Things have been a little bit quiet here on the blog, but that’s only because I’ve actually been living life (and working quite a bit and trying to get things done before heading back to college, etc.). So for now, I’m just going to share some of what I’ve been up to in the past month. I have a few projects I am hoping to finish up in the next week, so hopefully I’ll have some things to share in the next couple of weeks.
Hiking at Bearspring Mountain with my mom
Went swimming… several times, both at my grandparents’ pool and at the town pool, where I’ve been working for the summer (as the weekend supervisor, not a lifeguard)- the other guards attempted to get me to dive, but I have been unsuccessful at those attempts (I know how to dive, I just can’t do it due to fear).
Weeded… our garden. I’m thinking we really need to build raised beds for next year- our current garden is too big and too difficult to maintain.
Hung out with… my sister, her friends (who are also my friends), two of my best friends, my brother, and my parents.
Went to… a local farmer’s market and got fresh cheese and vegetables, then went out for pizza after (with my mom, brother, and grandma).
Painted… wood siding for our garage, 6 doors, 2 garage doors, and stained 2 decks.
Went out… for lunch with my sister at our favorite restaurant in town (they have the best breakfast food! And everything else is also really great!).
Enjoyed… pizza with the pool crew one night during our dinner hour- we all stayed at the pool and ordered pizza and had a lot of fun.
Talked… to several of my best friends from home. Most of my friends didn’t come home for the summer, so any chance I can get to talk to them is really great.
Went blueberrying… with my mom once or twice and my grandpa twice- I think I picked at least 20 quarts by myself. I also made some delicious blueberry kuchen with some of the blueberries!
Visited… with my grandparents a few times, but really need to squeeze in a few more visits before I head back to college.
Worked on… getting one of the houses we own (previously my great-grandma’s house- the house is over 200 years old and has been vacant on-and-off over the past 10-15 years, so it needs a ton of work) ready to rent. We cleaned up spackle dust, made some repairs, and cleaned up- my dad has been renovating the hallway and the living room and also did a lot of electrical work.
Read… Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix– in other words, the first 5 books of the Harry Potter series. I have read them all before, but wanted to re-read the whole series this summer. I’m started the 6th book today.
Got ice cream… a few times, including once with my brother and sister.
Made… meat lasagna for the first time, using my mom’s amazing recipe- it turned out really good and was delicious!
Organized… and went through all of my clothes, getting rid of things I no longer wear/no longer fit me/are too worn.
Attended… our annual neighborhood picnic. I am so very lucky to live in such a wonderful neighborhood full of such wonderful people- the picnic has happened every year for the past 84 years!
Chopped wood… well, kinda. My brother and dad did the hard work of picking up the logs and tossing them in the pile, while I just moved the lever for the log-splitter, but it was still pretty hard work in the hot sun.
Had fun… at wing night at a local restaurant with one of my best friends and her mom.
Babysat… several times, for 4 different families. I love being able to babysit while I’m home!
Attended… The great Delaware County Fair! It is almost literally in our backyard, so we always go- I mostly went down with my sister and her friends. We walked around, then ate our way through the fair- glazed donuts, soft pretzels, ice cream, blackberry milkshakes, fudge, blackberry cobbler, and so on and so forth (yes, all in one night- but we did share!). I went down another night with my dad and we got our annual funnel cake to share. On Friday of the fair, my cousins came down with two friends, and I went down with them (eating more, of course!). On Saturday, my grandparents treated my siblings and I to breakfast at The Pancake Tent, another fair tradition.
Went school shopping… with my sister- got everything I needed, along with a rug and some other things.
Hiked… a couple of times with my mom- including a decently long and pretty hike at Bearspring Mountain.
Had… a party and sleepover with some pool people. We had an end-of-year pool party at the pool and had planned to have a campfire and camp-out at someone’s house after, but it ended up just being my sister and me, plus the two sisters whose house the campfire was supposed to be at, so the four of us just hung out in their great room (it was a chilly night, so we lit a fire in the fireplace) and star-gazed. A couple of the lifeguards showed up later on, so we had a small campfire for a bit.
Watched… “Boyhood”- it was good, but very long (3 hours!). I went with a friend and hung out after.
Said goodbye… to my little sister, who left for college this morning! The house is going to be a lot quieter with her gone!
Whew! It’s been a very busy month! What have you been up to?
The Oke Den 