When I sit down to put together my monthly favorites posts, I start by reviewing the camera roll on my phone, and I use the pictures to make a list of highlights from the month. Last week I did just that, and I was just a little surprised to see that I had not taken one photo all month. Not one.
It’s not that July had NO highlights. Of course there were enjoyable moments. Like video chatting with our son Danny and his wife Erin and our grandson Leo. Enjoying a dinner out. And I loved a video that our daughter Cara sent of our granddaughter Edith performing gymnastics and aerial arts! I’ve watched it so many times! This is a picture that Cara also sent along with the video:
What is happening? Why didn’t I take any pictures? I don’t know. It’s not the norm for me, for sure. So…no July Favorites post for 2024. Instead I’m doing a What’s Up post. Can’t really call it a What’s Up Wednesday post, because Wednesday has come and gone, but I am fashioning it like those posts. There will be far fewer pictures than normal, though, and they’re either from past files, or someone else took them, or I just took it today especially for this post. So here we go…
What We’ve Been Eating
You know I love a good food picture, but all I’ve got here is a list of what our dinners have been lately. Saturday was pizza from Domino’s, Sunday was salad, Monday was leftover pizza, Tuesday was salad again, and on Wednesday I made a chicken stir-fry. Yesterday Big Eagle and I went to Costco, and I was going to get their frozen lasagna for dinner, but when Big Eagle spotted the Marie Callender chicken pot pies on the way down the freezer aisle, he decided he wanted one of those instead. So we had pot pies last night. 😁
What I’m Working On
I’m trying to get through the Suzuki book 2 lessons on my violin. I take the lessons online through Red Desert Violin. They’re broken down into 24 units, and I’ve just started Unit 20. So I’m just beginning to learn Beethoven’s Minuet in G. I’ll have one more tune to learn after that. Once I’ve finished with these lessons, I’d like to take her fiddle lessons.
What I’m Reminiscing About
I’m thinking a lot about the Las Vegas trip Big Eagle and I took last month. This is the last picture I have of my brother Tom. My brother Jack, sister Susan, her daughter Emily, Big Eagle, and I are also in the picture. I’m glad Jack thought to take it before we parted ways our last night there.
On July 14th, 15 days after we were together, Tom unexpectedly passed away. I will be forever grateful that we made that trip.
I’ve also been remembering many other times spent with Tom. This is the photo that would come up on my phone anytime he called me. It was taken in October of 2008.
And when he did a cross-country bike trip in 2011, he stopped at our place in April on his way west. We happened to be taking care of our granddaughter Helen at the time. Here he is with one-year-old Helen.
Lots of memories. He’s left a big hole in our family and is sorely missed.
What I’m Loving
I thought our garden was completely done for the season, and it pretty much is. But Big Eagle told me on Wednesday that there were plenty of bell peppers out there for me to use in my stir-fry that night. When I went out to pick some, I was thrilled to see how many were growing! We’ll probably be having stuffed peppers soon. The jalapeno and basil plants are still going strong, too.
What We’ve Been Up To
It is with more than a little bit of sadness that I tell you…
…that our house is officially on the market. Big Eagle has decided he’s ready to down-size, so this is happening.
What I’ve Been Watching/Reading
Lately we’ve been watching comedy shows on Netflix. We’ve found we really like Tom Papa. As far as reading, right now I’m reading How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, and This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann.
What I’ve Been Wearing
Anything that will keep me cool! We’re supposed to hit 105 degrees today. So it’s shorts and sleeveless tops or light casual dresses.
What I’m Excited About
We get to see THIS guy later this month!
The last time we got to hug him was back in January. Since then he’s had his first birthday on April 18th, and he’s walking all over the place and jabbering away! I’m sure that jabbering will soon progress into words we can understand, but for now I love hearing it and all of the little inflections that come with it and the squeals of excitement when he’s having fun. Can’t wait to plant some big kisses on that sweet face!
Now you know what’s up. Maybe at the end of the month I’ll have some August favorites to post. I sure hope for that! So tell me…what’s up with YOU?
I will bet you will have plenty of pictures to choose from for August with the trip to Lithuania and visiting with Leo, Erin and Daniel.
We are getting so excited to see you … even if I am not at all ready for this summer to end!
Looks like you and Leo have been having a great time this summer! I feel ya! Looking forward to seeing you, too, and helping out as much as we can!
I imagine you’re right, Alan. 😊
Enjoy your trip! We tried the Marie Callender pot pies and they were not bad!
Thank you!
Wasn’t sure if you were traveling to see Leo or if the kids were bringing him to the U.S. but I read Big Eagle’s comment above and got my answer. So glad you are going to see that baby again, and his mommy and daddy. He sure is a cutie pie.
I bet Edith’s performance was fabulous. I like the sound of aerial arts. I bet my Cami would enjoy flying around in the air, too. She is continuing gymnastics this fall and it has been so good for her.
I am sad to see your house up for sale. You guys have worked so hard on the yard and the garden. Hate for you to have to leave that behind but I can imagine it is a lot of work, too. Hope your house sells quickly and at a good price. Anxious to see where you head to next. Our house is certainly too much for us until the Ft. Worth kids come to visit. I used to be such an enthusiastic house cleanger but not any more.