How is it the last day of July already? In my mind, summer has just started. But the sad reality is that my kid’s school will be starting back up in just over a month. The whirlwind of my spring and half of summer have included the decline and loss of a beloved family member, Easter, long-distance and much-missed family for an extended visit, 40th anniversary trip for my parents, our 15th anniversary, VBS, vacation to the Adirondacks, 2 remodeling projects and many playdates, dinners with friends, and lots of gardening. Whew! That’s a lot of chaos to pack into this week’s Thursday Thoughts!
It Started With a Heartbreak
The whirlwind truly started with a simple phone call. My beloved Aunt Sylvia was being admitted for a serious medical issue. Nothing was immediately rushed but I knew deep down that this was the beginning of the end. We were blessed with the opportunity to visit once and have a few phone conversations. In the wee hours of Good Friday, that sweet soul quietly slipped into eternity, leaving as gently as the life she lived here on earth.
But There Was a Rainbow After the Storm
With Aunt Sylvia’s departure brought the arrival of those long-lost, much-missed relatives from western Canada. After Easter, they packed up their car and drove for days across multiple mountains, plains and the budding crops of the Midwest. For the next month my kids got to know and love their elusive Canadian aunt and uncle. More trips were made to visit them, heaps of food consumed and an old quarry explored before they loaded their car back up to make the long drive back to the mountains they call home.
15th and 40th Anniversaries!
2025 is also the year of our 15th and my parent’s 40th wedding anniversary. Our celebration was low-key and private. Exactly what we needed. My parents opted for a more crowded affair. They rented a giant cabin at Hocking Hills and filled it to the brim with the family they created. Along with a couple of visiting Canadians. Not much hiking was to be had as we made the mistake of booking during a holiday weekend. Every park was PACKED! But we managed to cram as many memories and late nights as possible into the long weekend before everyone begrudgingly headed back home.
Time to Remodel!
Pulling into the driveway after a day of VBS I noticed drywall and boards stacked next to the garbage can. Hmmm, would The Hubby really start both construction/remodeling projects during such a busy week? Yup! Doing one of the things he loves most – demolition – he channeled his day’s frustrations, or maybe even life’s frustrations with the rate he worked, into productivity with crowbar in hand. In a few short hours the deck was mostly removed and the entryway’s walls were stripped of decades of drywall and colorful wall paneling. There was a serious discussion about keeping this paneling. Which resulted in The Hubby reconsidering his life’s choices, including his choice of wife! Beneath layers of forgotten paint and questionable wallpaper, we discovered the beautiful brick wall that serves as the backside of our chimney. You can bet we modified our plans to include that rustic beauty!
Adirondack Mountains
Words fail to adequately describe the lush beauty of the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. We rented a house in Lowville, NY, which isn’t exactly in the mountains but rather in the foothills. Steeped in history, rolling hills and more dairy operations than I’ve ever seen elsewhere, it was a beautiful homebase for our explorations. Word of advice: when visiting mountains and expecting to hike, don’t book a house with a pool and hot tub. Unless within an hour of exploring you want to hear, “can’t we just go back and swim”? The closest mountain was within an hour, with numerous hiking trails and rivers to explore in between.
Literally just minutes from the house was a hidden cemetery where five Revolutionary War veterans were laid to rest. Kids didn’t quiet understand why we’d visit a cemetery during a vacation but they soon found themselves excitedly searching for the earliest dates, finding one going all the way back to 1810. Bear signs littered the area around us and anyone would have laughed to watch us walk through the woods, huddled closely together, bear spray at the ready. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how adventurous you are, we saw no bears. Just loads of deer and 2 large fox.
