While I hate to rush the seasons, I am so excited for the start of August tomorrow! We are eleven days away from the wedding and I speak for my whole family when I say that we are ready to enjoy the fruits of all of our labors.
For now, though, let's see what's been up in July! Thanks, as always, to Sheaffer and Shay for hosting.
What I've Been Eating
The weather has been hot, hot, hot! Hot weather usually affects my appetite, and this summer has been no exception. I've mainly been sticking with salads and sandwiches, with a little Chinese take-out and carne asada thrown into the mix.
What I'm Reminiscing About
For most of my life, the highlight of the summer was the annual Stampede held in my hometown. The Mayberry Stampede was a three-day celebration of rural Western culture, with patriotic parades, rodeos, a carnival, and country western music at the forefront.
Ten years ago, we celebrated Stampede with my Dad for the very last time. If I had known it was going to be his last one, I still would have celebrated it with him exactly the way I did; I have no regrets about the time that we had together. That year, Dad was experiencing Stampede as a "civilian" for the second time in almost thirty years, having stepped down from the committee that plans the event just two years before. My older sister's class was having its 30th High School reunion on our lawn and Dad had gotten a little tispsy on the keg that they had purchased to drink during the parade. He was having so much fun that day and we had so much fun watching him.
While Stampede was never the same after Dad died, it remains a staple in my summer memories and something that I reminisce about as July comes to an end each year.
What I'm Loving
The cut flower garden that I have been growing this summer has produced a plethora of bouquets for my kitchen. I love fresh flowers, so this has been a happy little bonus. The real test of the garden will be the blooms it produces in time for the wedding, but I am optimistic.
What I've Been Up To
When I planted the cutting garden, I accidentally planted a Dinner Plate Dahlia. Since the blooms that the plant produce are too large to use in any of the arrangements for the wedding, it was kind of a waste of my limited garden space. Or, it would have been had I not decided to enter one of the blooms into the county fair, where it won First Place, Best in Show, and Grand Champion honors, earning me $53. What a happy accident it turned out to be.
What I'm Working On
Since this month has been heavy on the wedding preparations, it should come as no surprise to hear that I have been working on wedding stuff, including the shoes that Shanti and the Man-Cub will be wearing at the reception.
I've also been working on the decor for the rehearsal dinner, as well as documenting Hugh's progress on the farm table that will provide the seating for the rehearsal dinner, as well as for the bridal party at the wedding reception. This table was my dream and Hugh is making it a reality; a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, heavy ass reality.
What I'm Dreading
I'm kind of dreading the process of moving that beautiful, one-of-a-kind, heavy ass table from the high school wood shop, where it is being built, to Oscar and Emily's house, where the rehearsal dinner will be held, and then to Shanti's parent's house, where the wedding is being held. She's twenty feet long, solid wood, and she weighs a ton.
But she's gorgeous.
What I'm Excited About
Queen B arrives on Monday. Kristi and Erin fly in from Wales that same day. The Girls will arrive in Petticoat Junction on the 9th. Our family members will start trickling in around the same time. I am going to have my dearest friends and family all together under one tent for an epic party and I am so excited about it!
It goes without saying that I am excited to see the Cub marry the love of his life.
What I'm Reading
I binge read the entire ACOTR series this month. The books get spicier and spicier the farther you get in the series, in case you didn't know.
What I'm Watching
Hugh and I met Shanti and the Man-Cub for a showing of Twisters and I was not disappointed. I was a huge fan of the original Twister movie, so I was curious to see if the latest CGI technology would put it to shame. The original holds up, but I can't lie; the special effects in this movie were amazing.
What I'm Listening To
I recently discovered Shaboozey and I am loving his music.
What I'm Wearing
As I mentioned earlier, it's been hot, hot, hot here in Petticoat Junction. I've been wearing as many flowy dresses as possible to combat the heat.
What I'm Doing This Weekend
I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but I will be working on last minute wedding things this weekend. I also hope to visit the farmer's market for some local vegetables and I really, really need to clean my house. I live such an exciting life.
What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month
Do you even need to ask? The wedding!!
Favorite Purchase This Month
My favorite purchase was something for the wedding but I am keeping it as a surprise, so that will have to be a story for another What's Up Wednesday post, so, tune in next month!