The Only Child Diaries Podcast

My Washer Is Broken And So Is Your Inbox

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1967416/fan_mail/new] “I’m too busy” is the easiest line to say and one of the hardest to hear when you’re the one waiting on a reply. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m coming to you from a week where busy isn’t a vibe, it’s a fundraiser deadline, a mountain of details, and the reality of doing more without the administrative backup you wish you had. I talk through what “busy” looks like inside nonprofit event planning, remote work, and limited staff capacity, then I get into the part that really stings: when people disappear from your inbox and later act like silence is normal. We can all have different limits, but professional communication still matters. A 10-second message like “I can’t get to this until next week” is basic email etiquette, and it protects trust, timelines, and relationships. From there, the story gets more personal. I’m juggling caregiver stress at home, chronic health appointments, pet care that requires daily meds, and the never-ending friction of chores and broken appliances. I also circle back to something I realized after last week’s conversation, owning where I push others to get help while I’m scared to face my own cataract surgery. Then grief hits. I share news of a death that caught me off guard and the regret that comes with “I meant to call.” If you’ve been putting off reaching out to someone, let this be your nudge. Listen, share this with a friend, and subscribe, rate, and review Only Child Diaries so more people can find us. What’s one message you can send today? For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ [https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/] or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ [https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/] or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries [https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries] and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social]

The Brochure on Better Hearing and Bettering Yourself

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1967416/fan_mail/new] Your pride can be louder than your problems, and sometimes it’s the real thing keeping you stuck. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing a very real adulting moment from my own house: my husband’s hearing got worse, a hearing test confirmed hearing loss, and suddenly we had to face the next step. Not just the technology, but the feelings that come with it, the quiet denial, the worry about what it “means,” and the resistance that shows up as heavy sighs and stubborn silence. What happens next surprised me. I spotted a hearing aids package deal on QVC that checked the boxes people actually care about: rechargeable devices, a protection plan (important when the person wearing them tends to lose things), and a Zoom call with a technician to get the setup right. That call turned out to be the difference between “this is awkward” and “this is working.” Once he tried the hearing aids, he could finally hear the TV at my level, and before long he’s noticing sounds he hasn’t heard clearly in years. From there, I zoom out into the bigger health conversation: why do we hesitate to fix what’s fixable? Hearing loss, cataracts, knee pain, migraines, dental work, glasses, medication, surgery, preventive care, it all comes back to the same question. If there’s a solution that could make you feel 20% to 40% better, wouldn’t you want to know? Listen, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Only Child Diaries. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ [https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/] or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ [https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/] or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries [https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries] and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social]

The Brochure on Gabapentin and Guilt

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1967416/fan_mail/new] My cat isn’t “needy” in the cute way. He’s the kind of bonded that makes you rethink your whole schedule. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m telling the story of Bubby, my not-so-cuddly rescue cat who somehow became my shadow, my routine, and yes, one of my most codependent relationships. Bubby shows up at our barn like a lot of barn cats do, half-mystery and fully scrappy, collecting names from everyone who feeds him. Over time, he picks me. Eventually, after my elderly bunny Holly passes away, my husband Bill and I bring Bubby home, and he falls hard for the indoor life: soft beds, carpets, and the predictability of a house. The twist is that even with his independent streak, he bonds so tightly that my absence can send him spiraling. Now Bubby is around 15 or 16 and dealing with real senior cat health issues, including diabetes and asthma. Add cat anxiety and separation stress, and ordinary things like going to the office, having a plumber visit, or living next to loud construction can turn into pacing, crying at the door, and even vomiting. I share what our vet recommended, including gabapentin for anxiety and why a transdermal option can be a lifesaver when your cat refuses pills, plus how I’m trying to keep our home calm and “Zen” when life doesn’t cooperate. If you’ve ever felt pet parent guilt, worried about your anxious cat, or wondered where the line is between love and codependency, you’ll see yourself here. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend who loves their pet like family, and leave a rating and review so more people can find us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ [https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/] or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ [https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/] or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries [https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries] and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social]

The Brochure on Free Time, Reclaimed

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1967416/fan_mail/new] Free time is supposed to feel like relief, so why does it so often feel like another problem to solve? I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m talking honestly about what happens when work takes up your energy, not just your hours, and you reach the end of the day with nothing left for the life you’re trying to build. If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t “use your weekend better,” this conversation is for you. I dig into the real texture of downtime: the one full day off, the mental exhaustion that follows a packed week, and the constant tug-of-war between errands and rest. I share what I actually do when I finally have space, from getting outside for yard work and plant care to choosing low-effort recovery like binge watching and phone puzzles. I also talk about the pressure of home projects, why a simple goal like painting one room can feel huge, and how time management gets messy when appointments and household admin pile up. We also get into the gray area that so many adults live in: are pet chores, cleaning, and maintenance tasks “free time” if you don’t mind them? When does a task become self-care, and when is it just more work wearing a nicer outfit? If you’re chasing better work-life balance, healthier boundaries, and a more realistic definition of rest, you’ll leave with a calmer way to think about your time. If you enjoyed this, follow the Only Child Diaries Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with a friend who needs more breathing room. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ [https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/] or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ [https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/] or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries [https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries] and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social]

I Bought Halloween In April And Now My Porch Is Mad

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1967416/fan_mail/new] Your neighborhood tells the truth, even when nobody says a word. On a simple walk around my block, I start noticing the full range of “home life on display” we all live with: the perfect place that looks untouched, the normal houses with leggy plants and brown patches, the flower bed that needs attention. Whether you’re in a single-family home, a condo, or an apartment, the patterns are weirdly universal and they say a lot about time, money, energy, and how hard adulting can be when you feel like you never got the how-to brochure.  I also talk about the house that looks abandoned, the one with the cracked driveway, the weeds, and the lights that never seem to come on. It’s the kind of place that makes neighbors invent stories, and it pushes me to think about the difference between judgment and curiosity, and what empathy looks like when you only have a few visible clues.  Then I bring it home, literally. I’m honest about my own organization struggles: a yard that’s doing pretty well, a front porch that’s doing… not so well, and the reality of keeping “my stuff” plus family things from multiple generations. Add a busy season and an upcoming event, and you get the cherry on top: I buy a new Halloween decoration in April, clean out the car to haul a giant box, and immediately face the question we all dodge, where is this going to live?  We end with something that feels grounding: taking plant cuttings to Regrow Altadena and driving through areas still recovering after the Eaton fire. If you like reflective stories about home, habits, community, and adulting with humor, subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ [https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/] or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ [https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/] or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries [https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries] and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social]