We had 88 days of summer and I was 90% off social media and network tv and here is what I did with my days.  Sometimes it feels like time flies by and nothing exciting happens…but this forced me to record just a snippet each day.  It caused me to pause.  It caused me to be grateful for tiny things.  I apologize for the length.

Summer was long this year and life is full.

1. Got up early and went and got a box of beautiful doughnuts at Yo Yo’s with my 9-year-old to celebrate the first day of summer vacay.
2. Took the time to make a nice dinner just for myself.  Also, accidentally watched NCIS for the very first time. Not bad.
3. Went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts with my mom to see the China exhibit. Spectacular.
4. Made s’mores cookies and took a nap on the couch on a rainy afternoon.
5. Took the dog on a 3 mile walk along the lake. One of us was tired.
6. Met with the college counselor with my daughter. Watched my son score a goal at lacrosse.
7. Assembled IKEA shoe storage cabinet without swearing.  Taught 9-year-old how to make a scrambled egg.
8. Went to a friend’s mother’s funeral.  A sweet lady.  Had some PTSD from losing my dad.  Still.
9. Made steak gyros for dinner and people ate them.
10. Picked up Danish dining table from darling store Golden Age of Design. Don’t buy up all the stuff there, I want one of everything.
11. Drove 14-year-old and his oldest friend to their 6th consecutive year of week-long overnight camp together.
12. Went to the library with the 9-year-old.  Then walked up the street to get lunch with him and got caught in a rainstorm which he was thrilled about.
13. Had a moment of real, actual hope about the future.  Made hot fudge from scratch.
14. Drove 9-year-old to overnight camp with his two besties.  I left living in a grey house, when I returned it was painted blue.  Booked flights for fall trip with the entire extended family.
15. Watched The Post. Finished the book The Middlestein’s.  Got Mom’s Fitbit and computer set up. ( you can get a lot done with 66% of the children away at camp.)
16. Was thinking about how heartwarming and depressing it is to see duplicates of everything your parents ever owned at vintage furniture stores.
17. Went to a party at Lighthouse Island and saw a glorious sunset.
18. Picked up both boys from camp.  They had a wonderful week. It’s worth the price just to have them off screens for days on end.  Went to a graduation party and was verklempt at how quickly time passes.
19. Went to church.  Went to niece’s kid birthday party.  Took 9-year-old and pup on a walk and we chased the miniature frogs on the trail.
20. Went to Gustavus and St. Mary’s with 16-year-old and friends for college tours. Did you know there are cute boys on college campuses?  Someone in our tour group noticed.
21. Pondered how overwhelmed I can feel when I’m tired and yet how capable I can feel when I’m rested.  Went to bed early.
22. Took 14 -ear-old to the ortho.  Took 14-year-old to open a checking account. 14 year old has cold hard cash since he is working.
23. Drove north to Concordia College with the 14 and 16-year-old for a tour.  They both snored most of the way home.  They are both very good car entertainment. When awake.
24. Learned how to enter an order and an invoice at work.  Did not lose mind.
25. Got up early to drive 14 year old to work. Went to dinner with friends via boat and sat out on a rooftop. Beautiful night after a full day of rain.
26. Realized a day late that I joined a step challenge on the SPAR! app. Took the dog on three different walks to fit in 10,000 steps. He wondered what the hell was going on.
27. Worked in the garden for hours. Learned I love to plant but hate to weed. So I’m really more of a “planter” than a gardener. Held the baby of our former babysitter.  Gah.  The cuteness.
28. 4th of July. Ate too much of everything.
29. Went to Adam’s lacrosse pool party. Man, to have the energy of a fourth grader.
30. Went to brunch and Target with Jack. Kept mouth shut as he bought his 5th pair of ear buds because he keeps losing them. Took a couch nap. All 3 kids were home on Friday night. I miss that. 💓
31. Watched Riverdale with Belle. Felt youthful, until Luke Perry popped up and I felt ancient until I googled how old he is and he’s got 5 years on me so back to youthful again. And then I saw Molly Ringwald and then my depression returned.
32. Took Adam to the beach for a few hours and watched him effortlessly strike up friendships with people he has never met. Wishing all of us could be more like that and maybe the world wouldn’t be such a violent place.
33. Started writing a short story. Kind of funny so far. And if I ever manage to get it published, I’ll probably have to leave the state. Or change my name. Or both.
34. Accidentally watched the news.  A hate filled line up of stories.  Pondered if I hate anyone.  Spent some time on it… and I hate one person.  An ex-husband of a friend of mine.  Serious hate.  Like if I outlive him, I’m ordering a cake.  For real.
35. Went to the beach. Had to put my chair in the water because the sand was so hot.
36. Wanted to organize the basement.  Got overwhelmed and played frisbee instead.
37. Jack and I went to dinner just the two of us. He somehow managed to order a $17 hamburger. We had a long discussion about parallel universes and I forgot about the cost of the burger.
38. Minneapolis Farmers Market by myself.  Decided that is probably the best evidence of people from every corner of the earth living in harmony.
39. Walked 15,000 steps. I could walk forever.
40. Found a new phrase that pisses me off to no end. When my child says, “I can’t. I’m too tired. From….sailing.” 🙄
41. I learned something valuable today. Teenagers care what you think. The friends of your children want to be well thought of. They need encouragement.
42. Belle had her senior pictures taken. I did not cry. I considered crying but I didn’t.
43. I took Winston on a walk and I met a new puppy with clear blue eyes named Bjorn and because I am a judgmental person I think that is a stupid name for a dog.
44. Had a few friends tell me to check Facebook because of a particularly mind-blowing thread…I decide the most dangerous 4 words in the English language are :Someone is typing a comment.
45. Happened to catch a side profile of my 14 son with the light behind his jaw line. He is apparently growing a beard now.
46. My daughter works a lot.  I think this is helping me prepare for her leaving for college.  I’m starting to gaze at her for long periods.  I’m not sensing she loves it.
47. Theme of the day today was “natural consequences” and the pain I feel watching other people face it.
48. Have not been on social media and had to check something on my account today… It got me wondering why I post anything.  Who cares? Do I care?
49. I packed up and went to Portland.  Alone. Missed a connecting flight and ran through the airport like in a movie.  Except in the movies people are in better cardio shape.
50. Heaven is a hotel room shared with nobody.  Spent four hours at Powell’s bookstore.  Bought A LOT of books.  Forgot I have to put them in my suitcase. Had delicious dinner with family.
51. Went to Cannon Beach with a friend.  Saw the Haystack Rock.  Went to a Corgi festival.  It was a whole thing. Went to a movie alone.
52. Went to a friend’s house in Bend, OR.  Sat on her infamous blue couch.
53. I made a butterfly. I mean not completely from scratch. God helped.
54. Took the dog to the groomers.  His haircut costs a fortune.  The kids hate it.  Now he looks like a hairless cat.
55. Had Isabelle’s 17th birthday.  Rented Princess Bouncy House per her request.  Fricking awesome.  Until I had to deflate it and shove it into the back of my car.  Nearly caused hernia.
56. Party clean up.  Yard destroyed.  Kids. Dog. Bouncy House. Badminton.  Grass paid the price.
57. Visited two colleges in Iowa with daughter and husband.  Decided she is a country mouse.  She has no need for a metropolis.  There was a good coffee and doughnut shop.  I think she’d survive there.
58. Really noticing how the two older kids have asked for nothing all summer because they both have jobs.  This is a good development.
59. I mowed.  Don’t tell anyone but I really like to mow the yard.
60. Wondering who to blame for Fortnite.  Can I blame the Russians?
61. National Night Out.  Fun to meet the neighbors.  People are so nice and a few are really strange.
62. My sister-in-law and nieces came over.  Doughnut and badminton party.
63. We cleaned at work today.  Major.  Now if only I was inspired to purge at home.
64. Church is really eating in to my “sleep until 11am” dreams.
65. Son started Driver’s Ed. Why is it $400 when I’m the one who risks my life once he starts driving?
66. Did our monthly volunteer gig. I brought too much food.  I always bring too much food.
67. Went to the Saint’s Game.  So much fun.  Some people watched the game.
68. Went to music in the commons in Excelsior. Took me four years to get there.  Worth it.  It was like Woodstock without the sex, drugs or legendary musicians.
69. Adam had a friend over.  They were busy and not in my hair. It was so peaceful I thought about asking the kid to move in.
70. We are drowning in college mail.  Someone should tell these people it’s 2018.
71. Son went to put his two weeks in at work today. They wouldn’t let him quit. I find this hilarious.
72. I cannot take too many more days of yelling at people with headsets on their heads.
73. The 9-year-old said he is excited to go back to school. I said it’s getting close to that time… He will be somebody else’s problem. My daughter reminded me that one of my closest friends Is his teacher. Which begs the question… Who are she and I going to complain to about him?
74. I really love having the kids home for the summer. Also, love the idea that in two weeks I can throw their things away when they are at school.
75. High school schedules were posted.  I have two in high school.  I’m hoping they can find each other in that mosh pit of a high school.
76. Went to the state fair. Spent 70 million dollars and ate 70 million calories.
77. I told my daughter if she just finishes up her college essays I will be done nagging her for a full year. She’s such a good girl. She finished them. Also, she is so naïve. I’ve already thought of the next three things to nag about.
78. Booked Spring Break 2019. Probably should be doing numerous other things before but my priorities are screwed up.
79. Went down the Alpine Slide at Lutsen. I’d like one in the backyard.
80. Dear Lord thank you for devices and headphones to make road trips possible with my flesh and blood.  Amen.
81. My son went to freshman orientation. Then I went to freshman parent orientation 2.0. I am brimming with false hope about the next four years.
82. Went on a bike ride into town with Adam. We followed our usual pattern. Ride. Toy store. Treat. Library. I bought a gel cushion bike seat while in town because I’m not 20 anymore.
83. Took boys for a well check. One has BMI in 22%ile. Other in 77%ile.  In other words, one can beat the crap out of the other in 5 more years.  He is super pumped about it.
84. Babysat my nieces.  They are some of the cutest humans.  I wish they lived in my pockets.
85. Wanted to go on a lovely boat ride. Rained all day. Cleaned the house instead.
86. Took Adam on a 7 mile high-speed bike ride to make him stop talking. It was working until he ran his tire into the back of my leg. Then he had to start talking again to apologize a dozen times.
87. Jack still hasn’t finished his summer work.  He is not fazed.  I have heart palpitations just thinking about it.
88. Tomorrow I have a high school Senior, a high school Freshman and a 4th grader. I plan on not missing a minute.