Sunday, July 28, 2019

Catching up as summer slips away

I've really not done much blogging this summer, at least not as much as I'd planned. All this time off has been filled with housekeeping projects, cooking, reading, watching tv, and spending time with the dogs. It's been really nice, actually. I'm not ready to go back to work yet; it feels like the summer just got started, and yet it's already almost over. I have two weeks left. I've worked hard to finish up the list of tasks I had set for myself this summer. Among them are things like:
  • Cleaning the porch. The wooden beams were dirty and cobweb-y, and the tile floor was really dirty. I spent a whole afternoon washing down the painted wood and mopping. 
  •  Rearranging the kitchen cabinets, and unpacking and storing the china my grandmother gave me before she died. I have some really fancy large collections of two patterns complete with teapots and serving pieces. I guess I'll have to have a tea party one day! Ha.
  • Cleaning and oiling all of our wooden furniture. We have a beautiful teak dining table and credenza that were badly in need of it, and several other pieces (end tables, nightstands) that I took care of too on the same day.
  •  Organizing and decluttering the laundry room. 
  •  Giving all of the floors in the house a good cleaning. We have pretty original hardwood floors in most of the rooms, with the exception of the den which has laminate floors (which are also very pretty). 
  • Washing all linens in the house, which included a trip to the laundromat for machines big enough for bedspreads and comforters. I just did that yesterday.
  • Plenty of yard work. Gregg has done all of the mowing and most of the weed-eating, but I've trimmed hedges and taken truckloads of yard waste to the dump. I've also pulled weeds and regularly scooped up dog poop from the back yard.
  • Cleaning out closets, although I didn't get as far with this one as I'd hoped.
Almost every day, I've given myself tasks to do over and above ordinary maintenance cleaning. Which is all I plan to do for the next two weeks before I go back to work--maintenance. I want to enjoy these last few days of freedom as much as possible. 

I got a new phone yesterday! I finally dropped mine one too many times, and it was toast. We had had our phones for years, and they weren't the latest thing when we first bought them. So now we have the latest Samsung Galaxy--the S10. It will take some time to get used to it, but already I'm loving the extra space, the much improved camera, and the longer lasting charge. Speaking of the camera, here is a video I took of a hummingbird visiting our back porch feeder with it yesterday: 


And here are a couple of pictures of our Crepe Myrtle trees, which are covered in blooms:





We have a line of five of these trees along the southeast side of our house. I just love them.

I'm reading a new book: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. It's set in Old Testament days and is the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob by his wife Leah. If anyone asks if I've done any traveling this summer I can tell them "Yes!"....time travelling, that is! Between the Philippa Gregory books about the Plantagenets and Tudors, and now this, I've been living halfway in the past these past couple of months!

I've also gotten hooked on True Blood and try to watch two or three episodes a night. It's dark and funny and outlandish--vampires and shapeshifters, maenads and werewolves, anyone?--but it's so much fun! It's bloody and sexy and soapy...a perfect summer tv series, in my opinion. And the music is good, too. I've been having a good time watching it.

Weather wise, the past week has been wonderful. Cooler and less humid, with blue skies and pleasant breezes. Of course, it would cool down as soon as our a/c was repaired. :)  It's funny how around here 90 degrees F for a high and 68 for the low feels almost like the onset of fall! All of a sudden it's nice to sit out on the porch in the late afternoon, again. We've been enjoying it out there each evening, sitting with the dogs. They're going to be so unhappy when I go back to work. They're more spoiled than they've ever been right now!

Well, that's about all I've been up to. What about you?

23 comments:

  1. cute hummingbird. my lone crape is getting ready to pop. can't believe it's almost august already.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This year is flying by. No, actually, the SUMMER is what's flying by. January through March took an age!

      Delete
  2. You are welcome and repeat your industry at my place it is in desperate need of you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That list may look impressive, but if you only knew how I've lounged around and done one task a day or less you wouldn't say that! I feel like a sloth.

      Delete
  3. You got a lot accomplished and you should be very proud of your efforts. Enjoy the next few weeks and I hope this next semester of school will be a great one for you. I am sure you are loved and appreciated there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not altogether sorry to be going back, I do like my job!

      Delete
  4. You have done an amazing amount of projects and now it is time to have R & R for your next two weeks before school starts. I hope you find some fun things to do next. Your 5 trees are fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Do use your Gran's Tea service; even if it's just you and Greg. I have similar sets back in a loft in England, and I really regret that we never used them. A really attractive Bone China cup and saucer, with some delicate sandwiches, are perfect for a Sunday afternoon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The tea service(s) are so dainty and feminine that I can't imagine Gregg and I using them on a regular basis. One in particular has a beautiful rose pattern that would be just the thing for a baby shower or some similar gathering of women.

      Delete
  6. Cro is right, use your beautiful china every day! I use what was my grandparents' "best" all the time, no point in letting it sit in some cabinet where it only collects dust, but this way, I honour it and think of my grandparents a lot.
    You've accomplished loads already, and holidays are also meant to relax and recharge your batteries, you know!
    Sweet little humming bird. Whose dog's voice are we hearing in the video?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh how I love and miss hummingbirds. Not enough to move back, but I do miss them. I’m sorry summer is racing by fo you, but I don’t mind seeing just these 2 months pass quickly. Too many people in town!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well, you had quite an ambitious list of things to do -- I'm not surprised you didn't get to it all! I think you and I go back right around the same time. I think my first day is the 14th? (Guess I'd better check that!) I love the hummingbird video, and the sounds of the crickets or grasshoppers in the background. (And the concerned dog. :) )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I go back on Monday the 12th. The kids go back a week later.

      Delete
  9. Sorry to hear summer is zooming by.
    This summer I was to finish up some remodel, cleaning, tossing out and starting drawing my Christmas card. Nope nothing got done !
    Love love love George's buffs and woofs. So darling !
    parsnip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're retired, so you have time to finish some of those things. I wouldn't be too hard on myself.

      George is a cutie. When he's not being aggravating! :)

      Delete
  10. I have hummingbirds, sometimes they will hover and stare in the windows, which is odd. The Crepe Myrtle is beautiful! And it's hot up here in Central Pa. The A/C never seems to stop.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have five of those Crepe Myrtles! They're all blooming like mad!

      Delete
  11. School starts too early. Summer isn't even close to ending. At my daughter's prep school they held the opening convocation on Labor Day and classes started the next day. That's the way it should be.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! The kids here start back on August 19th. It seems far too early!

      Delete
  12. Mostly I have been mooching around the house and kicking my heels wondering - When is Jennifer going to blog again? It has been a trial I can tell you but I have managed to get through it.

    ReplyDelete