July

I'm so remiss these days in posting, and here it is July.  Not yet 5 a.m. but my typical awakening time.  June was all filled up with things I needed to do for others while at the same time taking care of things in my own world.  On June 29th I had my landscaper bring in his crew to finish the weeding I just couldn't catch up on and also take out the old dead tree at last and plant a beautiful new flowering pear.  The yard is in bloom all around.  A woman, whom I don't know, driving by yesterday, stopped and rolled down her window to tell me how beautiful it is.  It happens a lot. People walking or driving by.  I spend as much time as I can outdoors now.  Perhaps I'll have a picture or two for this post if I get time.

But the heat is on.  After a cool wet early summer, the temps are now in the 90's and we are predicted to hit 100 this weekend.  Grateful for the AC.

I'm back to working from home most days, going to the office only on meeting days once every two weeks.  The new writer at work is becoming better at working independently.  We are in constant connection throughout the day by instant message and also by phone when the required communication exceeds our ability to type in terse statements.  It seems to be working out okay and the work is getting done.  There were big shakeups and austerity measures announced at work last month.  Things are changing.  I'm sorry to say I'm in my I'll-be-retiring-soon-anyway mode full-fledged now and don't invest a lot of emotion either way into the goings on at work.

My extra-curricular activities in June knocked me off my fitness schedule.  But the habits I'd established in the previous months apparently carried me through.  I didn't log calories faithfully, but I had a consciousness of my eating that served me well.  I didn't walk 300 minutes a week, but working in the yard, helping my kids move, tending grandchildren (especially that!), and lots of other running around did serve to burn calories.  I lost a little weight and was delighted not to have gained.  Strength and energy are increasing all the time.  I feel younger, stronger, more energetic than I have in years.

But I'm back on track doing a five-week sprint.  I love walking and had really missed that particular activity.  I walk after 8 p.m. in downtown Bountiful, if you can call it downtown (nine short blocks of tiny local shops, banks, restaurants, surrounded by well-maintained old neighborhoods).  The sun is low enough and there are enough trees and buildings that it makes for a shady though pleasantly warm walk.  It truly is small town U.S.A. there.  People strolling, walking dogs, bicycling, old people sitting on their porches, kids playing frisbee on the big lawn in the center of town.  Some days there are events going on like the sidewalk chalk festival or the classic car parade.  There's an ambiance reminiscent of my childhood in the 50's.  I think I get a mental boost as well as a physical one from my walks there.  No wonder I've missed it. 

But here we are well into the summer again.  How time flies.  It's a three-day holiday weekend, and people will be in and around the house for food and music and fun.  Neighborhood fireworks are all around every evening now as the state has legalized the sale of more aerial types.  Crossing fingers no fires are started.  I feel in harmony with my world just now and am enjoying it all.

And maybe that's why I'm not blogging as much.  I'm busy living life right now.  But life is simple and there is little drama and little worthy of writing about.  My family needs me and I'm happy to be there for them.  I'm gearing up for one last major remodeling project in the house -- the basement and garage.  Just in the imagining stage at the moment.

I'm afraid a contented life makes for boring blogging.  But there it is, a few words for July.  Hopefully, a few photos when it gets light.