Summertime ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we ask just 4 questions each week to give you something to blog about, something to think about and a reason to visit other blogs!

♫Summer time and the living is easy says the song.  

So how is summer going for you? Let's talk about
it.....

1. How has summer been so far?  Has it been easy or hard or are things moving along as usual?  Is the weather getting you down or are you enjoying it so far?

Summer is going so-so. I would say things and are a bit hard since plans small and large aren't really going smoothly but I press on. That's the only way.

I'm dealing with a lot of needs around the condo building and also in my unit.  Most of the items are things that the strata management company needs to take care of but my part is paying for it or being around to permit access for the various workers that are coming.  When you need to provide access typically you are captive to someone else's schedule.

There is a lot more going on right now than is the norm so it's a good thing I haven't planned a summer vacay.  I don't generally leave my keys with someone else while I'm gone unless it's a family member and we don't have a resident caretaker.

Right now we're going through a bit of a warm spell.  We haven't really had high temperatures to date but July is usually the hottest month of the year.  I'm grateful that it hasn't been too warm and uncomfortable to date but when it is we rely on fans and open windows.

2. What have you been doing this summer?   Even the little mundane things count.

I've mostly been dealing with condo stuff and also making small and slow progress on my reorganizing efforts. I'm keeping up with the cleaning, recycling and household routines. It's all rather boring but it gives me a lot of satisfaction to be able to keep up with things or to make a bit of progress on the bigger things I want to do. I've also been taking care of a lot of paperwork and medical stuff.  Not just for me but also for a niece who is going through mobility issues and needs some big medical equipment purchases. 

3. What are you going to do?   Any plans? What interests you this summer?

I would dearly love to take a trip.  But it's out of the question.  There are costly renovations that need to be paid for in early 2026 and we are saving up for that even though we don't know what the anticipated bill is yet. We won't know that until February 2026.  

As much as I'd really love to travel out of country all the problems around the world right now make me feel it is not safe.  Anything can happen in an instant and also right now there have been so many flights being cancelled all around the world and even right here at home.  I've also been looking at travels within my own country but the cost is very high.  It's one of the reasons Canadians travel abroad quite often but also the timing isn't quite right with everything going on. I want to be able to travel with my dear husband and his schedule is not permitting it right now. Nor is mine with all the condo business that requires attention.

I have some relatives that are supposed to visit me this summer.  One has called to delay her trip - again to the end of the summer.  I hope she makes it as we like to travel around the city and see the sites while the weather is good.  Two other relatives said they were visiting but they didn't say exactly when they were coming.  I haven't seen them in at least 5 years so I hope they can make it. They live rather far from me. Actually all of my closer relatives live a long distance from me so it is hard to see one another very often.

I used to do a lot of things in the summer like attend festivals and exhibitions.  Now that I'm older I just like to take it easy at home and avoid the crowds and the hot weather. I'll spend time relaxing through reading and hobbies, spend a bit if time catching up with a few friends and trying to keep the 2 gardens blooming. 

4. It's been hot in most of the country  How are you weathering the heat ?  What are your ideas for staying cool in the hottest weather of summer.

We really haven't had excess heat here in Vancouver for which I'm grateful. I hope that the temperatures will continue to remain bearable. To help stay cool on very hot days, I drink a lot of water, sometimes a bit of watered down and very cold juices, use cold towels on my neck, keep the blinds drawn and the fans going. When the temperature cools a bit I open the windows to let in the fresh air.