Yesterday started early—and I mean 1:30 AM early. I woke up to preshape my sourdough and then shaped it around 2 before popping it into the fridge for a short cold ferment. Thankfully, I was able to go back to sleep until 7, when my alarm went off and Patty, one of our cats, climbed on top of me to make biscuits.

Since it was a holiday, I didn’t have to wake the kids, but I still did the rest of my morning routine—including taking the dough out to come to room temp. My husband made French toast with leftover challah and sourdough (it was as good as it sounds), and after breakfast, I baked the loaf I’d prepped overnight. I still haven’t found my lame, so I scored it with kitchen scissors again. The loaf came out beautifully, and I couldn’t stop smiling as I listened to the familiar crackle of the crust fresh from the oven.

While doing my morning check-in on the plants, I noticed a little bit of growth in my seed tray—just the tiniest roots starting to peek out from a few of the seeds I pressed into the soil. That early bit of life always makes me smile.

I also checked on the yogurt I’d started over the weekend, but unfortunately, something went wrong and the texture never set properly. I ended up having to toss the whole batch, which was disappointing—but sometimes that’s just how it goes. I’ll try again soon.

There was a bit of a mishap trying to lower the dough into the preheated Dutch oven, and my husband swooped in with the sweetest surprise: he ordered me two bread slings, a UFO lame, and two more round bannetons. It felt good to be supported in this small but meaningful way.

The kids were out the door early and played all day in the sunshine while my husband assembled our youngest’s new bike. I even managed to sneak in a much-needed nap before dinner. We reheated some ragout from the freezer, boiled pasta, and had a simple but lovely family dinner.

Afterward, I cleaned the kitchen, fed the sourdough starter (timed perfectly to start a new loaf in the morning!), and headed to bed early, feeling content and grateful.

It wasn’t flashy or fancy, but it was the kind of day that fills you up. Bread, bikes, biscuits (from a cat), and all.