Summer days, drifting away...



We found LOVE in the woods, yo.

Holy crap, you guys.  I’ve been totally neglecting things this summer.  Well, two things: my memoir-barely-in-progress, and my blogging.

I had a great summer, though, and tried not to beat myself up too much.  I worked my full-time-plus medical transcription job.  I took on a temporary non-medical transcription gig, which I’m still finishing up.  I spent two weeks bra-less and in pain from a case of the shingles.  And still I got to do just about everything I wanted to this summer:

Went camping and went for an 8 mile hike with my kids and my niece and bro-in-law.



Crow Agency is the Teepee capital
of the world. Very cool.

Camped out at Crow Fair, where my in-laws camp for about two weeks every year, and attended the largest pow-wow in the NATION, y’all. 

Taught the kids to swim!! (OK, they mostly learned it on their own, but I instilled in them the confidence to brave the deep end, let’s say)

Went to the corn maze.  I freakin’ love the corn maze.  Next time we’re going without the kids.  All they did was whine until we got out of the maze.  Sorta wanted to lose them in there. 

Started getting healthier!  Joined Bountiful Baskets, a food coop.  Every other week or so, for $15, I ordered a basket filled with fruits and veggies, I’d say at least $40 worth.  Some of it went to waste, but I learned how to cook spaghetti squash and butternut squash, and also discovered I don’t still hate squash from when I was 6! 

Got greener!  I grew some basil, then I harvested and froze it LIKE A BOSS.  I grew some strawberries which didn’t do great but are still producing.  I planted multicolored peppers and instead got some black Hungarians and a whole bunch of green peppers, which are not my favorite.  Oh well!  Tomatoes are doing all right, not producing a bunch.  I’m PISSED that the Topsy Turvy planters I ordered this year are already coming apart!  The one from last year is fine, but the new ones are not going to make it until next year, which I’m especially ticked about because I wanted those strawberries for next year! Grrr. 

I also began using Castile soap and apple cider vinegar to wash and rinse my hair.  Instead of ordering my usual Mary Kay cleanser and moisturizer, I’m using raw honey on my face and coconut oil on my skin.  I'm currently making some household cleaner.  All I had to do was add some grapefruit peels to a quart jar of vinegar.  In another week or so (it's supposed to sit for 2 weeks), I can put some in a spray bottle and test it out.  Next up is probably making deodorant, since I’m almost out. 

So I didn’t write this summer, but holy moly did I type.  And I had a lot of fun, mixed with a lot of personal stress.  And I made it through.  Whew.  I am ready to nest in with my crockpot and my hoodie.  And my laptop.