4th of July Weekending

Fourth of July at Windmill Beach has a special place in my heart. The water and the drinks are cold, the sand and the sun are hot, and the fireworks are prolific. Our big show was Saturday. My brother and sil are the most inviting host and hostess, and my brother is also a pyro master. But many other neighbors partake so whether you look north or south, you see bursts from dusk to dark all along the coast. I definitely get my fireworks fill over the holiday weekend, but I can never get enough of the beach.

Saturday it was steamy out. As hot as the air was, the water was just that cold. Most of us managed to get in, and the kiddos somehow stay in more than out. It was quintessential bbq beach day: Spike Ball, kayaking, paddle boarding, day drinking, Yacht Rock playing, burgers and hot dogs on the grill at gloaming perfection. When the party broke up after dark, the fam headed to the beach for a night swim. Night swimming also holds a singular place in my heart. The water was just as cold if not colder than during the day, but going in and under is a long lasting thrill and a tribute to being alive. It's hard to take the plunge, but also necessary and worth it.

Sunday morning Teddy and Uncle B Bone had an early tee time because they are crazy. All the rest of us wanted was another day on the beach, but first I ran home to check on the kitties. They were happy to see me and to be fed, but they did quite well in the 48 hours they were home alone for the first time. I didn't stay long because I was in charge of breakfast and also eager to claim my beach chair. The air was much cooler Sunday and the water was warmer. It was a welcome change in weather. The activities were the same although we didn't set off fireworks because they were all gone. Lily suggested a gloaming family beach walk. It was a lovely idea and something we will do again. Teddy napped, but next time he'll join us. While we waded in the water and down the beach at that liminal time, we were treated to more patriotic displays. And then we went night swimming again before dinner because why not?

We packed up and headed home early Monday. Teddy had another tee time, Lils had plans and Mike and I recovered and reset for dinner with my parents. We threw steaks on the grill and I made a Caesar salad, which is a favorite of my dad and my girl's. The guys taught Teddy how to play cribbage. The girls chatted and snuggled kitties. As they drove off with the top down at twilight, I thought what a lovely night...what a beautiful weekend of family and friends and celebrating our country.  

 

 

 

Grateful Friday

 

I slept in an extra half hour this morning because I could. I had the day off. All three kits kats were climbing the stairs to get someone up just as I was coming down. Hazel was scolding the late breakfast. The thermometer on the kitchen window said 67 degrees. That is my perfect morning temp. I opened all the windows and doors, made my celery juice and sat down to read with a cup of coffee. I have not spent enough mornings this way lately. I vowed right then and there that can and will change.

I made breakfast bagels for the boys because I could, and I made all the beds fresh and clean becuase I make them best. Lils and I set out on errands, and while that's not the most fun way to spend the day off, everything is more fun when she's in tow. Plus she's really good at reigning me in when I get over exuberant at the party store or the bakery. I'm a sucker for holiday paraphernalia so I was surprised we left with a single bag of red white and blue loot. At our favorite little bakery in the middle of the city, we ordered cinnamon buns and nothing else. I tried to tempt her with all the beautiful pastries and she held firm. She reminded me that the weekend will be rather indulgent. We tag teamed cat sitting and plant watering. She's always willing to help and I want to note that she will do so because that's what you do. My aunt and uncle left an envelope of cash for us, and on the first day she said...we're not taking that. Not many 16 year olds would say that. 

We drove clear across town on city streets - some charming, some less - trying to avoid the freeway back ups. We sang along to Hamilton the whole ride, which ended up taking longer than if we had just taken the interstate, but she only jabbed me a little. Then she helped me in the kitchen getting things ready for the lake this weekend. She made granola and a festive cookie cake, and I made a pan of breakfast enchiladas.

She's out with friends now and Ted just got home from the golf course. He was paired up with a couple who he bonded with over Door County and business. He exchanged contact info with them. That's Ted. He makes friends with everyone everywhere. We really don't need to worry about him either.

We're headed to the lake tomorrow for July Fourth fun. We used to host the holiday here, but there's really nothing like fireworks on the beach over Lake Michigan. The sky is alight up and down the shore. And it's going to be 90 degrees the next few days. I have a stack of books, a stocked cooler and no place I'd rather be, and I'm grateful for that today.

A Very Good Day

I snoozed almost straight through the 8 o'clock hour. It's my intention to get up between 8:00 and 8:59 every day. I didn't sleep well with Hazel wedged between me and my guy. She's a talker, apparently, even in her sleep. When I saw it was a rainy morning, it put a little spring in my step. A stormy day is to me what a sunny day is to most. Truth. I was out the door early, which is to say before Lils returned from her morning weightlifting class. She had warranted and slight trepidation about her second day as a camp counselor - she helped rescue a little girl from the bottom of the pool within the first hour of the first day. When the life guard asked if anyone knew CPR, she called 911 STAT. The paramedics were on site in 4 minutes and the little girl is going to be fine. Once she was in the care of the medics, Lils consoled her own group of scared 7 year olds. She never lost her cool and I have to say that she is such a strong, sensible young woman. I'm sorry she had to go through this, but I am certainly proud of the way she handled herself.

Work was slow so I took off in the middle of the day to tend to my charges. The traffic is the worst part of cat sitting across town while my aunt and uncle are off building a house in Arizona. Going midday meant almost no traffic even with the rain. The rain meant I didn't have to water their flowers today so I was back in the office in an hour. I rarely take a lunch since my hours are working out to be 10 to 3, but sometimes it's nice to change things up. Today that was definitely the case.

I curled up in bed with my new book when I got home and 50 pages later I was asleep for almost 2 hours. I woke up feeling disoriented as to day and time, and then refreshed. I rallied for a quick, sweaty workout. When I finished, I found the boys making dinner. I poured a glass of wine and played with the kit kats, who had new toys in the mail today, while Ted tended to the Jasmine rice and Mike was on the veg and the grill. I marinated chops and breasts in a simple soy/hoisin/chili marinade last night and they were simply delicious. 

The Brewers game was on in the kitchen and the Bucks game in the family room. We ate in front of the tvs. After dinner, Ted left to watch the second half with friends and Lils went to get ice cream with a girlfriend. Mike and I suffered through a disappointing game and now I'm here just wanting to capture this day that was not out of the ordinary and yet it was extraordinary. Capisce?

These are the Days

It's officially summer. It's felt like summer here for at least a month so the longest day of the year came with little fanfare. In fact, I'll fess up that I am rather content with this week's cooler temps. Open windows make me happy. We've settled in as a family of four again. It's not seamless. I came home yesterday to a daughter irritated with her brother. The dispute was regarding chargers. I wasn't too pleased either to find his dirty pan in the sink. It was a scrambled egg pan from breakfast. But then he watered all my flowers and put away his laundry when I asked for the second time and in those small acts there was redemption. She offered unsolicited help with dinner and decided to eat pizza even though she's gone gluten free and that felt like amends too. We've been on a Margherita pizza kick preferring pies with just a smidge of sauce, fresh mozz and basil from the yard. Lils adds onion and sliced tomato, and I sneak on a few olives. Dinner isn't until 8 o' clock most eves after naps, workouts, the news and happy hour. 

Lily is finally enjoying the freedom of summer break, yet she's the first one up every morning to get to her 8 o'clock strength training class. I'm not exactly sure how she's spending all of her day, but I know she played softball yesterday. It was the fast pitch girls against the baseball boys. She had to pitch, and said she held her own. Then her friend came to meet kitties and go out for coffee. I almost remember being 16. Her job starts Monday, but it's part-time so she'll still have lots of time for fun.

Teddy is making the best of  his virtual internship. It's just not the same as being in the office with peers and mentors, but there is more structure and clearer expectations than he is accustomed to. At 5 o'clock sharp he's out the door to workout or golf or play poker. Twenty year olds can burn the candle at both ends.

The kit kats have had the run of the house for the last few days and they've been mostly well behaved. Some things are just too tempting though like plants and laundry baskets. Gus likes walking the plank or on the outside of the second story railing. He's fearless. It scares me to death. It's no surprise that they favor the same spots Peanut and Tigger always gravitated to although they are usually wherever their people are. My lap can no longer hold all three, but there are times they still try to make it work and I wouldn't have it any other way because these are the days I want to last forever.

 

Weekending

I really need a nap after all of the festivities from the past few days. There wasn't much down time. I'm out of practice with busy. I wanted to get up early today to put the house back together after last night's Father's Day celebration, but I kept hitting snooze. Poor Mike had to be on a 5:30 flight this morning. I barely remember him leaving. He's in steamy Florida for a few days. We finally had rain here. A good steady soaking deluge. The boys played poker instead of their traditional round of golf on Dad's Day, and they seemed just fine with that. Especially Teddy who changed his luck for the day by winning everyone's money. He was woken earlier at 4 am by automatic sprinklers. He and his buddy were sleeping in hammocks near the lake to catch the sunrise and sleep off their evening. He went for a quick 36 hours in Door County and had the kind of fun only an almost 21 year old would understand.

We spent quality time with all the dads in our lives over the weekend. Saturday we celebrated Dad's Day and a 57th anniversary with my in laws. It was just the four of us and that was nice and chill. They agreed to taste test my Potato Rotsi and gave me some suggestions for the next day. On the way home, we stopped at our neighbor's for the end of the Bucks game. It was the last quarter, but somehow we didn't make it home for a few hours. You know how that goes...let's just stop for one and then you're in the vortex and it's the next day.

Friday night we had dinner plans with my aunt and uncle at a family favorite Italian joint. We mixed things up ordering white instead of red and then we split 3 entrees 4 ways. The Eggplant Parm and the Sicilian Steak were the standouts. It was fun to see the design for the house they're building and to be together on the beautiful night while we still can. It won't be so easy when they move to Arizona. The night was so beautiful that Mike and I stopped at our neighborhood watering hole on the way home deciding it needed to last just a little longer. It was, perhaps, the weekend's theme.

The only picture I took all day

 

Grateful Friday

 

I wasn't sure I was going to write a gratitude post today, but then I was thinking of something I said to my girlfriend last night. We were a table of six. Six decades old friends around the table on a summer's night. The reunion was happy, but there was an undercurrent of sadness and herein lies the reason I was struggling with gratitude: I wish I could be more grateful. Treatment is not going well for one of us and I fear she is not so much losing hope as facing reality while still trying to be the pillar of strength that she is. It breaks my heart. But seeing her cute gray pixie and hearing her belly laugh, well I cannot deny I am grateful for that. And that's what I said last night: the totality of this last year begs the celebration of the little things, the beautiful moments, the sparks of joy even when they're tinged with sorrow.

Saying goodbye after our few hours together was incredibly tough, but we have plans to meet again at the end of the summer...a same time as last year scenario. Last August we traveled to Arizona on my birthday. This year we're visiting the spa. It doesn't really matter where we go. There is just comfort in knowing our goodbye was temporary. Goodbye for now.

I came home to see Gus up and about. He's been in a stupor all week sleeping around the clock. The vet called it a virus and treated his fever with antibiotics and fluids. Finally, he is feeling better, and while I cannot deny his extreme cuddly nature this week will be missed, I am grateful to see the return of his signature spunk. 

And the last bit of good news this week came from the Grainger School of Business. The third time was a charm: Teddy was finally accepted into the business school and will complete his under graduate education at the University of WI- Madison. I'm more excited than when he was accepted initially. He humbly noted that he knew he would get in this time. I wish I had a smidge of his optimism. I could trade him some of my gratitude.