Sweet smell of summer

Summer ... Ah .. I am staring to taste it:)

Written 2 weeks ago


We always have a bunch of things that happen in June right before real summer starts that signal me that it is around the corner . Things like tons and tons of work around the cottage and house and tons and tons of work for our businesses .

Things like three kids in final exams and tons and tons of studying . Nightly events at the school , with activities , shows .
Never sitting around the table together and cottage time taken by errands and work and school


Then come the more fun things of June like a lot more social plans as the weather gets nicer . Visit form the CDF's and a visit from my sister in law and niece . Right before Peru for work we had CDF and right after Peru Italy and right after Italy sista and niece . It has been a whirlwind ! But a fun one .

Sista and Molly came for 4.5 days and we all had a blast . Cold weather but hikes and walks and talks and runs in the forest at cottage , nice restos , some shopping , a fun game , cooking together , napping together , sitting by the pool and swimming , Thai food , sirien food , . It was so so fun . So glad we made this happen even with my kids being in final exams and having to study about 7 hrs each day of the weekend . We managed to get some good chats and meals and family jacuzzis in there . I love my family ... We missed my bro and other niece but was great to have half of their gang here .

Bear also in June became a certified lifeguard !!! So many hours of courses and work went into this over so many years . So proud of This guy . He is also getting his  one month  counsellor certification at a great camp and will be all set for the working world .

Tonight is our official kick off to summer with our pool part bbq with three couples and all our kids . Can't believe between all the schedules this was able to happen . Short of a miracle ! And still sandwiched between final exams of course !


Today hubby and I also decided that our workout was our last for the summer at the gym . We like it a lot but need a break from routine and Early wake up and with the kids finishing school we don't need to get up at 6:30 am but can sleep until 8am most mornings and jump in the pool to relax a bit before the workday begins . We decided to give ourselves this gift for summer and take lots of walks and jog more often .


We are also having Chase leave 8 weeks ... Bear 4 and beauty 2 weeks . Will be quiet around here ! And we will all be together 8 days for vacations and some weekends here and there in August .


Chase has been off school since May and is driving me bonkers !!!!!!!!!!!!! I know I will miss him for 8 weeks but will be easier than this ! He craves structure and routine and jobs and schools are good for him !!! And our relationship too ! But i complain but he is also so much fun to have around . I think i just need it in smaller doses . His summer job of 8 weeks will be good for him.


It's getting harder and harder to get the kids to the cottage . Often a fight :( I am feeling like we are entering some of the hardest years of our lives as parents and a new stage as a couple )


Then a beautiful late bday dinner for sage with childhood wonder and then luxurious spa sleepover and spa day at Trent which always signifies to me summer is near as we jump in the cold lake and swim right out to the dock and put our wet handprints on the dock and make wishes for ourselves and eachother . I convinced her to sleep over a second night and my family got there at midnight and sage and hubby got up early and had coffee together and a long run before she took the road back home


Then a gorgeous weather weekend of boating for Father's Day where we could not have asked for better weather . Bear stayed home to study and have a date . Beauty studied hours and hours at cottage with meal and chat breaks and chase hung out with us lazily on the boat all weekend . I made a great Father's Day brunch on  the dock and bear made a delicious Father's Day dinner for us and my mom that we are by the pool ( I was impressed ! )


I have decided to capitalize on my flexible work schedule and spend 4 days at cottage alone in a couple of weeks to partially work .. Partially create and brainstorm ... And partially enjoy and sleep in and kayak and powerwalk in thhe forest
And also take lots of Friday's or Monday's off with hubby or kids or friends

Then next week full work week with a trip to Nj with an interesting new project focus I am excited about ..... And then after next week ...


Summer ... Some slowing down of work for a couple of weeks I am imagining 3-4 day weeks if I end up being right ...then three delicious weeks of vacation at cottage partly alone with hubby and one all of us and one a mix of us .


I smell summer - it is just around the corner


Now I just need to slow down my work and my brain, my worries , my nagging , my thinking of the future and enjoy the sweet smells of summer . Not sure if this can happen but i sure hope it does !

My Airport Guy

Years ago a colleague I worked with and whom always seem to have great advice told me " if you travel a lot for work maximize that time the best you can "

For him that meant doing a lot of his shopping at the duty free and most importantly having his dad drive him and pick him up from all trips and grab a bite before security . This was his way to see his dad and to have quality time together often even more than twice a week 

The advice stuck with me . A couple of years later when I heard his dad had passed away my first thought was how lonely he would now be at the airport and how grateful be must have been for all the extra quality time he spent with his dad .

For me airports and planes are a place to get important planning done for work and home . I come up with some of my best blogs best ideas and best work ideas  while in transit 

And now I have added in that Chase drives me and picks me up . We joke in the car today that I might as well just sleep at the airport the amount of trips i have taken for work in the last 4 months . He could drive here with his eyes closed .

I always just turn off my phone on those car rides and soak him in . I love how he lifts in and out my luggage from the trunk and hugs and kisses me as if I will be gone for a lifetime . I love how he tells me " I love you " every single time .

It is a ritual I have come to depend on and I assume soon will share with Bear too who has his learners permit which will be so fun too 

I left the house today with the three teens after half day of exams ( two days to go ) in the pool wth some friends too after a big game of basketball in the heat . I felt thankful they were off their phones and into their lives and happy and content to have their mom travel often for business and there dad work late . They are autonomous that is certain ! ( with a few lists of course to help them along the way ! )

And thankful that chase seemed happy to be Interuppted  to see his mommy off to the airport . I hope it is something my kids will always enjoy doing with me and I will always look forward too . And one day ..: their dad and I will be driving them to their business trips .

( I also have some of my best texting conversations with all three kids and hubby right before the plane takes off and as it lands as i always text them at these time. Last night Chase and i texted for 20 mins and had the craziest funniest and cool conversations. I also have realized how in the last three months i have gotten some of my best excercise in airports just walking so much. I seriously cant believe how much time i have spent in airports- i always travelled every couple of months for work over many years ... But this frequency is all new to me)

My search for meaning

I have been thinking about purpose a lot lately and onto a bit of a discovery journey of what is mine.

Not to sound to full of myself but i think i have a lot to offer this world and in many ways have kept to my own little bubble much of the time . Is it time for that to change ? Should it ? Would i want it to?

Its on my mind lately and as i become more successful and more in demand professionally i ask myself these questions

And for the first time in a long time i think it may be time to answer them.

I was recently very inspired by a very close colleague and dear friend of mine who has climbed to the very top of her career at a global pharm. company. I am so proud it is her in this role as the impact she will make will be so unique and so extremely broad. It stirred something up for me... And got me thinking.

Many people have told me that i have unique talents when it comes to writing, articulation , communication , relationships , presenting . It might be time to take this to the next level. Find out what i am really made up of.

What would i gain ? What would i lose? Anything? Everything?

Something new has awakened in me. I feel a fire in my belly. I am seeking purpose and meaning. I am seeking truth and impact.

I feel like climbing too... I feel like making a big big difference

I think i may need a week at Trent alone to work it all out . By the water .. In my mind... With my heart and soul present.

Stay tuned !

Last Few Pics and phrases from Italy Trip

Back home a few days now...
Was so sweet when we got here chase BFF was sitting on our porch eagerly waiting for him and they ran and hugged like it had been 5 years. It is so awesome to have a true BFF.

I have been so grateful for the friendships our kids are blessed to have. These two have been inseperable (except one miserable year!!!) since grade 1!

Our last day we relaxed on our patio in the sun and then went to Amalfi and took a boat tour there for an hour to another cave. Then lay on the beach for 2 hrs (aka slept) . Then went to Ravello for dinner and was served by a true Italian Mama and had the best Caprese salad on earth. Then we headed for the long 5 hr drive to Rome and slept in an airport hotel for a few short hrs and then came home!

Yummy!!!!

Hubby left us eating icrecream and went up  the chairlift alone at Anna Capri

Small boat tour Amalfi

lemons everywhere!

I loved watching little kids gather and play in the plaza sqares

Unexpected beach right near our hotel (or rather 600 steps down and up!

Hubby and his Diet Coke. Content (somewhat!) and happy in this beautiful slice of paradise

Our last hotel view

Seriously can a view get any better? Walk of Gods

This was an outstanding trip with so many great memories. Was such a honour to share this experience with our eldest child

Ciao Bella (from Chase)

My trip in italy was very fun! I have great memories and they will stay with me forever. It was really nice to be with my parents for 10 days and we bonded alot alot alot.

At first i was scared of trying new foods so i would always take caprese salad with tomotoes and mozzarellla but near the end of the trip i started experimenting. My favourite meals were squid, smoked salmon and rocket, tagliatel of beef, and last but not least rabbitt in tomato sauce.

 The scenery was very beautiful and the amalfi coast was very nice. Some things on this trip impresseed me alot! 1. The amout of police and military in rome, like wtf how many cops does a town need to keep us safe. 2. The seaguls were hugeeeeee about 2 times bigger than at home. 3. The fact that no one is fat which i still dont understand seeing the amount of carbs they eat.

 The hotel rooms were very small which gave us harldy any privacy so I must say that taking a shower and pooping were the only alone time I had. We did alot of walking and walking and walking and I bought some new shoes for this trip which are fly and ended up being very useful. They are Nike air max travas grey and white. Althought the food was good most of the time, the breakfast were a nightmare: always the same thing, ham cheese salami sweeet croissants and yogurt with the occasional egg.

We visited many places but it is too long to talk about all of them. The girls were so hot I would definitly live in Italy. Ciao bella

l

Prego! Prego! (by Hubby)

Prego! Prego!

One little word said twice quickly that gives the flavor of this Italian vacation!

Prego! Prego! For that amazing smoked salmon with Arugula we ate on this little street terrace in the heart of the old Rome near our Hotele Centrale.

Prego! Prego! For that amazing Taglieta of beef we ate at that other street terrace once again near our hotel in old Rome.

Prego! Prego! For the sounds and smells of the old city of Rome with its bustling streets full of people and cars and tourist and locals and buses and scooters whizzing by.

Prego! Prego! For the centuries of history at the Colosseum and the Foro Romano. Just try  to imagine what life must have been in these magnificent places two thousand years ago.

Prego! Prego! For Roma!

Prego! Prego! For Sorrento and Hotel La Vue d'Or.

Prego! Prego! For the shuttle bus in Sorrento (parking anywhere on the Amalfi coast is nothing less than a living hell!!)

Prego! Prego! For Capri and its Grotta Azzura. How beautiful can an island be? 

Prego! Prego! For Ischia and its thermal baths.

Prego! Prego! For The Amalfi Coast, its winding roads, crazy bus drivers, traffic, honking, cliffs, hairpin turns and just incredible, indescribable views that can't be explained but only experienced.

Prego! Prego! For the Sentiero degli Dei, the Walk of Gods, along the cliff high up in the mountains where you can almost touch the sky.

Prego! Prego! For that hilltop village trattoria so typical of Italian villages where most tourists don't stop but where locals enjoy their favourite food and drinks.

Prego! Prego! For walking everywhere, taking ferries, buses, funiculars and chairlifts!

Prego! Prego! For discovering all this with my Sweetheart and my big boy Chase!

Prego! Prego! For these bonding moments and great conversations over meals.

Prego! Prego! For seeing Italy through the eyes of someone who hasn't experienced it yet and will forever remember it.

Prego! Prego!

Arrivederci Roma, Arrivederci Amalfi

The coast and priano

We took the morning and lunch to enjoy the cute hotel in serento . We were thankful that right after our breakfast the rain stopped and it slowly began to clear up . We had been looking forward to a few hrs in the sun lounging and reading by the pool and we got to do this . Chase was so tired he went back to bed in the room until 1pm . Teens are not used to this morning  touring rhythm on vacation !

We  then left our hotel for our next destination and drove along the coast and the beauty and views are truly breathtaking ( hard for hubby who had to concentrate on the roads !! ) we stopped for about 2.5 hrs at a popular beach with pebbles and hubby and I were brave enough to swim in the cool ocean . We all fell asleep on the beach for a couple of hours and soaked in the hot sun .

We then had another beautiful costal ride to our hotel in Positano and arrived around 7pm to a gorgeous hotel hubby had found for a great price on the Internet . Our room and view were the best yet with a big room and a big patio with a table and chairs overlooking the ocean .All gorgeous except for the parking issues again and had to keep going to the public meter to pay (they did not mention on the booking there were 4 parking spaces for 15 rooms ! )

That night we decided we wanted an awesome meal so went on our search and ended up at the hotel restaurant of the place savvy stayed and had named on her blog .it was awesome ! Chase was delighted with his octopus entree and then steak arugula dish and hubby besides the not so great carpaccio loved his meal too ( and they did not charge us for The carpaccio ) .then on their advice we had the best lemonciello sponge cake with lemon pudding ever !!!!!! So delicious 

The next morning woke up early to pay the damn parking and then headed out for the WALK of GODS. We bargained with God the evening before and ask if we could enjoy him in a tricky way and he agreed :) we cheated and surpassed the 1000 stairs up and down and brought our car to the top and are doing about 2.5 hrs of the 4 hr trail ( and currently I am reading a book for 30 mins under the shade on a blanket ! )

See .. Don't let  good be the enemy of great right ???

Chase is still a very happy compatible traveller to be with and content and easy and fun . We two  incidents ( mostly chalk it up to my stress and temper ; chases annoying nature and need to please stranger and hubbys oblivion and passivity ) but all this didn't last too long and living together 24/7 in small close quarters all three of us is not always the easiest but most times torally smooth sailing 

We ended up after the walk of gods at the most incredible local resto on the cliffs . Feasted on garlic pasta - the best sausage mushroom pizza in existence - a plate of fried seafood for the guys and a delicious mixed salad . And of course lemonsoda .

We then spent and aggravating hour trying to find parking at our beautiful but annoying hotel . Thank goodness I am as assertive as I am !! These boys can't ask for what they want - I can . 

Then down for a " stroll" to the beach near our hotel . Well this felt like more stairs than the 1000 we skipped for the walk of gods !!! But totally worth it as was a local cute cove beach with clear inviting water that hubby and I jumped right into when we finally got down all the steps . We lay in the sun after and of course I read a book which I carry around with me everywhere 

Then up the exhausting stair walk up to the cliff and sat at the most stunning and perfect tiny bar overlooking the ocean . The view was amazing and the drinks the bartender was making looked heavenly . There was no where else to sit but at the bar and so we did .Since hubby gave up drinking 2.5 yrs ago for health reasons I thought this would be an awful experience for him as we have avoided it like the plague until now but he was able to enjoy it . He said was very very hard especially to see the vodka being poured into the glasses ( was his fave nightly drink for more than 30 yrs ) but he said he did not want to trade in the beauty of that sweet bar for anything . He had a Coke and I had a lemon Popsicle and we were content enough .

It's odd how all over Italy they have non alcoholic beer but not in this particular region of Italy . Diet Coke it was . I took a picture as was a big milestone of this journey . Of him being able and me being able to stand watching it without my heart breaking in two .

At the top of the cliff we found a local grocery store and indulged in some foods we have been missing ( Greek yogurt for chase ! Fresh peaches for us , chocolate for dessert )

Back on our beautiful balcony now and loving every moment of this perfect day ( minus the stairs ) today was by far my favourite .

Hubby and I so much alike in our travel and what we enjoy doing - that is so great . Really sympatico . We don't like hotels and tourist stuff but the local stuff and settling in to a routine and exploring from a base . If we could have a condo and make some food and have snacks and drinks in the fridge would be  even more perfect ( but far too expensive )

One day . One day we will live abroad in Europe for a few months at a time in an apartment like my brother did in Spain . Heavenly .

Tonight is take out and eating on our patio . Tomorrow is our last day and also have to make it back to Rome for the flight the next morning .

La vie est Bella !

Viva Italia!