Beautifully Irrational

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/consumption-14/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40222

This is a monthly series, published near the end of the month summarizing what I found, ate, watched, googled, and felt this month. New categories added from time to time. Books Added to My TBR (e.g., books I just learned about that I’m excited to read… maybe) Witch Trial (Harriet Tyce) This Kingdom Will Not […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/consumption-14/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40222

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/stuff-2/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40304

Quentin freaked himself out. One morning, he decided the left half of his habitat was too scary. He refused to go onto that side of the cage, even though his water bottle was on that side of the cage. We tried to get him over his fear, gently coaxing him to the left side of […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/stuff-2/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40304

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/microblog-monday-583-penny-universities/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40310

Not sure what #MicroblogMondays is? Read the inaugural post which explains the idea and how you can participate too. ******* I learned from a BBC article that cafes used to be called penny universities. For the cost of a penny, you could get a cup of coffee and sit and learn about local politics, world […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/microblog-monday-583-penny-universities/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40310

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/cleaning-games/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40271

While I’m fairly neutral about cleaning in the real world (love a clean space yet would rather read than clean), I have realized that I love cleaning games. Someone recently passed along a link to a game where the whole point is to shelve imaginary books. You are cleaning up a library. And I thought, […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/cleaning-games/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40271

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/1083rd-friday-blog-roundup/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40301

I started leaning toward the “buy now” decision after hearing from people after I wrote the cell phone post (thanks, Internet people!). And then on Monday afternoon, the NYT announced Tim Cook was stepping down. A new twist! Do I purchase now before too much change happens with the new guy? Do I wait and […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/1083rd-friday-blog-roundup/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40301

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/the-people-watching-you/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40268

I underlined a passage in Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. The main character asks her mother how she made adulthood look so easy and effortless. The house was clean and orderly, the kids were cared for, and the mother worked full-time. The mother points out that what her child perceived wasn’t how the mother remembered […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/the-people-watching-you/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40268

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/weekending-better/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40281

I have been trying to make a conscious effort to weekend better. I’m sure it won’t stick — life has a way of getting in the way of plans — but we’ve been able to string together a few weekends in a row of watching soccer, reading books, visiting friends or family, and eating uncomplicated […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/weekending-better/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40281

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/microblog-monday-582-rabbit-holes/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40278

Not sure what #MicroblogMondays is? Read the inaugural post which explains the idea and how you can participate too. ******* WikiCommute randomly chooses an information rabbit hole to travel down based on the length of your commute, coupled with your reading speed. They build a continuous scroll of random Wikipedia content. Which could be a […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/microblog-monday-582-rabbit-holes/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40278

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/how-many-phone-years-is-your-phone/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40296

If 1 dog year equals 7 human years, then a 14-year-old dog would be 98. That’s a very good, long life, and it wouldn’t be a shock (though it would be very sad) if it died. An 8-year-old dog, on the other hand, would be 56. That’s middle-aged, and you would expect (though may not […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/how-many-phone-years-is-your-phone/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40296

Posted by Mel

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/1082nd-friday-blog-roundup/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40273

Quentin’s first birthday happened this week. He was super confused about our birthday lawlessness (unlimited treats! parsley with breakfast! head rubs all day long!) and now super confused that all of the birthday excitement went away. The best was when people FaceTimed him, and he stood on his hind legs, his mouth half open, staring […]

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/2026/04/1082nd-friday-blog-roundup/

https://www.stirrup-queens.com/?p=40273