We are less than two weeks away from mid-summer. Sometimes it seems as if we live a lifetime in a season. So much happens, it is hard to wrap our minds around all the changes. The summer of 2021 is such a season.
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| A portion of the landscaping I've been giving TLC at my new home |
On a global level, national, and local level, we are seeing unprecedented records set. Our precious planet is in peril due to climate change. Hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID are down thanks to vaccinations. People are able to spend time with family and friends and take trips about which they've been dreaming. And the wife of a prominent figure in the children's literature community just successfully completed a triathlon. We celebrate the good, the light, to fight back against the darkness and the challenges it brings.
To say the move mid-June was smooth would be an understatement. That day was one of the hottest and most humid we've had. Stocking up on plenty of drinks for the movers helped but they were un-prepared for their task. Two of them, stalwart souls, were new on the job for my move. This is not a professional moving company, but they worked hard. As fate would have it, one of the trucks died. What would have been a day job turned into a two-day job. Most of my things were moved on a very long Friday. The rest were moved the following Monday. I was on my feet from 4:30 am to 12:30am Saturday, making multiple trips in my car with precious cargo.
Prior to purchasing this new home in Charlevoix, I knew there were upgrades necessary. Waiting three weeks for a handyman/contractor to start on those upgrades was a test of patience. To date I am only unpacked in my kitchen and living room, both sanctuaries. My garage is filled to the brim with furniture. My dining room, wall to wall, is stacked with boxes of books. Home improvements are a tricky thing sometimes. What starts out as a simple project expands. Removal of carpeting, baseboards, vent covers, and fixed objects like vanities disclose a whole host of new obstacles. Hard rains revealed the current gutters needed to be replaced without delay. Despite certain roadblocks, gratitude is foremost in my mind.
Then, last week, I started to feel ill. Did I push myself too much in the landscaping and gardening? Was it all the pollen? Was it all the dust inside the house? By the end of last week, I was down. You know you are sick when you don't even want to read. (It has not helped that I refuse to give up my walks with Mulan every day, rain or shine.) As a fully vaccinated person, I was confident the percentage of being a break-through case was slim. (I do still wear a mask when shopping inside and I use disinfectant wipes when returning to my car.) How did I get sick? Then I read this article, Why Everyone Has The Worst Summer Cold Ever, in The New York Times. I encourage you all to read it.
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| Julio Iglesias rose bush I recently planted |
Hang in there, friend!
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