Good omen

First official lunch served in the school dining hall (for faculty and staff -- school doesn't start until next week) was the best possible omen for the coming year. I even made a point of telling the new head of dining services that, indeed, you can never go wrong with nachos.

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Maybe it's time

...for another alphabet project.

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Still life with corn

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A sign

*Just* cool enough to justify waffles. Hello, old friend.

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Harvest

Tiny tomatoes in a tiny bowl. But you knew that.

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All the Friday

It's been a long week. Ken's recovery moves ahead -- more slowly than he would like, but still getting better every day. He'll be home at least another week. And one week from today at this time, we'll be getting home after dropping Dean off at school. I can say the words without being able to really comprehend them.

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Renewal

Over the summer, at each school I've worked at, the whole place just gets pulled apart. There are always some variety of summer programs going on that must be worked around, but nearly every space gets pulled apart, cleaned from top to bottom, repainted, re-varnished, revamped, and ultimately put back together. And at every school, the staff goes through its own reliable cycle -- weary and ready for rest in June, a little sluggish yet optimistic in July about how much will be accomplished in the quiet days, suddenly shocked in mid-August at how the summer just evaporated, and then in the days when it suddenly all gets put back together and the arrival of faculty and students is imminent -- it's all excitement and anticipation and joyful energy because *this* is going to be the best year yet. Every time.
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Color and texture

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Stalwart

Dean will be the primary care giver this week; we've got Ken home, and I'll have to get back to work for the rest of the week. He brings his dedication, focus, and usual sense of humor to the job at hand.

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Now this was a very long day

Ken's surgery itself went very well. His recovery from the anesthesia was something else all together. After nearly 12 hours here in the hospital his day surgery turned into an overnight stay. Hard to have to leave him here, but he definitely needs the close care and I look forward to picking up a more recovered guy tomorrow.

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Afternoon reading

Because Mediterranean diet.

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Inevitable

The fall season is pulling itself onto shore. Days are noticeably shorter, the fall flowers are blooming, and nothing I do slows it down. Dean moves into his dorm in less than two weeks, and we'll learn with this next phase of our lives will feel like. It's a twitchy time, between Ken's upcoming surgery and Dean's departure and the full-on return to busy-busy-busy at work. I actively seek these soft, quiet moments in the yard and am so struck by how the flowers and plants that I'm so drawn to truly are the embodiment of moments. Moments of beauty and joy that simply must be noticed and celebrated because they are fleeting, ever changing. They do mark my year.


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Tip-toeing

Just taking it easy, sticking close to home, keeping an eye on Ken, and watching for the next round of bloom and life in the garden.

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Not the longest day, but still

Spent the day in the emergency room with Ken; he'll need to have his gallbladder removed in a few days. Luckily they aren't making him stay in the hospital in the meantime but he'll need to go on a very restricted diet. The *good news* underneath all of this is that he's been having issues for over a year, had gone through a battery of tests with no results, and now we finally know what the problem is and have a date for getting it fixed. But still not the best birthday present, for sure.


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Birthday

We celebrated Ken's birthday with 36 holes of mini-golf, ice cream, and dinner out. It was the lovely calm before the storm.

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Sunrise

Devastating floods, riots, wildfires raging out of control, a political stage gone mad. Incomprehensible news every day that I feel compelled both to be aware of and to turn away from. In these quiet, early in the day moments I look for hope, and peace, and am deeply grateful.

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Pensive

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Runs in the family

Dean and Maddie, celebrating her 5th birthday, practicing silly faces. Because that's how we roll.

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Cosmic

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Ken got an early birthday present

He's all about the tiki.

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Olympic decadence

Dean and I left work early to get him to his dentist appointment, and when we got home we just plopped down in front of the tv with cold drinks to indulge in some men's beach volleyball coverage. It's been a brutally hot week and this felt like the biggest treat ever -- ahhhh.

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Wabi-sabi

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Color, texture

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The giant

Grow things from seed. Grow something, at least, from a seed. It is a never-endingly miraculous thing.

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Color, texture

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His friend

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The struggle

What Natalie said.

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Color, texture

Morning stroll around the garden before leaving for work is one of my favorite things about summer.

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Finally figured out...

...where my shoes were hiding. They hid themselves out here on Saturday and have been enjoying life outdoors ever since; I was sorry to have to end the party.

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Practicing...

...the jump for joy; camera phone isn't responsive enough to catch the exact moment of heel-click.


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Lunch is served

Well, it's made, at least, and ready to pack up and take with for the work day. That counts for a lot -- remembering to make it AND remembering to bring it....


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