My Lazy Summer

Finding myself with all the laundry folded and dishes done and two hours to kill before I'm off work, I figured I'd take some time for a little writing.  It's not that I've had nothing eventful going on my my life to inspire me - I've simply been lazy.  Too lazy to upload the pictures from my camera, that's for sure.  In my down time I've been happier to hang around with Rob watching episodes of Big Love while Olive's asleep.  That show is fascinating.  Mindboggling.  It makes me even happier that I'm only married to one man and not two other women, to boot.  It makes me appreciate the simplicity of our lives and marriage.

Anyway, our past few weeks have been busy and fun-filled.  Several weeks ago we took a two-day trip down to West Virginia to my parents' lovely and tranquil lake house where we gathered with my folks, my sister and three (soon to become four!) children, and my brother, Taylor.  We enjoyed the scenery, taking walks through the woods, Rob and Olive did some kayaking, the kids played in the lake, and the adults enjoyed games every night as we always do. 

Last week we hosted a 30th birthday party for my good pal, Keith.  We grilled homemade sausages and fresh salmon that Keith's girlfriend, Alex, had just brought back with her from Alaska (she and her father made the sausage; her brother-in-law had just caught the salmon).  To top it off, Alex decided to not take a job in New York City in favor of staying in this wonderful little city of ours!  This was probably the best news I'd received all summer because, MAN, was I getting tired of friends up and leaving. 

To celebrate a day off for both Rob and me, something that rarely happens, we decided to go up to Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie.  We live just over two hours away and I'd never visited that particular Great Lake and it seemed the perfect day to go.  The weather was glorious and we enjoyed what was probably the last day we'd get into a natural body of water this year.  It really was beautiful up there, through Erie, Pennyslvania is (and no dissage to lovers or natives of the town) a major eyesore.  The beach was pleasant except for the pebbly strip at the water's edge; my feet were tender that night and the next day.  Olive went back and forth between the shore and lake, periodically dipping in to wash off her hands. We nibbled all day on apples and almonds, our only provisions since I'd left the bag of seven peanut butter or almond butter and jelly sandwiches behind on the kitchen counter. On the way home we listened to the Sound of Music sountrack and I fought back tears during every song.  After getting the soundtrack earlier this summer I realized I couldn't listen to it without choking up.  You see, my beloved Gi-Gi, who died almost exactly three years ago, really enjoyed those songs, too, and my association with them is so deeply rooted in my memories of hearing those songs when I was with her, so many years ago.  She loved the film and loved visiting Austria, so I did, too - or believed I did - and that's why I'm finally going to see the place she adored.  That said, it's hard to believe that our trip is not even a month away.  We have so much planning to do! 

I've started searching for retail spaces again for the business.  We'd back-burnered the idea for a while since I was satisfied with my 3-day workweek doing olive oil, but sometimes it's not good to wait too long because opportunities can pass.  I was able to look at several really promising spaces just down the street from where we live in the adjacent neighborhood.  Aside from requiring a lot of cosmetic work (new floors, ceilings, lighting), they were just the sort of spaces I'd always had in mind.  I have no idea how I'm going to fund this endeavor, but people take on projects like this all the time so it's just a matter of doing the work to get the loans to get it off the ground.  It's just unfortunate that this isn't the sort of work that really interests me.  But I do know what I want, so there's that.

And the most exciting bit of news of all?  Today I made an appointment with a naturopath who came highly recommended by my sister.  I have not been able to make heads or tails of this blasted itchy leg disease (that's what it has to be - a disease) that's about to drive me round the bend.  I lose so much sleep over this and wake up with blood-smeared scratches all up and down my legs.  It's terrible.  Having thankfully ruled out the possibility of a thyroid disorder, I can only assume now that it's something in my diet or in my environment.  I got some Gold Bond extra-strength anti-itch lotion that feels positively heavenly about a minute after it's applied, but somehow seems to exacerbate the problem after I've gone to sleep.  No good.  Nina, smart girl that she is, suggested Calamine lotion, so I slathered hanfuls of the pink stuff from my ankles up to my thighs and am experiencing some relief - the best temporary solution to date.  So during my appointment with the naturopath on the 17th I will have a test done that will determine any of my body's sensitivities or intolerances.  I feel confident that this will give me the answer I've been needing.  Oh, do I ever hope it does!