Tools, Tech, and Tiny Wins

Woke up just before my alarm, feeling a bit stiff. Sleeping in the travel trailer again — the mattress is way firmer than the fifth wheel, and my body always needs a few nights to adjust. Still, I was feeling motivated, which makes all the difference.

Big win of the day?
I built the arched garden beds! They’re not in place yet — I’ve still got to prep the ground first — but the structure is done. Luckily, the seeds for that bed haven’t sprouted yet, so I’ve got a bit of breathing room to get it sorted.

Even bigger news:
The new generator arrived a day early! Total game-changer. I’ve got it set up and running in now. Still working out the battery situation, but just knowing I’ve got reliable power again is such a relief. I can actually get online without stressing over time limits. Honestly, it’s like a weight has lifted. I hadn’t realized how much that pressure to cram everything into an hour was messing with my motivation.

And yes — I’m very excited to be back on two monitors again. It’s the little things.

Spent a bit of time researching new water movement options (RIP to my little portable pump). I’ve got a few ideas brewing, just need to see what’s practical with what I’ve got on hand.

Podcasts for the day were the usual newsy ones — NPR, Reuters, BBC — and a couple episodes of a Severance podcast. That show still has me in a chokehold.

More happy mail:
My new vacuum arrived — one that runs on the same M18 Milwaukee batteries as my other tools! My little handheld Dyson lasted 8 years, which is impressive, but the battery just can’t keep up anymore. I love that I can swap batteries between tools now — makes cleanup way less of a chore.

Changed the oil in the new generator and ran it for another 5 hours under a heavier load. So far, it’s working great. More wattage and features than my old one, though the build feels a little cheaper overall. Still, the design is solid — especially the easy access to all the parts that usually go bad first.

Ended the day with an episode of Black Mirror — Season 7, Ep2: Bête Noire. Super creepy, but I was in the mood for something weird.

Photos on instagram!