Flying to Fort Atkinson
I got to see Rachel TWO WEEKENDS IN A ROW!
How’d I get so lucky, right?! Steven and I were discussing places to fly this weekend and I suggested flying to meet Rachel and her husband for lunch. Rachel was 1000% on board so we flew to Fort Atkinson, WI (new-to-us airport), and they picked us up. We had Mexican food for lunch, went on a walk, and a little drive, then flew back!
We had a wonderful time chatting and laughing. What a fun day!
Keep reading for the flight details! Come on, you know you want to!
We had beautiful mostly clear skies and the wind was calm when we took off – so there was quite a bit of traffic out on the radar. Steven asked me if I wanted to fly but I declined because there was so much “going on.” I should have said yes!
We did a good job playing “find the airport.” The runway is a bit narrow at 60′ wide, so it looked more like a road than a runway from the sky.
There was a bit of traffic when we got close to the airport – but everyone was using their radios to communicate, so all good! (especially since the wifi stopped working for the ipad)
The 53.1 knot route took 40 minutes on the way there. Rachel was waiting for us, and we were in the car by 11:30 and on our way to lunch!
The weather changed a bit for the flight back. The wind was stronger and more variable meaning it threw us around. A lot. Steven was exhausted from controlling the plane and I had to pee really bad and it wasn’t helping my bladder, wah (lol).
But we had a tailwind (at one point we were going 138 kn ground speed – that’s equivalent to 159 mph!) and got back in 30 minutes and landed at 3:08.
As always, I’m glad we got to go out. It’s always fun to fly, even more so when we are going to see loved ones!
Two pink rocks
Two very different messages.
I left this one in the women’s restroom at work this week. I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback on it 🥹
One of my coworkers told me she sent a picture of it to her daughter, who thinks I’m so cool because I am always flying wearing stylish sunglasses (that’s her impression of me from my personal Instagram). Ha.
That reminds me of how another coworker told me (in December, I can’t remember if I blogged about this) “you’re always doing something cool!” I said “Thanks, I try to make it look that way!” then assured them I actually am NOT.
I left this rock at the entrance to the gym last week,
and I’ve seen it featured in a few stories, posts, and a reel, which made me feel good!
If you want to see more random rock art, check out my Instagram 🥰
Random Thoughts Thursday 489
- I forgot to mention this in my Definitely Better Now review – in the book Emma is the newest to her work team and is voluntold to be on “fun committee” to plan holiday party. It reminded me of when I was the newest to a team and told to plan the holiday party by myself. I didn’t enjoy it.
- In January I mentioned I was quitting Alani and would reincorporate them into my diet as a treat. I did really well with that in January! Then things went to shit and having one brings me so much joy I am back to having them daily again. I DESERVE IT. (But also, sigh?)
- I stopped at the Amazon Go in the train station Monday for a snack to tide me over until dinner (at these stores you scan a code in the Amazon app to enter, grab whatever you want and just leave). I grabbed a bag of chips. I thought it was odd I didn’t get an immediate email of my purchase, but thought nothing of it until I saw the email the next day and it had two things on it I did NOT purchase bringing my total from $1.49+tax to almost $18. LOLOLOL. (I requested a refund of those two items.)
- Here is the aftermath of the garbage/recycling bin races from last week. A huge bruise above my elbow and some smaller ones on my forearm. Ha ha ha. Oops.
- Newest mani – it’s a mix of cat eye polish and chrome powder (inspired by this reel). I forgot that the chrome powder isn’t very durable. It was already coming off the tips of my nails a few days after I got it – leaving just the cat eye beneath it. Oh well!
A burden shared
So I always thought the phrase was “a burden shared is a burden carried,” or “lifted” or something like that.
And I was all WhAt ThE fUcK iS wRoNg wItH mE that I don’t want to share my burdens (outside of a few people & my therapist)?!
But when I googled that phrase this morning to get it right and lament over the fact that I am broken, I saw this phrase:
A burden shared is a burden halved or doubled – depending who you share it with
YES! THIS! This is it. Mostly, sharing makes things feel heavier (doubled). It’s too much to explain it all. People can’t read my mind and give me the exact response I want. Sometimes it feels like they just want goss. Or they share their burdens back. Or they say “it is what it is.” So I go through it, and share it later, when it’s over.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely broken, I just feel a little less so after reading that rando quote from the internets.
This is making me think about someone I used to work closely with, who went on medical leave, and didn’t share with us what was going on. We were curious what was going on, but understood it’s not our business. Then they died, and at their funeral, their spouse said they didn’t even know what was going on with them.
Um, whut? I promise I am not that… private? Shut off?
Reading Update (2025 #13-15)
[13] Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson
Fiction / Women, saw my friend Kim recommend in her Instagram stories, Audio
Synopsis: After a year of sobriety, Emma, 26, is thinking about reentering the dating world, but it’s been a challenge. Between her mother’s new relationship, a creepster she accidentally matched with on a dating app, and the sudden reappearance of her estranged father, things feel more complicated than ever. Yet, she still finds herself attracted to Ben, the charming IT guy who just might understand her in a way no one else does.
Review: This is not a romance, and therefore, it was a pivot for me, which felt refreshing, even though it’s about a recovering alcoholic. Emma is a sincere person that’s easy to root for and I found her story compelling from the beginning. It’s sort of slow moving, and not a lot happens, but I appreciated the view into addiction and recovery.
Recommend? Yes
[14] Cleared for the Option: A Year Learning to Fly by Patrick Chovanec
Non-fiction, saw on this 24 books for pilots to read in 2024 list, Kindle
Synopsis: Chovanec recounts his journey to becoming a private pilot during the early days of the pandemic, starting with Microsoft Flight Simulator before transitioning to real-world flying. He dives into how his passion for aviation took off, blending key topics with anecdotes from both virtual and actual flights.
Review: This book is good, but it drug out a bit for me – it leaned more textbook than anecdotal in parts and storytelling makes things stick in my brain better than rote memorization. I liked the humor and writing style of the other learning to fly book I read better. BUT! This one got into some interesting and helpful stuff the other one didn’t (actual mechanics of an airplane, etc.), so I’m not mad I read it. I just know y’all are really interested in a flying books so I want to make sure it’s clear you should read the one below instead LOLOLOL.
Recommend? Nah, read Learning to Fly instead
[15] Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry
Fiction / Psychologica, book club book, Audio
Synopsis: Noah was a model student and star athlete until he confessed to molesting two young girls. Sentenced to a juvenile rehabilitation center, he leaves his family in turmoil. His mother, Adrianne, stands by him, but her husband refuses to let Noah return home. As painful truths unfold, Adrianne faces the agonizing choice: How far will she go to protect her son?
Review: Why is it that the books I don’t care for are always the ones I have the most to say about? I guess it means something that this one got me so fired up! But still, I would never recommend it to anyone. Anyway. It was painful to listen to – because I could not stand the narrator’s voice, and because the mom is so naive. I am childless and appreciated the view into someone’s blind love for their child, but it was too much for me. It made me feel super ick – not just what her kid did, but how she wouldn’t listen to specialists, took all her anger out on her husband, made all her decisions based on emotion, etc. It will be interesting to chat about it at book club and see if that was realistic. I just don’t get it. Even if it is, I didn’t like being in her head for it. Or hearing it in that horrible voice.
Other annoyances:
- It’s set in Chicagoland, and they claim Buffalo Grove is a small town where everyone would know each other. With a population over 42K? Doubtful. She also says “the” Navy Pier. LOL whut. We call it Navy Pier.
- The writing was super elementary
- It’s worth mentioning again, I could not stand the narrator’s voice or how she voiced her young daughter. Ugh.
- The “twist” was predictable
- It was just super fucked up
Recommend? You know what? NO.
Happies from the weekend
A few other happy moments from the weekend (besides my race with Rachel!):
I took a nap Friday (I had the day off).
We went out for burgers Friday night! (And I had a burger Saturday night too!)
Rachel’s cat Reggie let me play with him! (After being bribed with treats, of course.)
I painted 8 rocks and even resined them! Because… THE SUN WAS OUT!
And I remembered to hide one this morning! I need to get better at offloading them. I brought 4 to hide at the race and I heard back from someone that their son found one and they sent me the cutest video of him with it. Aww.
Steven made me heart shaped biscuits for breakfast yesterday!
We had a lovely lazy Sunday. We watched (bad) movies and just hung out. I even played with the cats! I found a way to play with the indoor and outdoor cats at the same time.
I received a surprise puzzle in the mail from Val! It’s the perfect type for me – a lot of variety and not too complicated. I sorted the pieces out and started it last night.
Other wins: I didn’t read the news and got a text from someone about my work and didn’t let it bother me and waited until today to respond. Good work, Kim!
2025 Freeze for Food 10K Race Report
Rachel and I ran the Freeze for Food 10K in Madison, WI yesterday!
The race was at 1:00, and started and ended at the Henry Vilas Zoo, and went through the arboretum and a little around a lake.
It was in the 20s, with clear blue skies, and a bit windy.
We averaged 11:48s with a 1:13:11 finish time. My easy pace has been around 13:00 lately so that was speedy for me! I didn’t exactly train for this (I ran 5+ miles last weekend to make sure I could), so I feel a little wrecked today. When I finished, my watch said I needed 90+ hours of recovery! Ha ha. Oops.
The race flew by though. We chatted the whole time. We hadn’t seen each other since September and had a lot of catching up to do! I got to Rachel’s at 11:00 and we jumped right in, pregamed with a cupcake,
ran the race, had drinks with her lovely coworkers after,
had dinner together, then I drove back home! It was a wonderful day that left me feeling fulfilled and happy. But that’s 100% on brand for any time spent with Rachel!
Reading Update (2025 #10-12)
[10] Love on Deck (Arcadia Creek #1) by Kasey Stockton
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, saw book #3 recommended on pippipost.shop, Kindle
Synopsis: Lauren’s blind date with her sister’s fiancé’s friend, Jack, was a total disaster. Now, with her sister’s wedding set to take place on a cruise, she’s dreading spending more time around him – especially when Jack asks her to pretend to be his date to keep another wedding guest at bay. She’s still annoyed about their awful first date, but she agrees, hoping Jack might send some business her way.
Review: Eek. Lauren is uptight, too work focused, and highly unlikeable. Her refusal to talk to Jack about what happened on their first date was super annoying. It didn’t make sense to me why Jack would be attracted to her, other than looks. This was actually pretty boring, apart from the other wedding guest causing drama.
Recommend? Nah
[11] For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men by Shaunti Feldhahn
Religion / Christian Living / Women’s Interest, for WWM Book Club, hard copy
Synopsis: In For Women Only, Shaunti Feldhahn shares “insights” from “research” with thousands (or so she claims) of men to help women better understand them. She explores topics like why respect matters more than love, how men view their role as providers, the impact of visual attraction, the emotional side of sex for men, and what they wish they could express ABOUT HOW THEY WANT YOU TO LOOK GOOD FOR THEM.
Review: Okay, look at the genre. I obviously read this against my will. My gym’s book club alternates between fiction and nonfiction, with each member suggesting a title. We write them all down, draw randomly, and the last one picked is what we read. The moment I looked this one up, my reaction was UGH. And NO THANKS.
Honestly, I could write a whole post about the things that bothered me about this book. First, was some of it true? Sure! I bet so! Was it deeply rooted in being a Christian woman who serves her husband? Definitely. And that might be for someone, but was NOT for me. When we reviewed it in class, a lot of us wondered if reading the companion book For Men Only would have made us hate this one less. If we saw that there was a book that was telling men how to understand and serve us.
Alright, here we go. This is just a small list of the things that bothered me.
- The “insights” in this book perpetuate gender stereotypes that are learned. Either sex can act a lot of the way she was saying most men do. In fact, in the book club discussion, some people brought up they related more to the “men” side. It was way too “us vs them” and “wE CoUlD nEvEr GeT iT cAuSe ThEy ArE wIrEd DiFfErEnTlY.”
- Here is the awesome advise on how to be supportive of your husband when you yourself need support “cast our cares for provision on the Lord rather than on our men. In the end, it is His job to carry the burden.” How about therapy? Or communication? At least as supplemental?
- And shortly after, if you have financial worries and your man is stressed about supporting the family? “By praying for our husbands and looking to the Lord rather than to our circumstances we trust Him to carry both our husbands and their burdens. Then from the overflow of our hearts, we can give back to and encourage our men.” So if you have financial problems, the Lord will take care of it. Cool, cool.
- There is advice to do everything in your power to please your man sexually and “enjoy God’s intimate gift, and make the most of it.”
- Ugh, there was a whole chapter about how your man is always tempted and has a rolodex of visual porn popping up in his mind WITHOUT WARNING. Of course, based on her studies, churchgoing men are the best at resisting these temptations. OBVIOUSLY! And if your man is tempted, pray for him. What. Also, wait for this – “It’s natural to enjoy being noticed, but he doesn’t want you in there. You’re cluttering up a good husband’s mind and tempting him to dishonor his wife.” WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK. Love that drive by of other women.
- And the very last chapter was about how your man wants you to take care of yourself cause you obviously don’t love HIM if you don’t. I cannot even get into the HORRIBLE examples in that chapter. Oh, OH! And she said it’s a really sensitive topic so don’t bring it up with him! Just do it!
That was like the gist of the book – pray and don’t really communicate. What a pile of trash. To me at least. Maybe this book is really helpful to a ton of people and that is great! But for me, it was a no.
Recommend? Fuck no
[12] Unromance by Erin Connor
Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Green Light from Kamie on The Popcast, Kindle
Synopsis: Sawyer Greene, a former bestselling romance author, hasn’t believed in love since her college girlfriend left her with nothing but writer’s block. When she gets stuck in an elevator with a charming stranger, she sees it as a one-night fling and nothing more. But when she cross paths with him again at a picture-perfect Christmas market, fate might have other plans. They decide to make a list of romance tropes to ruin – to get her writing groove back, and to cure him from being a romantic.
Review: This is a cute premise and the characters are really likeable. Each chapter has a romance trope that is happening or that they are going to try to ruin. Clever! A bit too long though, and the double dark moment was kind of annoying. But I still enjoyed it overall.
Recommend? Sure
Random Thoughts Thursday 488
- Book club was so much fun last Friday! I loved sharing what we didn’t like about the book but also finding something we learned from it. It felt good to focus on a positive and hear everyone’s perspectives. And the book exchange was a blast – look how cute the one I received was! The book I got was Part of Your World (which I have read and loved! The person who gave it to me felt bad I’d already read it and brought me another book later – The Locked Door – not necessary, but so thoughtful).
- Every Wednesday night when Steven and I take the garbage and recycling out we race down our long driveway and end up out of breath (both of us) and in a fit of giggles (me). Last night we ran into each other and I bruised my elbow and leg. Oops! It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt (written as if I learned a lesson – no lessons were learned.)
- I never thought I’d be talking about eggs here – I’m vegan! – but I do buy them for Steven (he’s vegetarian). I stopped by the farmstand for eggs last Sunday and they were out. Another person trying to buy eggs said to me “it really says something that the egg shortage is so bad you have to go to a local farm!” and I was like “we always buy our eggs here.” Oops. I didn’t mean to be bitchy, I was just saying what was true and popped into my head. But I felt bad for a minute about my response. She was like “nice to meet you, have a nice day!” then we both got in our cars and left. Oops.
- More egg talk – so I ordered the “pasture raised” ones from Walmart for pickup and when I got home and put the groceries away I saw there was only 11 in the carton!
- Something I’ve been saying a lot lately, after people laugh at a joke I made, is “thank you for laughing.” Daily it’s like, if I am not laughing, I am crying, so making other people laugh feels really good.
- Recently someone asked me if I was going to train to be a pilot. I said “I’d like to someday! It’s not in the cards now ☺️,” and they responded with “You can shake those cards!😘😅.” Sigh. I know they were trying to be encouraging and kind. And they mean well. But they know nothing about my personal situation and I am just like ACTUALLY I CANNOT SO LET’S QUIT THE BSING. (I didn’t respond.) Ha, this same person has also encouraged me over and over to do my “hide a painted rock a day” challenge that I did in 2023 again, and I have told them MANY times that will NOT be happening and they just keep saying it so… maybe this person is not hearing me anyway?!
- I think I have written and deleted more responses in the past month than I have in years. I am heavily filtering myself. (Except in person with the egg lady, obviously.)
- The “shake the cards” comment made me think a lot about how I’ve made my life too open. I share too much publicly (said, ironically, on my public blog). I have a lot of connections (which I am grateful for!), and people feel comfortable commenting on my life, CAUSE I PUT IT OUT THERE. Will any lessons be learned? There is more hope here than with the garbage/recycling bin races.
Things I saw on the internet
Information Diet
Have you heard this term? I saw it in a comment on an Instagram reel. Someone was saying they put their mother on an information diet because she couldn’t rely on her for support. I call that boundaries, but thought “information diet” was a clever way to say it.
I googled information diet and this was the first search:
An information diet refers to the conscious and deliberate management of one’s information consumption habits. It involves curating, limiting, and optimizing the intake of information from various sources to improve productivity, mental well-being, and decision-making capabilities.
Different context, but this definition sounds like something we should all do for ourselves.
Hope This Helps
Ha, I have seen the phrase “hope this helps” used sarcastically so many times on the internet that when I see it used genuinely, I am a bit sus.
A Weird Situation
I saved the best for last. I got the most bizarre email on my blog account yesterday. At first I had it pasted below but that doesn’t seem nice so I will summarize it:
The email said they (let’s call them Greg) had a weird situation where someone used an internet phone number (to hide who they were – they suspected their ex) to contact them to request a print job, then sent these photos. So Greg traced the photos through the internet and found my blog and asked me to call him to clear this all up.
Y’all, just, what?! These are the photos that were attached:
I am not trying to order prints of these, and don’t think anyone in them is either. Super LOL. I didn’t call Greg but if he sees this, here is his answer.
Hi! I’m Kim, a 40-something-year-old living in northeastern Illinois with my husband Steven, and our cats, Khaleesi, Apollo, Starbuck, and Eddard aka Ned. My current main hobbies are running, painting rocks, flying, reading, and eating. I follow a vegan lifestyle and work in an account management role. I write about a variety of topics and consider this a “life” blog – a place I can share anything that’s on my mind. Please visit the “About” page to get a better idea of who I am! 🙂
