A quiet Sunday morning - this is indeed a rare occurrence these days. So, my goal is to take full advantage of it, and relax. If the dogs can sleep all day and all night, then I think I should try to do that too. Right?
The weather this summer has been absolutely gorgeous, humid but not terribly hot. This means we have been spending as much time on the motorcycle as possible. Trips to various small towns in the area, rides around town, rides to run errands – we’ve done it all. Last weekend, Jim and his riding buddies even drove around Lake Michigan, 1000 miles in 18 hours as part of the Iron Butt certification program. In two weeks, three couples plus Jim and I will be heading to Sturgis, SD. We are going the last weekend of the rally to experience it without the extremely high prices. We are ALL looking forward to getting away and to some beautiful riding.
Connor has been staying busy with work this summer. So far, he’s built a fence, tore down a bathroom, laid flooring, reshingled a roof, and who knows what else. He complains about having to work every day, but I think it is all a front. He comes back tired and bruised, but he is always so talkative in the evenings. That tells me he secretly loves it. Plus the money is an added incentive.
Holly has been a busy little bee around the house and playing with friends during the day. Dance classes keep her occupied during the evenings. It helps that her best friend lives a half-mile away, so they are forever meeting up at parks or one another’s houses. I know it has helped Holly tremendously with keeping the summer doldrums at bay. Our neighbor has also hired her to take care of their dogs when they are away in the evenings. She loves going over there to feed them and play with them for a bit. She also gets paid for this, a bonus in her mind since I know she would do it for free.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your way of looking at things, summer is just about officially over for us. Next week starts marching band season. Connor must attend the week-long band camp and then starts marching band practice in earnest. Holly auditions for her dance studio’s competition team on Saturday. Fall class sign-ups are only two weeks after that. This week is school registration. We have dates for fall sports meetings, cross-country practice, school pictures, technology meetings, annual check-ups for eyes, teeth, and body. Plus, Connor already has homework for one of his classes this year. Is it any wonder why I like the winter months so much?
Work continues to beat me up as there is a hiring freeze. This means that there are no plans to fill the empty role in our department. Long hours and busy days are going to be the norm for the indeterminate future. The week we leave for Sturgis is going to be particularly painful, as two of us scramble to finish all of the reports before I head out of town. I’ve already committed to working while on vacation to meet deadlines and such, but the more I can finish before I leave, the less work I have to do while in South Dakota.
I’m getting dinged that I have to go pick up Connor now. I guess that means it is time to enjoy my quiet Sunday and mentally prepare myself for another long week. I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and their summer. Have a great day and happy reading!
Reviewed lately:
- All I Love and Know by Judith Frank
- The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
- The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier
- California by Edan Lepucki
- Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian
- Evergreen by Rebecca Rasmussen
- The Good Girl by Mary Kupica
- Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones
- Life Drawing by Robin Black
- Prototype by M. D. Waters
- The Queen of the Tearling by Erica Johansen
- The Walk Home by Rachel Seiffert
- The Young World by Chris Weitz
