Happy Friday and happy last day of July to you! It’s time for Friday Favorites with Andrea and Erika so let’s dive right in.
Cheers to the weekend!
Maybe I will manage to see more sunsets now?
Wow – this was shocking to my brain!
I’ve enjoyed some tv this week!
I watched this alone and loved it. I was sad there were only 4 episodes. I need to finish The Other Bennett Sister, too.
Tom and I are watching this:
And this:
I am a sourdough flunkie. I tried. It felt like having another pet to care for. Hey- I’m craving some sourdough. I think I will start the 48-hour process and hope that my craving is still present. Yes, I am sour grapes about not succeeding at sourdough.
I love the Whole Foods sliced sourdough sold in half loaves for less than $3, but I also found this great option at Kroger:
Please tell the the ingredients look ok? Apparently some sourdough you can buy is “fake” and not really sourdough.
Fresca was up to $11.99 so I chose the Kroger brand for $4.99. That’s a big price difference!
This is a very solid brownie mix:
After much coffee drama years ago I have decided I am a drip coffee/old fashioned coffee pot girl for now. I make about a 6 cup pot each day and don’t use it all. It’s also the most economical. I buy regular and decaf and make my own half caff blend.
I finally did the update. I still have the iphone 13. I usually don’t like updates, but this one is pretty good!
We live in front of an elementary school and playground. Tom taught Eddie Otis to go down the slide as a puppy, but we haven’t taken him to the slide area in a long time. We walked over there to avoid the lawn mowers this week, and I was surprised when he climbed right up and slid. It made me laugh so hard.
He is eating woodchips, though. Not good!
In less than a week, the playground will no longer be ours. It’s been so empty this summer! We are enjoying the calm before the storm, I guess you could say!
Hydrangea watch 2026: Now I have one robust bloom and one baby bloom. Come on, buddy, you can do it!
Mosquitoes love me. This is my favorite bug spray, and I found it in a travel size. I keep this one in my dog walking pouch.
This week held a trip to the library where I got:
I had a fun happy hour at the gorgeous Italian place near my house with one of my Beths. I ordered a pomegranate tequila spritz and it was so good!
We got some Tuscan potatoes:
I checked out a new energy drink/tea place that just opened.
I really enjoyed my drink that had 17 grams of protein. It was called a “protini”. I opted not to do one of the 200 g of caffeine drinks since I had already had my coffee.
I started this:
Eddie Otis and I saw the yellow school busses practicing at the middle school. It’s here!
I have to say how much I enjoyed wearing this outfit to happy hour this week. It’s my brown T.J. Maxx top with my old light Halara jeans and some old cream Dr. Scholl’s heels.
I also enjoyed wearing my new J.Crew Factory blouse for an errand:
The blouse is just perfect. The length is perfect, the fabric is perfect, and I love the ruffled sleeves.
I’m a couple of days early, but it works out well to post this today since tomorrow is Friday Favorites and the first of the new month falls on a Saturday!
July was a blur! Did you also think so? My reading was down a little bit because I was so busy, I think. My preferred reading is outside on my porch, and it was too hot to do much of that this month. I still managed to read quite a bit, so let’s start with my reading…
This book is better than The Help. It should and will be a movie. I loved the dialogue. I laughed out loud. I read lines to Tom. It was one of my favorite books of 2026.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I think it’s my favorite Carley Fortune book now. Someone said, “Is it even summer without a Carley Fortune book?”
This was a fun little read. I liked the setting on Isle Royale of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I really enjoyed the story.
I really don’t know what to say about this book. It was melancholy. It was real life. I didn’t like the decisions of the adults. I guess it made me think about what inaction and secrets can do in one’s life.
And, finally I started this relatively short book about a restaurant. Ugh – I’m pretty mad. I enjoyed all of the restaurant talk and logistics but it left me hanging at the end. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I also am not sure what the point of the book was.
I started Yesteryear back in the spring and only read about 100 pages. I have recently read about the ending, so I know where the book was headed. It’s causing a lot of buzz and conversation. I think I still stand by my decision not to finish it. Any thoughts if you read Yesteryear? I think the intent of the author was to make you think about social media and what’s really going on behind the scenes.
I’ve been reading about 7 books a month in 2026 which puts me close to 50 books. I really had no idea how many books I would read when I started doing a better job of recording my books this year.
This month Calamity Club was the size of 2-3 books so that kept my count lower, too. If you are daunted by the length of it, Theo of Golden felt way longer. Once you get into CC, it goes by fast or at least it did for me. Favorite books of the year so far are: Mad Mabel, This Book Made Me Think of You, Calamity Club, and Dolly All the Time. This sometimes can tell you if you share the same taste as someone else, no? But, also, I do think there is much to be said about a book hitting or not hitting for you depending on your mood or stage in life.
Here are my other books of the year:
January books, February books, March books, April books, May Books, and June Books – if you want to go back and see. All of my books are from the library (with very few exceptions) so I do regularly DNF (do not finish) if the book isn’t for me or for my current stage of life. I feel no guilt. Sometimes I DNF if another book comes in that I requested or if the due date of a book is approaching, too.
This year I have read so many books where a parent has just passed away. What is going on? Has this helped me to process my parents’ deaths? Maybe so. I never followed up on my blog about Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Summer State of Mind, by the way. I couldn’t finish it. It was so bad. It was super cheesy and just unrealistic. I hated the actions of the adults. I was triggered. As I read what I have written, it seems that I get pretty worked up about adult decisions in books. Does this come from my background as a high school teacher? Maybe.
I am about ready to wrap up my summer themed books. I know I have a couple still on my library request list.
One more thing on the topic of books…when do I read? I sometimes read with my breakfast, but I almost always read in the early afternoon. I usually take an “accidental nap” during this time, too. I would say I read for an hour or two every day. Sometimes I also read in the evening if Tom has a show on that I’m not interested in but I want to be in the same room with him. I have loved to read my whole life. I could read in the car, and I could really read anywhere and tune the world out. My sister Kate has never been a reader, and she said she finally at age 51 has accepted it. She’s so funny! Molly is a reader, too, but doesn’t read as much as I do because she is busier.
Now let’s talk groceries which really aren’t as interesting as reading…
Kroger Delivery continued to rule my grocery shopping! It was really nice to have this service this summer. Will I continue? I’m not sure. The reason I started it was because of Tom’s specific type of bread not available at our store anymore, but available through delivery. I guess I liked the delivery service because I kept it up even when I didn’t need his bread in that current order. Now I am ordering a couple of loaves at a time and keeping them in the freezer. He is going through more bread since he started taking his lunch to work. Wow – I just over-explained about Tom’s bread.
I went to Trader Joe’s a few times, but I don’t think I did Whole Foods at all in July! I would like to get back there and get one of their family meal deals so I can take some nights off of cooking.
Kroger: $737
7/2 $150.53
7/8 $119.83 (stuff for Michigan – leaving the next day)
7/13 $101.90 (back from Michigan so needed groceries again)
I enjoyed going back into Trader Joe’s this month. I happened to be in that shopping center a few times and just bundled my errands.
$885 is the monthly grand total
This is accurate as far as I know. It’s still probably too much for two people, but we did have other mouths to feed in July with the meals we took to Michigan and having houseguests.
July Wrap-Up:
July held many highlights for me. I like looking back at both my phone camera roll and my uploaded blog media. It really helps me to remember how I spent my time. We boated on the river by our house with our friends, my niece, and just us (always with Eddie Otis, too!), we went to Lake Michigan, we celebrated Tom’s mom’s milestone birthday and our 26th anniversary, and we hosted our niece. We had some dinners out with friends, and I had some friend time, too, at breakfast out, coffee out, pool time, and happy hours. Our kids popped into our house a few times for visits and for food. I took a few loads of donations and worked on a few areas in our house. You know, I never did publish a summer bucket list, but I have done several things I was going to put on it!
Boating with our niece and her boyfriend:
Happy hour:
Just the three of us eating brunch on the boat:
Celebrating with Tom’s family:
Pool with my friend:
That’s a lot of kids in Michigan and we were missing 4:
Tom showing he’s still got the moves but not the hair:
Hair and Denny’s humor after 26 years of marriage:
Now’s the time, folks! If there is something you want to do before end of summer, put it on the calendar. I heard someone say they haven’t put a bathing suit on yet. What are you waiting for? I am also going to think about what I still want to do.
Thanks for following along with me in the month of July!
It’s Wednesday and that can only mean one thing – it’s hodgepodge day with Joyce! When I first started participating in these I thought only other bloggers would read and comment – not non-blogger readers – but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much everyone seems to enjoy the questions and answers.
I have a theory – we are looking to go deeper and have more meaningful connections today. Usually at least one of the questions causes me to go deeper, at least.
In the same vein…
I have been trying to ask better questions of my friends and family. I am trying to lose “how are you?” and say things like “tell me something you are excited about”.
Do you think I’m right? Are we looking for deeper connections in this world of superficiality?
1. What was the last thing you celebrated?
My mother in law’s 80th birthday! I love to celebrate anything and everything, though. You want to celebrate your nails finally growing out? Call me!
2. July 29th is International Day of the Tiger. Besides the wild animal itself, when you hear the word tiger what’s the first person-place-thing-whatever that comes to mind?
I think of “tiger mom” which is the term for the stereotypical Asian mom. I also read the book.
I don’t think I was a tiger mom. I encouraged but I didn’t push too hard.
And, because of I am child of the 80s, I will sing “Eye of the Tiger” at any chance! Speaking of…
3. The expression ‘eye of the tiger’ describes someone with intense focus, determination, and the drive to succeed. What area of your life are you currently bringing that kind of energy to?
I hate to say this, and it could be the heat talking, but nothing right now.
4. What was the last meal you cooked?
The last labor-intensive meal I cooked was Friday night when I made chicken cutlets or chicken schnitzel for my niece and her boyfriend. Tom and Mason were also present. I pounded the chicken out, made a bowl of egg, flour, and breadcrumbs, seasoned the flour and breadcrumbs and added hot sauce to the egg, then did the whole frying, draining, and keeping warm in a 200 degree oven. Whew!
I also made taters and broccoli and a cake.
5. Describe your July using exactly five words.
fast, fun, family, heat, happy
fast – it went by in the blink of an eye – seriously!
fun – looking through my media (I loaded 320 photos in July), I see so many fun times
family – I was just with my niece Mia and her boyfriend, and we spent one Saturday night with Tom’s family celebrating his mom, and we went to Michigan with a grand total of 34 members of my side of the family
heat – we had some super-hot days as we do in July where I retreated inside the house more and watched more tv than read books in my down time
happy – I had lots of happy moments in July
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I looked at my school district’s calendar yesterday and was shocked! That is how far removed I have become! Teachers start full time on Monday, August 3rd and the students start full time on Thursday, August 6th. I live in front of an elementary school with the hours of 7:30-2:10 and very, very close to a middle and high school with the hours of 8:40-3:20. I try to avoid driving during the start and stop times because it gets hairy! I also like to get out and walk EO on the playground before recess!
Last year on the first day of school, I took my first day of NOT GOING to school photo:
I took myself to brunch and a pedicure and had a great day!
This year, I have a happy hour planned with my former student (without knowing that was the first day!) so that seems pretty perfect. What else should I do on this day? Should I do another photo?
I have always shopped a lot in the summer as a teacher – “It’s fun! I love summer! I love summer clothing! I can wear all of this when I go back to school in August and until about the end of September. This is the year I will find the perfect teacher shoe – comfortable enough for 8 hours on a cement floor but not nerdy so the kids won’t whisper about my shoes! I’m kind of sad about starting school but new clothes will help!”
This was always my justification!
I think many women would say that retirement extends into one’s closet. You don’t need as much and you don’t need the same things, I’m learning.
I was pretty proud of myself this summer for being more thoughtful about my needs and my lifestyle. I did a nice weeding out at the beginning of the summer and I have had a smaller wardrobe than ever before and it’s been wonderful!
I decided I wasn’t going to buy any more summer clothes, but I did start thinking about fall last week.
First, I stepped into Clothes Mentor and found four things! I heard that my favorite consignment shop, Sassy Fox, already has some fall stuff out! I may check that out this week.
You always need multiple white tees. This was new with tags and Target’s Universal Thread brand. I think it will shrink a bit in the dryer.
The bright yellow shorts have a fun pleating on the side kind of like my pink ones that I love from Old Navy this year. These were Target Joy Lab brand. Now you might say, “Amy, those are summer things” but the shorts are exercise or boat shorts, and you can wear them into fall, and I need white tees to wear under things.
I gasped when I saw this clutch:
And, finally I saw some like new Reef flip flops and snatched them up. Yes, I know I have other neutral flip flops, but Reef are some of the best and I couldn’t leave them there.
So, I got all of this for $50.
I feel like I need more black and white tops in my closet. I just love a plain black or plain white top with jeans or cut offs or any of my printed bottoms. I also have fun accessories that will work well with black and white.
I went looking online and saw this blouse:
I ordered it to come to my J.Crew Factory store to save on shipping. I love it! I haven’t worn it yet, but I tried it on and then did the steam cycle of my dryer. I will try to style it soon.
And, I saw this and it interested me for fall, too. It was on clearance and not returnable and I think it said it was a bathing suit coverup!
I wore it Sunday and copied the model!
I wore this to happy hour this week:
I want to replace the gauzy white with the new J.Crew Factory white. I wasn’t happy with how the old gauzy looked.
I took myself shopping in this outfit:
I saw something for fall, swooned, and then allowed myself to get it because stock was limited and I knew I could regret it if I left it there.
It’s a crochet duster and looks like Grandma’s afghan. I also thought this is all the “coat” I need for some of the fall and winter. Picture it with jeans and a plain white or black tee.
I wore this to look for some pants for my hub:
I need to wear the blouse with slimmer bottoms because it’s tent-like. I really like it, though.
I wore this to go on the boat:
I bought a pedometer that has no app and no charging needs. I felt like I was missing out on many a step only using my phone since I don’t hold my phone all the time and I don’t want to hold my phone all the time. Here it is if you are interested. I did have an Apple watch many moons ago. It slipped off my wrist, cracked, and I never replaced it.
And, finally, I went back to Clothes Mentor with my niece and found these:
They were $18 and something I had looked at buying in the past. I have heard good things and I wanted another athletic sneaker to wear.
Well, I shopped my head off. Thoughts on anything I bought? Any favorite outfits this week?
What about you? What have you been living in? Buying?
What a weekend! I’m tired in the best way! I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly to share. I’d love to hear what you did, too!
I started noticing how gorgeous these plants on the edge of our property look in the full summer heat and sun.
I sat in the shade and read for a bit on Friday and little Eddie Otis was chill next to me.
I spent all of last week cleaning, decluttering, washing, and shopping for Friday. My niece and her boyfriend were coming to stay with us for the weekend.
I made my first salad in weeks and yes, I looked up the brand to make sure it was safe.
I cut up strawberries and made a dip.
I bought these rolls.
I made chicken cutlets/chicken schnitzel.
roasted potatoes and broccoli:
I messed up the frosting on this chocolate bundt cake and tried to hide the spots of powdered sugar with marshmallows and chocolate chips – lol. You win some, you lose some. She ain’t pretty.
Dinner on the patio:
Eddie Otis loved having a full house in the family room as Mason came over, too, for dinner. We watched some standup comedy on the tv and Eddie Otis was a lapdog.
Mason went home and we all went to bed around 9:00. My niece and her boyfriend are lifeguards and had been up since 5 am for the old folks swim – lol.
They slept in Saturday morning which was what I had hoped for them! They have been working so hard this summer to save their pennies for the school year. I made pancakes and bacon and Jack came to eat breakfast with us. I had asked each of my kids to come when their work allowed so that they could visit their cousin.
Backstory – I had twins and then 5 years later my sister Molly had twins. One year after that, my sister Kate had just one baby at a time. My parents were already used to getting grandkids two at a time!
The only evidence that pancakes were eaten:
Tom and Eddie Otis went to get the boat ready and we arrived and went in the boat shop and then it started raining.
We went across the street to Haymarket to get some snacks and waited out the rain inside the boat barn. Finally, we thought it was ok to proceed. We got on the boat and it was cold! We had a touch of fall in the air on Saturday.
See, they wore “boat socks”!
Our plan was to participate in a “poker run” and to eat lunch at Captain’s Quarters on the boat.
Finding a “dealer boat”:
We found two boats on the way to lunch using a map of the dealer boats. They held up a giant playing card for you to assemble your poker hand.
Our card at the end of the event:
Captain’s Quarters:
EO was a good boat boy! I think we left at 1:30 and stayed out until almost 5.
We found the other boats after lunch and it was a wild ride with choppy water. We had to show them downtown, though, before going in.
We came home and took showers and then went down the street for sushi.
Jenn has been talking about gyoza so much that I suggested we try it!
We came home and everyone was ready for bed.
They slept in until 10 again and then we made breakfast burritos.
We went to Goodwill and Mia found a couple of things.
Remember my Michigan melted Crocs? I thought I threw them away but I guess I put them in a Goodwill bag. They were on the shelf. See how the left is much smaller?
Then, we went to the Sunday farmer’s market and the kids got a blueberry lemonade shake up.
We ate lunch at Waldo’s Chicken and Beer:
And, last we went to Clothes Mentor and I’m the only one who scored – Nike Air Max that had only been worn a couple of times from the looks of them! $18!
I hope you will join us for Fashion Files tomorrow. What have you been wearing? What are you tired of? Buying for fall? There are lots of ways you can join us for Fashion Files and we would love to see your post!
Currently for August will be here soon. It will be Wednesday, August 5th. Here are the themes – trying to make it kind of end of summer/starting school adjacent.
savoring, wrapping up, preparing, remembering, and organizing.
Whew! I’m tired! I am not used to that much weekend activity!
Look at me! It’s a rare Saturday post so that I can participate with Jenn and others!
Something I loved
If we are talking this week, I loved that the weather cooled off!
I loved time with my friend and prosecco in a little coupe!
I loved my hydrangea blooming!
I loved sprucing up my bathrooms and just tending to my home this week…
If you are talking about summer in general, there are so many things…
I also loved slow mornings, good coffee at home with my frothy Chobani creamers – hazelnut, s’mores, and birthday cake are currently in my fridge! I loved some phone calls with friends and family and I ran into three former students this week, too!
I love taking a shower after being out in the sun and enjoying my AC, a good tv show with Tom and by myself, a summer themed book, summer foods, ice cream in the freezer, and so much more!
I would say July was a month of connection and fun. Lake Michigan was a highlight!
Floating together was so much fun! It was so wonderful to me that so many teens and tweens wanted to be out here with the adult women. We had so many laughs!
Something that sustained me
I will say relationships and connections. This summer I have met up with three former students and that was so special to me.
Madeleine who just got back from her second year of teaching in Spain:
I treasure these relationships as you know!
My time with my sisters and extended family meant so much to me! I’m still laughing about my 24 hour sister time in my hometown. 34 members of my mom’s side of the family were in Michigan together.
My breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and pool dates with my friends are super important to me because it keeps us connected. I think I’ve learned not to overschedule social time but to schedule just the right amount.
My time with my little family of Tom, my twins, and Eddie Otis are precious, of course.
Something I’m carrying forward
A more relaxed state of being. The ability to have time and margin in my life for what’s important. The ability to craft the life I want without feeling guilty or that I “should” do things a certain way.
Something I’m making space for
I am decluttering and I really think stuff has been holding me back. I want to make space for only things in my home that are meaningful or useful. I am super sentimental and many things are hard to let go. I can even be sentimental about a bowl that my kids ate popcorn out of!
I want a house that is easy to clean because there aren’t too many things cluttering it up. I want to be able to host people if I like them – lol.
Let me know if you have any books or Instagram accounts I should follow for more of this type of inspiration.
It’s almost August, folks! Both June and July just flew by this year. I’m sad about school ramping up because I like being able to call or text my sisters whenever I want. I also feel for them because being a teacher is like getting on a roller coaster in late July or early August and just not knowing what that school year holds for you (professionally and personally) and knowing that your life really isn’t your own until the following summer – lol.
It’s Friday and time to link up with Andrea and Erika to share some favorites.
I finally have a hydrangea bloom!
She looks healthy, but she is without any more blooms right now.
I have a giant periwinkle hydrangea from my childhood home. We moved into that house in 1975 and when my parents moved in 2005 my dad dug up this bush for me. My friend said it’s been a weird year for hydrangeas in our area due to the weather. Normally it flowers in May. Better late, than never.
The weather cooled off gloriously between Tuesday and Wednesday and this photo represents my favorite place to be. I start my day with about two of these cups of water, electrolytes, and two cups of coffee.
My friend Elizabeth invited me to try a new place for their happy hour special of $5 bubbles and oysters.
They brought you complimentary popcorn:
We ordered really good seasoned frites:
Elizabeth tried an oyster. I don’t do oysters!
And, the happy hour menu said “rummy gummies” for $2, so I ordered us each one. I thought it was going to be one gummy bear. These are gummy bears soaked in rum. Oopsie.
We had a nice couple of hours catching up!
I worked on my basement bathroom this week. I bought some new towels and products and spruced it up.
We added this bathroom about 15 years ago. Our house originally had two baths and now has three.
Speaking of little houses, I finished Little House on the Prairie about a week ago, sadly. Did you know Nellie Olsen makes an appearance?
This is from last weekend, but this is how much Eddie Otis loves Mason.
He is currently sleeping on my foot as I blog!
I enjoyed buying World Market candy from England for the England World Cup game.
And, this was the German candy I bought for the tablescape last weekend for my mother in law. I looked up German flowers and they showed some like this. I thought the red and white gingham plant containers looked German, too.
Oh, Facebook memories…
This was a common summer view of mine…
This is really good! I can’t remember where I heard about it but it’s a sparkling white wine called “Salty Blonde”. Trader Joe’s carries it! I am very much into the screw top these days so I can put it back in the fridge and save it easily.
Happy mail!
I finished this and the cover is deceiving; it was a fun summer read with some depth. I really enjoyed it.
I decided to start this next. It’s moving kind of slowly for me.
I’m so happy my nails are getting healthier and stronger!
I tried a new method of baking both regular and sweet potatoes this week. Cut in half, dry, spray Pam and add sea salt to both sides and cook face down at 425 for an hour. I found that I didn’t quite need an hour and it depends on the size of your spud.
I always feel like somebody’s watching me!
I took myself on a little shopping trip one day this week. I hit up one consignment store and one boutique and brought home 5 things I will show you on Tuesday! I also did some online shopping this week. 4 of the things were consignment and only 1 was from the boutique.
I got a square donut for myself and one for Tom as a surprise in his breakfast/lunch bag the next day!
I listened to an interesting podcast this week about what she called “dark personalities” in your life. That term makes me laugh. But, seriously, are there people in your life that are like a dark cloud and others that are like sunshine? I have talked about this some this week!
I am loosely basing this post off of Gretchen Rubin’s list of things in her book The Happiness Project. I believe she called it “Be Gretchen”. It’s like “To thine own self be true” and it’s one of the best things about getting some age and experience on the ol’ body. We stop trying to fit ourselves into a mold, follow the trends, or be someone who we really aren’t, at our core. Good for you if you never did any of these things, but I would say most of us have. Also, I could have gone on and on, it seems!
I would love to hear yours, too, so do a post or leave your best one and I will publish it if it’s ok with you!
Stop saying “sorry” so much. If I really do something wrong, of course I need to say “sorry” and I am quick to do so, but I am working on the “sorry” for every little thing. I feel like women almost apologize for taking up space in a room sometimes.
Stop overthinking. Make a decision and tuck it away and be done with it.
Keep it simple. Sometimes dinner can be one meat and one vegetable. Pack less when I travel. Have a summer uniform. Simple is often best.
Get the darn app. It makes life easier. There really is an app for every retailer and every aspect of your life. It really does make everything easier – recent examples: the Delta app, the Spectrum internet app, the financial advisor’s app.
Not everything has to be the “most efficient” way. Sometimes you just have to get things done however you can.
Not everything has to happen at the same time each week.
Order things in a restaurant that I can’t make at home. Don’t order things where mine is better or I will be disappointed.
Pick up the phone and make a call instead of three million text exchanges.
Sometimes old school ways are better (see above). Consider when technology is your friend and when it makes things harder.
Allow for silence. Pause. Listen more.
Enjoy the moment and stop thinking about what’s next.
Add water – a shower, a dip in a pool, water to drink, water in your dressings and cooking. Water makes everything better.
Pick your battles. My Dad’s famous one liner was “10 years from now I will never know the difference”. Is this something that is so minor you won’t care in even 10 minutes? I have some recent examples of doing well with this. My friend wanted me to send back an order that was wrong and I said it was ok. I hate to make a fuss in a restaurant.
Start with a positive. Always say something nice to a clerk, a family member, a friend. As a teacher, I would start with a positive when I needed to have a “chat” with a student. It usually went something like this: “I appreciate your energy and enthusiasm for this class, but when I start teaching it’s important that the other students have a chance to hear and participate, too.” Lol. That was a nice way of saying “shut your trap, homeslice!”
You catch more flies with honey (see above) – that person you have to call or deal with on the phone. that post office clerk, that salesclerk, that teenager taking your order. It’s just as easy to be nice.
Always allow about 10 extra minutes to get places. Always be early. It’s a sign of respect and sometimes you reap rewards. I can’t tell you how many good things have happened to me by showing up early. I really think being late is one of the rudest traits. If you tend to run late, time yourself to see how long it truly takes to get ready. Get ready and then sit around. Don’t sit around and then get ready.
Always take water and a snack.
Always have a book with you in a waiting situation. My Dad always said that if you have a book with you, you will never be bored. Can you see how much his voice runs around in my head?
Get off your phone and look around. Yes, I will talk to you if I’m waiting in a line with you.
Give compliments freely. If you immediately compliment someone, it changes the tone of every exchange. Try it!
Ok – your turn! You can even tell me if you disagree with something I have deemed a rule for myself.
1. Do your goals and dreams energize or exhaust you? Elaborate.
Yes and no – depending on my mindset. They both excite and exhaust me.
Renovating the kitchen, changing out the flooring, painting, and getting rid of popcorn ceiling, oh and cabinetry in the mudroom – excited but scared for Eddie Otis with the contractors and me with the mess and chaos.
Writing a book – this is a very out there goal for me and it also exhausts and excites me. I have no idea where to begin, either.
More travel – exhausts and excites me. I love the planning but it’s so much work!
2. July 23rd is national lemon day. Are you a fan of this flavor? What’s a favorite dish or beverage you enjoy that calls for lemons?
I don’t want a lemon in my water or tea. I love lemon in cocktails. Weird, I know. I have recently been sort of obsessed with lemon spinach orzo chicken type dishes. I have a new bowl of 9 lemons working its magic in my life. It can’t hurt, right? I love a limoncello spritz. When I cut a lemon and use in my cooking I feel like a real chef.
3. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade“…is this something you’re pretty good at managing? Have you had to do this recently? If so tell us about it.
I think I’ve gotten better at this as I’ve gotten older. I remember that I had a teaching observation in my KTIP year at age 22 (first year teachers were considered interns when I started) and the university person cancelled on me because she ran out of gas and I had to re-do a new lesson for the next day. I was so mad. Also, who runs out of gas? I can have a real low tolerance for stupidity. Of course, I had a lesson, but the ones they observed needed a template and certain components that you might not do on a normal teaching day. I did not handle that well.
4. Something you love that is lemon yellow in color?
I love this color! I used to have a top that I wish I still had, to be honest.
I gravitate toward this color in outdoor decor and clothing, mostly.
5. How would you describe your attention to detail?
I can be very detail oriented or pretty laissez – faire about details. It just depends on the situation. If I care about the details and they don’t go my way, that would be an example of having to make lemonade out of lemons.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
A mantra/thought that runs through my head so much is that people won’t remember what you said or did so much as how you made them feel. Do you think about this?
Over time, the quote has also been widely associated with Maya Angelou, who phrased it as: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.
The quote highlights the lasting power of emotional experiences over verbal communication. While words and actions may fade from memory, the feelings they evoke—whether warmth, respect, love, or hurt—remain deeply ingrained in our psyche.
I have a great example of a person in my life who I will never forget how they made me feel. I was 9 or 10 when a young couple with a 6-week-old baby boy moved in across the street from me. Terry (the wife) became an important person in my life, and she hugged me so hard and was always smiling and laughing every time I saw her. She went on to have two more boys, and those three boys were my training ground for becoming a boy mom. I babysat, folded clothes, wrapped presents, and did whatever Terry needed. She praised me to my mom and I needed that, too.
Remember that the August Currently will be Wednesday, August 5th!
Here are the prompts:
savoring, wrapping up, preparing, remembering, and organizing
Hello and happy Tuesday! I actually can’t believe how many outfits I have for you this week. I also can’t believe how bad my photos are! I really need to find my tripod and go outside for my outfit pics. What is wrong with me?
I guess I got tired of being so casual so I put this on to walk the doggie before running errands one day last week. I have on my Old Navy navy blouse from this season, my lime and white linen striped shorts from Old Navy a few seasons ago, and the silver Birks my sister handed down to me. My sisters and I all wear about the same shoe size, by the way. There may be about .5 of a difference.
I met a friend for breakfast and thought I would get out my $5 clearance Chico’s gauzy white skirt. I found this several years ago. I cut some of the lining because the lining had gotten too long after washing. I wore a consignment Target button up, and my gold lace up sandals that are several years old. This outfit was like $11 if you don’t include the sandals!
I wore this to meet my former student for coffee. Sadly, the back of the pants are developing a tear along the seam. I am not getting rid of them just yet; I will wear a longer shirt next time. This top is consignment J.Crew and the pants are clearance from Versona several years ago. The gold flip flops are new this year from Aerie.
I bought a new blouse! I went to TJ Maxx looking for some house things and also wanted to check out the blouse selection. Not good! But, I did find this:
I have been wanting a brown blouse – strange thing to want! Did you know brown is “in”? That sounds so stupid! Well, I have been wanting more brown!
I styled it above with consignment Chico’s white pants and liked it but thought I would get hot.
I styled it below with the white skirt for Tom’s mom’s birthday dinner. I got hot running around and decided to change blouses at the last minute. The brown is gauzy and a bit thick. I am wearing my cork Aerosoles that I don’t wear very much, to be honest. I still look their look.
I ended up with this blouse instead and it’s very lightweight for the extreme heat we had on Saturday.
I put this down my blouse on my back and neck to cool myself off:
It’s hard to be hot! I don’t like who I am when I’m hot!
Most days I look like this:
I still have a new leather purse on the brain and now I’m obsessing over the color green like this one:
My sister sent me a photo from the Free People website. Do you remember me showing a similar pair of flats back in the spring. You guys! These are becoming more mainstream. I can’t tell you the levels at which I hate these. They are so, so weird. Is this finally a sign that I am growing up and not following trends as much?
Why? Which toe goes where? Send help! I’m not ok!
So, what have you been wearing?
I can definitely tell I am approaching the end of my interest in summer clothes. I am hoping to weed out some more things I haven’t worn this season (that would mean they don’t fit my style anymore) and inventory and start to think of things I want for fall.
There is quite a stretch where you still have to wear summer weight things, but you want less summery florals and more fall-like colors, you know?
I really enjoy fashion and putting outfits together. I also love to help other people find outfits. It’s so fun!
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 