Pause

 

Another week another missed Grateful Friday and weekending post. Oh, but I'm grateful every day and summer is one contiguous weekend. But there is something about stopping here to pay attention to it all. The hen hanging out in our yard is surrounded by her flock who are no longer poults. We've had two yearlings out back sporting peach fuzz antlers. My hydrangeas are as big as grapefruit and magnificent, while other blooms are fading. I mention this as evidence that for everything there is a season. If you are hearing the Byrds: To everything turn, turn, turn.There is a season turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under Heaven, we are on the same page.

My aunt came Sunday for a couple days so this week has been short and fast and good. We didn't do anything special and, yet our time together had it's tidbits. I was just happy to spend time with her, cook for her, drink wine with her. Nothing like company to encourage my A game in the kitchen if I don't say so myself. The pièce de résistance was my NY cheesecake that was so smooth and creamy, and as good as my favorite bakery's. A close second was a pan of spicy breakfast enchiladas that will be on regular rotation. Oh and there was also that zucchini soup with poblanos and leeks that tasted exactly like summer.

This weekend will be quiet. I caught a bug and so I will stay put. It's a good time to pause in the middle of summer. It's a good time to look at the weeks ahead and begin planning for what's next. It's also a good time to contemplate what is important to do before summer's end. In June, it feels like such a abundance of time to cross things off my list. Not obligations, but celebrations, joy moments: tennis matches after work, early morning walks, ice cream dates for dinner, beach days, dinner parties on the patio, stops to stock up at the farmer's market, Wizard matches...to name just a few. Time to get busy.

 

 

A Good Place to Be

 

All week I've been wanting to check in here. Not because I have anything big to report, but just to capture the everyday joy moments...and they are everyday. I finally made it on the last day of the week smack dab in the middle of July...in the middle of summer. This is the sweet spot where we realize these days won't last forever so we make them last as long as we can. We're all going in a myriad of different directions, yet somehow we're making it work. Last night I picked Ted up from the train and after he recounted his several day work retreat, he opined: I can't remember the last day I didn't have something to do. Multiple things to do. Yep, welcome to adulting kid. And to having a job in Chicago, a girlfriend in Madison and a triathlon in your near future. I'm still the mom and I would've pulled the you're living in my house card, but he finally acquiesced that going for a solo swim at dusk in Lake Michigan was not going to happen. Oh, and there was also a severe weather warning. Instead I cooked us steaks and we watched Golden Buzzer videos on YouTube and I'd say we both would say it was a good night.

Lily went golfing and then to a party when she got back at 10 o'clock. Mike came home from The Harley 120th festivities. Last night was Green Day and he said quite good. More than anything he is jonesing to be face to face with colleagues. All of this work from home isolation, and Teams and Zoom contact are going to be at an unfavorable human cost. Ted went to bed so we cued up Game of Thrones, which my guy is watching for the second time as I enjoy my first. Lily got home at 3 o'clock because... 10 o'clock, and now the house is slowly waking up for a new day. Me and my girl Hazel are today's earliest risers. Notice I did not say early.

This weekend will be a little livelier than last because...full house. The kids are back from great summer trips. Teddy spent a week lakelifing it on Lake Erie with Meryl and her family, and Lily fell in love with New England. Next stop is Webb Lake, but we'll take our time getting there because... be.here.now. Here is a good place to be.

It's impromptu trips to the Farmer's Market with my parents and then a post haul happy hour on a nearby patio. It's baby zucchini so sweet and tender that make the perfectly summery soup for a week night girl's dinner with mother daughter friends. It's saying yes to a last minute invite to bbq on my brother and sil's patio on a beautiful Saturday night. It's cold rose, ice cream cake, hummingbirds on my feeder and baby bunnies on my walk. It's flowers and flip flops and fun. It's a full house...messier than I like, but I'm learning to live with it. It's light until late and fireflies after dark. It's country music, card games and the casual cadence that marks these days. It's space buns, salads, cold showers and seeing the sunrise. It's watermelon margaritas, dirty shirleys and Moscow mules. It's hearing the camaraderie of the neighborhood kids, the roar of bands of Harleys, the roll of distant thunder and at long last the pounding rain.

july 4th weekending

Today is a glorious day. That's not an overreach. It's perfectly sunny and 70 and it's already Thursday. An extra long weekend makes for a nice short week. It's also a quiet one at Casa Wags. Ted is in Ohio swimming in another great lake and Lily is in the Big Apple today, and currently at the Met. She'll be hopping around New England for a few days with her CT and MA gals. They are both having stellar summers. Me too for the record.

I love the 4th. My affection for America's birthday used to be closely tied to the pride I had for this country. Had is not a typo. I'm not going to go on a rant, but at 247 years old we are still in diapers. We need to stop acting like an insolent child and get back to upholding freedoms and protecting rights. I'm less proud to be an American than I was a decade ago and my faith in our leaders is at an all time low. That being said, I still flew my flag as I hold out hope that we can course correct. 

So my affinity for this holiday this year is all about beach days and bbqs. Being together. It really doesn't feel like the 4th until we Windmill Beachit. The house is no longer, but the beach is still beautiful and the dunes are growing again. A new house will be built next year if all goes as planned. It was the perfect day for a picnic lunch. The water was chilly, but swimmable. Teddy and Lily swam a mile and a half. With her help and the buoyancy of a wet suit, he is getting stronger and faster. She wasn't happy to be following him for the first time in the water, but she didn't have a wet suit, and apparently she's a pretty good swim coach. We came home after dark sun kissed and happy to have spent some time in our favorite place with our peeps.

 

Ted was Madison-bound very early Sunday morning to meet cousin Tim, an avid triathlete, for some training on the bike. He whisked in long enough to join the fam for dinner before heading back to Madison, but this time on the Badger bus. The life of Ted is one of poor planning constant motion. The grandparents were glad to see him and I know he earned his meal. Mike's ribs were finger licking good. I tried a new twice baked tater dish that is my new favorite and I made up a lettuce/coleslaw salad with a buttermilk dressing that was a crowd pleaser. Dessert was my first ever Key Lime Pie, which will definitely not be my last, and hopefully next time I can find some key limes, or I'm told there is such a thing as key lime juice.

In fact, I served another one Monday. Pete and Sue enjoyed two slices each, which confirms this recipe is indeed a winner. We had a great visit with them, but when do we not. Mike grilled steak burgers that were so good we cooked them again on Tuesday. I lost Wizard by an embarrassing amount.

We slept in on the 4th and missed the parade, but that was sort of our plan. It was hot and humid so a perfect day for the lake or Mom's pool, but I convinced Mike to wash windows instead, and I'm still not sure how. At the end of the day, we watched the fireworks from our front picture windows and were perfectly happy with that choice.

  

weekending

Despite going to bed early last night, I'm dragging today. I didn't sleep well. My mind would not shut down. I just got up from an after work rest with Finn. Usually I'm taking a late afternoon nap with Hazel, but today Finn cuddled up and sleep was elusive. It's Ok though because often times rest is enough.

The weekend was long and lively. Friday we kicked it off with Eric Church and he didn't disappoint. Elle King was sassy and so much fun too. It was THE perfect night for an outdoor performance with my guy. As EC was singing Hell of a View, the sky erupted with fireworks and it was...indeed...a sight.

I felt my age as we sped through the festival to catch a bus home. In the old days, I would've stayed until closing time. Nowadays I just wanted to get home.

I was grateful for a quiet morning with my coffee and Hazel. I did a little work, took Lils and Meryl for pedicures, and then we made homemade pizzas and introduced Meryl to Wizard, which she picked up quicker than any newbie I've ever played with, and what's more is that she liked it and almost won.

Lily was busy going to Summerfest and the beach with her tribe. Her roomie was in town for the weekend so we saw little of her. Ted and Meryl invited me and Mike out for a surprise date on Saturday night, which was so very sweet and fun! First I thought we were going to Hooligans and then I thought our destination was the cat cafe, but we went down Black Cat Alley to the Shanghai. I had never heard of this clandestine speakeasy, but I'll definitely visit again. The drinks were so unique and delicious. We ended up at Hooligans for our favorite wings after cocktails. We ran into old neighbors and then Lily's erstwhile soft ball coach. We're known as Smallwaukee for good reason. Our last stop was Paddy's Pub for a night cap, and who was behind the bar, but Paddy herself. That was another blast from the past as she used to groom our dogs many years ago in our previous lives.

 

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Meryl left Sunday morning, Lily met friends for brunch, Mike and Ted played a few tennis matches, and I restocked the frig and filled the laundry baskets with clean clothes. At the end of the day, Mike made pork chops and I put together my favorite risotto, an easy oven version that is indistinguishable from the fussy stove top dish. I also heated the cabbage and garlic side that I'd gotten from Trader Joe recently, and I'll be going back for more.

This week is rolling right along onto the 4th holiday. It's a little surreal that we are at this point already. Instead of lamenting the steadfast passage of time, I'm going to soak in all of the allure of the next couple months of all four of us home together. It's busy and messy and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Solstice and Stuff

 

Yesterday was the longest day of the year and still we had dinner well after dark. I made quite the solstice feast and I have the lingering scent of garlic on my hands to prove it. I put together a Mediterranean meal, which is perfect for grazing and eating in shifts, which we do a lot of this summer. I love me a an interesting mezze platter: fresh feta, crisp veggies, lots of olives, and grilled lamb and chicken to stuff in pitas and top with a dollop of tzatzki. I made Jaleo spinach because Jess was coming to dinner and we loved this dish when dining there in DC years ago. I also tried a recipe for Greek Lemon Potatoes. I didn't execute it quite right, but they were tasty. I will perfect this recipe before summer's end. A chilled pink Bordeaux was the perfect pairing.

Jess scooped Ted from the train on her way and Meryl arrived in time to join T and Lily for a pre-dinner workout. They all came home famished, which I loved because nothing makes me happier than feeding my peeps.

After dinner, we roped Jess in for a game of Quiplash. She ended up staying for three so I'm pretty sure she likes it as much as we do. It's a damn good thing we played that last game too. Finn Houdinied and was frolicking around the yard. I looked up and saw him running past the open patio doors on.the.outside. If not for the last game, he may have been out all night long. I have no idea how long he was on the prowl or how he got out, but he was pretty proud of himself. His brother and sister could not take their noses off him when we coaxed him back in. It's going to be a long summer said on day one.

Tonight we are going to see Eric Church and Elle King. I haven't been to or missed Summerfest in several years, yet I am looking forward to enjoying live music on this lovely eve. It's the first night and the Big Bang so it might be a little loco, but I am a big Church fan.

I'm working from home tomorrow, which means the weekend starts early. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Father's Day. Saturday we did BBQ with my dad and Sunday was golf and Mama Mia's for Mike. It was a bit of a tricky holiday this year: the first without his Dad and his brother. It made sense to keep it on the down low.

The 4th is in the purview. It'll be different this year without Windmill Beach. I'm just so grateful that we booked Webb Lake for the end of the summer. 

Loosey Goosey

Today is a new day. A day I intended to start the same way as the day before, yesterday, but alas I came home from the train and crawled back into bed. To be fair, it's in the 50s and I was up later than I should have been to execute my plan. The thing is I came home from work yesterday and took a lovely nap. Lovely because it was long. Too long.

The kids come home from work starving every night so they have hearty snacks and that pushes dinner back. It's getting later and later. Last night it was closer to 10 o'clock than 9 o'clock. Ted and Lily went to the club to swim at 7ish. He's training for the Ironman. In September, he will swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.22 miles, or he won't. I say this not out of lack of support, but rather acknowledgement that this is a Herculean race. If anyone can do it, my money is on Ted. So swimming is his albatross. Lily is a fish. I love that they are working out, spending time together. Leaning on one another. Dinner can wait.

I'm coming to the conclusion that I just need to stock the frig with ready to eat/reheat items and be done with it. It's a transition though because my kids grew up with family dinner most nights of the week even when schedules were rife with homework, sports and jobs. Maybe we can have family breakfast. On Sundays. Some Sundays.

So I'll take my walk after work today and Thursday is leftover night. There are plenty of options if the fam uses their imaginations. Ted works from home tomorrow and Lils has a short day. I think I may take one too.

week ending and beginning

I was up at the crack butt of dawn again today. It's 7:30 and I already logged my miles. I'm happy to be here now to log some words. Gus is sitting here eating the cat friendly bouquet Meryl sent us. (Yes, there is such a thoughtful thing!) You could tell me there's a better way to start the day, but I wouldn't believe you. 

Driving home from the Amtrak earlier, I noticed that all my fellow travelers were wearing safety green or neon yellow. Tis' the season. There is construction on nearly every road I use and routes change by the day. It used to frustrate me, but I've since accepted it. There are bigger fish on my mind than physical infrastructure. Things like democracy and mental health and the fact that my grass is hay and it's not even summer yet.

It's a cool, misty morning so the trails were lonely. We need the rain and, truthfully, I prefer it that way: gray, temperate and quiet. I listened to the first episode of The Other Latif on the first leg of my walk and Eric Church on the second. The podcast is a good recommendation from the young people in my life. Eric Church is always a good choice. I'm starting to get excited for his show next week.

On Friday we said goodbye to my brother-in-law in a manner I know Mark would have approved of: no pomp, no circumstance. My mother-in-law has a tribe and they all showed up. They always do and I've always envied that big bursting clan. Friday I realized that these are my peeps too. The best part of the night is when the immediate family gathered around my mil's table and told Mark stories. The lights flickered a couple times. He was with us.

Saturday I realized to my core how much we're all going to miss him. We had a pizza pool party and he always loved a party. My husband and the kids (who now that I think about it are all young adults) played a very competitive game of Marco Polo. I could see Mark getting in on the fun. The two of them would have dominated and taken every opportunity to gloat about their prowess even at this stage of life.

It was hard to say goodbye Saturday eve because there is comfort in being together. Once we all go our separate ways, life goes on. How can life go on?

It can and it does. 

On Sunday Jess and I had our last musical of the season. We saw Tootsie. I cannot say I was looking forward to it, but it was light and cute and just what I needed. I came straight home after and watched AFHV and continued to lol while Mike and Lils made dinner.

Ted was back from his weekend travels first thing Monday morning. This is his second week of commuting. We're just grateful he only has to go into the city three times a week. Lils started her summer camp duties this week. She has a group of mostly sweet four and five year olds, the sweetest being Romeo, but of course. 

I'm finally starting to get in some kind of groove...a very loosey goosey groove. That's exactly the kind of routine that speaks summer: flexible, forgiving, with a focus on fun.

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