[Photos taken 06 – 11 July 2024, posted online 06 October 2024. Still in gorgeous fall weather, but under siege by the accompanying viruses.]
We spent a lovely weekend in the summer house with friends, in amazing weather (it’s very much a lottery). Unfortunately, I was fighting some bug, so I slept for a lot of it…!
Back in town, I finally felt up to some gardening. I did my physio exercises, and hunted down a new sofa, before prepping for a weekend away with 9 other ladies.
Saturday 06 July 2024
Going on a post-dinner walk down to the lake.
The day began with the manly-men re-affixing the safety-net poles to the trampoline, as they’d had to be straightened after getting bent in a surprise storm with the net up.
It was a day for bubbles.
I had very little energy, so I stayed mostly horizontal, and read a book.
At some point some people watched soccer, the Euro 2024 tournament was in full swing.
We relented and let the kiddos get ice-cream from the ice-cream truck when it drove by clanging its bell.
In a fit of rebellion against expectations, I flat out refused to mow lawns this summer, on one hand because it’s good for the bees, and on the other because cut grass just looks so sad! I’m also trying to convince my better half to dig out this walkway (aka the weed-collector) and just put grass instead, since we’ve opened an easier way to the front door. Maybe one day…
Approaching the lake on our post-dinner walk.
Emma brought her wading shoes. I rested on the bank, as energy remained in short supply.
Time to head back up the hill.
Getting close to 10 in the evening, but still gorgeous.
Sunday 07 July 2024
It was another ridiculously nice day! As an added bonus the wind from the day before had died down, and kayaking was doable.
There was “a cloud”.
About to transport kayaks down to the lake.
Finnur practicing some selective breeding.
Walking slowly down to the lake, turning the hat so that my neck would burst into flames.
Spotted the watcher.
There were three kids out on the lake, and one mom. I was about to keel over so I decided that going out on a boat would not be a good idea.
Emma’s a surprisingly strong kayaker.
These three went out again, as I became the watcher.
The other two hanging around the shore.
Very clear lake.
We all made it back in one piece, and the thermometer concurred that this was one excellent day. Often times, weather like this would “stick” but not this July. The remainder of the month was tumultuous, weather-wise.
Resting a bit.
Also resting a bit, after a busy day of work.
Monday 08 July 2024
Back in town, it was time for Emma’s only whole day camp, this time with the local scouts.
The scouts had had to relocate to a nearby school, as their usual house had been commandeered by a daycare center on the run from their own mold-infested building.
With the sofa-bed gone from the living room, there was now a gaping sofa-sized hole. I went looking for something to fill the hole.
Feeling better, I also sprayed the redcurrant bushes with “brown soap” to try to kill the insects that keep eating the leaves.
My back also finally felt up to weeding, so I weeded a bit.
Tuesday 09 July 2024
My physio had prescribed new exercises to strengthen my back. I felt like quite the whale!
Narrowing down choices online, to what might fit the sofa-sized hole and be immediately available, I found something that might work, and invited Finnur over to do a “butt and feel”-test. He approved.
Anna’s peas went out, a bit later than they should have, oh well. Then they got stuck out in the pouring rain for weeks, and nothing happened. When we dragged them into shelter under the balcony (much too late) they finally started growing.
Anna’s nice weeding job was in need of a refresher, as all the sunflower seeds were sprouting.
Watering. With the amount of rain coming our way, there was no need to water anything this summer.
Conscious of appearances, I weeded the two spots that stare passerby’s in the face when they walk past our fence, and put down some flowers.
Bulky but friendly weeds.
Tidy!
Meanwhile, Anna had made pies! Yum!
Wednesday 10 July 2024
Picking up the new sofa from a nearby storage facility.
It seemed to fit! I still want to find a more “swivel-y” chair for the tv/game area.
We visited mom to install a few more things. The apartment was slowly but surely becoming more “home-like”.
The weather turning muggy.
I started using the “wrong” contact in one eye so that I wouldn’t have to use “old people’s glasses”. It’s working ok…
Thursday 11 July 2024
In my usual morning place at 9 in the morning. I seem to have lost the ability to properly sleep in.
Met some good friends for lunch at a place I’ve been meaning to visit for a while.
That evening I started packing for a weekend away with 9 other ladies! I cursed not having taken photos of what I took with me last time foodwise.
Hiking, and clothing stuff, all ready to enter the big bag. Off camera was all the bedding.
All packed for the following day! (That bag is huge…)
