The Summer Bucket List '22
I don’t like August. August is a bully taunting me with busy fall schedules, Halloween advertisements and teary college farewells. Everyone asks the same question: How was your summer? What happened to summer being over AFTER Labor Day?
Stuck in bed with Covid on the last week of summer, I had to cheer myself up. I wrote out a list of the fun moments to remind myself of the joy I had before my week spiraled out of control. Sharing in case you want to try the same exercise.
My Summer 2022 Bucket List:
Job Change: I left my stressful job at the Dana Hall School n June. Starting a new job in the summer when there are only a few people in the office allowed me to ease into my new environment. Shorter hours and kids enjoying summer camp made for a laid-back environment at the Tenacre Country Day School. With the school’s theme being “spread joy” for this year, I think I am in the right place.
Recharge & Reconnect: I took a two-week vacation from work and reconnected with dear friends. I took the boys on our annual adventure to the island of Chappy, off of Martha’s Vineyard with our friends who feel like family. Then I flew to Sandbridge, Virginia to my friend Casey’s sunny home. The laughs with my sorority sisters over how we met and became friends were reminders to be patient and understanding with our own college kids.
Happy Place: We rented our first home on Nantucket Island, taking a step back in time to when my mother owned a home on the magical island. We visited her home, but without the maiden hanging above the fireplace, her needlepoints framed on the walls, and the striped “napping couches,” the home felt sterile. It is time to let another family create their own memories inside Windswept.
Set Goals: Completed my book proposal for Toast: Stories About Joy a collection of short essays that range from happiness to heartbreak and everything in between, all connected to a greater message about finding bursts of joy. The manuscript is broken into small moments of connection, and I lead the essays with a toast that inspires the discovery of one’s own joybursts. I share great lessons learned on grief through my parent’s, Pake and Pookie’s cancers, to rescuing the owl Owlivia with our neighbor Dale and sharing her eventual death with our community. I am sending out my proposal to potential agents and look forward to hosting book signing parties at local bookshops!
Rest: We bought a new bed that has a remote-controlled head and footrest. This has been a game-changer while having COVID.
Cheers: Todd’s spin on the Paloma that includes 1800 Coconut Tequila and Fresca has brought us lots of joy. Thanks to @skinnytaste for her inspiration.
Thrive: Tyler worked hard on our garden this summer growing lots of herbs for us to enjoy. I hear many people who use the garden as a metaphor for life and we watched him learn lots of lessons. Constant weeding and rearranging as the landscape changed and grew., the benefits of a little water and sunlight, and the appreciation of watching the garden thrive.
We bought a Blackstone Griddle for Todd’s Father’s Day and Mason has taken it over to cook protein pancakes, bacon, egg sandwiches, and chicken fried rice. Family brunches replaced dinners in our house as both boys worked summer jobs at local restaurants. Added bonus- a clean kitchen. Thank you Tara for this recommendation!
Connecting with Todd in nature rejuvenates us. We paddle board in a lot of new spots around our home and cherished the little bursts of alone time instead of waiting for a big trip to the sea.
Ending my summer with a list of highs will help me to face the next season positively. If you are overwhelmed with back-to-school, I recommend this exercise to force your own joy.
Happy September!
