Skywatch Friday ~ The Last Friday in August

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all doing well this end of the month of August.  For those of us in the western hemisphere, the end of August typically signals the end of the summer and back to school for those with children. In fact, many already seem to have begun the school year earlier this month. How did that happen?!  

Most schools where I live will start classes after the August/September long weekend and head back to classes on September 3, 2024. This rings true for school age children and those studying at the colleges and universities.

Over the past 2 weeks or so, it was raining and the temperature chilled quite a bit although the forecast is for warmer temperatures through to at least Sunday where we may reach 30 degrees Celsius. I think that will be it for our summer however and the forecast is for a colder (and wetter where I live) winter this year due to the effects of La Niña. I am hoping to do a bit of window proofing earlier this year to prepare for it.

Right now I'm just going to enjoy the sunshine that there is.

This photo was taken on the renovated balcony. Unfortunately, it took all summer to do the work and so we were not able to plant the garden or enjoy the finished result during the summer season. I'm now trying to see what I can do before the rain sets in this autumn.

The rest of the photos were taken at the community garden plot. 

Joining in with Skywatch Friday this week. Thank you for stopping by!

Currently Doing & Reading

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

There isn't much to report here other than it continues to be quite hot and that saps my energy and what I can accomplish.   I've also been taking it easy since my last post because I wasn't feeling well. I'm starting to feel a bit better.

The interior repairs and exterior patio renovations are getting near completion. Indoors the ceiling and walls need to be painted, the carpet underlay replaced, closet doors returned and a bathroom exhaust fan replaced.  I'm not sure if the contractor is going to be washing the carpets. He is sticking very rigidly to the insurance parametres because he doesn't get paid for 'extras'. It's appalling what insurance considers a restorative job. Even so, I've managed to work with the company that is overseeing the project and they have approved small extensions to the work here and there for which I'm grateful. I have my own carpet cleaner and if the job won't be done by the contractor, I will wash the carpets myself before I ask the moving company to delivery my furniture from storage.

There are several issues with the patio work but it's a bit harder to deal with since the issues affect all patios not just mine so we'll see how things go over time.  The project manager is betwixt a rock and hard place since he has his marching orders though he knows that it might be better to do things differently.  Overseeing all the work which has been ongoing for long is quite a tiresome process but soon it will all be over and there will be a scramble to try and return everything to normal and enjoy what is left of the decent weather.

In between the renovations and doing the normal day to day things, I've been reading.  These are the latest books.

Highly recommended

Just completed Reckless Daughter which I highly recommend to Joni Mitchell fans.

Just starting the book on the Vagus Nerve

Just starting the E George book, a crime novel.

I also go for a walk in the evening when the sun is not quite as hot.

I treated myself to dinner out on Friday night.

I won't be travelling at all this summer.  My brother was supposed to visit in July with his wife and the plan was to travel to WA state for a short visit.  That plan is now scrapped.  They hope to come in September and I also hope to have my niece visit in September. Hopefully we can all meet up in Vancouver if travel schedules allow.

Drop me a note in the comments about what you're doing this summer.