September 20, 2025

A Few Things to Tell You Vol. 1

three back-to-school reads and a lot of sewing!

Well, hello there! So happy to see you today!

I had such a full week, with so much MAKING last weekend (see below), workity-work, multiple extra meetings, and … this.

You guys. We drove 2+ hours to this concert AFTER work on Thursday, and HOME AGAIN. And it was freaking amazing and so much damn fun ~ one of the most energetic shows I have been to! I got home and into bed at 1:00 am, woke up at 5:00 am to get to the 7:40 union meeting before work that … I (ME!) had scheduled. TACTICAL ERROR. But I rallied and the day actually went well!

I can assure you that the three fountain Diet Cokes and zero alcohol helped me have an amazing time and still make it to and through the next day day in a middle school. And hooray for my friend’s husband being willing to drive us ~ I was in a hazy babbling state on the way home.

Speaking of shows … did you buy your tickets for this one yet??? I just stumbled upon this in the theater app while perusing the shows for the weekend and THERE IT WAS!!! I totally missed the announcement and got so lucky being able to get tickets for me, the youngest, and our friend gang!

On the Name Change

You have to understand, my dear readers. My brain doesn’t do well with rules not followed, guidelines not adhered to, or arbitrary requirements.

At work recently we were mandated to fill out a self-assessment, with the options for each standard being “Not started, In Process, or In Place”. And THEN, it turns out that the way form was (thoughtlessly) created required at least three things to be marked as “Not Started”. As a 20+ year veteran in education, I was NOT okay with that, given that I have at least started working on every single professional standard in front of me. I’m not okay with my professional file having a document in which it states that at this stage of my career, I haven’t even started working on these things. Yes, I staged a minor, professionally-toned protest.

All that to say, I have changed the name of my Saturday newsletter. I can’t handle Five Things anymore. I simply can’t have it be titled Five Things without actually giving you FIVE distinct things, but sometimes that’s difficult when I really have a lot to say about fewer than five things, or just a tidbit about more, but had these really distinct headers that separated them all and OMG WHAT IF PEOPLE COUNT THEM AND THERE AREN’T FIVE AND THEN I’M A LIAR AND ALSO WHY WOULD IT BE TITLED FIVE THINGS IF THERE ARE THREE OR SIX?

Yes, I know my brain is special. I love my brain. I make accommodations to work with my brain. Like renaming this newsletter!

Today, I have three back-to-school reads for you, as well as all of my sewing accomplishments from last weekend ~ the break served me SO WELL on that front!

Three Back-to-School Reads

I very much surprised myself a few weeks ago by not only reading one book set in a school, something I’m usually wary of, but THREE!

I think I just loved Other People’s Kids by Kim Culbertson so much that I was craving more? This indie-published story is a deeply insider look at the messy lives of educators, and features (THANK GODDESS) all characters in their 40s and older. Yes, it’s fictional, but it felt oh so very real. LOVED IT.

The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham is my surprise win of the season, since I was very skeptical of this one going in. I mean, I know Hilderbrand on Nantucket, but at a boarding school? A completely unknown quantity. I ended up really enjoying this soapy read that is perfect for anyone who loved Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, but wanted it juicier, modern, and cackle-worthy. Yes, this is set at a high school, but don’t worry, it’s very much an adult story also featuring the scandals of the staff.

History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook then took me to a fictional elite university where a Black female history professor has a whole lot of microaggressions to contend with as well as … a MURDER. This mystery is so deeply nerdy and I just gobbled it up.

A Weekend of Sewing

I was shocked last week to realize that after my marathon sibling quilt project last winter, I have done almost NO sewing. I started a scrap quilt in the last gasp of my summer break, but between all of the graduation excitement last spring and traveling and pool time this summer, sewing got pushed to the side.

With my mental exhaustion oh so apparent, I made the decision last Friday morning to stop at my favorite local fabric store on my way home from work to get fabric for a new skirt.

I found the most DELIGHTFUL bird fabric!

I then made the underskirt on Friday night, and finished the entire skirt on Saturday, and still fit in an eye doctor appointment, grocery shopping, and a nap. What a win.

I always use this super simple pattern (video), and add an underskirt that is neatly sewn into the waistband to make it more full and flow better. This is my 4th one and I love them all! I wear these skirts super high on my natural waist with a close-fitting shirt tucked in.

I naturally then had the sewing bug back in full force, so I decided to alter this skirt that I bought a while back but haven’t been wearing because I didn’t like the length. I chopped off the bottom panel and added … A BOOKSHELF.

I have a lot of this fabric since I bought a lot last year ~ so fun to find new uses for it! This bookshelf trim was one of those projects in the “seemed like it would be a lot easier than it was” category due to the fact that the pattern is not actually in a straight line on the fabric, but it turned a so-so skirt into an all-time favorite.

And finally, I made a ribbon belt to wear with a few denim dresses I have with not-defined-enough waists. I modeled it after the belt that came with another dress, and I look forward to making many more of these with other scrap fabric.

And there you have it ~ the beauty and creativity that came from staying off my laptop for a weekend. The break and a release of formal constraints for my Saturday missives were just what I needed to feel rejuvenated and excited to continue writing.

I so appreciate the grace you gave me and all the kind messages you sent my way! May you all walk your pups with a huge handful of Doritos forevermore …. and read this to keep your head high.

Thanks for stopping by!