Happy Things in September

 We are wrapping up our third week of school (well, Finn will have work to do on the weekend, but I'm ignoring that reality) and enjoying the absolutely perfect September weather here! Summer gets very hot and humid--not as humid as Charleston, I'll grant you, but still hot and humid--and somehow right before Labor Day the tide turned and suddenly we are in the midst of warm days, crisp mornings, cool nights, and very low humidity.  So perfect!  A bonfire is nice on evenings like this; keeping the windows open at night lets in refreshing air and not sticky sludge.  It's wonderful. 

{sunset}

Although I am hit with Autumn Fever, I'm not able to sit on the porch or do yardwork all day (which is what I'd prefer).  Things are busy.  It's okay--it's my season of life! I know this and embrace it.  I remember the season of life with little children, when they took 1-2 naps per day, we took leisurely walks and played outside a lot, I sewed and knitted, and I could go for days without getting in my car to go anywhere!  Those days have passed and the season I'm in now involves lots of time in my car, lots of time waiting to pick a child up from practice/class/rehearsal, and lots more executive functioning skills.  Good thing mine are pretty strong. 

{our basement lounge, aka the movie-watching space, aka the place where I read to Annie!}

Now that the weather has turned, I seem to be turning back to my books, even though I don't have much time to actually read.  I like to read in bed right after I tuck my children in at night, but I'm often so very tired that I get a couple of pages into the book and need to turn out the light and go to sleep. My days begin early!  But here are a few things I'm really loving right now:

*A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles) on Audiobook

*A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) on Audiobook (Finn and I are listening to this together as part of his literature for the year)

*good walks in the crisp, non-humid air

*Almond Butter Brownies: I don't know where I got this recipe, but I'm loving it! Almond butter + an egg or egg substitute + cocoa powder + maple sugar + chocolate chips + salt...I'll post it here sometime.  I make them on Friday evenings (that's today!) to give to Annie before her four hours of ballet rehearsal on Saturdays.  She's a rather delicate eater in the mornings, so I need to tempt her into getting some calories, because four hours of ballet is intense and she needs her energy. These brownies are enough like dessert to interest her at 7:30am, but not unhealthy as a pre-workout snack! 

{these aren't the brownies, but this is my flourless chocolate cake. SO GOOD}

*A variety of random books that I picked off the bookshelves at the library a week or two ago--it's just fun to walk through the library and get whatever jumps out at me.  I did that in college all the time, and it was one of the highlights of my collegiate experience.  Why not continue it now? 

*Mary Oliver's poetry, anytime I feel a little overwhelmed

*Working casually on Finn's high school transcript. I'm starting this process *now* so that I don't feel panicked in 3 years, and I know the Polly of 2024 will thank the Polly of 2021 for doing this.  Interestingly, all told, he'll have about 10 credits-ish by the end of this year. That's almost half of the required credits for public high school graduation in our state! 

{a cup of tea + a bit of transcript work = energizing}

*Still knitting a cardigan for my cousin's baby, who lives on our lane, who will turn 1 next month.  Trying to knit this by his birthday. I have picked up the habit--why did I never do this before?--of knitting while I sit with my children during schoolwork.  They often don't need me there, but I want to be there to keep them on track and to answer questions, so knitting is the perfect activity during school time. 

*Thinking about what to do for our kitchen backsplash after our new countertops are installed (suggestions?! I'm thinking either beadboard, because it is so warm/casual, or some sort of marbled tile, but I'm just not sure yet--the tile might be too "shiny" and cold for me!) and kids' bathroom renovation, which I hope will be begun in the next 2-3 months.  Our contractor is going to take the room down to the studs: a total overhaul. I am very excited about this!  The bathroom needs it.  

*My Dad's pathology report came back negative after his cancer surgery, so he officially does not need chemo!  I am so very thankful for this. He won't have to suffer the horrific effects of chemo and all that those treatments entail. It means he'll probably move to his house in the mountains in October and stay until around Thanksgiving, so I hope to get to see him often. Then he'll be back to Charleston for Christmas, and we will go down for New Year's! 

{a quilt top that I found in my Grandma's things.  One day I will make it into a real quilt! But not today....}

*I turn 44 in 2 weeks.  I feel exactly like I am 19 years old, except I need more sleep!