June Recap

A sweet ghost story, turning 29, and a visit from a friend

June started slow and then ended in a blur - but we’ve been embracing the busyness of our favorite season!

Here are a few highlights, starting off with a friendly visit from my grandma.

One of my favorite parts of summer is the seasonal fruit. When strawberries are in season I make an effort to have them chopped and ready to eat in my fridge. Strawberries are a particular favorite for me because I like to eat them with whipped cream, a dessert that’s sweet and light, perfect for summer evenings when the house has been baking in the sun all day. It always makes me think of my grandparents; among my grandma’s special talents, she was an incredible gardener, so she always had fresh fruit and home made whipped cream. Whenever I recreate this dessert, I’m transported to summer as a kid, walking around barefoot in their backyard and playing with my cousins. 

One June evening, as I was chopping strawberries, I shared the memory with Quinn. I got a little emotional (I’m becoming sentimental in my old age) and had an overwhelming feeling of missing my grandma. Then, the moment I stopped speaking, I saw a flashing light in our bedroom. I became alert, aware that the energy in the house had shifted. When I poked my head into our bedroom, I saw our nightstand lamp flashing repeatedly. Immediately, I understood  what was happening. Sure, I know some people are going to be skeptical of ghost stories - but I know my grandma, and this was her gentle hello, her way of saying “thank you for thinking of me.” It’s comforting to know she’s never too far away.

I also celebrated my 29th birthday this month. I feel like odd years tend to be better than even years for me - so in some ways, things are already looking up. I had a calm, quiet day with Quinn and the dogs. We went out for dinner. To be honest, I spent most of this birthday thinking about my next birthday, when I’ll turn 30. For now, I’m sort of stuck in the middle, between the chaos of the 20s and the stability of the 30s. At the grocery store, I’m asked for my ID often enough that I still need to make sure I have it on me, but I’m usually left clutching it pathetically in my hand while the cashier places my wine in the bag. In terms of benefits, I’m surprised at how much my executive functioning has improved. I’m writing itineraries for trips, taking some professional development courses, and feeling overall much more grounded than I did even just a year ago. I re-read my journal entries from my 28th birthday and was shaking my head at myself. That girl was a mess. You can read about my 28th birthday here, in one of my first posts. 

We had a visit from our friend, Kenna, this month. We spontaneously decided to spend the night at a small hotel a few hours north of our little town. And by spontaneously, I mean we drove up fully intending on just spending an afternoon by the lake, and then decided to inquire about rooms without a single item packed or prepared. As an excessively cautious person, I’m grateful for my friend Kenna, who helps me tap into the joy of letting life surprise me. 

For this month’s reading, I picked up a fantastic novel called Isola, written by a favorite author of mine (Allegra Goodman). It’s about a woman marooned on an island in the 16th century (not a fun island - more of a big, barren rock jutting up from the ocean off the coast of Quebec). 

We also watched a documentary called Fire of Love, about two French scientists, Katia and Maurice Krafft, who spent their lives researching volcanoes together. The documentary uses footage recorded by Maurice, so it has a raw and authentic feeling. It’s old-timey and heart warming and made me cry. It was powerful to watch these two weird, wonderful people live out their love story. 

The busyness of June rolled right into July, so I will be sharing a July post here in the next few weeks.