A Summer Like No Other

Greetings to all of you!

We at the Stress Pool have been having a very busy summer! Not that we've been doing anything out of the ordinary, or even planning a fun get-away - just living is sometimes enough. The printer isn't working, so I'm not able to print out the change of address letters I hope to get out in the next month - heaven only knows I'll never get Christmas cards out in time to share the new address! (Maybe I should just order Christmas cards and write them out now...) The first few weeks after surgery in early June (Yup - school was out on the 4th, surgery was the 8th - do I know how to have fun, or what?!) I mostly slept, so getting in touch with people, while on my priority list, succumbed to the entreating call of the bed. And, of course, going back a little further, finishing up the crazy school year was enough to send me into a small tizzy. I practically skipped out of the building! (There is your 'you'll never get that image out of your head' moment for those of you who know me!)

Getting everyone up to speed about the house situation: we closed on the new house! Once the former owners were out, we were able to get in and finally see it for what it truly is. While there is a lot of work to do, I am not disappointed! No buyers regret here. Yes, the usual painting, scrubbing (DH has contracted a cleaning company to come in and do an initial clean - yay!), and of course, there are the little quirky things. The lantern in the front yard is on - we can't find a switch to turn it off! There is a window in the coat closet - nice for airing it out a couple times a year, but I need to cover it or all our coats will end up a faded color on one side - unless we continually turn the coats. Not happening, I assure you.

Ms. Business has already painted her room - she did a fantastic job on two walls that have large triangular patterns, sticking with blues and a pretty blue-green. She also bought her first car (also blue) and we'll be moving her in over the weekend. She's quite excited to be on her own for a few months, although we'll be in and out a lot with all that has to be done, especially this summer, because...

WE HAVE A NO-STRESS POOL!

I actually considered making a sign to hang on the fence that says "Welcome to the Stress Pool", but when you're floating around in your own crystal clear oasis, watching the clouds, feeling the sun on your face, what stress can you possibly feel? It has been heavenly! We even cooked dinner over there the other night so we could enjoy some time in the water. I had hoped DH would get in, but he was happy to sit on the screened-in porch. We also had to get a couple more outdoor chairs, because we don't have any furniture over there yet! We'll still be in the rental for a few more months while work is done, and we're still under lease here. But let me tell you, I look forward to the day we move in - the street the rental is on is noisy with traffic from early morning until late night (like after 11 p.m.), which we didn't take into consideration when we rented it. Single pane windows are the pits!

We had to buy a few appliances - a new washer and dryer, because the former owners had made it clear they were taking theirs. No problem - we found a nice set that doesn't require me to use my smart phone to run them! Things are getting too high tech for me. I just want to throw the clothes in and choose a setting. Now, if they come up with washers and driers that actually fold the clothes when they're done, or sew on missing buttons, I might consider it! It's nice to shop for appliances when you have that little bit of leisure - when you don't need it yesterday because the old ones broke down! We also ordered a refrigerator for the basement - a nice place to put extra drinks, especially for those great pool days when we'll be looking for something cool. No trekking up to the kitchen - just grab something from the downstairs! We'll put the microwave down there, too, as one already exists in the kitchen. Makes it a little easier for entertaining, right?

All the while, I've been recuperating from surgery, and while I'm feeling a lot better, we all know what happens - you start doing too much. So far this week I've gone swimming twice, and there were two days of shopping - one for the appliances, and one for food (which DH has been doing, but he's much happier if I'm along to share in the fun!) So, today, I'm sitting with my feet up, making lists for what needs to be done in the new house, making appointments that can't be put off any longer, and just relaxing in general. 

And, reading - my usual goal is one book a week for summer vacation, which equals 10. Any more than that is a bonus. This year, I'm already up to 7! Two were book club summer reads, one of which I really liked, and one that I committed to, but wouldn't recommend. The one I really liked - The Lost Apothecary. I tend to like books that go back and forth between the past and present, and the author wove the story together very well. The one I wouldn't recommend is The Push. It was okay, but quite predictable. There was no surprise at the end, nor was there a feeling of closure. I'm reading the Bridgerton series - we watched the Netflix version of book one (a little different than the book), but who doesn't like a period romance now and again? "The Book of Two Ways" by Jodi Picoult was also good, and "Dial A for Aunties" (which is going to be made into a Netflix movie) was a fun read, full of comedic adventure involving a lost love and a corpse! 

Not the most exciting of posts, but hopefully this will have caught you up on our craziness. I still have some catching up of my own to do. I've only seen little Tukapoo a couple times, and I'm itching to get back to doing some painting and playing around in the studio. I've also only seen Morticia once, and it would be nice to meet up with some friends.

Hoping you are all well, and staying healthy and safe. I'll see you again in the Stress Pool, or, if you bring your own towel and chair, stop in at the No-Stress Pool! Always room for one more. See you soon!