Dear JH,

Thank you so much for giving me an air conditioner on Tuesday. With nothing but 95° highs in the forecast, that little box in my window will surely be what keeps me from dying in my upstairs attic apartment. And although one of the reasons I came to Wisconsin was to get away from summers like these, the kindness of friends like you makes it all worth the move.

Hugs & kisses,
B

Dear Garlic Scapes and Kohlrabi,

How is it that you look so darn cool?

image from applepiepatispate.com

image from livegreentwincities.com

It's so exciting to open my CSA box each weekend and see what's inside!

Hugs & kisses,

B

Dear Cat,

I spoke too soon. Way to pee on the most expensive thing in my closet: the pair of satiny dress shoes I just got two days ago for my maid of honor trappings.

Boo & hisses,
B

Dear Cat,

I'm sorry I shut you up in my closet this morning so you were trapped in there for 12 hours while I was at work.

In all fairness, though, this is precisely why I yell at you whenever you venture into my closet in the first place. In any case, thanks for not peeing on any of my clothes or dying from the heat.

Hugs & kisses,
B

Dear Logic,

I appreciate your efforts, I really do. But sometimes, no matter how much you present the reasonable side of things, it just won't make my emotions budge. I'll stay angry, depressed, bored, or ecstatic whether it's at all logical or not. The past week has been logically awesome, but my emotions can't seem to keep up. Don't stop trying to reason me back over to normal, but please don't expect me to always make sense. Sometimes I just only have it in me to be a Marianne Dashwood, rather than her sensible sister Elinor.

Hugs & kisses,
B

Dear 30-Second Segment of a Conversation on Monday,

For how brief you were, you made me sad and got me thinking for the subsequent 48 hours. Change, relocation, and answers to prayer: all of this was wrapped up in a short side comment as part of a larger conversation. I have what I want, and you, oh short little sentence, informed me that an old, fervent prayer for someone else has been answered. And even as I thank God for that answer, I'm realizing that I have to come to grips with the fact that just because God answers prayers we make for someone else, that doesn't necessarily mean we ourselves get to benefit from those blessings.

You showed me that God is good, and that I still have a lot of growing up to do.

Hugs & kisses,

B

Dear Past Four Years of a Freelancer's Schedule,

Please don't make the New Job impossible for me to adjust to. I know I've gotten used to waking up, carrying my breakfast to my desk, and working half the day in my pajamas before I bother to brush my teeth. I know I'm used to breaking in the middle of the day to go do my laundry while the 'mat is practically empty or get groceries before the post-5:00 rush. I know I'm used to biking to a coffee shop for a change of scene when I need to jog my brain in a new direction. And even though I know I won't be able to do any of those things anymore at New Job, I'm trusting that your four years of freelancer habits won't completely ruin me on my first day tomorrow.

I'll miss you, freelancer's schedule. Perhaps we'll meet again someday.

Hugs & kisses,
B

Dear 48 Hour Film Project,

It has killed me the past two years to not participate in the weekend of crazy, sleepless, creative, ridiculous movie-making. It's not too late this summer, though. If I wish very hard, maybe I'll meet someone at New Job who can wield a camera and knows the ways of post-production software. Until then, please continue to be kind to the team I left behind me on the East Coast, even if (or maybe because) they don't have me as their screenwriter and script supervisor anymore. It has killed me not to participate, but maybe it's the best thing for them!

Hugs & kisses,
B