It has been a lovely summer so far here in Northern Ontario, forest fires notwithstanding. We’ve gone to several local provincial parks: Grundy Lake, Chutes and Fairbank(s?) and haven’t been disappointed. One day Ryan and I did an 8km hike at Chutes on our sole day off together that hasn’t been spent in a car driving to or from Sault Ste. Marie dropping off or picking up the kids from time with their grandparents. Between work and drives it feels like I haven’t really stopped, and that summer is slipping away. Last night when I left work it was fully dark at 930pm and that, more than even the one or two maples I saw starting their fall colours, tells me that autumn is creeping closer and closer.
As I stare down yet another harvest season with nothing to show for it I decided to make it the last year that happens; I’m going to finish my insurance courses, start working out again for strength and endurance, keep going to ju jitsu, and look for a new job. I need a change and while Manulife didn’t work out last year I’m still hopeful I can put my life experience and schooling to use *somewhere*. I just want to help people. The larger world has gotten pretty chaotic and hateful but I still believe love will save it. Sadly, not before catastrophic climate change happens or maybe there’s a world war three, but eventually we'll figure it out.
My book a month challenge has gone very well this year; I started off with American Gods in January (meh), then did Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey (beautifully heartbreaking), then Ivanhoe (now I know where the legend of Robin Hood really started!) then Marked for Death (a PathfingerRPG book that was entertaining and not much else) and The Invisible Library (was alright). July was Inkheart (pretty good!) and now in August I’m trying to decide if I want to finish the Inkheart Trilogy or do something different. The challenge is only to read 1 book off our shelves that I haven’t read *yet*. Gabe has also been doing a book a month and read the entire Percy Jackson series. He gets August off and then back to school in September means a new book for him too.
That’s it for now! How’s your summer going?
