summer

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Wildlife

On a lighter note…

One of my favorite things about living here is the wildlife that frequents my backyard. I was surprised to see so much of it when we moved here because it’s not a particularly woodsy area. It’s a relatively built up cluster of subdivisions – not as bare as our neighborhood in Maryland, but still pretty suburban.

In addition to the more expected birds and squirrels, our regular visitors include foxes, deer (including summer fawns!), raccoons, and bunnies. Once this summer and once last summer, I found gorgeous Polyphemus moths.

The birds vary widely, from mourning doves and woodpeckers to cardinals and blue jays, not to mention whole flocks of geese, a pair of ducks, and the occasional hawk (or falcon?). My favorite would have to be the whimsical little Eastern Bluebird.

I was delighted in the past several days to see a single hummingbird and a lone monarch butterfly. The hummingbird hovered outside my window for at least a full minute, vibrating softly as we held each other’s gaze. I hardly ever see hummingbirds or butterflies around here, so I consider these recent reveals a good omen!

My cats, who I know I shouldn’t allow outside but I do, mostly watch placidly, but on a few occasions they got brazen and chased both fox and deer out of their turf, with me bolting out the back door shouting “What are you thinking?” or “Don’t you dare!”

What they think they’d do if they actually caught up to the poor critters is something I try not to ponder too heavily. It would not end well for the cats, I’d wager…

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Late July

When I was pregnant last fall, my due date was Late July. Chuck and I joked about announcing the pregnancy with a bag of Late July chips, a vegan, Dorito-like derivative packaged in bright lime green, and a favorite snack in this household.

The subconscious – and now conscious – realization that if I hadn’t miscarried that Christmas Eve, I’d be a mom of two boys right now is surely one source of my nebulous mental state this week, as I toss out yet another negative pregnancy test.

And it’s not just that. We are officially less one year from leaving Missouri, but we don’t know where to next. The dance fitness studio that had brought me movement, joy, and community just closed down for good, mere months after I found it. I have no real plans coming up – no trips, get-togethers, or visitors.

I finished the book I was reading. Finished the show I was watching.

Work may not be all that engaging but it’s fine and I’m grateful, but also… meh.

I’m left with a restless feeling of “what’s next?” that weighs nearly as heavily as this intense summer heat.

I’ve taken care of the easy ones first. After much indecision, I settled on my next book. Found my next show. I’m back to my daily walks, even if it’s soupy outside.

I’m pondering whether it’s worthwhile to squeeze in a summer trip to the Lake, but can’t seem to garner the focus to make decisions and book it.

I’m working on getting my anxiety under control. It’s not crippling, but it’s distracting and definitely not conducive to a healthy reproductive life.

Truly though, I worry that I’m so caught up in my uncertainties and busy fretting about what’s next that I’ll lose my ability to be present in what I have. I have a lot of wonderful blessings and a beautiful life. Why am I feeling so unsettled? Perimenopause?

Seriously though.

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Starfish Wishes & Mermaid Kisses

It’s clichĂ© but true – the ocean does wonders for both the body and soul.

When I lived in California, Okinawa, and North Carolina, I knew I took it for granted that I lived by the sea. I knew I would miss it when it was gone. I always appreciated it, and realized how special it was, but by the time I hit the one-year mark of living in DC, I was craving salty air and sandy toes something fierce.

Of course, the global pandemic has made every potential getaway more complicated and guilt-ridden than before. But when Chuck’s parents said they wanted us to join them for a few days in Kill Devil Hills, NC – and promised they felt comfortable exposing themselves to our cooties to such a degree – of course I jumped at the chance to escape.

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Endless Summer

Although this summer has been far too hot for my Coastal California girl sensibilities (you try 90 degrees with no AC!), I am still not quite ready for it to end. I’ve had a great time exploring the area, connecting with friends old and new, and – as always – enjoying the scenery from my own backyard. Two recent highlights were my visit to a Temecula winery and my very first music festival!

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Oki Adventures

It has been quite a while since I updated last, particularly about my adventures in Okinawa. Chuck has been away playing war games around the Pacific, while I enjoyed two weeks off from school (even if work continued to pound away at my sanity.) My weekends have been full of fun and sunshine, rather than papers and presentations. Here are a few highlights! Continue reading →

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Summer sure is going to be interesting…

ImageBefore we arrived in Okinawa, Chuck and I were warned about the excessive humidity on the island and advised to purchase de-humidifers as soon as possible. This was so novel to me, because I have generally dealt with overly dry homes and yearned for a humidifier to save my skin, eyes, hair, and nose from agitation (to include when I lived in the South.) I had never even heard of de-humidifiers! However – at at $230 a pop – these bad boys aren’t cheap, so we put it off and considered taking the time to find a used one. Besides, it’s only spring. How bad could it be?

Pretty bad, as it turns out. With humidity levels consistently in the 90th percentile already, Chuck and I realized we needed to stop procrastinating and bite the bullet. Our bedroom especially started to feel and smell oppressive. The sheets and towels were starting to reek of mildew, and sleeping was uncomfortable because the sheets actually felt a little bit… damp! Gross.

We ventured to the Exchange and purchased a brand new, 70 pint de-humidifier that was supposedly powerful enough to suck the moisture out of the entire apartment. We plugged it in and let it get to work. Right before bed, we emptied it. When Chuck arose at 6:30 AM to head to work, he emptied it. And when I dragged my lazy butt out of bed around 10 AM, I emptied it yet again. This is a machine capable of storing 9 gallons of moisture, and we’ve already emptied it three times in less than a day!! That’s 27 gallons of moisture it has sucked out of our apartment in mere hours…

It’s only going to get worse! This will never do.

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Last Weekend in NC

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Well, it’s just about here. Chuck and I move to Georgia early on Thursday morning. We spent our last weekend in North Carolina doing dinner and a show at River Landing, meeting up with friends, and of course, walking on our gorgeous little beach! I sure will miss this little gem in our landlocked town in GA…