In the Storm

What I've Been Reading | August 2020

While I didn't read very many books this month, unusual for me, I did, however, read quality books; fabulous books; memorable books. Take, for instance, A Gentleman in Moscow, my book club read for August. I will recommend this book to everyone. It was breathtaking, absorbing, - amazing! 5 Stars! Surprisingly, my entire book club loved the book, too! This. Rarely. Hppens. 

I recently did a mid-year review of my 2020 Reading Goals and realized I am behind in the heftiest category, read a book published in every year since I was born. However, this month did not help that category much at all, adding only 3 titles to my goals.

This is what I've been reading in August 2020:

So Thankful for These Memories.

This is a photo-heavy page using a pre-made digital template I found in my stash. I adore how the mesh of summer photos turned out. I used the visual triangle (of design) to place the three simple embellishments. Undoubtedly, one of my favorite pages this year. Simple, yet gorgeous. 

It is a re-cap of our summer memories - the good things: back in the pool, Leopold's for ice cream, capturing 31 Sunrises (in July), returning to date nights, fresh flowers from a local flower farm, trying a plethora of new recipes, finishing up my #100dayproject (a huge, huge project!), John receiving his welding diploma, eating salads-in-a-jar again, regularly...

I choose you.

On our recent visit to Ashley's I caught Ashley down on the floor playing with Delilah, loving on her, rough-housing and Delilah was eating it up. Enter Cade. Jealous Cade. He nosed his way into the middle of the mix, forcing his way between Ashley and Delilah so he wasn't left out of the loving and rough-housing. It was typical jealousy but absolutely hilarious because it was so obvious. Cade absolutely had to have even Steven in the loving department. It was only fair what Delilah receive so should he.

I am grateful for

In times like these, COVID-19 still reeling its ugly head, a little gratitude goes a long way to change ones perspective.

I am grateful for life slowing way down and yet we, still, are finding things to enjoy and laugh about and realizing life just doesn't have to go fast to be fulfilling.

I am grateful for the aquatic center opening to reservations, scheduling a lane, because it means I actually can reserve a lane and get a lane, alone. I am grateful there are lane times open that accommodate my schedule and grateful a drew a line in the sand and decided this is what I was going to do - swim - and that I am doing just that!

I am grateful for Athena, our kitten, as she has changed our life for the better - and it was already pretty darn good. She has brought us so much joy. She is getting used to us and used to life in our home. When we adopted her we committed ourselves to life with her and we are giving her all the lovin' she deserves. Her silly antics are riotous! In the morning, usually, she plays with a felt ball, batting it around, chasing it, wrestling with it - hilarious!

I am grateful for my SI joint and hip acting up because it meant I had to slow my strokes way down to alive the pain, which meant I was able to actually swim farther without stopping. This was the turning point to swimming non-stop, straight through and was able to recently reach the 1-mile milestone.

I am grateful for the little ministry I started because of COVID-19 preparing meals for families in quarantine, a lady going through cancer treatments, fostering families, and others. It has been such a blessing to be able to give back during this time.

 

Date Night.

Our date night last weekend on Saturday was simply Crystal Beer Parlor. One of our most favorite places to dine at, the parlor has been closed since the beginning of COVID quarantines and shut downs and they just re-opened the their store back up with the majority of the seating being outdoor, under a big top with checkered table cloths and quaint her-filled centerpieces. We chose to sit outside. The thick covering and hanging fans blowing everywhere, we were quite comfortable even with the 90-plus degrees Fahrenheit outside.  

And then there was the food. We devoured our main dish, Shrimp and Grits. As far as I am concerned Crystal Beer Parlor creates the most amazing Shrimp and Grits - the best I have ever eaten - and we love our Shrimp and Grits. Because they are a Greek owned and run restaurant they also serve Greek salads, side salads and full size. Their Greek salads are the best I have ever eaten, too! After asking the waitress if they sold their Greek salad dressing, because I noticed the used jar as our centerpiece that previously held the Greek dressing dry mix. Although they aren't selling it currently, when our waitress came back with our check she also brought several containers of dressing (which I applied on my salads throughout this past week).

We were thrilled by the food and the atmosphere and we are so thankful one of our favorite restaurants has re-opened.

Start Again.

Those first couple of weeks when I began swimming again after the aquatic center opened up their pools by reservations only were, to say the least, an emotional roller coaster. But, I didn't give up even though the days were hard. I was struggling to - swim. It felt like I had never, ever, been in the pool. Like I had never swam 2 miles straight, regularly. A hundred pounds plus heavier from those days, and I am lugging through the waters.

But, I didn't give up.

I kept showing up.

I was discouraged. It was hard.

Then, it got even harder.

My SI joint and lower back were screaming. I was struggling to walk, sit, and stand.

But, I walked into the water. And, that was the turning point.

At my lowest. In pain. Still swimming. I figured out if I swam slower, gentler I was in dramatically less pain. Then, when I swam slower, I also realized I could swim farther without stopping to catch my breath. Before that day I was struggling to swim 200 straight, without stopping. That day, in pain, I swam 600 yards straight through, plus another 400 stretch.

I had found my groove.

The next day I was in the pool and swam 1000 straight through!

I, finally, could see the light!

Transitions.

It took us a long time towards transitioning from being cat free in our home then taking the plunge and once again experiencing the unrelenting joy of a young female kitten. Although she's already had a hard life, Athena has commandeered everyone's attention - and heart.

We had Joyful for 17 years and missed her terribly for many years - still do - when she passed and then loved on strays outside our home never allowing them to take Joyful's place, or opening our heart completely. But, we knew it was time.

Time to change our lives, to open our hearts, and to fully love on a cat, once again. Athena is getting all of our loving and we are tickled at her relentless offering of love, and ours right back at her.

I have made a couple scrapbook pages over these past couple of weeks - about Athena.

Because she's puurfect!

I created this page for the August Scrap Challenge on the Craft the Story Facebook group as well. I actually incorporated 2 challenges in one page: Use the number 3 on a page and Use triangles.

Go.

Another quick page I created that I applied toward the August Scrap Challenge on the Craft the Story Facebook group. The challenge is actually a graphic design challenge: Use the designing rule of thirds. Ugh! I am horrible at design but I gave it a go.

I created the simplest of designs using 1/3 of the page for my photo, story, and embellishments. And, I must say it is striking and eye-catching. Surprisingly, happy with how the page turned out.

Brave.

Another August Scrap Challenge - tell a story looking back or forward three years. For this 2-page, 4 x 8 spread I simply told the story of where we (Jeff and I) were about 3 years ago, relationally, and where we are now.

When I scrapbook I often tell hard stories. Sometimes I am pointed, get right to the point, in telling the story, and other times I simply scratch the surface of the story. I know the underlying story but it might not be something I am willing to share, openly.

This story is pretty pointed without coming right out and speaking the hurt again. But, here's the other side...I (we) are on the other side and that is what is so amazing!

a new adventure.

Such a delightful afternoon. I took a ton of photos and each one could tell its own story. On the Craft the Story Facebook group August is a month-long scrap challenge, two challenges each week. I have been keeping up with the challenges, easily, completing both within a day or two of the next challenge (s) being posted.

For this challenge we were tasked with telling 3 stories on one layout. I was able to easily tell 3 stories using the photograph as my background (paper), I 'numbered' the stories using digital chipboard plus a repetitive brush. One more embellishment from Ali Edwards' travel collection from 2019 completes the page, which I adore how it turned out.

Story #1. 

When Jeff and I visited Mark and Martha at their beach house, we were surprised the 656 foot container ship carrying over 4000 cars that capsized and caught fire off Saint Simon's Island was only three-quarters of a mile from the coast and their beach house. They are now beginning the daunting task of removing and salvaging the ship.

Story #2.

Recently, Jeff and I have been so intrigued by birds and bird patterns. We even purchased a bird feeder for the backyard to attract more birds. In part for us, and in part hoping Athena will spend time at the sliding door meowing at the birds that fly to and fro. Thus,we were delighted by the squadrons, or fleets, of pelicans that flew back and forth overhead on our visit on the beach at St. Simon’s Island in July 2020.

Story #3.

I captured this photo from the ocean front porch of our friend's beach house. The rocks provide a barrier from the rising tides. Splattered on the barnacled rocks and beach head are conch shells, galore. As Jeff and I ambled along the beach, before Mark and Martha showed up, we enjoyed taking in all the unique, man-made and natural rock formations.