The Lowdown

Reading...

Christina Haag’s, Come to the Edge. The voyeur in me is enjoying this memoir, but I’m finding it more tragic and sad than romantic and captivating. Clearly since she never made the name for herself she hoped for as an actress, she didn’t get the prince or the prize. Is it really telling that John John liked to live on the edge…every edge?

Thoreau’s travel itinerary, Cape Cod. I’m hopelessly nostalgic for the beach vacation we had last summer.

The Paris Wife, Crossing to Safety and Cutting For Stone are all in cue.

Watching...

The Bachelorette although I cannot say I am much of an Ashley fan. I do like Constantine and Ben. My money is on Ben, but I think Constantine is better suited for the wannabe bride.

The news which is 9/10 weather and did you know it’s Dante’s inferno outdoors? I guess it’s better than recounts of fiscal disaster and non-guilty verdicts for murderous mothers.

Best of all baseball. Lastnight the team pulled off the victory they needed to advance to the next round!! Well...at 11-2 I'd say they more than pulled it off. T. Bone pitched 5 innings of the game and he threw 50 pitches. I expect the MLB scouts to be calling any day now.

Listening To...

Little Bee while I walk. I’m loving the words, the wit and the humor woven in with the raw tenderness and brutal reality. It’s wonderfully written, and smartly told.

Rickie Lee Jones’ first two albums which I will hear her play live in 8 days from my seat in the front row.

97.3 The Brew which means everything sounds alike whether it’s Bruno Mars, Black Eyed Peas, Adele, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert or Taio Cruz, yet my kids can differentiate.

Eating

Often too late and not as healthy as I like thanks to summer spontaneity and more specifically baseball.

Lots of summer fruits like nectarines, plums, cherries and green grapes.

Too much cheese.

Fresh picked produce from my Aunt’s garden and kindly shared with us.

Ice cream for dinner.

Feeling...

Like I wish there were more minutes in an hour, hours in a day, days in a week and weeks in the summer.

Just a little guilty for taking reading breaks in front of the fan that turn into literal cat naps instead of whittling away my to do lists.

A little anxious about our north woods vacation since it will be our first without my mom. I know I’m going to miss her terribly in a whole new way.

Dreaming...

About my Mom. A little over a week ago I had a dream of her that didn’t feel like a dream at all. It was at daybreak and I was coming in and out of sleep. I turned to see her smiling beside me and she looked like her best self radiating beauty and happiness. I caught my breath and asked if she was really here..if this was real. She came to hug me and as we wrapped our arms around each other she said, “It’s me. I’m here. I’m always here and this is real.” I woke up suddenly and wiped a single tear of joy from my cheek. I could still smell her and I felt euphoric as well as completely at peace. It’s taken me this long to put the experience into words.

Of what it would be like to pack up and take off to spend the whole summer in a beach front cottage on the Cape.

Of where we’ll go next year.

Of enough time to read all the books I want to and visit all the places I yearn to see.

Doing...

Reading as much as I can, writing a little, thinking a lot.

Looking for resolve, finding some peace and making my own happiness.

Taking time, making time, not forsaking time.

Soaking up summer and sitting with the sunshine.