What’s Good!  How ya’ll feelin’?

QUOTE
“I have only to break into the tightness of a strawberry, and I see summer – its dust and lowering skies.” –– Toni Morrison

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome back to the blog.  Dayam! It’s hot…so remember to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, and take care of your body and mind.

It’s summer, and it’s quite the contrast of how I felt when I was a teenager, then a young adult, to now.  It got to a point where I hated summer, and that is not the way I feel.  Once I got to my new home, I began to rethink how I felt about summer with some help from my daughter.  Even if it was just the two of us, we had special meals, cooked for the summer holidays, tried different wines, took walks, saw some shows, and had some excellent food.

My Past Summer Mindset

My New Outlook

I have promised myself over the past few years that no matter how crappy work was or how miserable and hot it got, I would start to enjoy this time.  We already know Fall is fabulous with all its colors, tasty drinks, and pumpkins; Halloween is party time, and Christmas is magical. So now let’s show some love for Summer.

A Slow Summer

If you have a family, life can be so structured with work, meetings, schedules, kids’ activities, and events that it is hard to relax.  Slowing down for the summer has become popular in recent years due to COVID.  People have (finally) learned that life is short, so now people are enjoying time with their families and making memories.

First, I’ve Had Some Highs and Lows

Even though it’s only July, there have been highs and lows during this short time, so I’ll quickly recap.

📌 My Dad passed away on June 2, went to Halifax, VA
📌 Celebrated with family at an event in Fairfield, CT
📌 I found a great record store in Fairfield, CT
📌 My daughter’s Great Grandma passed away in mid-June at the age of 100 (she lived a beautiful life)
📌 My cousin recently passed away suddenly (which has taken us all aback)
📌 I went to the ATL for a quick trip
📌 Saw a great show at my local theatre
📌 Went to a commitment ceremony of my childhood friend (we met in the 8 grade, and at this station in life, they are so happy💍 )

So What To Do?

Absolutely nothing. LOL. All it means is (literally) slowing down to enjoy this time. I know it’s hot, so it is hard to be outdoors, and hey… I don’t even like outside in this weather, but I scope out the milder days and plan accordingly. Here are a few suggestions under the graphic.

🍉Walk your neighborhood
🍉Find a local park
🍉Discover a new store
🍉Check out a show
🍉Take a weekend trip
🍉Take pictures and don’t post them (LOL)
🍉Have a movie night (indoors or out)
🍉Visit a museum
🍉Have a game night
🍉Sit and watch the sunset
🍉Lastly…be still

I’ve been slowly (there is so much going on) trying to adapt some of these practices. I’ve been okay with telling friends and family no, not just because I want to be a hermit but because I want time for reflection and relaxation. I want to read a new book, get lost, sip wine, and watch the sky. Whatever you do, time is precious, so make it intentional.

What do you love (or hate) about summer?  Let me know in the comments. Thanks so much for visiting the blog today.  Don’t forget to follow and subscribe, as I appreciate the support. — Peace