As I look outside my window: It’s a bit dreary out after last night’s storms.

Right now I am: Prepping to marinate the chicken for tonight’s Jamaican night: jerk chicken, coconut beans and rice, and banana punch.

Thinking and pondering: Why does my side hurt so much? Seriously it hurts to breathe sometimes. I think I pulled a muscle, but my goodness, it is painful.

On my bedside table: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith; The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

On my tv this week: We’ve been continuing on with our music documentaries. I’m really digging Sonic Highways, made by Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters.

Listening to: I finally finished listening to Unobscured Season 3 all about the Whitechapel murders. It really went in depth about the area, the people, and the context for the murders. I think my favorite season so far is Season 2 about American Spiritualism, but this one was very interesting. Season 4 is all about Rasputin.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Broccoli Beef

• Tuesday - Ajiaco (Chicken and Corn Soup)

• Wednesday - Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Chili

• Saturday - BBQ Chicken

• Sunday - Sloppy Joes

On my to do list: We are getting our flu shots today (and bivalent COVID boosters for J and me) to prep for the fall/winter. Beyond that, I need to put away all the clothes, finished prepping my planner, clean the kitchen, write out the parent meeting agenda and my thoughts, and work on the birthday party. I ordered a ton of supplies, but now I need to really write out the quest details. Busy busy busy today!

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Home Day

• Wednesday - Dentist (for me); Science with friends

• Thursday - Coop; Coop Parent Meeting

• Friday - Platte River State Park Hike (although the weather is looking very chilly and rainy for this day; chilly is fun, rain will cause a lot of muddy paths); Arthur Outschool Class

• Saturday - Home day

• Sunday - Nerdy Bookish Friends Zoom Discussion of Parable of the Sower

What I am creating: I’m working on laying out the birthday party quest and all the challenges. I always like to have a script for our birthday parties as there is so much happening.

My simple pleasures: Fun board games with friends (The Wood and Chuck Inn was particular genius on my part), hot coffee, a quiet moment to collect my thoughts.

Looking around the house: I already mentioned that I need to clean the kitchen. I’m also mentally decorating the house for the birthday party to understand where I need to move things.

From the camera: Pork Cubano, brown rice, and baked plantains for last night’s Cuba dinner. I also made a very yummy coconut rum cake for desert.