“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” Friedrich Nietzsche

Sometimes a date for me and Ken looks like a day of walking around an adorable town after a yummy lunch. But sometimes a date looks like getting up early to run our first cross-country race: 4.6 miles of fields and woods and orchards and slippery mud, past pigs and goats and probably alligators, too!

Good books:

• Confessions of an Unlikely Runner – Dana L. Ayers
  If you’re a runner, or used to be, or would like to be, this memoir is a great read. Especially if, like me, you’re not at all naturally athletically inclined.
• Cooking for Picasso – Camille Aubray
  Enjoyed this fictional story about a woman searching for the truth behind what she’s been told about her grandmother’s life as a cook for the famous artist in 1930’s France.
• Where We Belong – Catherine Hyde Ryan
  I’m an unapologetic sap when it comes to a good dog/horse/critter book. This is one, intertwined with a family with a special needs child, had me teary-eyed by the first chapter. Fiction.

Happenings:

Just before the 4th of July weekend, my cousin Jonnia and her son Cullen came for a short mid-week visit. Jonnia and I always have plenty to talk about, as we’re both quirky introvert nerds, and Cullen and Kathryn are buddies, too. My favorite photo from their visit was this one documenting A) how much taller “little” Cullen has grown and B) the epic teenager looks they gave me. {All in jest, for the record!}

Scout had a horse lesson, not just on riding but on care as well. She did everything from brushing to cleaning hooves to spraying with fly spray to putting on the saddle. Then she got to ride. I’ve never seen her grin so big. She looked at me and said, “I’m on a REAL HORSE!!!” The small horse she rode is an older fellow named Mr. Cool who doesn’t see any need in moving faster than necessary, but the instructor got him trotting a bit and Scout laughed with delight the entire time.

It looks like Grandbaby #3 is a girl, or at least we think so! The baby was a bit stubborn for the ultrasound so they’ll do one again next month to be sure. She’s due in December. Lindsey has always loved children and is very excited about becoming a mother — and Diane is due any day now with Grandbaby #2!)

Kathryn completed her in-car driver’s ed and passed the written test for her learner’s permit for the state of North Carolina. She had her permit before we moved but had to start from scratch after we moved since the states do it differently.

She and I have been training as sea turtle nest parents. I didn’t think she could start officially training until she was 18 but one of the other local homeschool teens already certified by the federal sea turtle program. So Kathryn is now training with a marine biologist turned homeschool mom. We’ll likely end up cross-training with two other nest parents this season as well. Our island now has 105 nests, which broke the previous record, and a number of them have already hatched!

In case you missed it:

• No More Flip-Flops
• Sea Turtle Nesting Season
• One year ago: Book-themed Baby Shower
  

Happy weekend, friends! And don’t miss stopping by Kris’s link-up to peek into what more folks have been up to lately.

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »