Life: It Goes On - August 27

Happy Sunday! I know that so many of you cannot wait for summer to be over and fall to arrive. Heck, you're already able to get your pumpkin spice lattes. But for me, I can't believe that August is almost over. But the caterpillars eating my parsley plants and the flowers that are dying off and the shorter evenings are telling me that summer is almost over. I have not spent nearly enough time on the patio, not nearly enough to get me through the winter. So I am bound and determined to spend as much time as I can in these final really warm weeks and hope for a very long Indian summer in September. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: I gave up on My Dark Vanessa (couldn't handle the subject) and started The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. It's a prize winner and was greatly lauded; but I think that it, too, is too dark for me right now. I may return it early as well. 

Watched: The Avett Brothers in concert in Lincoln. They were the second band and we left after they played. It was a work night and we had an hour drive home so we knew we wouldn't stay for the entirety of the headliner. But we both agreed that we preferred to leave with the songs of the band we really came to see in our heads. Besides, your girl here had had all of the "peopling" she could handle for one night. Sometimes I'm astounded by the kindness of people. Other times, like Thursday night, I'm astonished by their incredible rudeness, lack of an attention span, and self-absorption. 

Read: I started Colson Whitehead's latest, Crook Manifesto but haven't gotten too far into it. It's due back Tuesday but I doubt I'll have it back to the library until they threaten to fine me. 

Made: Caprese pasta, nachoes, salads, burgers - that heat we had last week had us eating meals that required the least use of heat. 

Enjoyed: Today we went into Lincoln to celebrate with The Big Guy's siblings (and their spouses) what would have been their dad's 100th birthday. We enjoyed whiskey sours with Black Velvet whiskey (he didn't drink much but he liked those) and cherry pie (which their mom would have made). We brought some memorabilia of his for everyone to look at again. It was a lovely afternoon. 

This Week I’m:  

Planning: To get ready for company coming this weekend. 

Thinking About: I haven't gotten one furniture project done all summer. Work has been so draining all summer that I just don't have the energy in the evenings to work on anything. But I've been thinking a lot, lately, about what projects I can still get finished before it's too cold to work outside. I need to paint some chairs for Miss H before she moves so that will get done; just need to get over and get the paint. 

Feeling: Very much in need a few days off of work. I need to not be waking up in the night, thinking about what needs to get done there. But my boss did pay me a very nice compliment the other day so I am feeling better about the work that's getting done by my team. 

Looking forward to: A fun week: dinner with friends tomorrow, happy hour with a friend Tuesday, and Friday my sister and her husband arrive from Wisconsin and Miss H also arrives. 

Question of the week: Do you get a three-day weekend this coming weekend? How will you use that extra day?