1. We were at our friends house Sunday night for some grilling and good company. We didn’t expect to be doing anything athletic, but it turned out that we played a bit of badminton. And my arm? It is sore. Hilariously, not the arm I hold a racket in.

2. Sunday was a really great night, although a later one than we’re used to for a school night. Which led to a very tired Monday morning. That was not helped by the presence of a man wielding a chainsaw in the tree outside our bathroom window (which is in the shower…quite a surprise for me while I was shampooing my hair!!) and the sounds of a wood chipper in our driveway. Starting at 6AM.

3. We spent last Thursday night at a gallery opening for our friend Karl. Karl is awesome and a ridiculously talented artist. You can read his weekly comic strip here, and check out his website here. He has a new book out, The Lodger, and it’s awesome. Get yourself a copy. Stat. And if you’re local, check out his show at Carroll and Sons through August 21st. You won’t be sorry!

4. Champ must have decided that she was bored with the way things were going, and last Thursday she tried to get her paws on some squirrels. Through the window screen. Which isn’t very…secure. She took a two story tumble out the window! :( She’s doing really well – limping on one paw, but otherwise totally fine. We took her to see the vet Saturday and they told us to keep a close eye on her for a few weeks and bring her back if anything got worse, that it looks like just a sprain.

5. Oh….and they told us that Champ is a fatty and we need to put her on a diet. For real, not like how we ignored the vet when they told us that in February. Because she’s gained almost a pound since then, which is a lot when you’re a cat who is supposed to weight around 10 pounds total. Do they make kitty treadmills?

6. I’m on vacation starting Friday, and I can’t wait! I’m spending the first part of my vacation here, hopefully getting some stuff (pot rack, shelves, artwork) hung on the walls of our not-so-new-anymore apartment, and the second half of my vacation in DC/NoVA meeting adorable babies, throwing a baby shower for my sister, and squeezing in a Nationals game with friend. Yay for vacation!

7. I’ve been very slowly working on my list of things to do this summer. You may notice that the date of the Forest Hills Lantern Festival was last Thursday…as was Karl’s gallery opening. And Karl won, so the Forest Hills Lantern Festival is getting bumped to the things to do next summer list!

8. How is the summer already half over? Or more. This summer is flying past me, but I have a lot of fun plans for August, so I’m trying not to be super distraught about it.

9. I do love the summer, but this year I’m really looking forward to the fall, too. I’ve been secretly working on a list of things to do this fall (it will be revealed in due time, friends)…and the fall is really my favorite season anyway, with the summer a close second. I’m not trying to rush past the summer, but I think looking forward to the fall is helping me to not be so distraught about how quickly the summer is passing by!

10. Last, but not even remotely least, don’t forget that this weekend is the Boston Breast Cancer 3 Day. Jeff and Stephanie walked with me last year and are walking again this year, and they’re still working on meeting their $2,300 fundraising minimum. Go here to donate to Jeff, and here to donate to Stephanie. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Donate now and help Susan G Komen work towards changing that!