The Calm Before...

...THE WEDDING.

EEEK! It's here!

Next week is my oldest son's wedding. All the planning is done and the big--very big--event takes place next weekend. This week will be all about preparing for the big day. I am excited and also anxious! I've been asked to give a speech at the wedding, and I have it written. I'm only working one day this week. My future DIL and I have plans on Wednesday for a mani-pedi, which will be relaxing and a chance for us to decompress. And yes, the workouts and runs will continue, right up to the big day. 

It feels like a marathon, with all the pre-race jitters! 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer, but there's still plenty of summer-like weather left! We had some amazing weather this week--finally! I enjoyed some really nice runs that made me feel like a runner again. While I worked up a sweat, it was nice not to be drenched when I finished. 

It's my favorite time of year, and I plan to make the most of it!

Mini Book Reviews: August 2025

Disclaimer: I received ARCs of Greenwich, Beautiful Nights, In Berlin, L.A. Women, and Joy Moody is Out of Time in exchange for my honest reviews. This post contains affiliate links.

What a prolific month of reading! With our relentless heatwave that plagued us most of August, I spent most of my time off inside, in the air conditioning. Similar to winter, in a sense. With all that downtime, I hunkered down, finished all my NetGalley reads for July and August (yay!), and read some library holds. The two Oprah book club selections were completely by chance--the books sounded good and they were available, so I read them. 

I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite book for the month. They were all 5 and 4 star reads. I leaned heavily on literary fiction this month--I do love a good story. There's one memoir. I hope you find something that interests you!

Staycation

I've been off work all week! I always take a week off in July and one in August because summer is just too short. Sometimes I have travel plans, like I did in July, and sometimes I stay home, like I did this week. I didn't get as much downtime as I hoped, between my parents and my appointments, and wedding planning duties, but there was time for fun! The hubs and I went to a Cubs game (more on that below) and at the end of the week, went up to the lake!

Sometimes it's fun just to wake up with no plans! Wouldn't you agree?

Looking for the Good Stuff

Throughout my adult life, I've used running to help me through the tough times. When the pandemic hit, and there was nowhere to run, I discovered the trails, both near my house and up in Wisconsin. The trails have become a refuge for me, a place to escape from the heaviness of life and to soak up nature, appreciating the simplicity of listening to birds, watching the deer, and looking for mushrooms. I like to go early in the morning, while it's still peaceful. Instead of feeling fearful about being alone, I savor the solitude. 

Every time I run the trails, I see something new. Nature is always changing, and that keeps things interesting for me. On Wednesday this week, I didn't see any deer and very few mushrooms. But as fall approaches, the sun is a little lower in the sky, and this year we have smoke from the Canadian wildfires, which has kept things interesting, at least from a photographic perspective. Imagine my surprise when I came upon this spot on the main trail! I thought it might make a pretty selfie, so I set up my tripod and used the 10 second timer. I jogged down the trail, waited for the fast flash, and ran towards the camera. One take was all I needed. 

One of my Trail Sisters once commented that I am very observant. When I run on these trails, my head is on a swivel. I'm looking for tree roots on the trail. I'm looking for deer, of course. But while I'm looking around, I spot a lot of good stuff. This year, it was the mushrooms. And sometimes, the good stuff is the angle of the sun on the trail. I always leave these trails feeling content and calm.

What will I see next week? 

Smoke and Heat

Our summer's theme of heat, humidity, and smoke continued this week. Last week's cooler temperatures felt so good, but they were just a minor reprieve. Wednesday's run felt fine despite the smoky skies, but I paid for it later! I've never smoked, but I had chest tightness and a cough after that run. It felt as if I'd smoked a pack of cigarettes. I do love summer, but this year summer has been on fire!

A Break From the Heat

I returned home on Sunday from Alabama and back to the steamy conditions we've been experiencing for most of summer. But by mid-week, cooler, more temperate weather blew in, and it looks like it is here to stay for the foreseeable future. It feels good and dare I say-almost cold compared to what we've been experiencing. But you'll get no complaints from me.

It was also back to work for me and a return to the chaos of 'school physical season' in my office. Every year, we get phone calls from panicked parents who waited until the last minute to schedule their kids' annual physicals. Believe it or not, we are already scheduled through September. That, plus the continued influx of newborns, had me hopping! It's a good problem to have, but I will be glad when the rush is over!