Ivy let me sleep late this morning and greeted me eagerly wagging her tail when I came downstairs. She has transitioned well from her days as a puppy. She has not had a wetting incident in quite a while. I contend these are more a function of being tuned into her needs. She is a good advocate for herself and has a special bark to let us know when she needs to go outside. However, lately her bark to go outside to check for rabbits is getting close to this bark and it is confusing. Either way, she goes outside on her tether. Sometimes I sit with her and other times I just go back inside.
Saturday is yard day and I mowed the grass and weeded the path. The path had grown wild in our absence and it needed work. What I did not realize was the woods and foliage had become veritable mosquito breeding grounds and the deeper I got, the more mosquitoes I discovered. I worked until I met where I had finished last Saturday and returned the path to a path, rather than weed infested wilderness.
Saturday was another hot day. Here in Chicagoland, it has been a hot, wet, and humid summer. I hope this summer will be followed by a fabulous fall with cool nights and warm days. Fall is a special time in the Midwest. It means high school football on Friday night and kid’s soccer on Saturday. It brings Beth’s birthday, then Olivia’s, and finally mine; William has to wait until after Christmas. It also brings apple picking, selecting the right pumpkins, leaf work in the yard, and Halloween.
Nevertheless, fall is a month away though, with the beginning of preseason football it is obvious summer is ending and fall is beginning. The transition between the two seasons is marked by events such as school starting, football season, and the return of milder temperatures. July and August are the hottest months, though September and October can bring scorching days, too. Tomorrow’s forecast is for milder temperatures and less humidity.
I returned to the gym for another workout this morning. A week hardly means a fitness routine but I have started and I need to maintain my momentum when Beth and the kids return as well as when school starts. The ‘wheels come off’ when school starts and I revert to bad habits and old routines. I don’t know about you but the hardest part of getting in shape is making time. I am good about putting off what I should do. I am a great procrastinator. Earlier this summer, I realized I need to make changes if I was going to be able to grow old. I reflected on last summer and seeing my dad pass away. It did not need to be; he had retired at 65 and then spent the time waiting. I contrast to what Mr. Weaver has done, he is seven years older than my dad was, and he is still going strong, though, recently he has slowed. He still works as hard as I do, if not harder. The past two years, I have been to summer camp with William and I want to continue. Eventually, he is going to want to go to the adventure camps – Sea Base, Boundary Waters, and Philmont. I would really like to go to Philmont, but not if I remain in this shape. I have a goal to change. It means eating differently and getting exercise: two things I find challenging. But, then again, I have been able to maintain a blog for the summer and I had my doubts with this to begin with.
Tomorrow is another day and I am hopeful, it will be more pleasant outside. It is the final Sunday before school starts for me. I have tasks left. My desk is still a mess. IK will tackle it tomorrow. Tomorrow is gonna be a great day! The forecast is million and six times better than today. Making the days count, one day at a time.