The Sunny Diaries: 1/2/25

Dear Diary,

Today I woke up at 2:32 AM. Or sometime around there. You see, I actually woke up and rolled around in bed a bit with the worst stomach pain that I have possibly ever felt in my life. I tried to get up, which took a tremendous amount of effort and probably an even larger chunk of time than I care to admit. But I finally got myself on my feet and into the bathroom. To not get too graphic, let's just say I felt very sick until 5:00 AM: the normal time that I wake up. It sure doesn't help that I fell victim to the Just One More Chapter Disease the night before when I went to bed, only closing my book past 11:30 PM.

I wish I could pinpoint exactly what it was that made me feel so violently ill. If I had to point a finger, I would say it was the amount of sugar I ate the day before. Truth be told, I didn't think I had that much. The last time something like this had happened, it was because I binge-ate four large muffins (not a moment I'm proud to admit to). But this time, I had eaten a delicious, sweet, sticky cinnamon bun that I had been craving for months. I told myself, "one and done". And that's what I did. However, I did end up having a few pieces of chocolate when I got home, along with a few other pastry desserts. I feel as though my tolerance for highly processed foods has severely weakened after I stopped eating them so much. I don't regret slightly cutting them out of my diet, in fact, it's probably one of the best things I've done for myself. But man, did I pay the price.

Nonetheless, at 5:00 AM, when I determined I felt good enough to continue my day as if nothing happened. I had a delicious breakfast, which is perhaps my favorite meal of the day. My appetite was slightly lessened, so it didn't take much for me to feel filled up, but I did enjoy a piece of sourdough bread with pineapple cream cheese on top. Before I left the house, I made myself a smoothie with yogurt, bananas, blueberries, blackberries, and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. It was the most perfectly smooth and creamy texture and I finished the small serving before I had even gotten to school.

Now, as I walked into my school, the first day back since winter break, I realized I couldn't hear much of anything. I had been sick for three days, had a sore throat for two, and now my hearing was leaving me, too. My friend rambled on next to me down the hallway, and I could barely hear but a whisper in the air.

The school day itself was not eventful. I had to ask my teacher for a pencil because, over break, I must have decided that writing utensils were no longer an important part of my education, and decided to leave my pencil case at home.

I sleepily nodded through math class. I don't think I would've understood it even if I had been awake, to be honest.

I finished reading my book in advisory. In fact, it was a book I received for free in the mail. Now I just have to submit a review for it (coming soon ;)).

I finally arrived home and began rushing around. Be prepared to read chaos. As if today was my lucky day, as I bent down to pick up an acorn beside my car, my waterbottle in my backpack chose to spill through my bag and onto my clothes as the wind whipped at me. Did I mention that the water also completely soaked my books and papers in my bag? Well, I ran inside to drop off my bag and continued my venture outdoors, quickly tossing acorns into a bag and not-so-silently cursing the cold bite of the winter. Once I had positively deprived the squirrels of their snacks, I raced back inside the house and finished the small cup of yogurt that I had opened to use in my smoothie this morning. I then sorted out the acorns, looking for cracks and making sure they didn't float in water. I threw the bad acorns back outside and placed the good ones in my window to dry. I hope to make acorn flour pancakes, but I don't know how many pancakes I can squeeze out of 83 medium-sized acorns.

But nonetheless, I washed the dishes and started my laundry (the first time in weeks I've had time to actually do so) and then treated myself to a delicious dish of chicken and green beans, to which I added something I've been craving for months: apricots. Let me tell you, I imagined in my head that apricots and chicken would taste good, but I have never been so correct.

After a slightly rushed, but still enjoyable meal, I decided to make my own homemade deodorant for the first time. I had stopped at the store to pick up arrowroot starch on my way home from school. It's always such a strange experience to be shopping in the middle of the day during a school day.

But after successfully spilling the arrowroot starch all over the counter and wiping it up in a frantic rush as to not waste my materials, I managed to craft a smooth balm-like concoction and attempted to pack it into my empty deodorant bottle/stick holder that I had cleaned nearly minutes before. I stuck it in the fridge for a couple of hours until it had hardened, and now I just have to hope that it works. Because it's the only deodorant I have now. And if it doesn't, well, the people around me will probably suffer more than I will. I completed a quick workout at home and then ate dinner (which was essentially the same thing I had for lunch, plus noodles and minus apricots (to my disappointment)). I headed back to complete my homework assignment and realized that our online textbook had updated it's website and I could not find how to access it. Technology, am I right? (I ask as I type on my slightly ancient Chromebook). I sent my teacher a quick email and moved on with my evening. No use crying over impossible homework assignments, or whatever they say.

Now, I get to the fun part of my evening. My dad and I drove downtown to try and get a better glimpse of the moon. There was a new moon only a few days ago, so only a sliver of the moon was showing, but it was beautiful. And also hidden by clouds and trees.

When we got back home, I got to do my favorite thing, a.k.a. sit in front of the fire and write in my journals as we all watch a movie. Today, I worked on my Materia Medica, or my Herbalism Journal, as I like to call it. I don't really have a desire to be an official herbalist or work in medicine, but I do like to learn about both the medicinal and spiritual uses of everything around us.

And lastly, I decided to write you, my dear diary entry. I hope that by publishing this story, a few people can get a laugh or maybe satisfy some nosy cravings (because we all get them sometimes). But now it's time for me to get all snug in my bed and read some more, or maybe play my cozy little witch simulator game on my Nintendo Switch because I'm obsessed with it. The possibilities truly are endless.