And she's back!

where I've been + what I've been doing

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I’ve been away for a long time. I will update you on the tsunami that’s occurred in the past two years while I’ve been absent. This will be thorough, biting, and brief—like the haikus, I make my 15-year-old write when he tells me he's bored. 

Exhibit A:

Darkness wraps my soul,

Empty stomach, empty fridge,

Mom did not make lunch.

Buckle up, buttercup

Two years ago, during the height of COVID-19, our family of five lived sardine-style in a two-bedroom apartment in Berkeley, CA. Puberty hit our oldest like a Mack truck, so my husband and I moved our bed into the living room to give our blossoming teenager the space he needed to grow into a young man without the queries and stares of his toddler and elementary-aged siblings. It was then that we decided we needed much more space. We gathered our minimal finances, gave ourselves six months to reside in the “Bivingroom”, and began our search for a new forever home.

In a 6 mos. span, I broke my wrist after trying to catch myself from toppling down a hill at Delores Park with our 13-year-old Bichon Frise-Poodle, Duchess.  3 fractures and 1 bumpy car ride later I was in my first cast at 37 years old. Messy. Shortly thereafter Duchess developed a terrible ear infection and, in turn, a severe case of vertigo that made her so nauseous she refused to eat for days. We expected every day to be her last, but she rose like a phoenix from the ashes. Her fire was sadly extinguished in 2022. While in cast we ALL caught COVID-19. Our oldest had sprouted hair everywhere, returned to school in person, discovered girls, and experienced his first heartbreak. And after 6 mos of planning and searching we found a house...HOORAY… 22 miles away in Vallejo, CA... MERP.

The house checked every box. It was old and perfect, but I'd be lying if I told you the move was easy. Recovering from COVID we packed 11 years of living (me still in a cast, fighting a fever, chills, and nausea while caring for two small children—I'd give that -3 stars. Do not recommend it) and made our way over the Carquinez Bridge to The V. The school district in Vallejo isn’t great, so we enrolled the kids in a Christian private school just 7 minutes from the house. Needless to say, my hippy, heathen children did not acclimate well. My oldest embodied the spirit of Huey P. Newton and protested every advance of his “colonizers” and almost got kicked out. My daughter cried about her uniform weekly and hid under the bed every day for months to avoid going to school. “But Mooooooom, how will ANYONE know I’m special if I have to look like everybody else?!?!” My Montessori-raised youngest became a playground pariah after he hugged and kissed another little boy on the cheek, elated that someone finally agreed to play with him. It was the worst of times... it was the worst of times.

My husband's commute was now double and his days became that much longer, so I left my retail management job in Berkeley and took a local job teaching as a Drama Program Director for an afterschool program through Parks and Rec. Soon, I was asked to head up the after-school program and break camps at six elementary schools, putting me in charge of 36 high school-aged rec leaders and about 100+ kids. Should I have said no? Sure. Was I trying to immerse myself in work to escape our worst of times? You betcha. Was it a dumpster fire? Abso-stinking-lutely. I was let go. The consensus was I had "done nothing wrong" I just wasn't "a good fit." I will say the Summer Drama Camp was also fire (in the opposite way) and I now have a healthy love for improv and Matilda the Musical. I see my former staff and students out in the wild from time to time. They run up and say hello and update me on their lives or the latest gossip which gives me a truly unmatched dose of serotonin. Loved those kids, every single one.

After being let go I devoted my time to being home with my kids and Duchess while my nervous system recalibrated. I worked feverishly on transferring the kids out of the private school and into a new school district. Two-thirds were successful. The little guy had to do another year in playground purgatory, but he survived and was able to transfer out for the 24/25 school year. In early February 2022, Duchess passed away. It was devastating for all of us, and I did not take it well at all. We fostered three dogs after her because I wasn’t ready to fully care for another dog until this past August. Meet Autumn Summershade. She's 10 months old.

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And that’s pretty much all there is to tell. My husband was solid as a rock through it all. He's cheerfully climbed to the roof of our 1938 Craftsman to National Lampoon it out with Christmas decor, every holiday season. God bless that man. The kids are now thriving at their new schools. My oldest is on the basketball team. My daughter is in Girl Scouts and has been sewing to her heart’s content. My youngest plays the piano and is determined to become a Lego master. And I’ve finally settled into our life here.

Oh! There is one more thing: I’ve decided to go back to work —this time, managing myself. Daily Thread Thrift is a culmination of my love of fashion, sustainable living, and helping folks look and feel their best. Be sure to check out the Blog and website for updates and pop-ups!

If you're new here, welcome! It's a joy to have you! I hope you find something that speaks to you. Enjoy!

All my love,

Shauntee