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Whatnot – 07/28/21

Cotton candy sky.It has been a little humid and cloudy where I am but not bad at all. There’s even been rain in some places, just not by me. The clouds make for a spectacular sunset though. 

How have you been? I opened up my work inbox this week to a “return to work” memo. I was offered hybrid flexibility but it’s the week that I am moving my daughter to Missouri, which I guess they forgot about so I will ponder that scenario and try to figure out a schedule that works best all around. I have so many feelings about it. They announced the other day that the state of California will require state workers to be vaccinated and since I work for a State university that means us. As you know, I got the jab so I am good but I would say about 25% of staff have not. I have no idea about the students. It would be nice to see people but the commute is such a nightmare. Since the shutdown, they put in an Amazon fulfillment center along my route home so there is even more traffic now. I will start queuing up my podcasts in preparation.  

Reading has been going really well. Count The Ways, which I will have reviewed by this Friday was just too good. I know I keep talking about it but it was THE book of the summer for me. It’s not even what I would call a summer read. It’s just really good storytelling and I want everyone to read it. I am now reading The Paper Palace which is the current Reese pick. It’s pulling me in but it started off a little on the crude side. Not a big deal but I actually checked my Kindle copy to make sure I was in fact reading the right book. 

My son is still living between two locations in Kansas because the house he is supposed to be in, still needs some work but it’s coming along. His apartment is about a 1/4 of a mile away, so not far. He picks up a rental car today. He’s been without a rental because we had to wait for the dealer to officially submit his repair claim and that has finally been done. 

Want to see the space he will be transforming into a community arts center? This is in St. John, Kansas. This is their “downtown”.

Kansas

There will be contractors to manage the actual renovation but he is there to re-imagine how the space will be used and come up with ideas for community gatherings. As you can imagine, he has plenty to do. 

You all had such good suggestions for my daughter’s room sorting. She wanted to do it on her own and for the most part, did. She didn’t tackle her closet filled with dolls and tea sets but I suppose I can do that later. I do like a good organization project. 

I’ve not been watching anything besides the Olympics here and there. Instead, I hole up on my living room couch, under a blanket with the AC cranked, tucked into whatever book I am reading at the moment. Before the pandemic I never spent any time there but it’s become my little reading nest. The Pup joins me there too. 

I hope you are all doing well and reading something great. If so, let me know. 

 

Sunday Matters: Can We Stop Time For A Moment?

Sunday Matters

It doesn’t seem possible that July is coming to an end. Yesterday was my son’s 23rd birthday. In just a few weeks, my daughter and I will be in Missouri. This is crazy to me.

Right Now:

With us going to church on Thursday evenings and me not having youth group on Sunday morning, my Sundays are pretty laid back. I will be headed back to student ministry come August, just not in the same role I had before. I hope to focus more on students wanting to take the next step.

Today, I hope to go through my daughter’s room to see what needs to go, what stays, what can be donated because she will not be able to take much with her on the plane. I am hoping she can do this with me but she is also trying to fit “friend” time in before she leaves since she works all week long. Her closet still has tea sets in it, if you can believe it.

This Week:

Probably more of what I said above. It’s a daunting task to take a childhood bedroom apart. It will take some time, I think.

Meal planning. What’s that? I haven’t done it in so long but I am not a big fan of eating out all the time. I will be doing some planning this week. Simple meals. Maybe some sheet pan dinners but then the house gets so hot.

Reading:

My review of Count The Ways will be up this week. I need to read and review Damnation Spring but I also want to read The Paper Palace so I may read both at the same time. Can you read more than one book at a time? I can if they are different enough.

Damnation Spring

Watching:

My church did an At The Movies series which shared clips of movies and TV shows and used them for teaching a message. One of those nights we saw bits of The Queen’s Gambit. I had ZERO desire to see that show until we saw clips of it. Both my husband and I agreed that it looked really good so we may dive into that one.

Grateful for:

  • Naps. I’ve been a little tired lately and I’ve been taking short naps after reading and it’s been great getting some extra sleep hours in.
  • Clean floors. I am always so happy after mopping the floors. The pup doesn’t like it. She plays “hot lava” when I mop the floors by going to the highest point she can.

Tell me how you are! What are you reading, doing, watching, eating?