So much has happened since we last recorded, so this episode is a big catch-up. We cover house updates, renovation plans, some embarrassing travel moments, and a few silly metaphors (because describing charts you can’t see always makes for strange audio). We also talk about why house projects have slowed down, which projects remain, and how our feelings about having less on the to-do list have changed over the years. There’s an impromptu musical exercise that celebrates our contentment with a smaller home, a story about why Sherry can’t return to one Florida city, a holiday game, and a TV show recommendation we’ve been eager to share.
You can find this episode on popular podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Spotify.
What’s New
- We explain why we won’t return to a weekly podcast schedule and instead plan to release occasional, longer catch-up episodes. Above is a photo of our slightly fancy recording setup from earlier this week (you can even spot the Ikea cabinet boxes we mentioned in the background).
- To see recent home projects you might have missed, visit our blog homepage. Highlights mentioned in the episode include our new pool, the pantry we added, the closet we built for the bedroom, our small fenced firepit area, a DIY hanging daybed, and the recent kitchen porch with a grill. We also shared what the kitchen interior looks like now.
- Other updates include a seasonal holiday gift guide, an update on our family room, seven favorite smart storage pieces that make the home work harder, and a heartfelt tribute to our dog Burger, who passed away in October. We still enjoy looking at photos of him, so here’s one we love:
- We referenced a narrow drawer beside our stove in an older kitchen organization post. That drawer once held a bottle of olive oil and a jar of salt. Our upcoming plan to switch to frameless cabinets and shift the stove should free up a lot more usable storage.
- We mentioned paving our front driveway; currently it’s a pine-straw-over-sand setup—complete with visible tire marks. Our preferred parking spot is now around the side by the new kitchen porch, so the front space will mostly be for guests. We’re still a one-car household, and our eight-year-old Toyota Highlander (over 150,000 miles) keeps going strong.
- If we ever build the guest-house-style shed with a bed, it would sit behind the large tree near the green fence (the pool is on the other side). We’d rework the fence to protect the tree—keeping the existing mature tree is a priority in any layout.
- Sherry mentioned that “circles make you happy,” an insight from Ingrid Fetell Lee’s book Joyful. We discussed that book in Episode #130 and later interviewed Ingrid in Episode #136.
What’s Not Game: Holiday Towns
- We talked about an article that lists 29 American towns with holiday-themed names that capture seasonal spirit. That piece is an interesting read if you enjoy travel and quirky place names.
- We also discussed Santa Claus, Arizona—the abandoned Christmas-theme town—and shared a note about an online photo tour that documents its eerie, nostalgic atmosphere.
That’s Embarrassing
- Sherry had a memorable and embarrassing moment in St. Augustine, but thankfully it wasn’t captured on camera. It didn’t spoil our visit to this beautiful historic city, especially since we happened to be there shortly after the holiday lights were up.
- Some of our favorite spots in St. Augustine included Osprey Taco (we went back twice in three days), Mayday Ice Cream, and a stroll around Castillo de San Marcos.
We’re Digging
- I recommended Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark, one of my recent favorites and a pick in last month’s holiday gift guide.
- We also praised the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building—both of us enjoyed its mix of humor and mystery (note: some language).
- Sherry still sleeps with a particular weighted blanket she received years ago; she appreciates its washable cover, soft fabric, and temperature that’s not too warm.
- For a lighter option, we mentioned a furry throw that we keep on the downstairs sofa—it’s become a family favorite for cozying up.
- The episode includes a photo of the bed with Sherry’s weighted blanket tucked under the duvet on her side (and, hello again, Burger!), showing how the blanket can be integrated discreetly into bedding.
If you’re trying to find an item we discussed on a past episode, we maintain a master list of everything we’ve been digging across episodes, and you can view all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
A quick note of thanks to Agility Bed for sponsoring this episode. Before December 31 you can use code YHL for a discount on mattresses plus free gifts; after December you can still use the same code for a savings offer. Visit AgilityBed.com to see current details.
Thanks for listening and catching up with us—more episodes will come when we have big updates to share.
*This post contains affiliate links; we may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.