Currently: July 2021

It's time for another round of "Currently" with Anne at in residence. July is feeling like one of the more hopeful months we've had so far in 2021 and I am so here for it! Our lockdown has ended and things are slowly opening up. So read on for what's going on with us "currently."

[eating]

I've been enjoying eating the garlic scapes from our CSA. If you've never had them grilled on the BBQ, you're missing out! I also ate the most delicious fried fish and Greek salad when we ate at a restaurant (on the patio -- indoor dining isn't allowed yet) for the first time in seventeen months on Sunday.

Could I please have that Greek salad and fried fish for lunch today too?

[feeling]

I'm feeling so grateful that my kids are able to attend their full-day camps this week. Sam is doing a baseball camp and Rachel is doing a day camp at our church. The kids haven't been able to leave the house for full days in three months and it is so good for all of us!!!

I'm also feeling hopeful that maybe, just maybe, things are heading in the right direction with Covid. Even though our region still isn't doing well (and isn't as open as the rest of our province), I feel like there is just more hope. It helps that we've been able to do a few more regular things in this stage like baseball practices, swimming at our pool, and outdoor dance classes.

[going]

Well the main places I've been going this week are getting the kids back and forth to their camps but I am so here for it! Dave drives Rachel to her camp in the morning and I walk Sam to his camp. Then I pick Sam up in the afternoon, and a little later, I pick Rachel up. I really don't mind all this going though :)

Walking through the cemetery to get Sam to baseball camp. 

This past Sunday we were going to the beach at Port Dover on Lake Erie. The lake was calmer there than the beach we went to in early June so it was easier to be in the water. The beach was smaller though so felt more crowded. It was so great to have a mini road trip and spend some time at the beach!

[ordering]

I really haven't been ordering much of anything these days. I was excited to be able to finally print pictures again (we couldn't do that during our lockdown) but the local store I was trying to get them from had the most frustrating website. So I ordered all our photos from the Costco website. Yep, they closed their "in store" photo processing but you can still order from them online. It just takes a little longer. So I'm waiting for all our prints from February through to June to show up at our door so I can put them in albums.

I also went all out and ordered a Long Island Iced Tea when we ate at the beach on Sunday. Funny story: The kids wanted a sip and I said, "Sure." Then they each took like the biggest sip ever. Dave and I said, "Hey -- hold up. How much alcohol do you think you're getting?" and both kids were shocked. I guess Dave and I never clarified that what made it a Long Island Iced Tea was that it had alcohol in it!!! It was quite the funny moment!!!

[realizing]

I'm just realizing how much I LOVE summer and how much two months straight of Covid lockdown affected our mental health. I'm done work for the summer, the kids are out of school, and once again, we're experiencing a more "normal" period of life -- the kids are at camps, we can go swimming -- everything just seems brighter than it has in a very long time.

With all this beach and swimming time, I'm also realizing how desperate my need for a new swimsuit is. I think some stores will allow me to try things on right now so I need to put that on my "to do" list.

Lastly, I'm realizing that I would not be able to survive summer in the American South. Yesterday when I got in the car, the temperature was 34C (93F) and with the humidex it was even hotter (39C/102F) and I thought I was going to melt into a puddle. The steering wheel was almost too hot to touch and the car felt like a sauna. Blah. Give me cold weather any day over heat. Better yet, give me temperatures around 25C/76F!

So that's what up with us "currently." We're enjoying summer and trying to stay cool in the heat.