As usual, August has been a blur of busyness and excitement. It’s my busiest month of the year (seriously, worse than December) and we have two very exciting new additions to our early September, a visit from my in-laws and the first stage of our long awaited home addition!
So if August feels crazy, September is like, “hold my beer!”
Loving
After 18 months since beginning the process, we are finally moving ahead with our home addition. The plans have been finalized and demo begins in mid September. It has been a painfully long process and part of me still quite believe it’s really happening.
It’s not going to be fast. It’s going to cost more than we were hoping and we’re going to be able to do less than we’d hoped. But it’s still going to be life changing for our family to have a little more breathing room and make it easier for us to stay in the home that we love but has gotten too small for us.
While I’m not going to love the process I am loving that we are finally moving forward.
Reading
Reading is, unfortunately, one of the first things to go when I’m busy. But I have managed to start A Perilous Perspective, the second to last of the current catalog of Lady Darby books. It’s taken me a bit to get into it, but I think I’m hooked now.
While I was waiting for my interlibrary loan to arrive I started the Murder of Mr. Wickham and I’m really enjoying it. I like the way the author has put most of the familiar leading lords and ladies into the same universe. I totally buy the way she weaves their lives together and found the whole premise very believable.
I also reread the Prisoner of Azkaban because my son is also reading it and then continued onto The Goblet of Fire. It’s not my favorite so I’ve moving through it slowly. It’s the book I take out to read at bedtime when I don’t have much energy to concentrate.
Learning
It sounds terrible to say that I’m learning NOT to care, but let me explain it better. When my life gets very busy, I quickly realize that I can’t do it all. A friend reminded me recently of something Kendra Adachi said on the Lazy Genius Podcast. I don’t have to have all the answers about this issue right now.
I like to be in control. I like to have all the answers, especially when it comes to my job. Except I actually can’t live like that all the time. During this busy time of year, I have to practice the phrase “You know, I’m not sure. Can I get back to you on that?” or “Let me look into that and get back to you in a week or two.”
At first it made me feel like a failure but I’m practicing not caring/not worrying about it. Because to quote the Lazy Genius again, if everything matters, than nothing does. Some things just can’t matter a lot right now. I’m slowly learning to let things go and be ok if everyone doesn’t always agree.
Eating
The peach oat crumble bars have come back with a vengence. It started as a delicious cranberry oat bar and I’ve tried the same basic recipe a half a dozen times with various fruits but I think peach is my favorite.
My husband and I also had a rare date night at the beginning of the month (which seems like an age ago) where we tried a local Italian restaurant and then went to a much lauded local ice cream place. The Italian restaurant was lovely and the ice cream was amazing. We’re hoping to go back soon. They had a chocolate cookies and cream combo which I would totally order again.
I’m looking forward to a hopefully, cooler September even if it looks like it will be almost as busy as August. But the beginning of a new school year is always exciting and I am eager to get started.
Hooray for a date night that includes ice cream!! And for starting a life changing home expansion. Sounds daunting but I’m sure it will be amazing. If ever there was time I would want to be in control (yikes) but, great reminder, I am not meant to be in constant control. Happy Monday to you –
Isn’t it freeing to embrace not having to do it all?!
Yay for learning not to care! (It’s cousins with saying no, which I also highly recommend!). I hope the renovations on your home go smoothly and as quickly as they can! I hope you will post before and after pics! Good luck with your busy September. Have a great (and relaxing!) weekend!!