Well another tech week and show into the history books. I had a good show. Some frustrations, but over all I worked with a lot of really great people who all worked super hard to put a show on very little time. One fun thing that happened on the day of the performance – there had been rain forecast, and we heard periodic rumbles. We were all hoping that the rain would hold out because we are in an outdoor venue and a large part of the audience sits out on the lawn, which is uncovered. Well, we were lucky and the rain did hold off. But just as the show finished and the heroine had collapsed on the ground dead, there was a huge clap of thunder and the heavens opened up. I guess God approved of our show….
August! Where did you come from? Here we are. How was July? Well here’s the run down:
July Highlights:
-Going on a Reading Retreat with the Husband over the 4th of July. We went to Harrisburg, VA and enjoyed bookstores, farmer’s markets, and lots of reading.
-All three kids going to Taiwan camp with my mother. They all had a great time and want to go back next year.
-Going over to a friend’s house one evening for S’mores over their firepit.
-A great swim season w/ the swim team.
-On that note – the Mom on the swim team who took over swim meet logistics when there was a sudden change in plans on a Saturday then personally contacted every swim team family to let them know of the change, even if it meant knocking on their door. (Our Swim Team Rep and many of the members of our swim team are shomer-Shabbat Jews.). This display of inclusion and kindness was a definitely a highlight of the month.
-Going to the theatre with the Husband.
-Impromptu dinner with some family friends. I always think it is such a hassle to host people for dinner, but it doesn’t have to be. Plus I like cooking for people, so it’s even kind of fun if I keep things simple.
-Watching the World Cup. I might have been late for work because I was watching the final game.
-The 14 year old cooking dinner and baking. I told her she has to do at least one analogue activity a day. She fulfills this request by making a mess in the kitchen. But at least it’s tasty and she’s learning some skills.
-A Belated Birthday trip to Dave and Busters for the 9 year old and a few of his friends, with dumplings and noodles afterwards.
-Discovering the Japanese market near work and stocking up on my favorite gummy candies and buying three different brands of ramen for our ramen taste test.
-Happy Hour with my Bus Stop mom friends. (I know this happens almost every month, but it is consistently a highlight of my month.)
-The two younger kids going to camp – gymnastics for the 6 year old and fencing for the 9 year old – and really enjoying it.
-Visiting the National Gallery of Art. I should go more often. They have such good things to see there.
-Peach Truck Peaches! 25lbs of peaches. Picked them up on Sunday. Half the box was gone by Thursday. I canned 9lbs. The 14 year old made a pie. The rest we ate, dripping peach juice down our chins.
-Favorite Dinner: Salmon bowls that became onigiri making. That was fun and tasty. I’ve been researching other onigiri fillings to make.
Also – snack dinner at the pool was a big hit – crackers, salami, cheese, cut up veggies and fruit.
-Favorite thing watched: I didn’t watch a whole lot this month because I was at work a lot (or commuting to work), though I did finally watch Season 1 of Bridgerton (pretty people. pretty clothes. lots of sex. I’m on the fence if I’ll watch the other seasons. But Benedict and Francesca’s books were my favorite, so I might just watch those seasons.).
Oh we also started a show called AP Bio about a Harvard Philosophy Professor who is fired and ends up teaching high school biology. It is very funny, but the sardonic academic schtick gets old after a while so I don’t find the show great for bingeing.
We also watched a few episodes of Nora From Queens. I never remember that I love this show until I feel like I have nothing else to watch.
And of course the World Cup. I really loved watching that.
Yearly Goals/ Aspirations:
Creativity:
-Haikus: 2 (18/52 written so far this year… needs more time)
-Painting: 0 (ouf this was a bad month for making time for creativity)
-Crosswords completed: 1
Consumption:
-Live Performances: 1 theatre performance
-Museums: 2 (visit to the National Gallery of Art and to an Artist’s creative space – not technically a museum, but there was a lot of art to be seen)
-hikes: 0 (Why is this even in this category? Is it because I’m supposed to be consuming nature? Well, I did pretty badly at that.)
Healthy Habits:
-Yoga: 27/31 days
-Strength: 3x (goal is 8x a month)
-Runs: 3x (not great, but I did swim…)
-Swim laps: 4x
-Vegan Dinners: 3 (Sesame noodles- twice- and Corn, Tomatoe, and Mint Pasta Salad. Goal is once a week, so this isn’t bad)
Quote of the month:
This one came from the 14 year old. We were sitting on the couch, hanging out watching tv and scrolling the internet together. I was reading some blog or substack or something with beautifully curated sleek (and expensive) houses and glowing impeccably dressed blonds with sleek smooth locks, everything bathed in gorgeous light with nary a speck of dirt or mess in sight. And the 14 year old leans over and looks at my screen and said:
“Mom – you don’t want to be her!”
And I said, “You know what? No, I don’t.” And I shut my laptop and pulled her in for a cuddle. It was just the reminder that I needed to make sure my inputs match the things I really value and love.
July Low Lights:
-The hot weather.
-The long commute. (But yay! now I no longer have to do that … til next year. And at the risk of toxic positivity – at least I have work during the summer.)
-Smoke in the skies and the bad air quality. I’m sorry Canada had to deal with this all.
-The exhaust pipe falling off my car as I was driving to work. (But the kindness of everyone who helped me was a highlight of July.)
-Sibling squabbles. It might have been a little too much together time for the kids this summer.
-On that note – the jury is still out on whether this uber unstructured summer was a good idea. (Each kid only had one week of camp all summer.) I think the kids loved it, but I feel like they might have done better with a little more structure to their days. Yet when I tried to impose structure, there was much protesting, whining, and yelling.
-Missing a piano lesson for the kids because I forgot that it was at 7:15am, after two consecutive weeks of 7:45am. Argh! I hate stupid mistakes like that.
-Discovering the waterline to our fridge misting water.
Looking Forward to in August:
-Our trip to Niagara on the Lake and Niagara Falls.
-Listening to our Road Trip Playlist. I can’t remember where I got this idea, but I read about someone who asks people she meets on her travels to add a song to a playlist she makes for each trip. I sort of riffed on that idea and all summer long, I’ve been asking people to add a song to my road trip play list. I don’t listen to a lot of music myself, so I don’t know that I could create a playlist on my own. By asking people to give me just one song for the playlist I find that I’m being introduced to an eclectic mix of music – and each song will be tied in my mind to the person who chose it.
-School starting. The oldest is going to high school!
-Routine. I’m craving regular rhythms and space in my day.
-The Maryland Renaissance Festival. We usually go at the end of August for preview weekend since it’s cheaper, but they’ve changed their pricing and so the first few weekends cost just as much as any other time. So this might actually be a September thing. It’s the last year that the 6 year old can go for free, so I feel like I should make an effort.
Grateful for:
-Lap lanes at the pool. I’ve been going to swim laps at the pool and it’s a really nice alternative to running when the temperatures at so hot.
-A day off that was relaxing and productive and social – checks all my free day boxes. I read and swam and went through some of the kids’ outgrown clothes and packed for my trip and had a friend over to can peaches and went to bed exhausted and satisfied.
-Uniqlo nylon culottes. Running a show at an outdoor venue in 80+ degree weather, is deeply unpleasant if I’m not wearing the right thing. My new discovery this year was these pants – they’re lightweight, look somewhat nice, and have rear pockets, which are perfect for stashing my cell phone. And because they are culottes, they give me the coverage of pants, but are as airy as a skirt.
-Company on my drive home – My friend came to see my show and he came to the afterparty with me and afterwards, I drove him to the metro stop near me so he could get home. I’m always a fan of a commuting catch-up – it was lovely to see him and to have thirty minutes in the car to chat.
-Having a parking pass in Zone 1. The stage managers get to park in the lot closest to the theatre. The singers have to park in the lot a little further down. I always have so much stuff to schlep with me that I’m glad I get a Zone 1 parking pass.
-That the kids can pack themselves. I make them packing lists and they just do it. I do have to check the 6 and 9 year old’s suitcases afterwards, but the bulk of the work is theirs. (The 14 year old gets a list, but we let there be natural consequences if she forgets something…) I’m so glad we’re at the phase now where I don’t have to pack for the kids anymore. Also grateful that we no longer have to travel with baby gear.
-And incredibly bright moon, rising large and luminous on the horizon as I drive eastward home after a long day at work. I needed that shot of beauty in my life at that moment.
What We Ate:
Monday: Honey Chicken with green beans and corn. The 14 year old cooked. I heard this was tasty – there wasn’t any left when I got home.
Tuesday: Leftover Teriyaki tofu and miso zucchini for me at work. I’m actually not sure what the rest of the family ate.
Wednesday: I packed more leftover teriyaki tofu, but then they had leftovers from an event at work, so I ended up eat that – it was roasted vegetables, chicken, salad, and fruit. I love free food at work.
Thursday: My friend came over to can peaches and we had snack dinner – pimento cheese, leftover miso glazed zucchini, good bread… whatever else was in the fridge.
Friday: The day of our show! We went out to eat with our interns as a Thank You for all their work this season. I had a Buffalo Chicken sandwich. I love Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, but my stomach does not like them as much as it used to, so I only have them sparingly these days.
Welp that’s the month that was… Just in time for the middle of the month. Eeep. The month is racing by and I’ve barely been able to catch up.
Tell me, what one song would you add to my road trip playlist? Do you keep a packing list for travel? Have you ever used a laminator? What are you looking forward to in August?