Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: July 2012

A photo of me:

Love her! (photo by Dan Kane Photos)

1) Candle scents this month:
French Vanilla. Honeydew Melon. Fruit Fusion. Sweet Strawberry. Juicy Watermelon. (I have so many delicious fruity scents for summer. I don't know what happens. I guess it's too hot to think about lighting a flame? I just don't go through as many when it's warm out.)

2) What I am reading this month:
The first book I read was Up Till Now (William Shatner with David Fisher), Shatner's autobiography. I found it informative and very entertaining, but if you aren't a Shatner fan, it's probably not for you. I followed that with another cozy mystery from a different series: Bundle of Trouble (Diana Orgain). I flew through it because it was quick and easy, a nice, light read. I really enjoy this genre. And now I have two books going at the same time. One is Knuckler: My Life with Baseball's Most Confounding Pitch (Tim Wakefield with Tony Massarotti), which is Tim Wakefield's autobiography. I have always been a big fan of Wakey, but I like him even more now. What a humble man. Goodreads tells me I'm about a third done with this one and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The other is The Help (Kathryn Stockett). I am telling you, this book deserves all the attention it has received. I just finished chapter nine and I don't want to put it down. I want to know what happened to Constantine, what was in the pie, what Miss Celia is doing up there and why she won't tell her husband. But I can't just tear through this one, because I am reading it with my friend, G, so I am waiting on her to catch up before I get more.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Bless the Broken Road," by Rascal Flatts -- I just keep thinking about this blog, why it has the title it does, and just how far down this broken road I've really come. "Crazy Girl," by the Eli Young Band. "Glass," by Thompson Square.

4) Movies I saw:
T & I went with my mom to see Ted while we were all on vacation. This movie was funny, but so so wrong. I am still scandalized. And still horrified at myself for laughing about it even now.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
"The Price You Pay," Dallas - JR Ewing is endlessly quotable. I love it. "The best way to understand a man is to talk to his friends...and his enemies. My friends are in the State House. My enemies are gonna be harder to find." "Time has not been kind to your face, but I do recall the smell of brimstone and crazy." "I'll be there when they put you in the ground, Barnes. Listen close. I'll be the one dancing on the dirt overhead!" "Bullets don't seem to have much of an effect on me, darlin'."

6) Something yummy I made:
I didn't do much making this month, between the heat and the being away for over a week.

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Michael's Restaurant and Pub (Stockbridge, MA). Village Harvest Cafe (Hancock Shake Village, Pittsfield, MA). Water Street Grill (Williamstown, MA). Chandler's Tavern Cafe (Yankee Candle Flagship Store, Deerfield, MA).

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. Seeing old friends, some that I haven't seen since high school graduation, and others that I just haven't seen in too long. Makes my heart ache with happy.
2. Dancing with my guy and seeing the photos. *I* get to  be the girl he looks at like that. More happy heart.
3. Vacation time!! I had barely more than a breath off from work from New Year through July fourth, but I paid the piper and now I get to play! So much time off for the rest of this year! And so many wonderful things planned.
4. Seeing the gold medal ceremonies for the Summer Olympics. Seeing the stars and stripes be raised up while the national anthem plays gets me every single time.
5. Fresh summer fruit. Cherries and nectarines and cantaloupe and pluots. So much yumminess!

9) A goal I had for this month:
Finally get that darn file cabinet organized. It's done done done! (Pretty sure T is at least as thrilled about this is as I am.)

10) This month I looked forward to:
Seeing some wonderful friends, some of whom I haven't seen in far too long to comfortably mentions, others of whom I haven't seen in simply far too long (a couple of years). I looked forward to hugging them. And meeting my two-year-old nephew. And seeing my Dad. And dancing with my guy.

11) Something I want to remember about this month:
We borrowed my mom's car while we were vacationing with her at her timeshare in the Berkshires. We plugged in the GPS and headed toward the grocery store. Or so we thought. Until we crossed the state line into Vermont. Leave it to me to get us lost *with* a GPS! But we laughed and set our course again. Because we're easy like that. I want to remember to be grateful for someone who doesn't lose his cool when the plans don't go exactly as they should.

12) A photo I took this month:

This butterfly was so cool--he was transparent!!