Monday, June 18, 2012

The Lazy Days of Summer... When Do They Begin?

Photo courtesy freedigitalphotos.net
I have been away much too long! No, I did not drop off the face of the planet, but I WAS nearly swallowed up with all the stuff going on.

I've been dealing with a medical issue that resulted in my having to endure three biopsies and a few days of recuperation. That Tylenol with codeine packs a punch, my friends! But it also does its job well, and that's what I needed. Although the biopsy results were negative for cancer (big praise here!), they indicated a skin condition for which there is no cure and has to be "managed." Since there's a support group for everything nowadays, I promptly joined a Yahoo group and have been learning all I can.

My church's Vacation Bible School was last week, and Miss Priss and I both volunteered: she as a pre-K walker (shepherding a group of rising pre-K children to their activities, AKA "herding cats") and me in the kitchen. We prepared daily snacks for 300+ children, but the vast majority of our time was spent in making fabulous snacks for the volunteer room, e.g., pimiento cheese biscuit pinwheels; apple slices with caramel/cream/cheese/Heath bar dip; tapenade pita pizzas; bruschetta flatbreads; hummus and pita chips; Ho-Ho cake; strawberries with cream cheese/almond flavored dip; jalapeno corn dip; fruit trays; veggie trays; and more. Not everything made an appearance every day, but everything was fantastic. I needed a nap almost every afternoon, we were so busy!

Tuesday was our first home swim meet. Have I mentioned that I am co-chair of concessions again this year? I am. And the other co-chair was out of town last week. Fortunately, she'd bought most of the items we needed before she left. But I was busier than a one-armed paper hanger from 2:00 PM until almost 10:00 PM. And Himself, bless him, did almost all the grilling. One of the parent volunteers also made some wonderful jambalaya, which we sold by the bowl. He said he'd "wimped it down," but it was spicy enough for me!

Tiny Girl has been helping out with her trainer's pony camp as a junior assistant. She loves it, but we have to be at the barn by 8:15 AM. She doesn't go every day, but when she doesn't go to the barn, she goes to swim team practice.

On Friday, we drove to my parents' house in the country for a family reunion. It was a lot of fun. We celebrated my youngest sister's 40th birthday on Friday evening. Sunday evening we headed home, except for Miss Priss, who is enjoying some alone time with Grammie and Grandad.

Betwixt and between, there have been sleepovers, a couple of birthday parties, afternoons at the pool, and other fun activities. Tonight is another sleepover, tomorrow we have another home swim meet (fire up that grill, baby!), and on Wednesday Miss Priss comes home. Wednesday evening is a birthday party sleepover. Thursday we're going to an area theme park with some friends. Friday is my sister's birthday.

Oh, and I have a growing list of things to do before we leave for Maine. Like get an oil change for the van. And pack.

Betwixt and between those activities, I've been looking for some freelance work, making plans for next year, and attempting to reorganize and straighten the study. I'm staying up pretty well with my social media activity, but my blog feel by the wayside for a bit. Blogging takes more thought and energy than pinning things to Pinterest, after all.

So that's my life for the past few weeks! I'm looking forward to jumping back into fun link-ups, catching up with you all, and writing about sundry things.

How's your summer shaping up?

I'm linking up with Miscellany Mondays, Hip Homeschool Hop, and No Ordinary Blog Hop. Come join the fun!

6 comments:

  1. Oh, wow, it sounds very busy, Ellen. I am glad of your biopsy results, and I hope you can manage and live well and long with that condition.

    I am jealous of your trip to Main, enjoy!

    And all that yummy food!

    Take care and keep posting as you can... not much in Main, just slow down if that is what you are after, LOL.

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  2. I agree - Pinterest is like a nice little break, thumbing through a slick magazine. Blogging takes much more brain power. So thankful your results are good - and that you have found support!! Busy summer. I know you are looking forward to some relaxing times in Maine.

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  3. Wow, Ellen! I definitely think it's time to come to Maine for rest and recuperation! Very glad about the test results. Hopefully the doc can give you something to relieve your skin symptoms. Slow down if you can....looking forward to seeing the fam!

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  4. So glad your test results were not cancer. Hope you can get some relief from your symptoms all the same.

    Your life is so full, it makes me tired just reading about it. How on earth do you fit in school on top of it all?

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  5. Thanks everyone!

    Jeanne, your question may have been rhetorical, but it highlights a personal point of anxiety. Due to our busy schedule, I can't provide a fully CM education for my children (which I'd dearly love to do). Mostly, I've made peace with it.

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  6. Ellen, your summer is making my heart race! I'm exhausted just reading about it all. Please take care and make sure you are well and thank you for sharing with us at NOBH. (I'd like to volunteer at your VBS if you are cooking in the kitchen. Sounds like everyone gained 10 lbs.)

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