hi Jo
Long time reader and I am really am thrilled for you that your parents are getting Covid vaccinations this weekend.
We all want that for our parents around the world especially those of us in the developing world. Can I please urge you when speaking about Covid vaccinations to encourage your readers in the USA, UK, Canada and Europe more broadly to lobby your leaders against vaccine apartheid. There are various ways you can push for equitable global distribution of vaccines through the COVAX initiative, through suspension of patents of major drug companies and through encouraging your governments to not order vast amounts of doses over and above the required amount for your whole population.
You can read more here:
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/2/26/system-change-not-charity-will-end-the-vaccine-apartheid
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/24/wealthy-nations-must-act-prevent-global-vaccine-apartheid/
Thank you

Re: “How much money is enough?”: I wish more people would embrace the FIRE movement. My husband and I retired three years ago at age 40, and now live very, very comfortably on less than $25K a year. After we retired, we went on an extended round-the-world trip, then bought a small farm. To be clear, neither of us came from money: we worked our way through lower-priced state schools so as to accumulate no student loans, and before we retired we never made more than $40K a year. We worked and saved and avoided all of the standard trappings (and debt) of American middle-class life.

Now our days are our own to do as we like – I read, run, swim, sew, hike, bake, manage our livestock, grow and preserve most of our own food, volunteer in the community and donate to causes I’m passionate about (food sovereignty and reproductive rights!). We have no debt; we drive late-90s cars with close to 300K miles; books come from the library and everything else comes from garage sales, thrift stores or charity shops. For the most part, we buy very little and we don’t shop online. We also cook all of our own meals, do our own maintenance, repair all of our machinery and equipment and make or borrow what we need to keep the house and farm running. Self-sufficiency provides a sense of pride that I’ve never found in passive consumption.

FIRE is naturally environmentally-friendly, because a frugal lifestyle precludes wasteful, unnecessary spending and shopping. I thought optimistically that the pandemic would encourage more people to pursue FIRE, but from what I’ve read and seen, that didn’t happen. I decided long ago that my time is worth far more to me than the latest “must-have” boots, fancy car or newest smartphone, and I’ve never once regretted that decision. Resisting the seductive pull of peer pressure and capitalist culture isn’t easy, but the reward is more than worth the sacrifice – to me, at least.

Cooks Illustrated solved the chewy brownie conundrum back in 2010 with their Chewy Brownie recipe. It’s been my go to recipe since it came out. The key is a mix of melted butter and oil, and two egg yolks in addition to two eggs. Also you have to let them fully cool. I’ve never looked back since I made that recipe and rest easily knowing I’ve found my holy grail of brownie perfection.

I just promised myself a no-buy March since I bought ALL OF THE THINGS in February. Now I’m over here considering spending $50 on 10 ml of perfume ? I am such a sucker for anything COJ recommends because it’s usually that good.

Love the article on picture books! I completely agree. I’ve also started reading more nonfiction children’s and YA books on things I want to learn about since they often give information so concisely! A picture book my kids and I have recently enjoyed is, The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/557388/the-oldest-student-how-mary-walker-learned-to-read-by-rita-lorraine-hubbard-illustrated-by-oge-mora/

This weekend will be quite dull. We are still on a form of lockdown in Scotland so not much can be done. However its meant to be beautiful weather so I think we will get the fire pit out and make the most of it. Regards the James Corden Interview with Prince Harry, I think it is one of the best things I have seen in years. I cannot tell you how many times I have watched it. Absolutely loved it (and am slightly perving on Harry every time he climbs that rope!). I also love the fact they call each other Haz and Meg. Just lovely.

Wow, did anyone else read that hilarious list of reasons people give for liking chewy v. cakey brownies. So good!

I’m going to go make and eat a pan of brownies now.

At the start of seventh grade, my bestie told me a boy had been teasing her. I could see that she was upset. Recess came and I went looking for this guy. I had no idea who he was but when I finally found him, I told him off and gave him the stink eye while doing it ;)

Another time, a student from a different school started a fight with my brother. Next thing, I knew, they were both punching each other but my brother definitely got more punches in because I was holding that guy’s arms!

My brother and best friend retold these stories in their speeches for my wedding. I remember thinking why are they telling stories from high school? I barely remembered those events but after reading the bullying article, it made me realize how much of an impact those days were to them and how important it was to have someone by their side.

Is it weird that I want to see Lauren’s DMV photo? (If so, let me say that I DO love a good animal print.)

God me the serenity to accept a she-shed,
The courage to flee to this she-shed as often as possible,
And the wisdom to keep its location a secret
From everyone.
Amen

I loved that video of Prince Harry! I never really watch royal things (except The Crown) and I laughed so hard watching this!!!

Every Friday when I finish work, my husband and I take our dog for a long neighbourhood walk, then when we come home I mix a large G&T and settle in for the Cup of Jo Friday read. It truly is the perfect way for me to segue from work to weekend! Reading the comments is the cherry on top :)

That house made me suddenly want a “she shed.” (But wow I hate that phrase!)

I am so curious what you’ll think of The Friend! I’m an English professor and mostly teach Victorian things but I am absolutely obsessed with this book, and with Sigrid Nunez. Feather on the Breath of God is really interesting too (her early work, with a ballet angle).