A Simple Woman’s Daybook: the Late August Version

~ For Mary V, because she asked. ♥

 

Looking out my window

I see verdure! Don’t you love the emerald abundance of late August? It’s bittersweet, though, because we have to make our peace with summer’s end.
We have to admit—to ourselves, to our family—that we did not get through our lengthy list of summer goals.
We didn’t seize every last summer day, the way we know (in hindsight) we ought to seize every day and we may be feeling a bit of regret.

On the other hand…

We are really looking forward to that crisp, delicious September schedule.
A sense of order after sleeping in!
That’s the trade-off and like it or not, it’s here.

I am thinking…

That I would like to be writing daily, which is why I’ve brought my iPad & keyboard to my annual physical and am jotting down these thoughts while I wait for the doctor.  (Hi, Dr. Mary!) I am also thinking that it really stinks that my iPad is breaking. I’ve only had it for two years—a gift from Netflix in 2016 when they were still doing their Stream Team thing—and now I have to face the facts: I’ve lost my awesome corporate sponsor and need another!

Which brings me back to writing daily…

I am thankful…

…for the teeny tiny caterpillar that I found on a milkweed leaf during my walk yesterday. “Lord, please let there be a baby monarch!” This has been my prayer all summer and finally, yesterday, Jesus said, “Here you go.”

He’s very cute. We named him Roy.

I am also beyond thankful that I don’t have cancer, (having had a CT scan two weeks ago), but that’s another story for another blog post.

Suffice it to say, I was very scared but knew that if this was the cross God was offering…

…friends and family would see me through.

One of my favorite things…

…is coffee. Indeed, I could probably list “coffee” as the answer to all of these prompts.

I am thankful for…coffee.

I am creating…another cup of coffee.

I am wearing…coffee.

I am creating…

…lesson plans and senior photos. I had my first senior session of the season this week and oh my goodness!

What a beauty.

I am wearing:

Clothes.
Seriously, why do you care?
Okay, I’ll tell you that I feel very feminine and pretty in a swirly brown skirt with pink and turquoise circles, a black cami and a peachy-pink lightweight cardigan.

See? And not that I want to express more regret, but gosh I’m gonna miss the sweet summer ease of slipping on a pair of shorts and sandals. I’m not quite ready for it to get cold.

I am reading/watching/ listening to

Have you read Brideshead Revisited? Please say you have because it took me 30 years (!) to read the tattered copy on my shelf (I was given it by a friend in the Glasgow School of Art when I was studying in Scotland as an undergrad) and I was overwhelmed by so much empathy and love for all these characters.

Oh Sebastian, sweetie, I do get you.

I am hoping…

…to hold it together as we transition from summer schedule to school year. We have (one) high school senior, (one) high school sophomore, (one) 8th grader, (one) fourth grader and (one) would-be-a-kindergartener-if-he’d-stop-fighting-the-system-and-learn-to-sit-still, for heaven’s sake.

We also have five (FIVE) people on five (FIVE) different soccer teams and zero teen drivers so get a grip, Mom! Keep calm and brew a massive growler-to-go of coffee.

I am learning…

…that old habits die hard when the stress starts to mount. I went from Keto to “Cancer” and back again, with a 3-day 37-mile pilgrimage tacked on. Got home from Wisconsin and I was like, “Give me carbs!”
And then, “Pour me wine!”
And then, “Stop this madness. Get back on track.”

In my kitchen…

I am getting back on track. I like being a smiling happy kitchen mom that is there at the ready when the kids get up.
“Good morning, Sunshine! Would you like a fresh muffin?”

That said, I am currently more likely to be sitting in a corner by myself, groggily slurping my coffee in my yoga pants with a prayer book, an iPad, a novel, my planner.

“Good morning.” (Yawn.)“Help yourself to some Cheerios.”

Like I said, I’m getting back on track.