The Weekend Edit No. 21
5 fun things, including our new espresso machine, the neat thing we all did as a family this week, and a new gay sitcom
Dear reader,
Happy Friday night! How was your week? Tonight we are heading to watch our oldest, Allan, perform in his school’s play! It’s opening night, and he’s so nervous. I keep telling him to switch the word “nervous” for “excited”, and it seems to be shifting his mindset a bit. They’ve had rehearsals since January, and he’s worked so hard, so we are beyond excited to finally see what he’s been up to. The play is Moana, and he plays her dad, so he has quite a few speaking and singing lines. Ahhhhh!! We can’t wait. He has another performance tomorrow, and I’m curious to see if he loosens up a bit between now and then. We’ll see!
In other news, I can’t tell you how much joy it brings me to finally see green on all the trees in town and out at our farm. It feels like the earth is coming back to life after a rather long winter. I’m found myself growing so tired of seeing brown branches and sticks everywhere. Now there is brightness and energy and a sense of renewal everywhere you look. If only the pollen weren’t so relentless. I’ve been having two or three full-on sneezing fits a day, much to the dismay of everyone within earshot.
I went out to the farm earlier today to pick up a little and work on this newsletter at Holiday House, and as I was sitting there sipping an espresso and typing away, the house quiet and still, I slowly started remembering why I love the farm so much. It’s funny, we haven’t stayed out there in two weeks and I hadn’t missed it, not even once. But when I’m there, the allure of it all comes back to me. I've been so content staying at our house in town. It’s comfortable, familiar, cozy, welcoming. It’s convenient and my mom can stop by anytime she wants since she just lives a few streets over.
But the farm is different. It’s spacious and freeing. It’s more loose. It lets our minds wander in ways that feel good and necessary. Where the house in town holds us close and grounds us in routine, the farm invites us to stretch out a little, breathe deeper, think slower, move at a different rhythm. I didn’t realize I’d missed that kind of stillness until I was in the middle of it. Maybe that’s the sweet spot we’re learning to settle into lately: Letting home be both the place that comforts you and the place that calls you back to yourself.
Also, and this happens pretty much every Weekend Edit- this newsletter is too long for email, so you may want to click through to Substack see the whole thing.
Here’s what else went on this week:
We got the new Ninja Luxe Café 3-in-1 machine a few weeks ago, and we’ve been loving it ever since. The espresso it makes is so rich and smooth—it honestly rivals anything we’ve had at a coffee shop. And because it’s a drip brewer, espresso maker, and milk frother all in one, it ends up being way more affordable than most other machines out there. Total game changer for our mornings (and afternoon refuels).
We received a special package in the mail from Petite Plume, who make the most beautiful pajamas. They also have matching family sets, and they sent us all these two piece pajamas in a classic navy French ticking, and I’ve been wearing them every night this week. I love how timeless, and maybe even a little nostalgic, they look. I’m hoping to get a few photos of the whole family in them this week that I’ll share!
Last night, we all went to our daughter's event called A Celebration of Movement at the high school, where she was chosen, along with only about 20 other kids in her school, to participate in a couple of fun dance routines. There were hundreds of kids from all the schools in town and they all danced and played to classic songs, like “We Will Rock You” and “Allstar”. Anna had a blast, and her brothers even joined her for the finale at the end, along with all the other kids who were there. You could tell just by the look on her face that she was having so much fun, which, of course, meant we were, too.
Our neighbor’s cherry tree is showing off this week. It’s in full bloom, and it frames the two windows in our bedroom, making them both a wash in pink; soft and glowing, like someone took a watercolor brush and gently painted the edges of our mornings. Every time I walk past the window, I catch myself pausing to take it in. There’s something about the way those blossoms seem to announce the season, like a gentle nudge to slow down, wake up, and notice what’s changing. It won’t last long, they never do, but maybe that’s what makes them feel so special. A brief and beautiful reminder that beauty doesn’t always need to stay. It just needs to be seen.
How fun is this cordless, rechargeable lamp? I love the antique bronze color and the size, which fits perfectly on a bookshelf or a kitchen counter. It puts off a surprisingly good amount of light, too, with three different tiers of brightness. It’s currently living in our kitchen, but when we get our hutch for the office, I’m gonna move it there to be on the bookshelves.
Have a cozy weekend, friends.
Welcome Distractions
Something to Watch
“Mid-Century Modern” on Hulu. Picture The Golden Girls, but in present day with gay men in Palm Springs, and you get Mid-Century Modern, the new show from the creators of Will & Grace and starring Matt Bomer (swoon), Nathan Lane, and Nathan Lee Graham. It’s getting great reviews and feels like a throw-back to the classic sitcoms of the 90’s, like Will & Grace, or Friends, but with contemporary themes. I can’t wait to watch!
Something to Read
“When the Going Was Good” Graydon Carter, the former editor of Vanity Fair for 25 years, and the co-creator of Airmail, writes a beautiful and absorbing memoir about the golden age of magazines, and his role in reviving Vanity Fair into what it is today. It’s a fascinating book for anyone who likes nostalgia for the 90’s, NYC glamour, the allure of magazines, and a behind the scenes look at run-ins with celebrities. I am devouring it right now.
Something to Listen to
“Song Exploder” Podcast. I am new to this podcast, but I am already hooked. Each episode, they interview the singers and writers of your favorite songs, and basically go through the entire creation process of it, from writing it to recording it to fun little tidbits about it. I loved Sabrina Carpenter’s episode about “Please, Please, Please”, and Sam Smith’s about their song “Stay With Me”. I find it all so fascinating.
We had friends over last week for an easy dinner party, and used pretty much everything above. There are certain staples you must have on hand if you entertain a bunch like we do, and these items are perfect to get you started.
You can shop all of them here.
This Week’s Vlog
In this week’s video, PJ makes over our little chicken coop on our farm, Ocoee Farm. He tests a bunch of paint colors, with the help from our kids, until he finds the perfect shade of red.
Hope you enjoy.
You May Have Missed…
Have a wonderful weekend. We’ll see you on Tuesday. If you feel up to it, please like this post and share it! It helps get the word out and lets others discover Okay McKay. Thank you, friend!
First of all, wish Allan “break a leg,“ which I hope you know is what you say to someone rather than saying good luck when they’re in a play. I know he’ll do a great job.
I’m glad you didn’t get the storms that came through Nashville the last couple of days and cost a lot of people (myself included) loss of sleep. One of the unfortunate things about them were that they blew the beautiful petals of my sister‘s cherry tree completely off the trees. If it was possible to put a photo here, I would show you what it looks like, because I got a really beautiful picture of it. There’s something really breathtaking about a cherry tree in full bloom.
I hope your weekend continues to be beautiful!
A quick PS - I liked rereading "Would You Forgive Someone Who Turned Against You When You Came Out?" I was happy, again, to realize your 'coming out' was, overall, as successful as mine. 🌈🌈
I also enjoyed seeing the Washington Post article, again. It's that article that drew my attention to you, your vlogs and your Substack entries. I'm grateful to the WP for having "introduced" me to you and yours!👍👍