Whew! July is a celebration of summer from the very beginning of the month. In Maryland it’s hot and sultry.  Thankfully we are partially air-conditioned and have kept our cool.

In addition to the numbered items below:

• I made reservations for breakfast, transportation, spa, and tour for our first scheduled day in Iceland this fall.
  

  The plan is to have breakfast under the Viking ship.

  Hope the entry requirements don’t change again.

• I cleared up and cleaned up the prep sink in our kitchen.
  

  The sink and counter are tranquil again.

• I cleaned the front porch and Charlie cleaned the porch rain gutters.
• 
  The front porch gutters are no longer full of leaves.

Here are the results of the “official” July list:

1.  Celebrate the 4th of July!!
   

   Our American flag hangs on the side porch.

   Having given our American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol to its rightful owner, our son, we flew an authorized former version with 48 stars.

2. Work on a project:  Finish master closet edging.
   

   Even the shoe towers have been finished with iron-on edging tape.

   Finished — at last!!

3.  Shred all income tax returns pre-2011. The machine overheated a few times but 10 years of tax returns are now ribbons of nothing.
4.  See a movie:  Summertime.  This classic from 1955 stars Katharine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi and takes place in a Venice not so different from the one we visited in 2019.
   

   Much of the movie takes place in Piazza San Marco.

   If you’re looking for romance — this is it.

5.  Plan a post-COVID party.
   

   Get Your Game On.

   I have come up with a socially distanced idea which I will implement next month.

6.  Read a book:  The Summer Book by Tove Jansson is set in Finland but could take place in summer anywhere by the sea.
7.  See a play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
   

   The setting for A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

   Instead of traditional fireworks on July 4th we went to an outdoor performance at the Olney Theatre performed by the National Players.

8.  See eye doctor and skin doctor.  Eyes can see very well but need a minor repair and skin is clear of any problems .
9.  Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: FREEDOM.
10.  Write a goal list for August, 2021.

Jo

Whew! July is here and the true onset of summer.  Churches and movie theatres have reopened so it won’t be long before we begin to entertain again here at The Glade.  It’s been a long dry spell but I have still been making plans.

1.  Celebrate the 4th of July!!
   

   Land of the FREE.

2. Work on a project:  Finish master closet edging.
   

   The edging is almost finished but not quite.

3.  Shred all income tax returns pre-2011.
4.  See a movie:  Summertime.
5.  Plan a post-COVID party.
   

   I have a few social distancing party ideas.

6.  Read a book:  The Summer Book . 
7.  See a play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
   

   A forest near Athens inhabited by manipulative fairies.

8. See eye doctor and skin doctor.
9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: FREEDOM.
10. Write a goal list for August, 2021.

Jo

June, 2021 has been a great month!  Many activities and opportunities have been getting back to normal after a year+ of the corona virus pandemic.

In addition to the  numbered list below:

• Charlie cleaned out the gutter over the side porch.
  

  One gutter down, a few more to go.

• We repaired and organized the conservatory closet.
  

  The conservatory closet is corralling necessary clutter.

• I put folding chairs and bug spray into the trunk of my car so we would be ready for outdoor occasions at a moment’s notice.  Charlie also readied a small cooler.
• I saw the movie In the Heights.  Although the show is over 2.5 hours long I was engaged the entire time with the music, the story, and especially the multitalented cast.  I give it a thumbs up.
• We saw an outdoor production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors.
  

  Two sets of twins separated as infants makes for mistaken identity with dire consequences.

• We went to an outdoor concert featuring The Army Field Band’s Federal Brass.
  

  Army Field Band’s Federal Brass at an outdoor concert.

• A new septic system was installed at the shore house.
  

  It’s about time!!!

  Here are the items I planned to work on:

1. Organize all bank statements.  I ruthlessly shredded old statements especially from banks where I no longer have an account. I cleared all bank paperwork from both the master and back bedrooms.
2.  Remove one box from attic.  Another box of old paper is empty.
3. Work on a sewing project:  hem Ilsa pants.
   

   Before

   

   After

   I hemmed my pants and while I was sewing I did the same to a pair for Charlie that had arrived unhemmed.

4.  Paint side porch.  On a very hot Saturday I painted the siding on our side porch and refreshed some of the furniture.
   

   Welcome!

   This is our main entrance that everyone driving down the street sees.  I like it to look nice.

5.  See a movie: East of Eden. I borrowed this movie starring James Dean from the public library before I read the corresponding part of the book.  I loved it.
6.  Read a book:  East of Eden. I started reading a library edition of this book but ended up buying a copy for less than $5 from SecondSale.com.  It’s a complex story made richer knowing the origin of the title chosen by Steinbeck:  “And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” Genesis 4:16
7.  Day trip. Charlie and I visited Arlington National Cemetery on a beautiful day.
   

   Arlington National Cemetery near The Pentagon just south of Washington, DC.

   The whole experience was even more moving than the 9-11 Memorial due to the historical setting and  vast number of graves.

8.  Work on landline phones.
   

   The wires have been rerouted.

   We began to work on our landline phone lines which have been hanging across the side window of the house since the renovation in 2013 when we moved the phone box.

9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: REMEMBER.
10. Write a goal list for July, 2021.

Jo

Ah, June!  Finally the classes that have required a heavy reading load are finished and I can dive into a long novel (see #6 below).

I remember my grandmother on her birthday early in the month.  Also my mother’s middle name was June.

My grandmother on the left and my mother on the right.

Here’s what I hope to accomplish this month:

1. Organize all bank statements.
2.  Remove one box from attic.
3. Work on a sewing project:  hem Ilsa pants.
   

   The flared trousers I used as part of my Casablanca outfit were a little short on me.

4.  Paint side porch.
   

   I plan to paint the entire porch especially the newly replaced shingles.

5.  See a movie: East of Eden
   

   A lot of watching nd reading.

6.  Read a book:  East of Eden. 
   

   Can’t wait to get started on this classic tale.

7.  Day trip.
   

   An easy day trip from our house.

8.  Work on landline phones.
9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: REMEMBER.
10. Write a goal list for July, 2021.

Jo

In May the weather became unseasonably cool.  It was wonderful for getting projects done but seemed to stunt the growing garden a bit.

Charlie’s pea trellis is extremely ornate.

In addition to the numbered list below I,

• Repaired the side wall of the porch where Charlie had saved us from a snake.
• Enjoyed cut flowers from the garden all month: azaleas, lilies of the valley, rhododendron, peonies, and roses, not to mention all my orchids are reblooming.
• Bought a new paper shredder.
• Completed the Yale Online Course Introduction to the New Testament History and Literature with Professor Dale B. Martin.

Here’s the goal list from the beginning of the month:

1. Make plans for a fall trip.
   

   Reynisfjara black sand beach is on our agenda.

   I have worked out all most of the details for a trip to Iceland this fall including purchasing plane tickets and booking accommodations.

2.  Remove one box from attic.  Another box is totally emptied and removed from the house.  It was a fun box to root through — letters and cards from me and my son to my mother and my grandmother when the boy was little.  Some were so funny and charming.
3. Repair dining room chair.  The sturdy repair of this chair was highly unlikely but I think we have achieved success.
   

   The chair is very sturdy now is set at my place at the dining room table lest it break again.

4.  Work on a shore house project.  This space should be a cozy alcove when it’s all finished furnishing some additional storage in the large under-bed drawers.
   

   A view from the far bedroom gives a good impression of the nook.

5.  See a movie:  Sleepless in Seattle. After seeing An Affair to Remember last month I was excited to watch S in S which have something in common.  I suggest you watch them in the order I did.  I had forgotten that S in S had such a great musical score.
6.  Read a book:  A Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill.  I read the disturbing but brilliant play in a few sittings.  I also watched the (almost 3-hour) movie starring Katharine Hepburn. It was intense. I would love to see this in the theatre with really good actors.
7.  NASCAR overnight trip with Charlie.  I booked an AirBnB the night before Charlie’s ride so we only needed to drive for about half an hour to Dover International Speedway.
   

   Charlie in the race car was a happy fellow.

   He enjoyed the short (6 laps) but thrilling ride.

8. Consolidate papers from house renovation.  I have been meaning to do this ever since the reno in 2013.  However, I was more inclined to throw certain papers away now which I would have held onto then. I have only a small pile of important papers remaining.  Charlie burned everything else since I jammed my overburdened shredder for the last time.
9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: GROW.
10. Write a goal list for June, 2021.

Jo

May is a great month to make plans for the future.  All of my nuclear household has been vaccinated against the Corona virus so we feel freer to make some long-term plans.

I’ve had to rearrange my Bucket List more than once due to closures and shut-downs.

1. Make plans for a fall trip.
   

   I’m hoping we can get to Iceland soon even though the country has closed its borders again until the end of May.

2.  Remove one box from attic.
3. Repair dining room chair.
   

   A broken leg on a dining room chair.

4.  Work on a shore house project.
   

   Our current project.

5.  See a movie:  Sleepless in Seattle.
6.  Read a book:  A Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill.
7.  NASCAR overnight trip with Charlie.
   

   We’ve been waiting a long time for this ride.

8. Consolidate papers from house renovation.
9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: GROW.
   

   Charlie looks forward to planting vegetables each spring and I look forward to eating them.

10. Write a goal list for June, 2021.

Jo