From Bermuda to Box-Mageddon

Well, friends, I am back. Or at least, my physical body is back in Chelmsford. My brain? That might still be somewhere over the Atlantic, or perhaps it’s still huddled under a beach umbrella in Bermuda waiting for the rain to stop.

Let’s talk about the trip for a second because, jeez, was it a rollercoaster. We went over there chasing the beginning of that gorgeous sunshine and warm weather, and while we definitely found it, Mother Nature decided to throw us a few curveballs. The weather was... let’s call it "unruly." Think wind, think sudden downpours, think "is my hair ever going to be dry again?" But honestly? We made the absolute best of it. We packed in so many adventures, made some incredible new friends (who I am already plotting to see again, seriously, new travel buddies are the best), and reminded ourselves that a little rain can't ruin a good vibe.

But by the end of it, I was eager to get home. You know that feeling? Where you love the vacation, but your bed is calling your name? I had orders to square away and meetings on the books for Wednesday, so I touched down on Tuesday afternoon and basically hit a wall.

The 12-Hour Blackout

I flew in Tuesday afternoon, walked through my front door, and I think I barely managed to say "hello" to the walls before I passed out at 7PM. I’m not talking about a casual sleep. I’m talking about a deep, dark, 12-hour coma-style sleep. It was real, people.

I woke up on Wednesday feeling like I’d been teleported into a different dimension, but there was no time to ponder the mysteries of the universe because it was a half-week at the shop and the hustle doesn’t wait for my REM cycle to catch up.

Wednesday: Shop Prep and the "Third Parent" (The iPad)

Wednesday was all about the "transition." I spent the late morning and a good chunk of the afternoon at the shop getting everything prepped for our upcoming orders. So yea, it was a bit of a scramble, Georgie was my little shadow for the day.

Now, normally I try to be the "activities and enrichment" mom, but on Wednesday? Georgie was a lucky boy. He got to hang out in the shop and watch Bluey and Puffin Rock while I was knee-deep in cheese and charcuterie. Can we talk about Puffin Rock for a second? The narrator’s voice is so soothing it almost put me back into my 12-hour coma right there on the prep table. And Bluey, well, Bluey is basically a member of the family at this point. It’s the only reason I managed to get any work done without a toddler trying to "help" me arrange grapes.

The Entourage (Dog, Toddler, and the Pursuit of Professionalism)

The fun didn’t stop at the shop. I had to shuffle Georgie to a couple of meetings in town, and of course, I couldn’t leave Padfoot behind. So there I was, walking into meetings with my entourage: a toddler who is 40% goldfish crackers by weight and a dog who thinks everyone he meets is his new best friend.

It’s definitely a look. It says, "I am a professional business owner, but also, my life is a chaotic circus and I have accepted my fate." Luckily, people in town are pretty chill, and Padfoot is a very good boy (mostly), but the mental load of making sure nobody eats a decorative plant or barks at a delivery driver while you’re talking about logistics is... high.

"Can't Be Bothered" (The Grocery Delivery Savior)

By the time we got home, the thought of going to an actual grocery store was laughable. I could not be bothered. So, I did what any exhausted person in 2026 does: I had groceries delivered to the house. Seeing that bags-on-the-front steps notification is my love language.

I kept it simple but a little fancy for myself. I made a nice steak and mashed potato dinner for one. There is something so therapeutic about searing a steak and whipping up some buttery potatoes when the house is finally quiet. It’s like a reset button for the soul.

The Costco Rotisserie Chicken Manifesto

Now, let’s talk about the real MVP of the week: the Costco rotisserie chicken.

Georgie had rotisserie chicken for dinner, and honestly, I think those $4.99 chickens are a gift from the heavens. I am obsessed. You can get so many meals out of one bird, and it’s the ultimate "I’m too tired to cook" hack. But it’s not just about the meat!

I am a firm believer in using every single part of that chicken. Once the meat is picked off, I throw the bones into a pot to make stock. I freeze it in containers, and then whenever I need to make a soup, I’ve got liquid gold ready to go. It’s so much better than the store-bought stuff, and it makes me feel like a very productive, eco-conscious homesteader, even if I just spent three hours watching cartoons with a toddler.

Let's Talk Foodie Hacks

Does anyone else do the veg scrap thing? I have a gallon-sized freezer zippy bag, and every time I peel a carrot, chop an onion, or have some celery that’s looking a little sad, I throw the scraps into the bag. When it’s full, I add it to my chicken bone stock. It adds so much flavor and it’s basically free food!

I’m also big on other little foodie hacks to save time and money. Here are a few I’ve been leaning on lately:

1. Tomato Paste Cubes: You know when a recipe calls for one tablespoon of tomato paste and then the rest of the can just sits in the fridge until it grows a sweater? Don't do that! Scoop the leftovers into an ice cube tray, freeze them, and then pop them into a bag. Next time you need a tablespoon, just grab a cube. I do a bag method too but it gets too messy.

2. Herb Preservation: If my herbs are starting to wilt, I chop them up, put them in ice cube trays, and cover them with olive oil. Freeze them, and you’ve got a perfect flavor starter for your skillet.

3. The "Zippy" Bag Method: As mentioned, the veggie scrap bag is a game-changer. Leek tops, parsley stems, onion skins (for color!): it all goes in.

I love these little bits of kitchen magic. It makes the chaos feel a bit more organized, you know?

Back in the Groove (Mostly)

So, that was my half-week. A mix of Bermuda blues, jet lag blackouts, Bluey marathons, and the comforting reliability of a Costco chicken. It wasn’t exactly the most glamorous return to reality, but it was honest.

And thennn the week kept going because apparently life saw me getting rehydrated and said absolutely not. The moving situation is still in full beast mode. I have moved approximately a billion boxes at this point (okay, 1999382938 to be exact, very scientific), and I’m trying to get the house cleared enough for photos. Met with my realtor Friday, sort of panicked looking at all the paperwork but the biggest obstacle? The biggest couches known to man. Like genuinely, who approved these monsters. They are giving anchored to the earth’s crust vibes and I am just one tired girl with a rapidly declining millennial battery.

Then came the weekend catering recap, which was a whole thing in the best way. We had an outdoor grazing table for one of our favorite repeat clients, and this was their fourth time booking with us which honestly just makes me want to hug everybody and cry into a wheel of brie. It was beautiful, it was busy, and it was approximately one thousand degrees outside. I was so hot I was genuinely tempted to faceplant directly into their pool. Did I do it? No. Did I think about it with my whole soul? Absolutely.

And because the glamour never ends, after sweating my way through that setup it was a full race back to Chelmsford for the deeply chic task of washing dishes and finishing meal prep. Just me, the sink, a mountain of catering aftermath, and that slightly unhinged "we got this!!!" energy that shows up when there is literally no other option. I downed a Redbull on the way to Sudbury and chugged another on the way home. Not sexy, but very real.

I see another trip in the near future (fingers crossed that the sunny weather will be here to stay next time!), but for now, there is officially no rest for the weary. I’m prepping tomorrow for a Tuesday event, and I am booked up to my eyeballs. Which is amazing and slightly feral and very on-brand for this season of life. I’ve got my meetings squared away, my stock is in the freezer, and I’m feeling (mostly) like a human being again, even if that human is carrying seventeen boxes and whispering threats at a sectional.

If you’re struggling with your own post-vacation slump, just remember: it’s okay to have "can't be bothered" days. It’s okay to let the iPad do some of the heavy lifting. And it’s definitely okay to eat a rotisserie chicken over the sink if that’s where you’re at.

I’ll be back with more cheese-filled updates soon, but for now, I’m going to go see if there’s any chocolate left I got from Bermuda to snack on. Georgie just requested chicken wings so I’m air-frying those as I type.

Stay hungry, stay slightly scattered, and keep grazing!

XX,

Abby

Song of the day: No One Else by Luke Willies & Nikko.

Definitely a Bermuda vibe. Think of a sunset booze cruise x late nights. It’s the perfect travel-afterglow soundtrack. Man, I already miss that place.

This bad boy does not need a filter. That’s the pool I dreamt of faceplanting into.

That was just the morning. You should see it now. 😵‍💫

There’s supposed to be chicken salad on that… 🤨

I ate 2 of those on vacation and brought 1 home and I only have 3 pieces left. 😭