Outside: Summer announced its commencement with temperatures approximating those on the surface of Venus.  Ok, I exaggerate.  (no, it's true, I do that sometimes) We have been spoiled by exceptionally mild weather for some time now.  It was bound to happen.  I was not prepared for it to happen at the moment I walked outside thinking I would plant a couple extra annuals this afternoon is all.  Check the forecast, self.  

Speaking of planting though – look at us planting stuff!  I just mentioned a while back that I enjoy gardening about as much as I enjoy cooking.  That was super tongue in cheek for those who don't know me.  (I don't usually enjoy either) However all that changed with truckloads of new dirt.  New dirt being better than old dirt, our kids wanted to know.  In this case, yes.  WAY.  We had nasty gray fill dirt in our back yard which was essentially incapable of supporting plant life.  The sloping side of the house had eroded borders as well.  The additional topsoil is amazing.  Fingers crossed the new plants 'take.'  Probably could use more of these…

A nearly there shot. Mulch to follow…

Wearing: Coral tee and coral and white cotton A line skirt.  Comfy. 

Listening to: 

Aidan and I found some common musical ground.  

Reading:  The funnies.

We have gotten two papers delivered the past week or so.  We don't subscribe here but have veen thinking about it. The three youngest don't remember when we got the Sunday paper regularly while living in Colorado and had not read newspaper comics before.  Such a treat.  This was my fave 

Laughing at myself here.  I really could use a seven second delay.

In 'real' book reading news I have been slogging through The Scarlet Letter waiting for it to pick up.  It hasn't.  This concerns my teens to no end.  I think I am going to start over and read it aloud to them. Say a prayer for us. 

The younger three have enjoyed some slightly irreverent histories:

Poop Happened    Which is about pretty much what it sounds like.  Some things are constant.  Death, taxes, and waste disposal.  Tess now knows how the latter has been handled through time.  

They also devoured Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tale's.  Disclaimer – I have not devoured them myself so if you find offensive content, please know I am clueless.

Creating: An outdoor dining space out of a sad sorry table and chairs which were painful to behold.  They were increasingly painful to sit upon as well due to the inevitable splinters.  We came very close to tossing the whole thing.  Then it occurred to me to tackle it for my husband's birthday surprise since the deck is literally his favorite room of the "house" in summer. Tess, did not love gardening like Brendan did but she was a good sport for refinishing furniture.  We sanded the whooooole thing yesterday morning.  Then realized we got the wrong color stain.  Ran to replace and stained with deck wood waterseal.  The transformation was incredible.  My husband was on the phone with his mother when he got home. He had wandered out to the deck to finish his conversation and was gesturing wildly through the kitchen window.  We did good.  Even if my arms and back are complaining today.  $25 for a second life for the set plus more $5 Walmart cushions.  

With this success under our belts I think the bathroom cabinets will soon follow.  Soon, being a relative term.  

From the kitchen: People, check out my new favorite food.  (we added a nut to each) Our friends Annie and Mike made these when we were over.  I was able to replicate with no disasters.  SO so good.  I want one right now.  

But I am not having one right now because A) husband and I ate every last one of the last batch and B) IF      

What is IF you say? Well….

Towards wellness:

Exploring Intermittent Fasting.  Our boys have been practicing forms of this with great success.  It is connected with improvement in autoimmune conditions as well. Giving it a shot. Most likely this will be on Friday's right now given that the Church has built in a day of the week, days of each season (ember days), and one entire season (lent) to eating exactly like this.  Looks like what is good for the soul is also good for the body.