if you’re here for the first time, welcome! you’ll be able to find the other parts of this series here.
1- komorebi should be my word for the year. i see this word probably once a week — in books, songs, blog posts, everywhere. it means the sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees.
2- of all the things soul homework has brought me, the most surprising is a love of poetry.
3- i’m in love with a certain cat on tiktok, but i refuse to follow its owner because he doesn’t know the difference between your and you’re.
4- i was once high at bedtime, taking my pills before sleep, and instead of tossing the pills into my mouth, i threw my water at my face.
5- is cheesecake really a cake? it feels like a cake-pie.
6- speaking of cake, i didn’t like frosting as a child. now, i could eat frosting right out of the container.
7- which leads me to my next thing — do you call it icing or frosting?
Frosting vs. Icing: What’s the Difference
8- do you spell it grey or gray?
Gray vs. Grey: What is the difference? | Merriam-Webster
9- i told you in one of my colonoscopy posts that you could eat gummy bears during prep. turns out that’s wrong. the nurse i saw in november said no gummy bears. i forgot to update you.
10- salt water taffy isn’t made with salt water. i just learned that this week.
11- five-word book reviews — i thought of this the other day. i feel like it could be a lot of fun. it forces those wordy people on goodreads to get creative.
12- after my dad died, we had to go into his phone to return something on amazon. while we were in there, we noticed something:
he had everyone’s location saved in his weather app. even his grandkids’ schools, if they weren’t in their hometown.
i cried when i saw it. because of course he did that.
this year, i started doing the same. some of you are in my app now too, because i like knowing what the sky looks like where you are.
gray or grey? icing or frosting? did you know there was no salt water in your taffy?
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A Grace Full Life 
Grey, icing, yes (though the name puzzles me).
I love the idea of the five-word book review! I’ve actually thought about doing something like that on Goodreads. My idea was for haiku reviews. Could be a lot of fun; I’ll report back if I do!
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I say frosting, but like someone here said—icing for cookies, frosting for cake.
ME TOO! Please do report back! It would make review reading (and writing) so much more fun!
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Oh, I like that distinction. Makes perfect sense!
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Right??
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As rain!
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I haven’t heard that saying in years!
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Your father is still watching over you.
What a beautiful gift…
💕
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Yes he is, friend. xoxo
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I also have my two kids’ locations who don’t live with me in my weather app and I’ll do the same for the grands when they move out! My blog friend Mimi wrote a hilarious post about her son giving her edibles on vacation and I was DYING! I’ve accidentally been drunk 3 times in the past 10 years and I don’t need to find out what I’m like on any other substance 🤣
I usually use grey, I did know the difference between icing and frosting, but I didn’t know there wasn’t salt in taffy. Also, I hate taffy!
I recently discovered Wally the Golden Retriever on TikTok and I’m in love.
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Aww, I love that you do that on the weather app too!
OMG—I would love to read about Mimi’s edible experience!
I typically hate taffy too, but I do love salt water taffy occasionally.
OMG—I’m going to look for Wally. I found a really cute one the other day—now I’m going to see if he’s Wally. I love golden retrievers.
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SUPER WORDY WEDNESDAY – Magical Mystical Mimi
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OMG—that is so damn funny! She is a hoot!
It reminds me of the time Mike and I got edible-laced cookies on our anniversary, and he thought I was in a coffin when I was lying right next to him in the hammocks.
Mine didn’t kick in until the middle of the night. I came downstairs crying to him—I’m a soul in a body!! I’m a soul in a body!!
Oh lawd.
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Omg! I do the same thing as your dad with weather & loved ones! I’ve never known anyone else who did this! Aw your dad…. 💚🥰
Also – grey for sure. Where I grew up, either spelling was ok/okay 😊
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Oh, Maddie, I love that you’ve done this too. You and my dad—kindred spirits. This makes me so happy.
I always grew up with OK, but as an adult I spell it okay and I don’t know when or why I changed! LOL
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I get that. “Okay” is sophisticated. Like dropping your childhood nick when you start your first big-time job 😉
I just got to frosting v. icing bit! You didn’t like frosting as a child? Whoa.
Too sweet?
I didn’t like cake as a child. It was just a frosting conduit. 😊
As for definitions…. To me frosting is thick while Icing is thin glaze. Donut Shop life lesson there.
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YES! That is it.
No, I didn’t! Can you believe that? My mom and grandma used to make this amazing Texas Sheet Cake with a thick layer of chocolate icing. I hated the icing and would peel it off just to eat the cake. It was too sweet for me. Now? I’d eat the icing alone if I could. Of course, I don’t eat chocolate anymore, so boo hoo.
You and I totally flipped! I love that!
A lot of people said the same about frosting vs. icing—it makes so much sense! Did you work in a donut shop?
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Nope. Never worked in a Donut Shop. Just the example that sprang to kind. Prob bc I’ve had donuts so infrequently. Choosing what kind was difficult! I paid attention to the details like frosting v icing 😅
Your question reminded me of the “Time to make the donuts” commercials. Remember those?
Same here on chocolate! I’m also a member of the Can’t Eat Chocolate Club (CECC)! My division is the Wish I Could But I Can’t (WICBIC). You too?
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I don’t think I could work in a donut shop. I’d be eating all of them and get fired!
YES! Dunkin Donuts!
Yep. I miss it. 😔
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Poetry is the best! I am reading Wild Hope by Donna Ashworth right now and I think you’d love it. So uplifting. I’m also reading Sing Slivered Tongue, which is a compilation of authors and my friend Maya is in it – it is an anthology of trauma experienced by South Asian women, so maybe not uplifting, but more moving and intense. Both great! Just different.
I say grey because I am Canadian! I also pronounce it ZED not ZEE and I spell everything with a u (colour neighbour etc). I draw the line at saying left-tenant, rather than loo-tenant, much to my father’s dismay.
I use both icing and frosting, and I will eat it happily because it’s the best part of the cake! Extra for me please!
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Someone else recommended Wild Hope to me! I will definitely add it to my TBR list—thank you! The other one also sounds like something I’d want to read as well, so thank you for sharing it.
I love all of these little differences! I definitely notice the “u” in colour and neighbour. I love that so much—I think it looks prettier.
It is THE best part of cake! I didn’t know what I was missing all those years ago!
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Kari, you just taught me something because I have never heard the word komorebi, so I didn’t know what it meant. Thank you!
” because he doesn’t know the difference between your and you’re.” — LOL! That’s like the word it’s versus its.
And I agree…cheesecake is really a “cake-pie”.
I call it “icing”. It’s like how some people call it tomato sauce versus GRAVY. Personally? I call it sauce.
And I spell it gray.
The salt water taffy mention reminded me of going to Atlantic City in the summer when I was a kid, and buying James Salt Water Taffy!
Fabulously enjoyable post, my friend! Brought back many great memories for me!
Happy Monday! X
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Aww, I’m glad I could share that word with you! I’ve been seeing it so much this year. I felt like it needed to be documented here.
YES. And… loose and lose.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way about cheesecake!
I think the frosting vs. icing is definitely regional, because so far everyone who’s been calling it icing is on the East Coast! I love learning things like this.
There must be nothing better than boardwalk salt water taffy. I wish I could have some right now.
Thank you! I’m so glad it brought back memories!
Happy Monday to you too! xoxo
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I died at how you are not following the guy who does not know the difference between your and you’re. Right on.
it is gray for me and frosting . . . But I would probably not eat gray frosting.
I was unaware of the lack of salt in salt water taffy but I don’t eat it much so I would not really be in the know.
how sweet that your dad was paying attention to everyone’s area.
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Solidarity, sis!
I don’t think I would eat gray frosting either. It makes me think of the groom’s cake in Steel Magnolias.
I know. He was a lovely human.
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Gray, frosting (for a cake; icing goes on cookies), and I did know there wasn’t salt water in salt water taffy but only because a few places near the beach actually make their own taffy in house and I love watching them.
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I also love watching them make the taffy! I love salt water taffy. I hope I get to find some this summer. The batch I found a few weeks ago had definitely been sitting around for a while.
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Well hello! I have never heard that word and now hope it will pop up often – like has it been there all along and I didnt notice? I know there is a difference betwen icing and frosting when it comes to cookies (because of course I do). In my world, the icing has no butter and is much thinner. Your and you’re?!?! My gosh you could go down a spiral of what they’re putting in their posts there! Cicero, NY–cooler today!
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OMG—look who’s here! I’m so glad to see you!
Oh yes! Icing for cookies, frosting for cake! Why didn’t I think of that before I wrote the post—LOL.
I’ll admit, back in my early blog days (like 2010), I also struggled with your and you’re. So maybe I’m projecting a little. BUT—it’s so easy once you learn! I think people need to stop leaving comments that just say *you’re and actually teach it. Like: you are = you’re. The apostrophe kicks out the A!
Cicero, NY—is in my Weather app. xoxo
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🩷
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I can’t leave you an emoji today!! My computer is being a jerk. Gahhhh. xoxoxoxo
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Haha. I totally understand. I was so excited that I actually could yesterday. Loved your humor in the piece.😍
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ALL THE EMOJIS! And thank you, friend.
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Four made me laugh out loud. Night meds can make us extremely silly.
Butter frosting is the best. You can just make some and keep it in a container in your fridge. No rules as a grownup.
Grey. I’m Canadian. Also, someone online recently said “grey” feels more grey. I like it.
That’s so funny – I have family and friends on my weather app. I like knowing about their day.
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YES! I’m almost embarrassed to admit it was my CBD/THC med that made me high!
Why have I never thought of just making frosting (or buying it) to have around and eat? This is a gamechanger. Thank you.
Oh yes—Canadian! That makes total sense. And grey does feel more grey, like Earl Grey.
Same—I love seeing the weather where my friends and family live.
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gray or grey? – both, just depends how I’m feeling at that moment.
icing or frosting? – both again, but I think probably use frosting more
no salt water in your taffy? – I had no idea!
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I love that idea—spelling depending on how you’re feeling!
Team Frosting over here.
RIGHT??
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Cheese pie to me sounds like pizza it could also be an alliteration thing…cheesecake just rolls off the tongue better. I use both Grey & Gray. It’s always been known as icing. Having grown up near the Jersey shore I was always told it was called Salt Water taffy because it was sold at the beach. “You’re” book really freaking sucks ! 😉 That’s for the tik tok cat guy if he ever writes one 🤣
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I feel like icing vs. frosting is a regional thing. I always say frosting, and I feel like a lot of people around here do too.
Well, duh—of course that’s the reason for the salt water taffy!
I even have a shirt that says “you’re” on it.
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gray or grey? Gray unless I’m referring to a specific color name that is spelled the other way.
icing or frosting? Either, although my mother made a distinction between the two, so I know there is one but just don’t care.
did you know there was no salt water in your taffy? I did not know there was no salt in so-called salt water taffy. Another fact debunked.
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I spell it gray too.
I don’t care either—I’m laughing at your comment.
I was at an old-fashioned candy store with my mom and a friend a few weeks ago, and there was salt water taffy in a big bathtub. I asked her if there was salt water in the taffy—we both didn’t know. Now we know!
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Obsessed with icing!..that’s what I call it. There is a local baker that I actually crave. Not sure what she puts in her cake batter and icing but it’s addictive. Grey, I think? How about your Dad with the locations in his phone? That’s simply adorable. FYI..I have the tastiest, and easiest cheese-cake-pie recipe! It’s going on my blog when I get back.
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I’m wondering if it’s a regional thing? I know Martha Stewart said it has to do with something else. I call it frosting!
Ooh—now I want to try your baker’s icing. We have a local bakery that makes really good cupcakes and cakes too.
I didn’t even think to give my answers—duh! I typically write it gray.
Isn’t it adorable? Of course, when we found it, it was shortly after he died, so I was in a grief puddle. But now, it’s such a lovely thought.
I can’t wait to read it! Cheesecake is my favorite cake-pie!
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Fun questions to ponder.
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I’m so glad you think so!
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Kari! This whole post reads like a poem to me. It’s not random bits and bobs; it’s all light shining between the leaves. It’s grey and grey and pie and cake and the saltwater of grief and the sweet of candy and everyday joy.
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Aww, Rita, I love this. Thank you for saying that—I hadn’t even looked at this post that way, but I will now.
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Digging this month’s edition of Things and sparked: It’s more of a meditation than a usual film, but has some beautiful expression of komorebi — Perfect Days (trailer) really touched me. (Admission, watched on plane so I had to pay attention.)
I’m also weather city collector, with all major family collected — along with recent trips.
And cheesecake feels like a third, different kind of dessert that is not pie or cake!
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I’m crying. Thank you so much for sharing that trailer. I am definitely going to watch—it says it’s available on Hulu.
I love that you are a city weather collector. It feels like a quiet kind of love.
A third, different kind of dessert! Yes!
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I love the new word you taught me: komorebi. Also, I ate frosting out of the container as a child, too.
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I’m happy to share! It’s a beautiful word.
I love to eat it that way!
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👍🏼
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This was such a fun post, Kari! I will eat frosting or icing. I’m not fussy! I’ve always spelled it “gray.” But I’ll spell it “grey” if the sentence before spells it that way. How lovely that you add people’s locations to your weather app. That’s a wonderful idea! My mind is blown that salt water taffy doesn’t contain salt water. What a delightfully confusing world! Thank you for all these little bits of info!
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Aww, thank you, Michelle!
LOL—I’m not fussy either!
My mind was blown too! I guess I thought maybe the water added something to it?
Thank you so much for always reading and leaving me a comment. xoxo
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I’d not heard the word komorebi – but it is a beautiful thing and I love that the Japanese have named it :) I’d find it difficult to forgive the cat’s owner for their grammatical failure too… To me icing is that stuff you roll out and frosting is the stuff you spread – no idea if that’s right or wrong. I’d give my theory no credence whatsoever though, as I’m no baker :D Five word reviews sounds like a horribly difficult challenge, but I’m almost tempted to try it! I am drawn towards gray, whereas I should favour grey, being a Brit ‘n all. My early childhood was spent with way more Americans than Brits, so maybe that’s why.
I love what your Father did, and I love what you’re doing. I have my daughter’s and my mother/sister’s location saved in my weather app. My other siblings live so close by as not to make a difference. The latter is saved primarily because they live in Missouri and so are susceptible to some pretty extreme weather.
Sending love & hugs for the process of going through your Dad’s phone. I was saved that task as my Dad refused to have a cell phone. But I occasionally experience regret at how lightly he trod on this world, and so cherish his old photo albums beyond measure. I know you’ll know <3 <3 <3
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I love it too—so many beautiful Japanese words for everyday things. I love their language so much.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who holds grammar grudges! LOL.
I like your idea of icing versus frosting! (I’m no baker either.)
It would be a challenge for me too—I’m terrible at writing reviews for anything. But I kind of love the idea of this.
I love that you also keep track of loved ones on your weather app. Missouri has a lot of extreme weather, especially tornadoes.
Thank you so much for that love. Ella told me last night that she texted my dad’s phone the other day to tell him she missed him. The text came back as undelivered, and it broke both of our hearts. No one talks about this part of grief.
How lightly he trod on this world… I understand this completely. I’m sending you so much love, my dear friend.
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Oh I teared up just reading that – poor Ella (and poor you) <3 <3
I occasionally rang the phone of an ex after they’d died, just to hear their voice on the recorded message. It was ages before the contract was ceased but, when it finally was, it broke my heart. I so wished I’d kept some of his old voicemails, wishing I’d not deleted them without a thought when we broke up.
Thank you for the love <3
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I know—the finality is so hard.
I’m so sorry about your ex. I don’t think we talk enough about the people we’ve loved and what it means when they die, whether they’re still in our lives or not. I compare it to when celebrities die—how we feel emotionally tied to them even though we’ve never met them!
😘
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I laughed a little too hard on #4 (being high at bedtime and throwing water in your face). The other night I took my AM pill instead of my PM one even though they’re clearly in the AM and PM sides of the med box. I wasn’t high. Just old. I freaked because I had technically double-dosed on my AM pill ~ especially after I googled what could happen. I ended up calling Poison Control! (I was fine.)
Frosting ~ which I liked as a kid, but don’t anymore.
Gray.
Five word book reviews…I like short and sweet, but FIVE WORDS?! I’d like to see how that’s done with truly being able to tell about the book.
I love that story about your dad and the weather app. <3
xoxo
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I’d be worried too if I mixed up my pills. I’m so glad you’re okay. 😘
I love how deeply my dad loved all of us. It was so special, and I’m still grieving it—always will. 💜
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I believe your post is the first time I’ve ever seen the word komorebi. For real.
I love that your dad had everyone’s location in weather; how sweet is that man? Very.
Frosting. But I still can’t eat that much of it.
I learned (and I can’t believe I retained it) that grEy is European, and grAY is American. Right? I didn’t click the link, but I think I’m right.
Yes to the five words in book reviews!!
Girl, I wish there was video of you tossing back the water to you’re face. Your too funny! (🤣Your-You’re!)
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I’m so glad I mentioned it then!
He really was so sweet. 💜
I can’t either—but when I do, mmmm.
I’m learning so much through these comments! I didn’t know that about gray/grey.
Right? It does sound like a fun challenge.
It wasn’t fun in the moment, but it definitely woke me up! (And yes, my eye twitched with your your/you’re too! 🤣)
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I’ve always spelled it “grey” and called it “frosting”. it was a hilarious post. throwing water instead of pills at your face? that got me rolling. about “there” and “they’re”— it’s so annoying. like they’re making it a random thing on social media. komorebi… never heard the word, but it never hurts to know. I really don’t like frosting until it’s chocolate. five-word book reviews sounds cool, I need to do them. I’m too wordy hehe. that was so sweet of your dad, may he rest in peace. number two was so surprisingly relatable. I used to think poetry as boring. but no, it’s absolutely not. I really enjoyed reading this post. xo, totto
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That water in the face woke me up fast! 🤣
There, they’re, and their – YES.
I agree about frosting—my favorites are chocolate and cream cheese.
I’m too wordy too, Totto! That’s why I need a five-word limit! 🤣
Thank you for your kind words about my dad. 💜
I’ve learned to love poetry through soul homework, my friend Ren’s poetry on their blog, my friend Rita sharing it on her blog, and my friend Nicole introducing me to Mary Oliver. So many lovely places. I used to think it was boring too.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it—I enjoyed reading your comment!
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I know what komorebi is like!! In the fall, when I hike on the reservation, and the fall leaves against the blue sky plus sunlight- so beautiful.
I spell gray since to me, as a speaker of English as a second language, it seems easier.
Salt water taffy is everywhere down the Jersey shore, and always thought it’s similar to salty caramel- I was wrong :)
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Yes, that’s it!! One of my favorite parts of fall. I love that you knew it.
It’s so fun learning everyone’s version of gray—I spell it this way too.
Very different from caramel, though—and that’s my favorite!
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komorebi– never heard of it. sounds like some girl’s name backwards (Rebi Komo). and, i died laughing over both the “throwing water in your face” and not following the “your/you’re” guy. lastly, your dad keeping tabs on his loved one’s local weather brought tears to my eyes. i want to be that kind of person. i keep trying <3. xx, ren
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It does sound like a name!
I know, it made me cry too. You definitely are that person—I can tell without ever meeting you in person. xoxo
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<3
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I want frosting. I’m always vaguely disappointed when cookies have icing. I want ALL THE SUGAR. I switch between gray and grey with no rhyme or reason. Whatever suits the mood.
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I want all the sugar too!
I like that. Maybe I will spell it any which way too.
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This is the kind of pettiness I LIVE for: “i’m in love with a certain cat on tiktok, but i refuse to follow its owner because he doesn’t know the difference between your and you’re.” 😂 And, picturing you throwing water in your face made me lol (in a laughing with you, not at you way). I grew up surrounded by saltwater, and as a kid I absolutely thought saltwater taffy was made with (of course!) saltwater and wanted some so badly. When I finally got to try it, I was disappointed. And picking that sticky stuff out of my teeth all day, it felt like. Now I realize why I always hesitate over the spelling of gray/grey, though I think I tend to land on gray most often. But not always. Before reading the definitive word on the question from Martha, I would’ve said that it’s frosting for cakes and icing for cupcakes (why? No clue), but now I see that it’s always frosting, all the time. Not a fan of icing. Butter, baby. (Glad you get to see your dad so often.)
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I just won a raffle at my yoga studio… the owner said your welcome over text. She’s not my yoga instructor, so I’ll let it slide. My instructor’s a full-time kindergarten teacher—I know she wouldn’t make that mistake.
I also laughed at myself when I did that. I’m no good at being high, which is why I don’t do it much.
Also: I just realized how much pulling out of teeth is involved with taffy and now I’m not craving it anymore. So… thank you? 🤣
And my dad is all over the place. I love that. 💜🌈
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