August 2024 in Pictures

“Every dog has [her] day.” — William Shakespeare, Hamlet

I always struggle with a color scheme for August. My initial choice is always yellow, but I often do yellow in April too. For the past few years, I’ve allowed myself to play a bit more with a different idea in August. In 2020, I did the alphabet (a picture of something that starts with each letter and multiples of 1-5). In 2021, I did photos of my favorite things. In 2022, I made a rainbow out of the weeks, and last year, since I did pastels in April, I was able to feature sunny yellows in August.

It’s a few days early, but it seems appropriate to share my August 2024 collage today. Since many of you have commented that you enjoy searching for Miss Piper’s picture among the photos each month, this month I give you “the dog days of summer”. Today might officially be National Dog Day, but at our house, EVERYDAY is a dog day. #PiperMarie #nationaldogday #beaglemania 🖤🤍🤎

Currently • August 2024

“Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.” — Roger Caras

READING:

• The Art of Home by Shea McGee — “The long-awaited design book from Shea McGee, beautifully showcasing all that is possible for every room of your home. ..As the title of her new book suggests, designing rooms for maximum impact while also remaining approachable to any who enter is an art. But it's also a skill that can be learned because it's inside each one of us” (Goodreads).

• From Notting Hill with Love…Actually by Ali McNamara — “She was just a girl, standing in front of a boy... wishing he looked more like Hugh Grant. Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiancé David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now...When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill - the setting of one of her favourite movies - Scarlett jumps at the chance. But living life like a movie is trickier than it seems, especially when her new neighbour Sean is so irritating. And so irritatingly handsome, too. Scarlett soon finds herself starring in a romantic comedy of her very own: but who will end up as the leading man?” (Goodreads).

WATCHING:

• The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris — I watched all of the sailing and rowing. I loved the bikes racing around Paris and the equestrian events at Versailles. I rooted for both the USA and France in the men’s and women’s gold medal basketball games and France in the men’s soccer final. I think I watched a little bit of every event, and I really enjoyed it. Paris was a spectacular host for the summer games — my favorite yet. As for the winter games, my heart belongs to Lillehammer 1994.

• Emily in Paris - Season 4, Part 1 — “After the dramatic events of Camille and Gabriel’s misbegotten wedding, Emily is reeling. Emily has strong feelings for two men, but Gabriel is on the verge of becoming a father, and ex boyfriend Alfie’s (Laviscount) worst fears about her and Gabriel have been confirmed. Unfortunately, Emily and Gabriel’s chemistry is undeniable as they work together toward a Michelin star, but two big secrets threaten to undo everything they’ve dreamed of. Meanwhile at work, Sylvie (Leroy-Beaulieu) is forced to confront a thorny dilemma from her past for the sake of her marriage as the Agence Grateau team navigates personnel shake-ups. And Mindy (Ashley Park) and the band are forced to get thrifty when they run out of funds preparing for Eurovision” (Netflix). I like to say that I only watch it for the scenes in Paris, but honestly, it’s a such guilty pleasure.

LISTENING TO:

• Cardinals, chickadees, hawks, and cicadas in our backyard

• A snoring beagle on my lap

• My August Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • You’re My Best Friend (Queen)

  • Better Together (Jack Johnson)

  • I Want You To Have It All (Jason Mraz)

  • Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)

  • Linus and Lucy (George Winston)

  • A Wink and a Smile (Harry Connick, Jr.)

  • My Girl (The Temptations)

  • Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)

  • Linus and Lucy - Short Summer 55th Anniversary Edition (Vince Guaraldi)

  • august (Taylor Swift)

  • The Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine)

FEELING: Oddly calm about la rentrée — I did enjoy a lot time with family this summer, celebrating Chase’s graduation, Eagle Scout Court of Honor, and birthday. We went to Harry Potter night at the Brewers game (very cute jerseys). I had a few nice lunches with family and friends. I read a lot of books, watched a lot of Olympics, and snuggled a lot with Miss Piper. All of this was lovely, but I didn’t feel as though I had a chance to disconnect from school. Other than the week of the 4th of July, I was at school every week for something (meetings, projects, professional development, etc.). I wasn’t there all day, everyday, but I was there enough that I don’t feel like I really left. The one advantage to not really getting away from school is that I don’t feel the typical back-to-school anxiety. Once we are back into a normal school routine, I hope to take a couple of long weekends this fall and I’ll begin planning my next trip to Paris.

July 2024 in Pictures

“July, with its days of blue skies and time that seemingly stands still, holds a special place in my heart.” — Daisaku Ikeda

Currently • July 2024

“July, with its days of blue skies and time that seemingly stands still, holds a special place in my heart.” — Daisaku Ikeda

READING:

• Table for Two by Amor Towles —”From the bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway, A Gentleman in Moscow, and Rules of Civility, a richly detailed and sharply drawn collection of stories set in New York and Los Angeles” (Goodreads). I really like Towles’ writing style; yet, although I enjoyed the extention of Rules of Civilty., I prefer his novels over this collection of short stories.

• A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue by Dean Jobb — “Catch Me If You Can meets The Great Gatsby meets the hit Netflix series Lupin in this captivating Jazz Age true-crime caper about ‘the greatest jewel thief who ever lived’ (Life Magazine), Arthur Barry, who charmed celebrities and millionaires—everyone from Rockefellers to members of the royal family—while simultaneously planning and executing the most audacious and lucrative heists of the 1920s” (Goodreads). I expected this to be a novel akin to the aforementioned film, book, and series — all of which I really enjoyed; rather, it was a chronology of the life and crimes of Arthur Barry.

• Simple Matters: A Scandinavian's Approach to Work, Home, and Style by Jenny Mustard — “In a beautiful collection of essays, Simple Matters challenges readers to simplify their life by prioritizing emotional and physical health, curating a personal style, and pursuing one’s dreams” (Goodreads).

WATCHING:

• Movies:

  • Widow Clicquot — “The story behind the Veuve Clicquot champagne family and business that began in the late 18th century” (IMDb). The film was visually stunning although, as is usually the case, I preferred the book.

  • Find Me Falling (Netflix) — “After a failed comeback album, rock star John Allman escapes to a dreamy Mediterranean island, only to discover that his new cliffside home has an unfortunate notoriety that attracts unwanted visitors and an old flame” (IMDb). You had me at Harry Connick, Jr.

• TV:

  • Ted Lasso (Apple TV) — for the 3rd time because it’s funny and heartwarming and sometimes you need to be a goldfish.

  • The 2024 Olympics in Paris — I love the Olympics and I have been so eager to watch my favorite city host the games in places that are so wonderfully familiar. I have Youtube TV set to record all of the events — sand volleyball in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, Simone Biles’ comeback, basketball without Giannis on team USA, the debut of break dancing — everything. Of course I am partial to sailing and rowing — neither of which are technically in Paris, mais voilà. I thought the opening ceremony was magnificent — the teams approaching the Eiffel Tower in boats on the Seine, the hot air balloon cauldron, Céline Dion’s rendition of Piaf’s Hymne à l’amour, the rain…spectacular.

LISTENING TO:

• Jimmy Buffett — It’s not summer without Jimmy Buffet even if this is the first summer without him.

• July Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist

  • Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band)

  • Cherry Oh Baby (UB40)

  • Something ’Bout a Boat (Jimmy Buffett)

  • Olympics Fanfare and Theme (John Williams)

  • Mr. Blue Sky (ELO)

  • Love and Luck (Jimmy Buffett)

  • Sailing (Christopher Cross)

  • Sea of Love (The Honeydrippers)

  • Lighthouse (James Taylor)

  • American Music (Violent Femmes)

  • American Girl (Tom Petty)

FEELING: Strong and accomplished — I set a goal to row two million meters before the start of the Paris Olympics. On Friday morning before the opening ceremony, I still had 14, 000 meters to row. One hour and twenty-five minutes, 500 calories later, I did it. Two million meters is 1242.743 miles — that’s as if I rowed from our home in Delafield to New York City and then up to Québec City (a Céline reference seemed appropriate). Vive le sport!

June 2024 in Pictures

“White is not a mere absence of color; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black. God paints in many colors; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gorgeously, as when He paints in white.” — G K Chesterton

Currently • June 2024

“Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June.” — Al Bernstein

READING:

• Books:

  • Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned From Eighties Movies by Hadley Freeman — “From how John Hughes discovered Molly Ringwald, to how the friendship between Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi influenced the evolution of comedy, and how Eddie Murphy made America believe that race can be transcended, this is a ‘highly personal, witty love letter to eighties movies, but also an intellectually vigorous, well-researched take on the changing times of the film industry’ (The Guardian)” (Goodreads).

  • Inspired by Paris: Why Borrowing from the French Is Better Than Being French by Jordan Phillips — “Filled with historical tidbits, motivational nuggets, and honest insight, chapters such as “La Vie Est Belle,” “The Paris Syndrome,” and “Jacques-in-the-Box” reveal the truth of what it’s really like to live in the most beautiful city in the world.
    Whether you’re headed to Paris next week or never make it there at all, this chatty and information-packed book will introduce you to the real City of Light—beyond the fantasy of the Instagram version” (Goodreads)

  • That's Paris: An Anthology of Life, Love and Sarcasm in the City of Light by Vicki Lesage — “If you've ever traveled to Paris, lived in the City of Light or dreamed of setting foot on its cobblestoned streets, you'll enjoy escaping into this collection of short stories about France's famed capital. From culinary treats (and catastrophes) to swoon-worthy romantic encounters (and heartbreaking mishaps), this anthology takes you on a journey through one of the most famous cities in the world. View this cosmopolitan metropolis through the chic eyes of Parisians, francophiles and travelers who fell in love with the city and haven't quite gotten around to leaving yet…” (Goodreads).

• Links:

  • Hollywood’s Brat Pack They’re Rob, Emilio, Sean, Tom, Judd, and the rest — the young movie stars you can’t quite keep straight by David Blum (New York Magazine - June 10, 1985) — The original article that inspired Andrew McCarthy’s Brats documentary (below).

  • 10 Reasons Milwaukee Is Not a ‘Horrible City’ (Milwaukee Magazine)

  • Book Girl Summer: Why Fashion Brands are Leaning into the Literary World (Vogue Business)

WATCHING:

• Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte (Netflix) — I caved to peer pressure on this, but I did find it really interesting to think of what it was like to be a woman 200 years ago. I especially enjoyed the characters, the architecture, and the interpretation of modern music.

• Brats (Hulu) — Directed by Andrew McCarthy, Brats explores the Brat Pack, a group of young actors who frequently appeared together in coming-of-age films, and the impact on their lives and careers.

LISTENING TO — June Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

• These are Days (10,000 Maniacs)

• Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello)

• Under the Sea (Samuel E. Wright, The Little Mermaid)

• Suis-moi (Hans Zimmer, Camille)

• Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles)

• La Mer (Charles Trenet)

• Theme from A Summer Place (Percy Faith)

• Happy Little Things (Holly Kluge)

• Island in the Sun (Weezer)

ENJOYING: A slower pace — School’s out, and although I do have to go in throughout the summer, especially toward the end of July and August, it has been nice to disconnect these past couple of weeks. It’s so pleasant to linger over coffee in the morning, to have a perpetually clean house since I have time to keep it that way, and to spend time reading, listening to podcasts and music, taking pictures, and of course, snuggling with Piper.