Taking it easy

Today I’m trying to take it easy.

T R Y I N G

I’m now sitting in the breezeway after the farmers market, a quick grocery stop and doing laundry. Sitting, enjoying the breeze.

This breezeway phenomenon is pretty amazing. Truly, I one hundred percent, understand its value, especially now.

I might have thought to frame in the space between the garage and the house, make a little mud room, thinking why walk from the garage to the house in the cold of winter.

But here’s why. The summer heat can be crazy, weirdly, this partly roofed in space between house and garage, somehow creates its own windy little tunnel. Even the neighbor’s dog knows this is the coolest place to sit. cooler than the beach.

I’m feeling super grateful for the breeze. Things to beat the humidity and heat, who knew?!

Just another thing I’ve learned about living in New England. Never underestimate the power of a breezeway!

Happiness. A bit of a stretch, but why not?

List 30 things that make you happy.

Here is a good exercise for me today. I woke up feeling lousy, again. Summer colds man, no wonder kids are so miserable when they get one.

It’s hot and humid already. Moods are low. Rain is in the forecast. What might make me happy? I’d be great with fine, happy feels like a bridge too far. I’m even fine with letting today be a throwaway day. Suffer away, why not, I will appreciate happiness all the more later, tomorrow, next week, I don’t know.

But here goes…

My grandkids, always, family mostly, kids are a wild card, parental worry crops up, what can I say?

My friends

Coffee, the perfect cup at the perfect temperature

Comfortable clothing

A good outfit

Cookies, fresh baked with extra cold milk

Being accepted and loved

Chester town’s farmer’s market

I’m happy he wore this shirt today, so easy to spot!

A break in the weather!

Plums ripe off a tree

Baking

Feeling at home

Early corn on the cob

Yoga

Humor

Seeing beautiful things

Good Music

Looking forward to something fun

This is a tough list to make. I wouldn’t have thought so but, I’m only half way…

Being lucky

Having plenty of money

My own bed

My boat

Art

Playfulness

A good laugh

The ocean

Driving in the jeep

Flowers

An amazing meal

Luxury

A good movie with a friend

Pizza

Little surprising perfect moments

Good memories

Lots of things make me happy. I’m usually a pretty happy person, but I do know the other side. My little discomforts are small today and comparatively, quite trivial. I know that when I feel better everything will look and feel differently, but nice to make a list and feel a little happy as I think of each thing.

Today and yesterday and the day before, pain killer, Tylenol, ibuprofen, aspirin, any one of these has made me happy for a few hours…I’m very happy they exist!

Joyful Habit

Describe one habit that brings you joy.

One habit? Hmm

I would ordinarily say yoga without even thinking, but today I’ve actually not done my usual yoga for weeks because of traveling and such.

Today I’m going to pick coffee drinking as my joyful habit because, that, I have not missed one single day of.

Plus, it truly brings me joy. Even with this terrible head cold. Even with no sleep, even when I can barely swallow. Hot coffee never disappoints. I have a weird (I’m calling it so you know it’s fine) blending out of my coffee with ginger tea. It’s more coffee at first, then less and less coffee more tea as the day goes on. Always with the perfect splash of heavy cream. I stay hydrated, comforted, whatever magic I need on that day. Lately, it’s been nice on my throat.

There. Coffee. I have no regrettable feelings about this habit. None whatsoever.

My good friend Wendi used to feel guilty for her coffee. She tried quitting so often. If only she could hear the-coffee-is-good-for-you bandwagon of late. I wish she could enjoy a guilt free cup right now.

Little foggy

The sun is shining, but we are heading into thick fog. Its a little past 8am and I think we are heading into what they call the open sea (?), as we ferry our way to Block Island. They really are using a fog horn!

G just said we would see the island if there wasn’t fog. Today, I suppose, it will be sneaking up on us.

Locker, Vespa rental. And away we go.

It’s pretty hot and humid. 80 degrees and climbing, with 90 percent humidity. The Vespa was a great choice! We could cool off and see the whole island. It felt like nothing could beat the oppressive thick heat, but on the back of the Vespa, wind in my hair, I felt great! We left the fog behind and enjoyed a fun ride.

After a nice lunch. A frozen Amberhol Spritz oh my! AC is in short supply here on Block, so frozen drinks are a perfect way to cool down on a beautiful Inn porch.

We had to race back to return the bike (how did four hours slip by so fast?)

Spent time at two beaches. I found no orbs where I walked, I looked hard. Found tons of hidden trash though. G had a seal hang out with him in the water at one empty beach we found.

We went back in the water right before buying ice cream for the ferry ride back.

Sunburned teens and tired children. Lots of crying and exhausted silence on this return ride. As I reflected on our day and realized that it was a full twelve hours, most of it outside in the sun and humidity. No wonder we were exhausted!

My summer cold had me feeling like going straight to bed when we got back. G and his mom wanted to walk down to a summer fireman’s carnival for a hot dog. This tiny event is something from G’s childhood. I opted out. If I feel better tomorrow I’ll join, but tonight my day is complete.

Open exploring

It’s interesting how much I’ve learned.

I used to think that I needed to understand everything, which led me to ask a lot of questions. Now I seem to have made peace with not understanding. I’m completely fine when things don’t make any sense at all. I just think well, they probably did at some point and they probably do to someone.

I just roll with so much more now. Life is short. Why not enjoy the most out of everything as it comes at me.

Tomorrow we are going to Block Island. I thought I never would. I am learning of the plan in spurts. Like we have to leave at 6:30 am to catch the ferry.

I have a slight head cold so up and out that early will be a little challenging. I was just in Red Rocks with my brother who assured me that flip flops would be fine to hike in since the paths were gravel and not steep. I will include a pic of the ‘easy non steep’ climb we did. It was super fun anyway, but you know, shoes would have been a good thing. G is saying sure, wear flip flops…

I know nothing about Block Island except that they have these things called mudslides. An alcoholic ice cream milk shake thing. Sounds yummy but I’m a total light weight, but everyone raves about them.

Oh and there are these glass orbs made by a local artist, hidden all over the island. It’s a huge thing, everyone searches for them.

Other than that, I will be taking it as it comes. A fun adventure we always meant to take. And now we are…

No gravel path here

A picture might help

How would you describe yourself to someone who can’t see you?

I’m a little stumped.

I probably look like a yoga, artist type. A bit of a hippie, probably smiling. Or laughing out of turn. Did I mention blonde hair already? Lately I’m oddly tanned and especially light haired, thanks to all the sunshine.Not tall, not short. Not outgoing, small talk phobic, but always up for some good conversation and a laugh.

Keeping, and Letting Go

Apparently its traditional to Christen a newly named boat with a ceremony. Reading a boat quote, (I went with the one from Wind in the Willows), a little about the newly chosen name and a toast. I banged the bottle, but did not break the glass. (apparently it’s all about good fortune and not angering the gods of the sea)

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

As I have said before, I love tradition. I’ll try not to break into that Fiddler on the Roof song here, but no promises.

When my kids were little I tried to resurrect as many old traditions as I could remember from my own childhood because all the moving we did cancelled out most of them. I even borrowed some from other families because most of ours had to do with food.

Being back on the East coast has me remembering a lot of things.

Traditions I have not kept would be things like big weekend breakfasts or frequent family trips to DQ.

I didn’t feel good as a child after eating big pancake breakfasts. The huge surge of sugar syrup, runny yolked eggs and bacon, toast and jam was too much for me in the morning, even if it was just once a week.

Dairy Queen was delicious, but my mother struggled hard with her weight, and I did for awhile after I hit my teens, too. I’m all for healthy food traditions or spacing out the especially bad for you ones, but maybe more happy for non food ones going forward..

Not to be confusing. My kids and I LOVE food, likely more than a lot of people. We are all extremely picky about quality, flavor and temperature. (I mention temperature because Gs mom keeps picking tomatoes and putting them directly into the fridge. My kids all visibly cringe at the thought of this)

But I like to have a balanced life. I care about harmony. I care about balance. I care about my own comfort more than I ever have before, so I’m happy to let go of certain unhealthy traditions or at least keep them to a minimum.

Food is a wonderful part of life for sure. At the moment I’m in love with my garden and all the things I’m making or will make from what is coming ripe, but I have to acknowledge that thete is so much else to celebrate and celebrate with, besides food, in my life.

(I never know where I’m going with these prompt questions…)

Maybe

Was today typical?

Today I’m back in New England. I flew back into the rain last night. It went on to rain all day, then finally stopped a few hours ago.

I picked some cherry tomatoes and basil. I made a caprise salad to go with our meatball and sausage pasta dinner.

We decided to go out in the boat for a real cruise around the inlet. I had to bail a lot of water out first.

The morning I left for my trip, we put her in for the first time. I did a little Christening ceremony, rowed for about five minutes and then G took over for another five minutes, then we tied her to the dock and left for the airport.

Today after work, and supper and much bailing, we cruised around as the sun was getting ready to set. It was a lovely evening. When we went inside, the Red Socks were on.

I guess it was a typical New England summer day.