I had early birthday dinners with Jay, May and the girls and also with Mo and John, so I have spent a quiet day today,walking to Tai Chi, buying 2 new pairs of shoes at the downtown Vernon Summer Sun Sidewalk Sale on the way home and finally choosing a rug to replace the one that got soaked in the flood. I'm also very lucky to have received birthday cards, emails, FaceTime calls and Kakao Talks from family and friends. I sometimes think of myself as a solitary mollusk and minimalist, but I am frequently reminded of how much I appreciate the love and company of my family and friends. As for being a minimalist, I'm more lazy and cheap. A couple of years ago I stayed in a room with 2 other women on a VOC hiking holiday. At first I felt silently superior as I watched them unpack all their gear. It took up so much space in the room, my stuff very little. But as the days passed and I borrowed more and more things from them we laughed at how a minimalist has to travel with two maximalists.
The water level is receding in the lakes and rivers. We've had some real sun and heat but the last few days have been a bit cloudy and windy, just what I like. It's Ramadan, so Alla lacks the energy for evening English classes and Alex has entered the busy summer construction season, so I haven't had any classes in two weeks. Hiking and biking carry on at a less vigorous pace. There are only a few iris and peonies left in the yard. The roses are blooming. We are approaching the longest day of the year, when I can almost make it through the night without having to get up for a pee.
The picture Colin from the VOC took of me at the Vernon Summer Sidewalk Sale
Walking on the Anderson Ranch above Swan Lake
The last iris of summer
