Catching up: Where to start?

At a time when I thought I would have slowed down, it seems life has just sped up lately. My guess is that yours has, as well, and you didn't even notice that I haven't posted in a while. Let's catch up:

Ali was home for a nanosecond in May. We were simply a food and shelter resource but the few moments we got in between her friends was tremendous.

Jeff went back to Dark Lord Day for a weekend, which meant cereal and take-out for me for dinner!

I had a mammogram, colonoscopy and dental check, completing my head-to-toe medical treatment for the year (I hope.) Also learned just how little our new healthcare plan covers. Is it bad to be annoyed that you have to spend a lot of money to learn you're not sick? I should be happy to know, right? Honestly, between my sister Diane's experience and the idea of my own retirement, I was getting paranoid about some lurking medical condition. So I'm back to happy at the expensive news.

We spend a work-related weekend in Chicago that was mostly fun and included a terrific food find in Phase Three Brewing, and we caught a game at Wrigley Field. Thanks to the Achosa Team for a great weekend. If you have a home, you should have an Achosa home warranty. They're good people.

We reconstituted the FOB lunch crew and I remembered how much I've missed seeing Cindy Athey, Lois Stewart, Margaret Burlingame and Peggy Boehm.

We had a totally amazing dinner in the Nicole Taylor's Pasta & Kitchen courtesy of Duane and Kirsten Jasheway. Even Jeff Reed, who disdains seafood, was enthralled with the meal, which included mussels and prosciutto-wrapped halibut on panzanella.

Much like my head-to-toe medical work, we had house issues: new paint in kitchen and a bathroom, a replacement for water damaged vanity, new fans and lights and some electrical work to power the wine refrigerator that seemed huge until Jeff went shopping. As always, there's more on that to-do list.

We got a little carried away in the kitchen which really just needed the ceiling paint repaired, but we leaned into our Fiesta theme. Jeff found some Fiesta artwork. Inspired by a museum display of cotton bedding and an overstocked china cabinet, and I've started sprinkling more of the stuff around so it's not stuck in the corner, out of sight. 

I don't think Jeff is sold on my decorating ideas, and I'm still playing around with it. As we continue to collect, we're going to need more display space.

Eric, Tracy, Jeff and I continued what's become a Monday night movie tradition. I'm sure I'll forget some of the shows, but we've seen "The Fall Guy," "Furiosa," "Bad Boys," Twisters" and "Fly Me to the Moon" in the last few weeks. We've fallen in culinary lust with California Burgers, which we're forced to eat in the car before the movie because there's no dine-in option. We've claimed a little oasis in the asphalt jungle around the restaurant and the theatre. It's not ideal, but the food is worth it. 

We road tripped to Maine, and took a full two weeks (mostly) off work. I abandoned the Captain for the road trip home to spend more time at camp and fly home, which turned out to be THE best idea of the trip because it meant I got to have "champ-cakes" at Flux. I have never had a better pancake, and as my hips and Chris Austin can attest, I have had more than my share of the fluffy treats.

We all had a fantastic in Maine where we got to see Jen and Peter's house going up. The were working on walls when we left, but there's part of a roof on now. We'll miss the old camp, but not the dead-of-night trips down the stairs to the bathroom! 

Ali had a work issue while we were in Maine, which she vetted with everyone there. It all worked out well and she said later that she was "so glad to have had the chance to talk it through with all the Reeds..... and you, too, Mom." #Brat

While we feasted and drank a lot in Maine, there was a fair amount of exercise, including one trek of mine around what seemed like 3/4 of the entire lake on a paddleboard. I was pretty proud of myself but have, of course, regressed. I should be at the gym right ow, as a matter of fact.

My friend Annmarie just moved from our former Home for Wayward Girls into a beautiful place on a small lake, and she's agreed to store a paddle board for me there so we can board/kayak together. I need to find a paddleboard now before summer is gone. You can on his face how likely Jeph Slaughter thinks that is.

A couple weeks ago, Margaret let me help her with a meal prep and serve event at Riley Children's Hospital via the local Ronald McDonald House, which made me think I've been going about volunteering all wrong. I was sore after that tour, but in a very good way.

The Captain is facing an unrequited love story featuring him and the hummingbirds this year and an all-out war with other winged creatures who have been more responsive to his feeders' offerings. He's also slightly annoyed when the hummers go to my flowers instead of his feeders. But when they do chose his work, it captivates him. 

He'll be mid-sentence and catch sight of a hummingbird, which will completely captivate his attention until they flit off. One day he'll get the location and nectar formula right and we'll be inundated. 

We had Ali back last weekend to join in the celebration of Hannah Ogden (now Hilder) and Riley Hilder's wedding. It was a tremendous wedding where I think I might have overtaxed my bunion-less foot on the dancefloor. I can't remember the last time I danced. Team Ogden brings out the fun, I'll tell  you.

We rounded  out her short trip home with brunch with Michael and Dani - Ali's friends who we love, too - and a the new Deadpool movie. Her flight to Florida got delayed so we watch the original DeadPool back at home.

Jeff, Margaret and Tracy Wiseman joined me for another meal prep and serve event last night - this one at the Ronald McDonald House, which again was a really great thing to do. If you're ever feeling like you're overstressed or dealing with too much, I invite you to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House. You'll find great perspective there.

Jeff is still playing softball and having beer and bourbon shares. I'm still bemoaning the pounds that just don't want to leave and my lack of willpower. But the flowers are blooming, the grass is growing and the front lawn is still flat.

I have SleepOver Book Club this weekend, which is always a highlight of the year. I'm sure I'll have something to day about that!

Hope your summer has been -  and continues to be - awesome.