Giving thanks - as corny as it might sound, I truly am grateful that each day is a new beginning. It often feels like a very jerky rollercoaster ride, but I’m glad I’m still here in my seat riding along, waiting for the next climb and the inevitable drop. Although I could do without such dramatic drops. But I wonder if I’m figuratively closing my eyes at the beginning of the drop and making it much worse than it actually is. I might have to have a discussion with someone who loves wild rollercoaster rides and ask for some tips about how to best enjoy the ride and avoid surprises…
We have a beautiful deck and backyard. The work we have accomplished has brought our vision to life, and I couldn’t be happier. There are always details to be added, but for the most part, it is done. Soon there will be a hot tub - a wonderful, ordinary luxury that will further transform our home into a place we don’t need to leave to rest, relax, and enjoy. Staycationing at its best! Happy Father's Day babe!!
There are still lights to be hung, wind chimes, fans, more curtains, a summer box to fill with all the supplies - but it is most certainly coming together. Now, the patio needs a little more TLC LOL.
Outside my window - I have the sliding glass door open and the birds are singing their sweet morning greetings. It’s cooler outdoors than it is in our air conditioned house right now. A couple more days of cool weather and it keeps surprising us over and over again. Climate change is not a hoax. It’s real. It’s here. The last week or so we’ve all been dealing with the results of wild fires raging in Canada. Air quality warnings - what? Yes, air quality warnings are now a thing. They probably always were but it just wasn’t on my radar, so-to-speak. But the weather app now includes it and someone somewhere made it a thing, so now we are aware. I think it has been having a negative affect on all of us. Dizzy, headaches, chest heaviness, congestion for some - I was worried about Mom the night before last when she said she was feeling very bad. I had been too and couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was. I actually said to John, “I don’t know what it is, but I certainly don’t feel like myself today”. Then she pretty much said the same thing. Worrisome, right?
Clothing myself in - I am fully dressed today because I think if I’m dressed to the shoes when the little rascals get up I’ll be one step ahead of the game. LOL I could be wrong. I'm wearing the same denim capris from the past couple of days - why not when they are clean and comfortable - and a baby blue t-shirt handed down to me from Rachel. Tennis shoes because - little boys.
In the kitchen - All is quiet. But I have thoughts. I am emptying the deep freeze through attrition. I hope to do our own version of meal prep to help myself on days when it’s just too crazy to get a decent meal done from start to finish and we are really over eating out in various forms. We have discovered that we cook far better meals than most we can order out. Our tastes are changing and we like to be able to work with our favorites. I also don’t like spending the money on it because it simply wastes so much, and we have far better things to do with it now LOL :-) Hot tubs, golf carts, and stuff…
If all goes according to our plans, I’ll be doing a lot of cooking at camp. I need to consider some things ahead of time to make that go smoothly. We’ll see - it will be a work-in-progress more than likely.
The garden is in and growing well. Tomatoes (all volunteers!), green beans, sugar snap peas, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, onions, and morning glories to make it even lovelier :-) All growing well and in two beds connected by cattle panel on which to train the vines. I think it will be so good and so lovely!
Kitchen updates might be first when we are done outside and turn our attention to the interior of the house. I’m looking forward to it. I'm enjoying working side-by-side with John. It's growing and strengthening my confidence that we will thoroughly enjoy each other's company in full retirement mode.
Writing - I’m making my way back via morning pages and this very Daybook post. I haven’t been getting up early and that has had an effect on my writing time and focus. I’d like to change that. Quilting is on hold until the winter months so that also frees up so much of my time.
Reading - not a thing. Seriously. There is a sizable stack of books I’d like to be reading, but at the end of the day I’m honestly just too spent to focus on little words in a book. I just vegetate on tv, much to my dismay, or spend a little time on Pinterest building various collections of interest. Maybe I’ll come back and add the list of books in the stack - they’re some really good titles and include both fiction and non-fiction.
Watching - Outlander in preparation for the next season to be released in a few days.
Listening - Birds. And the country playlist that Rachel has curated - and is now my preferred listen.
Making - a home and secret garden LOL
Camp - going in a couple of weeks, hopefully! We have some adjustments to make when we arrive, and a new-to-us travel trailer to clean and prepare for the stay. The kids will join us later in our trip for a family reunion of sorts. No one really wants to call it that because that seems to bring about anxiety in some of us LOL. We plan to move the trailer from our now-grown-over-with-poisonivy-again lot to a brother's lot by the lake. There are some great changes coming and it has renewed my excitement - that was all but gone - in our camp culture.
The week ahead - boys, boys, boys. That’s all I know. And one doctor’s appointment for Mom. And a little girl in the mix on Tuesday for good measure :-)
Love God and love people - I have a renewed since of purpose in my daily approach to loving well. I pray that this fresh energy will move me forward in the right direction and stick around!