It’s a strange business, turning those days into sentences, and then paragraphs.
Elizabeth McCracken, An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination
Some months it feels strange, too, stringing together stories based on a collection of photographs. And yet, here I go again!
I’ve shared many of these stories here already: a magical trip to Santa Fe, with a fun welcome home breakfast (1st-5th), Lydia’s birthday & socks without ears (8th, 12th), a delightful evening with Sara & a new Monday afternoon gig with the boys (15th, 17th, and 29th), #10days10books (25th), and a new sweater project (26th).
In that same post about the new sweater, I mentioned two boys coming for a sleepover. They did and the big highlight was the pool. Not only did it give them plenty to do, it also ensured a full night’s sleep for everyone (yes, there were a few hours in our house, with pizza, a movie, and sleep! between these two photos):
For the #10days10books, I saved these two inside-the-covers (the 22nd and 24th) for the grid:
… and one last story. Those lovely cappuccinos on the 28th (and opening this post). Sara & I met for coffee and I got her started on a new knitting project! It’s a baby blanket for a co-worker expecting early next year. The last time she started a project was early 2021 (she still lived in England) and we did it over FaceTime. Face-to-face, over coffee, is so much better. and not only because I could do the cast-on.
Here are a few other things that made my Happy List last month: reading most of the Booker long list. A League of Their Own on Amazon Prime (this was the most life-giving TV I’ve watched since All Creatures Great and Small and in a few ways this one was even better; if you haven’t heard about it, please know I’m calling this a re-imagining, not a re-telling … and in spite of Tom Hanks’ brilliant performance in the original, this version is hands-down better). the return of Saturday night snacks to the grid! a first fall pedicure (OPI’s You Don’t Know Jacques). cooler temperatures for porch time. homegrown tomatoes (and Marc is still harvesting). my first in-person BeSMART presentation.
What made your happy list in August?
p.s. I learned about Queen Elizabeth’s passing after I’d already drafted much of this post. She leaves such a legacy … and talk about stories, wow!!
mere-et-filles 
Love all the photos with the boys. Getting good test results is at the top, and actually planning my “to do’s” for September and October was very satisfying! Happy Friday.
I feel like it should still be August, even though we’re already practically a third of the way through September; it just went by too fast. But it also was a month with my kiddo still at home with me, with exciting things happening in the garden after a long summer of waiting, and of course with plenty of good reading.`
You had a full month with friends and family, books and boys, reading, knitting and doing other new and fun things! Thank you for recommending A League of Their Own. We loved it so much. It’s hard to find life-affirming series to watch amongst the thousands of movies of violence on all the streaming channels. ugh Reading all the Booker list with friends (especially you) was one of the most fun challenges I’ve taken on in a long time. It hardly seemed like a challenge as the material was amazing. I also am loving our Erdrich along. Wow! August was one of my best reading months ever.
Great photos of a wonderful month! The things that made me happy in August are the typical things that make me happy: flowers and tomatoes and cucumbers, reading and good food and time with family and friends.
August saw our 35 wedding anniversary! AND we got to see our grandson for a few days.
What a full and bountiful month August was! Well done. The boys are growing up so FAST.
Wow – August was so full for you! I LOVE the picture of the coffees – I wish we could meet up for some coffee and a chat!
You know I dread August, but this year was pretty good. Like Margene, it was one of my best reading months ever. I have Booker to thank for that — looking forward to the shortlist kept me active and excited. Now I’m settling into a fall pace and reigning in my focus. It’s been tough but feels good.
And Elizabeth. What can I say? I am so fascinated by royal families and feel honored that we get to witness the transition to Charles. I think about how many people lived their full lives without seeing this!