school, both school-work and school-school, is back in full swing. when i was contemplating going back to school last spring i began to wonder if i was becoming a school junkie. you know, someone is who is always working towards a degree, constantly studying, constantly learning but never really applying that knowledge. my head was full of nagging questions like, “are you going back to school because you are bored?” “do you believe you are above everyone else who sits at a desk from 8-5 and hates it as well?” “how can you be sure this is really what you want to do?”.

this past week and a half at school-work has been grueling. like drop-dead-the-minute-i-hit-the-door-grueling. but…i absolutely love it. i love: hearing arabic, spanish and chinese all spoken at once, learning that women in india do not take their husband last names when they marry and explaining when to use  a lot verse much.

i am hesitant to say this, but i think i have found it. my vocation. my passion. my strengthes. all week i have been sighing in relief. no you aren’t crazy for signing up for another masters. yes yes yes, this really might be it.

sigh. :)

while it is 86 degree and almost 8pm, summer is ending. the days are becoming shorter and our weekly routine has a rhythm again.

i have been thinking about this space and it’s purpose. i am going to push myself to be more reflective, more honest, more open when recording our daily snippets. perhaps, i have decided that sometimes a picture is not enough. sometimes words are needed to truly capture the memories and thoughts behind the picture.

i am itching to transition to fall. i’ve been eyeing my sweaters, day-dreaming about knitting blankets, and putting together our list of house projects.

but don’t you believe for a second that there still isn’t time for eating ice cream (coffee haagen-dazs ice cream to be exact) and a few afternoon by the pool.

summer is in full swing and we are busy. busy with important things like wedding details, putting up the fence and our garden. and busy with less important things like shatto strawberry milk, reading, taking naps and swimming.

this is my life right now. everything on the table, happening all at once.

we ate chicken and leeks (sautéed leeks are my new favorite thing) on couscous for dinner. because water wasn’t doing it for us tonight we drank sparkling apple juice from ikea.

weekly ads and costco coupons lay beneath my plate and andreas plate is surrounded by house keys and sunglasses. i am ashamed to admit i didn’t notice these items until right now. i am just happy that dinner was actually made tonight and i didn’t try to serve toast with tomatoes or fried eggs one more night.

to the right of andreas’ plate is my english grammar practice book. i am gearing up to go back to school. that’s right, this lady has signed up for a master’s in education focusing on teaching english as a second language. i am beginning to wonder if i am a becoming a school junkie.

under the english book is my beloved burpee flower gardening book. i wish i kept track of the hours andreas and i have spent out in the garden this spring and summer. we haven’t hit countless just yet, but surely we are on our way.

far right end of the table are the glass vases amanda and i played around with for table setting at her wedding. this past weekend we settled upon the decor and now my mom and i have an assignment to find sixty similar vases in three weeks. no fear! thrifting is in our blood!

on the wall behind the table are paint samples from the spring. i am beginning to develop a nervous itch because there are paint sample (let’s be honest blotches) through out our house. i hate picking paint colors. the garden has proven to be a nice distraction but we are nearing the part of summer when it is too damn hot to be outside and our focus will reverted indoors.

far left end of the table are a stack of martha stewart everyday food magazines intentionally set out so that i might gain some inspiration and not serve toast with tomatoes or guacamole for dinner.

it’s a long hard road

with a good, good end

and if i keep on walking on past the crooked bend

i will meet my maker

i will meet my friend

it’s a long hard road

with a good, good end

- waterdeep

in remembrance of ed lutz

hello summer. a little late i know.

our life has entailed the following: weed, dig, plant, water, wait. repeat.

my camera has been sitting on the shelf all month, that must change this month.

peanut butter banana honey toast

roasterie’s breakfast blend with cream and sugar

morning’s rays are warm and soft

A is still sleeping

and i am enjoying the quiet and the absence of to-do buzzing through my mind, instead of my fingers knitting my summer sweater and my brain is being lured in by another episode of the wire.