Hello

Hello, hello...a brief update.
There's not too much going on in my neck of the woods these days.
Sometimes that's a good thing, however.

I'm really, really excited that my boys will be back with me in less than a month.
I can't wait. Though a month would once have seemed unbearably long, in relation to the time we've already had apart this summer it's short. The weekdays and weeks do fly by. Suddenly, I'm reminded of the ambitious to-do list I had prepared before their departure.

Garden steps. Sparkling woodwork. Extreme declutteration (if that isn't a word, it should be).

Hmm...well, I have soaked up the quiet, read several books, and discovered a new TV miniseries from the library that I'm hooked on (The West Wing, which my family ironically just began watching on TV in France). What else?

• I've started jogging again.
• I have successfully conserved lots of natural resources--water, gas, and electricity (cutting our standard usage of all these by more than half, and trimming the yearly-averaged bills).
• I've managed to go an entire month without buying fruits and veggies by eating straight from my garden (hello, delicious blueberries, salad, kale, beans and zucchini!).
• I've picked up lots of extra shifts at work to help fund my Roth IRA and pay down mortgage principal.
• I've sold and donated two large boxes of books (I LOVE books, but we really have no shortage...).
• I've started a little "family fun fund" from egg sales and bottle returns to get us to beautiful Crater Lake, Oregon this year.
• I've enjoyed spending more time with my mom.
• I've tried to sleep 8 hours each night (so wonderful).
• And yesterday I completed a bi-yearly training that always feels good to revisit.

body count

sad, sad baby

dummies



Now (as she pointed out) if anyone collapses at my dear friend C.'s wedding later this summer, I will remember exactly what to do. Let's hope there will be no need!

How about you? What have been the themes of your summer?