Adieu August

It dawned on me on this the thirty-first day of the month that August was long and lingering in a way I don't remember. This is the first year in decades that there is no back to school hoopla in our house.I think not having that looming, allowed for a rather chill stretch of days that I dare admit I'm a little sad to see go even as I know that the rest of the year is my muse, my bard. 

So August, I'm grateful for your lessons and your blessings. Thank you for...

Our CPA...yay Ted! He powered through his last exam to earn his credentials.

A clean mammogram. Making an appointment to take care of some dental work I've been putting off and committing to finding an eye doc.

Moving ahead on some home improvement projects. 

Leaving the watercolor bin on the kitchen counter all week and coming home to find that Lils has been painting in her free time. 

Crafts and games.

 

 

 

Audible. I started a new book during my walks.

Two new pairs of Hokas for all the miles I'm going to log this fall. 

Thinking about resurrecting book club soon.

Biergartens on a beautiful day.

 

Lake Michigan beach days. The water is finally warm enough to stay in, but also refreshing. 

 

A pretty new Brooks Bros afghan for fall.

 

Speaking of which, temps are dropping overnight making for perfect sleeping weather especially with new percale sheets.

My first tomato sandwich of the summer. August yields are abundant and tomatoes that taste like summer are worth the wait. 

All the fruits. Black plums, juicy nectarines, the sweetest cherries and giant green grapes that pop when you eat them. 

Meats on the grill and Mike's expertise.

 

 

Pedis with Grandma Judy and Lils. It's our August tradition. After the pampering comes the shopping and then the eating. Grandpa meets us for dinner. It was Angelina's this year and it was quite good. The cup of chicken pastina made me excited for soup weather. The eggplant strips were perfect and my meatball as big as my head.

 

That week that the whole fam was holed up at Casa Wags.

 

 

 

 

Movie dates with my guy. Last week we saw The Odyssey. It was long and loud, but it was a solid 8 for me and popcorn for dinner is always a 10.

Peanuts in the shell for the chippies. When I was a little girl, my parents would perch me on the front porch with a bowl of peanuts and the chipmunks would come and take them right out of my hand. These days they cautiously retrieve the treats as I keep my distance.

GNO last Thursday. It started with cocktails at Candace's swanky new digs with a lake view and then we walked over to my sil's where we enjoyed the city view and the Billy Joel cover band on the square below from the comfort of the 30th floor.

 

 

Slinky Minky and Stinky Dinky aka Hazel and Gus.

 

 

Mike enjoying a weekend at the cabin with his brother.

Lily was helpful around Casa Wags in his absence this week watering flowers, feeding cats and unloading the dish washer.

She finally unpacked. Michael helped her purge, organize and rearrange her furniture. They're a good team.

 

A catch up call with my uncle and texts with my cousins. Molly just left her daughter for freshman year. TJ and Kate are back after summer travels in Japan and South Korea and the Grand Canyon. 

My flowers have come back to life thanks to the soggy weather. 

The sun, the moon and sky.

 

 

HBD to Me!

Today is the end of my birthday week. Friday was THE day, but it was a week of special treatment and extra care. That's what I love most about this 7 day tradition...not all the hoopla, but the acts of kindness and consideration. I felt the love and that's the best gift of all.

It's no secret that I love a rainy day. It rained and rained and rained Friday. I slept in, Mike made me brunch, I read and brought out my watercolors until the sky cleared long enough for a walk. That was the only thing I really wanted to do. I was hemming and hawing about evening plans. Truthfully, I would've been happy to stay home, but wasn't disappointed that we ended up at Lisa's for pizza. It's a flashback. It's been a family spot for as long as I can remember and it's been awhile. We got our sausage roni with extra cheese and toasted my mom. That was her pie and it was her day too. 

 

As I'm gaining on sixty, turning another year older feels serious. I lost my mom right after her sixtieth birthday so it's an elephant in my room life. I don't see sixty as a harbinger, but as a reminder that life is short and time is more valuable than ever ala there's no time like the present. This is the time each year I take a personal inventory...I take stock in the coulds and shoulds and the needs and wants in an effort to be a better human. For some reason, I'm finding it extra formidable.

Saturday we met my parents at the beer garden for an afternoon visit. They came with birthday gifts for me and Lils, and not one, but two Lisa's pizzas. Great like minds. It was a beautiful day for a little day drinking and the park was festive with families and dogs and even a band.

We had just enough time to clean up to make it for happy hour at Ted and Meryl's. They were perfect hosts! After a couple rounds of cocktails and Secret Hitler, we ended up downstairs at The Swinging Door for dinner. It's another old haunt that reminds me of my mom. It was a lovely day start to finish spent with my peeps and that's what matters most to this older gal.

Full

weekend...house...heart.

 

We celebrated Lil's 22nd Friday. Twenty-two seems about right so I'm not going to get up in my feelings. At the birthday girl's request, our first stop was for bagels and coffee, and then we spent extra quality time painting pottery because Michael brought his inner artiste to Glaze. For the record, I admire the man who can embrace such things. Our next stop was my favorite beer garden next to the Milwaukee River. We drank cold beer, made friends (with Geoffrey) and played Gin. It was quite a lovely day. The kids left us at home while they went out for a birthday dinner and a night of jazz.

 

 

The other kids came Friday night because their apartment was 90 degrees. The air went out mid-week and the temps were rising. When Ted shared a picture of Manny cooling off in the frig, I knew it was bad. I made them dinner late night, which is one of my love languages. Ted is studying for the last leg of his CPA and I've been on a mission to keep him well-fueled. Meryl and I burned the midnight oil and then some while enjoying not one, but two bottles of wine. We chatted until the sun came up and paid the price for it Saturday without regret. Heart to hearts are worth sleep deprivation. My big accomplishments of the day were a big pot of pasta with a side of spinach and a below B rated movie. I slept well Saturday night knowing my son got his vegetables, which he confessed he's been lacking, and that we were all under one roof with a well stocked pantry and freezer. The Last House was the movie and if you watch it, you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Sunday was Lil's birthday dinner. Rather impromptu, but not overdue. She requested calzones and a lemon cake. Mike rolled the dough and I tried a new recipe for the cake. The kids played cribbage and created their calzones. I love Sunday dinner and especially when celebrating my baby.

 

 

The kids are still here a week later. It's been nice having them and being able to take care of them. They're in the throes of demands and if  I can make their lives a little easier, it makes mine happier. Lily went into the office today for the first time this week, Ted's at the kitchen island with his spreadsheets and lectures working and studying, Mike's in his office upstairs, and Meryl is getting ready for work. I'm going for a walk during my lunch because I'm working from home today.  The cats are all in their afternoon snooze spots. Yep, good and full.