I’m getting back on the horse here with my weekly updates.  Week 25 was a busy one around the Suburban Steader Homestead.  We didn’t do a lot of work around the house, but the week seemed to really be a whirlwind.  We’ll get into it here:

This Week’s Milestones

Two Special Days

I spend a lot of time talking about how suburban homesteading isn’t always about the hardcore work that more rural homesteading operations endure.  Instead, sometimes it’s about the little things.

First, I got to celebrate Father’s Day.  It sounds selfish, but it is one of my favorite days of the year.  Not so much for the attention that I’m paid, but I view it as a day to reflect on being a father and how lucky I am to have these two little girls in my life.  I won’t lie though – the adoration, attention, and presents are nice as well!  I slept in late, had a great breakfast, went for a short run and had lunch with my wife’s family.  Then we just chilled in the backyard for the rest of the day.  It was super relaxing and very nice.

The second special day was due to the fact that Mrs. Suburban Steader and I celebrated 13yrs of marital bliss.  I am very lucky that this amazing woman has agreed to spend her life with me.  We were able to go out to dinner (alone) on our actual anniversary and had a great night.  Also, this weekend, her parents will be taking the kids and we’ll have some time to explore parts of Long Island.  I think we might actually get out to the easternmost end of the island – Montauk.

Anyway, Happy Anniversary babe! Love you!

A Resolution With Relief

I don’t want to get into specifics here, but there have been some moving parts going on behind the scenes that would have had large consequences for yours truly in terms of career.  It would have even involved an out-of-state move.  This entire journey came to a very amicable resolution this week which results in our happy little family staying put on this little sandbar east of Gotham.  It’s been a stressful journey and I’m happy with not only the decision that was made but the fact that we have a resolution to this saga.  I can now concentrate on the things that are important to me – family and living a self-reliant life.

Garden Is Popping

We are in that gardening lull where everything is in the ground and nature is taking its course, so to speak.  There’s the necessary watering and weeding but, other than that, I haven’t done much with the garden lately.

A few things are close to being ready to harvest.  The kiddos have actually snagged a few blueberries and strawberries.  The lettuce is ready.  Snap peas are starting to pop.  Broccoli heads are forming and the onions and peppers are really starting to grow.  So is the eggplant.

The garlic seems is close to the point where I need to trim the shoot in the middle.  And the herbs – oh, the herbs – they should be ready for their first harvest in about a week.

Overall, I’m really happy with how the garden is coming along this year.  I’m looking forward to the harvest and to being able to reap what I sow.

Next Week’s Goals

Fitness

I’ve been pretty diligent about my C25K running program that I told you about last week.  At the time of publishing, I’ve gotten through Week 3.  Week 4 is where the program really turns and you’re running more than you’re walking.  I’ve also been invigorated a bit by the Fitbit Surge that the girls and the Mrs got me for Father’s Day.

I’m looking forward to it as I am starting to remember the feeling of a runner’s high.  It’s not so much a high, but a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with yourself.

The next step in this journey is to get my diet in check.  I’ve really loosened the reigns there and need to dial it in.  With both of those parts of my life in check, I should get back into “fighting weight” and feel a little better as well.

Gardening

Nothing major happening here.  The cucumbers need a trestle to climb.  The snap peas will be ready to harvest very shortly and the carrots that have gone to seed need to have an eye kept on them so that I gather up the flowers at the right time.  I probably also need to give a little TLC to the garlic as well.  Overall, it’s status quo here.

That’s it folks – Week 25 is in the books!  How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

Dan

Founder/Owner at Suburban Steader

I am a middle-age guy with a wife, two young kids and a crazy dog. We live on Long Island, NY and had an interesting experience with Hurricane Sandy. That experience led me towards the self-sufficiency movement and eventually led to the founding of SuburbanSteader.com. I aim to provide suburbanites with the confidence and know-how to become more self-reliant by providing content on topics such as gardening, personal health, financial responsibility, cooking, self-preparedness and self-protection.