Hello!

Well that was a heck of a little break, wasn’t it? Where have I been? Outside and living a slightly more analog life.

Experiences: I went to the Ocean City boardwalk. I’ve been to the pool. WM has been accompanying me to the gym this summer. We saw Hadestown, which was so good. Dad came to town for a visit.

Household drudgery: I renewed my passport and the new one arrived in only seven days. Not seven business days – literally seven days. I completed the online form on a Friday and received my new passport the following Thursday. WM installed a hand rail on the front porch. We’re still trying to grow grass and we finally have an idea where to move the garden beds. Spoiler: they’re going to stay in about the same spot.

I’ve burned almost all of the music on my computer back onto CDs.

Books: Sticking with a 20 minute reading timer a night is still working for me. I’ve read 26 book so far this year, which is what I read in the entirety of last year.

I finished working through my art book. I read Heated Rivalry, The Intuitionist, and Strangers. I’m currently reading The Secret History and I have The Odyssey on tap, but I might return that without reading it because Ann Patchett’s Whistler became available. I finally gave up my Philadelphia library card because my in-office days don’t allow me to walk there anymore. (I will forever grieve my former in-office life.)

I paid a little money for a Camden County Library System card. This not only gives me another source for Libby books, but it is physically closer than my town’s library and I’m looking forward to working there occasionally when the home office walls start to close in on me.

Creativity: July cards were orange creamsicle themed; August’s were New Jersey themed. I’ve been experimenting with my MIL’s Cricut Joy Xtra and cut my very own stencil, which I designed in Canva. And after three years of coveting one, I finally bit the bullet and bought a color printer. Along with the Cricut, this will let me create and cut my own card sentiments and greetings rather than constantly being beholden to whatever stamps and dies I own. I’m currently designing my own set of silly stickers.

I’m firing on all creative cylinders. I have four craft projects waiting for my time and attention and I can’t wait to tackle them.

But I’m a summer girl ’til the end and if I can be outside, I’m outside. The crafts can wait for the next time it rains.