Send us Fan Mail

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/
or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/
or
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries
and on
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

Send us Fan Mail

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/
or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/
or
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries
and on
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

Send us Fan Mail

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/
or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/
or
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries
and on
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social