monday mash up, july 9

Well, I can't say a thing before wishing the happiest of birthdays to MY DAD! I could do a whole long post about what this guy means to be, and maybe I will someday. Still, he generally doesn't want too much attention drawn to himself, so that might be the last thing he'd want to read today. He'd probably love it if you wished him happy birthday, though. In his honor we went to a birthday party for our favorite two year old. She did not have the cigar and vodka with a twist that my dad might have preferred, but we'll celebrate when he's up here next. Still, there were ponies! It was hot!

People, it was so hot here this weekend. At one point I was standing in the shade, chatting with someone at our friend Margaret's party, and I was so hot I felt a chill move up my legs. And I get dewey sweaty when I'm hot, so it wasn't really my finest moment. I'm so pretty! Callum, who does not seem to mind the heat, spent a lot of time locked in ping pong championships with his neighborhood mates. This I can not understand when the temps are topping out over 100, but I'm glad he's playing outside (and drinking lots of water).

We went for sushi on Saturday (my choice), and Cal had his first roll after stealing pieces of ours for years. He's getting the hang of the chopsticks thing too. Beyond that, it was too hard to do much else. We watched bits and pieces of movies (Napoleon Dynamite, Harry Potter the Number Whatever, and Neel kept trying to sneak old James Bonds past me) because it was too hot to stir. We've decided it's finally time to get cracking on our bathroooms. Both our master and guest baths need serious help (You likely know what I mean, yes, Mark?). I know all you design oriented people can do mood boards, and such, but honestly? I've spent a hot and happy weekend, pinning bathroom ideas. I'm not sure I could pull off a mood board if, well, it hit me in the face. Theresa, will you please come over? Our guest bath will need the least work, but the master needs a major overhaul. Currently we only have a (horrible) shower in there, and I'd been pushing hard for a tub and shower. Neel has me about convinced that a really, really nice shower will do, though. What do you think?

Breakfast at Wimbledon on Sunday. It's been a tradition since I was a kid. We're Federer folk over here, but I was so pulling for Andy Murray. Not Callum. He was thrilled with the outcome. Love both those guys though. And beer butt chicken again on Sunday. Cooked out with our neighbors, and the chicken was even better this time around. Neel based his rub off this one (we cut down the chili powder and added brown sugar), and worked out the kinks in the cooking time. Thea (the Corgi) loves to grill with Neel. She saw him lift a bag of charcoal to take outside, and she bolted for the door! (Of course when she's not grilling, she can be found under the hydrangeas. Have I mentioned that it's hot?) We grilled some zucchini and squash and had an impromptu gather around the table. Aren't those the best? Everybody brought something, and the wine flowed as freely as the conversation. Nice night.

So we have storms and cooler temps headed our way this week. What are you guys up to? Oddly, this feels like the first real week of summer. We have things to do, but nothing specific scheduled for the agenda. I'm trying not to freak out.

five things, july 6 edition

1. I think, all things being equal, it's good to be home. We've spent the last few days settling in. Dusting shelves, paying bills, rearranging camp schedules, and oh. The laundry. Doesn't it feel good though? To reclaim your space? I hit my jet-lag wall around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, and just gave up. Callum stayed in jammies most of the day and we watched Olympic trials on TV. Speaking of the Olympics, we can't wait. (Oh, and Project Runway too. Anyone else watching?)

2. I think I love the way going on vacation makes you reframe your life and think about things differently. Or think that you'll think about things differently when you decide to wake up.

3. I think Neel's Beer Butt Chicken was pretty yummy. We need to tweak it a bit, and Neel wants to try a new rub (one where he doesn't accidentally dump a bunch of extra red chili flakes into the rub), but it kind of blows my mind that we cooked a whole chicken on the grill. Sitting up. On a can.

4. I think I'm ready for some changes. I'm restless. Today I finish settling in, but Monday, I get cracking. Not sure what's going to change yet, but for sure, something will.

5. I think that the internet is pretty freaking amazing. In the last week, I met two women previously only known through these spaces and felt like I've really known them for ages (more on that next week). Almost more special than that was another thing that happened. On Sunday night, a camp counselor of mine from long, long ago died unexpectedly. I grew up going to a wonderful sleep-away camp in the Smoky Mountains called Camp Montvale. I won't bore you with those stories here, but if you ever went to sleep-away camp, you know how significant those summer times can be. Rudy, the counselor who died, was a significant part of many, many summers for me. When we sat around the fire on the first night of camp each year, listening to his traditional story of Bug Juice, we never dreamed of a world where we'd all be able to keep in touch through Facebook. I never dreamed that I'd find those lost friends, many barely remembered, so many years later. Rudy was special to many, and he had that amazing gift of making you feel as if you were special to him. I can thank the internet that I even knew of this man as an adult. That I knew of his marriage and his family. And as hard as it was to learn, when the news of his passing hit my Inbox, I was grateful just to know. All through the next days, tribute after tribute has poured in for this man. Nearly every ping of my email brought another memory or a photo or an opprotunity for friends of Rudy's to gather. If all those emails and memories trailing in comforted me, then how must it have helped his family to see? Thank you, internet. And Rudy, rest in peace.