We seriously considered two houses in our neighborhood, and today we’re sharing a truly random story about the one we didn’t buy, plus what we learned from our astrocartography readings. Did the stars actually have anything to say about our move to Florida? Were the readings eerily accurate or way off? We’ll tell you what surprised us, what we learned, and yes — which totally random sentence about a certain mammal made Sherry ridiculously excited. There’s also a short saga about a simple outdoor project that stretched on for months, and the purchase that completely changed our opinion about outdoor furniture. Oh — and Sherry managed to embarrass herself again. You’ll hear all about it.
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What’s New
- We had a new fence installed between our yard and the house being built next door, and we’re sharing a quick look at the finished result along with a peek at our small outdoor shed you first saw in our exterior before & after post. You’ll also get a warning about the weeds that always seem to come with outdoor projects.
- The fence color is Halcyon Green by Sherwin-Williams — it’s the same tone our friends used in their kitchen remodel. We love how the color ties the yard to the interior palette and gives the exterior a calm, coastal feel.
- Next up is extending the fence around the bedroom side of the house to create a private courtyard. You may remember our playful mock-up of this idea from the bedroom tour we posted last month.
- If you missed any of our inside updates, here’s a short rundown of recent posts: our kitchen and some quick updates, the bedroom plans, the living room progress, the laundry closet shelving, our son’s room bookshelf/headboard, and our daughter’s channel-tufted headboard and colorful wall mural. We’ve also documented exterior changes, including an exterior before & after tour and a pressure-wash refresh of our quirky outdoor shower.
- And yes — because someone inevitably asks — we included the cheese meme that riffs on the “Months of 2020” celebrity meme. It’s the cheese version and it’s worth a laugh.
Cheese meme shared on Instagram by Emily (@cheeseboardqueen), originally posted Aug 4, 2020.
- We also referenced the infamous “Laura” neighbor story from our Cape Charles days — you can hear the full tale in Episode #59 around the 17:30 mark. And Sherry pulled up photos of John on a Segway from over a decade ago: a ridiculous advertising shoot where he modeled just his legs for fair shields stuck to Segways. The resulting photo, and a subsequent reshoot, made for a hilariously awkward modeling moment — very concentrated, slightly mortified expressions included.
- That reshoot was meant to align the real person with the shield photo and ended up being one of those office memories you both cringe and laugh about. In short: modeling at its finest — earnest, awkward, and a little sweaty trying not to roll into a canal.
Our Astrocartography Analyses
- We first introduced astrocartography in Episode #174, when we also gifted Sherry a pet psychic reading for her birthday. The readings we had with astrocartographer Pati Carlson were surprisingly detailed — even for this skeptic. We spent over four hours on the phone across two sessions, and much of what she pointed out felt uncannily accurate.
- Pati’s reading highlighted personality tendencies — she called out my “maximizer” instincts and contrasted them with Sherry’s more “sufficing” approach. That distinction explains a lot about how we make decisions, tackle projects, and decide when something is “good enough.” If that resonates, you might enjoy revisiting Episode #159 where we talk about maximizers vs. sufficers.
- We also mentioned the internet rumor about a thirteenth zodiac sign, Ophiuchus, and pointed listeners to reputable debunking coverage that clarified NASA never added a new sign. If you’re curious about astrology trends and myths, a little skepticism goes a long way, but a thoughtful astrology reading can still surface useful reflections about choices and places in your life.
- Bottom line: whether you view astrocartography as guidance or an entertaining lens, our experience felt insightful. It helped us name patterns in how we react to new places and why certain moves felt more energizing than others as we relocated to Florida.
We’re Digging
- We finally pulled the trigger on new outdoor dining chairs this summer. They’re lightweight, stackable, easy to clean, and made of a material that doesn’t trap water — exactly what we needed for Florida weather. They were out of stock at the time of writing, but we listed similar options with the same features: affordability, durability, and low maintenance.
- I also recommended a book that stuck with me: Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller. It’s part biography, part science history, and a reflective memoir that felt both moving and informative. If you like layered nonfiction, it’s worth a spot on your reading list.
- We mentioned Bookshop.org as a useful place to buy books online when you want your purchase to support independent bookstores. You can also search that site to find and support smaller shops, including some of the Black-owned bookstores we highlighted in a prior post.
If you’re trying to find something we discussed in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we put together a master list of everything we’ve been “digging” from past episodes, plus a Book Club page with all the books we’ve recommended.
Finally, a thank you to Agility Bed for sponsoring the episode. They were offering a promotion at the time of our post; check their site for current offers and details.
Thanks for listening and following along — we love sharing the small, silly, and surprisingly meaningful moments of life as we renovate, move, and figure things out together.
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