Taxes, Taxidermy, and Tiny Frogs: A Week of Big Moves

It’s Sunday AGAIN? Where does the time go? I’m staring down the barrel of another week. This was another heavy week. Like, physically heavy. Feels as if I’ve been walking through a swamp in platform boots heavy. But I’ve been pushing through, because that’s what we do, right? We just keep swimming, even when the water feels more like molasses.

Anyway, grab a nightcap and let’s catch up on the chaos.

THESE TAXES

I started my taxes…last week. I did my personal ones in like, ten minutes flat. Done. Simple. I felt like a productivity queen. But then? Then came the business taxes.

Why. Is. It. Like. This.

Every single year, it’s the same bonkers stress. You’d think by now I’d have it down to a science, but nope. It’s just a sea of receipts, spreadsheets, and me staring at my computer screen wondering if I can write off my caffeine addiction as a legitimate business expense (I mean, without it, Graze literally would not exist, so it’s a fair question). It’s just such a stark contrast, the "Abby the Human" taxes are a breeze, but "Abby the Business Owner" taxes are a marathon through a minefield.

While I was in the middle of that administrative nightmare, I decided it was time to finally face another ghost: the website. I’ve been reworking the site behind the scenes, and part of that involves officially raising my prices. I hate doing it, I really do, but why TF is everything so expensive right now?! From the boards to the berries to the actual gas to get them to you, the costs are just astronomical. I want to keep things accessible, but I also need to, you know, pay my shop rent and utilities and feed my kiddo.

Speaking of things finally getting fixed, GUYS. I finally fixed my business Venmo. This has been a five-year-long saga of annoyance. Every time someone wanted to pay via Venmo, there was some weird glitch or notification or "sorry, let me try this other link." So I used my personal one and really tried not to until like a year ago. It was the pebble in my shoe for half a decade. But it’s fixed! It’s done! I feel like I should throw a party just for this one minor technological victory.

Pastries and "Weird Girls"

To reward myself for not throwing my laptop out the window during tax prep, I finally tracked down those viral Dar Rafiki’s pastries from Haverhill. If you haven’t seen these things on your feed yet, are you even on the internet? They are literal works of art. I felt almost bad eating it... almost. It was exactly the hit of joy I needed.

I also spent last night at this "weird girl market", and it was 100% my vibe. You know the ones, lots of cool indie books, way too many plants (if there is such a thing), hand-pressed block prints, and people who just get the aesthetic. I picked up the cutest little ceramic dish with a tiny frog on it for the new house. I’m obsessed.

Actually, let’s talk about the new house vibes for a second. I am leaning hard into a very specific aesthetic. Think: Southern Gothic. Haunted mansion. Faded burgundy velvet. Deep green moss. Curiosities, antiques, and... yeah, maybe some taxidermy. I want the house to feel like it has stories to tell, even if some of those stories are a little bit creepy.

The Joke That Hits Different Now

Funny (and slightly weird) story: back in my 20s, I seriously considered becoming a taxidermist. I’ve always been fascinated by the preservation of things. I used to joke with my dad all the time that when he passed away, I was going to taxidermy him so he could just sit in the living room on the couch with me forever.

He’d always just chuckle. He never actually said no! He’d just give me that look and laugh his awesome laugh. I miss him so incredibly much. Especially this week, with the anniversary coming up and the general heaviness of everything. It’s those little weird jokes that I find myself replaying in my head. It’s funny how grief works, one minute you’re laughing about stuffing your dad like a prize trout, and the next you’re crying over, well, everything. Life is weird.

In Other News:

Also, some of my dear friends had a baby this weekend! I am so happy for them, but oh my god, the baby fever is real. It’s also incredibly ironic because I gave away all of my baby stuff. Everything. The strollers, the clothes, the gear.

Which actually ties into my newest personality trait: downsizing. New house prep has me looking at my stuff like do I love you... or do you just live here rent-free? So I started selling things on DePop and I fear I’m becoming good at it? Or maybe I’m just lucky? I’m using my 5 minutes of spare time here and there taking photos, writing descriptions, dropping packages off like I’m a tiny one-woman shipping department. It’s weirdly satisfying and also slightly humbling because why do I own 17 versions of the same black top? Now I have 3.

Also (because apparently my brain barely works anymore) I fully missed my niece’s birthday party. I thought it was at 4 PM... it was actually at noon. NOON. While I was over here living my best delusional life thinking I had so much time for meal prep, everyone was already eating cake without me. Total facepalm moment. 🙄 I wanted to be like umm please rewind the day and try again, but alas, time is a cruel, linear concept and I am just a tired little goblin with a calendar problem.

The Happy Meal Reality

By the time I finished work today, Georgie was getting hangry and tired of sitting in the shop watching me package all the meals up. I was beyond exhausted. You know that kind of tired where your bones actually ache and the thought of standing makes you want to lie down on the kitchen floor and nap? Yeah. That.

So, I did what any reasonable, overworked mother would do. I DoorDashed a Happy Meal for my kiddo. Zero guilt. Zero way I was cooking tonight. He watched tv, had his nuggets, I had my silence, and it was the best meal of the week. Sometimes you just have to lean into the chaos and realize that you can’t be the perfect caterer/mom/business owner every single second of the day. Sometimes, a cardboard box with a plastic toy inside is a win.

If you’re feeling the weight of the world this week, just know you’re not alone. We’re all out here just trying to figure out our taxes, pick which wallpaper is creepy but not too creepy, and find the perfect frog dish.

I’m hoping this week feels a little lighter, but until then, I’ll be over here manifesting some magic (and maybe some more pastries). Hopefully I get those taxes done by Wednesday!

XX,

Abby

Song of the Day: The Offering by Sleep Token

Fitting, because between the business taxes and the price increases, I feel like I’m offering my literal soul to the gods of inflation and the IRS. This track is heavy, ritualistic, and has that dark southern gothic energy I’m manifesting for the new house. That crushing breakdown at the end? That’s exactly what my brain sounded like when I realized I missed my niece’s party and had to break the news to Georgie he missed the trampoline jump time. His little sad face. 😔 I feel like a bad mom today.

Also, Sleep Token is my favorite band. They get me through days like this. Not all of their songs are this heavy though. I should do a Sleep Token tattoo tour sometime. 😏