Today I slept in and had a nice lazy day. It was really hot outside so we spent the afternoon watching Snowpiercer on Netflix and then started Unsolved Mysteries after dinner.
I made a delicious vegan pasta with avocado pesto sauce. I found the recipe on Pinterest and it turned out great without the parsley (we didn’t’ have any!).
In other news, I finished my new book ‘A Borrowed Life‘ by Kerry Anne King. I mostly read psychological thrillers but I saw this was available as an advance copy on NetGalley and decided to give it a go. I flew through this book! It starts with Liz losing her husband of 26 years (a pastor) to a heart attack and it documents her journey to self-discovery, finding the woman she was before she married him. It was a good read with a nice ending.
Today we went to visit Talia & Nelson at their cottage on Lake Simcoe. We had lunch then went to Lagoon City in the boat. I had no idea this place existed! It’s a whole subdivision on the water lined with cottages, a restaurant, and a hotel. Such a cool little spot!
After boating, we relaxed in the pool. Talia and I had a little photo shoot while the boys were out on their own adventure. It was really nice to float, eat chips, and have ice cream in the sun.
Before our visit, I ran 4 miles for my NRC July 4th challenge. It worked out to be 7km which is one of the longest runs I’ve done yet. When I started, I thought ‘how am I going to do this‘ but then before I knew it, I was on the home stretch passing 5km. I’m really proud of myself and have learned to love running.
Have been listening to 'Living With a Seal' by @JesseItzler on my runs this week, great book. Funny & a good motivator. Highly recommend! https://t.co/xlahuHwYDL
Went to a garage sale in the morning and found a few treasures! I got a new mirror for the bedroom, a great picnic blanket, a couple of baking pans, and a super cute pair of black/brown cowboy boots. We met a few more neighbours who just purchased their parent’s cottage on our road. We’re really settling into cottage life and living in the woods.
We drove to Haliburton in the evening to have dinner with April and her family at her aunt’s cottage. They have a great beach and we shared lots of laughs over dinner on the patio.
We talked about taking this photo before we got there and couldn’t stop laughing when Sean was taking it. The moon was shining bright and the sky was so clear for our drive home.
Looking forward to the hot weekend weather, lots of sunshine, and visiting another friend tomorrow.
Today I had a great day. I went to visit Talia at their cottage about an hour away and Elise was there too! We swam in the pool and it was so nice to have a girl hang. I was so excited I didn’t even take ANY PHOTOS. I don’t know what I was thinking! Over the past month, I took a step back from posting to give space to creators of colour and support Black Lives Matter. the ripple effect sharing and documenting less on social media has directly changed my behaviour. I’m spending more time enjoying the moment and less picking up my phone to capture everything for the ‘gram.
I spent some time reading a new book in the afternoon and when Sean was done work, our friends surprised us with a visit on their boat. The boys went skiing and we listened to music on the lake. Sean, what a dreamboat!
This has become my new fav outfit, I got it at Joe Fresh a couple of weeks ago and used Sasha’s SASHA25 code for a discount. It’s totally wild and so comfy.
I love being here so much. We’ve been meeting more neighbours on our road and the lake, everyone is so nice. Tomorrow there’s a garage sale at the Mayor’s house down the road. ?
Woke up to find a copy of the Dockside Muskoka magazine left on the dock. I love that they’re delivered this way!
Been doing some research on Canada and the history of today. I’d like to acknowledge we are on the land of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee territory. Treaty of Williams (1923), Robinson-Huron (Treaty 61, 1850). If you’d like to see the history of your land, visit native-land.ca.
The day was pretty relaxed, Sean worked and I read outside for about 3 hours in the afternoon sun. I finished The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir, it was so good!
Felt a bit weird about doing fireworks given everything that’s going on in the world but then again, they bring joy to us and other people on the lake. Sean set up the camera to do some photos and only set off one before bed. I took these on my phone and ran them through the Huji Camera app.
I am forever grateful my parents decided to immigrate to Canada and NOT the USA. Growing up here has provided us with a world of opportunity, education, safely, and healthcare.
Today I did some work in the morning and then I read my book on the dock. I’ve been reading an advance copy of The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir and is SUCH a great summer read (release Sept. 29, 2020). Three wives, one man, a thrilling story of their escapades, deception, lies, and love. I started it Monday and will finish it tomorrow for sure. It’s the kind of book I wish were longer because I don’t want it to be over. It would make a great movie!
If you’re ever looking for book recos, check out my reading list on Amazon. I’ve been adding books as I read them and still have a couple more for the list. I love a psychological thriller or fun chic-lit summer read. Another great book I finished last month was Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner. Eventually, I’ll get them all in a blog post with some reviews!
Tomorrow we have a boat parade at 2pm and Sean got a whole bunch of new fireworks for Canada Day. We are also getting 5G internet! LOOK OUT!
Your heart breaks, your body aches, you need rest.
It’s a test, a level you have to pass.
The feelings you’re having won’t last.
Get some sun, read a book.
Find a mirror, take a look.
Like hummingbirds at the feeder,
Tomorrow’s sugar will be sweeter.
We have hummingbirds and they drink the sugar water, they’re realllly into it. Making a mess, drinking, coming back. Closest to a bar I’ve been, cutest birds I’ve ever seen. Hard to get a good photo of one, they move so fast! ??
The Hummingbird Bar
The Aftermath
Been writing a lot more lately, little verses here and there. I love to write, to rhyme, to take inspiration from things I see and hear. I made this video last week and wasn’t sure it turned out so I chopped it up and gave it an edit,. took a page from my own talk to ‘use what you got‘, I think it turned out pretty good!
I took a selfie and didn’t realize how dark the sky had gotten. Sean is inside Canadian Tire while I wait in the car. We’re meeting someone at McDonald’s in 20 min to buy some lights for the cottage.
I’ve felt anxious for days. I’m tired. Yesterday I napped for almost four hours, today I napped for one. I hardly ever take naps, I guess my body is exhausted? It’s Pride today and it’s gone online like everything these days. Last year we were in the parade with Telus. A couple of years ago we were on the Netflix float with the cast of Orange is The New Black.
I’m finding it hard to locate happiness, I have to actually put down my phone and look for it outside in the world. The phone is full of things that stress me out. I watched CP24 today and there is a lot of gun violence, riots, fighting, sickness, and death. It’s hard to handle.
I’m grateful I saw my family on Friday. It makes me smile just thinking about hugging and laughing together in the sun.
Jen Kirsch published an article in The Star that pretty much summed up how I’m feeling. Been thinking about how she mentioned the anxiety we feel with this pandemic, the risk, the guilt, sadness, regret. Going out, seeing people, did we say/do the right thing?
I feel some guilt that after about 80 days of blogging, I’m behind on 10 days. But then again, that’s pretty amazing I blogged that much at all! Can’t feel guilty, gotta let it go, it’s ok.
The sky cleared up a bit and the sun is out. Sean is walking to the car and we have 7 min to meet the guy.
Left early in the morning to come back to the cottage. There was a bit more traffic than we’ve seen the last couple months. Passed a few sweet hot rods, I always send photos like this to my dad.
Was so tired when we arrived, I napped for almost four hours. I hope I’m not sick! It’s so nice to be back, maybe it’s the clean fresh air making me sleepy.
The water level is quite high, while I was away sean had to prop the dock on cinder blocks to keep it out of the water. There was some serious rain last week!
