Good morning! So glad you stopped by. I’m feeling a bit stir crazy so even virtual visitors have become a welcome distraction. Let’s think about what we would do if you were actually here, hanging out with me in Southern New Jersey on a sticky, hot Saturday…
If we were having coffee I would fill your cup with some nice strong Italian Roast or ice cold lemonade if you prefer. We could sit out back on our nice remade deck under our new canopy except that the humidity today would probably make our skin melt off so I’d suggest the air conditioned kitchen instead. My husband and son have been very busy the last few weeks building and remodeling our outside space. All that is left for the deck is finishing the railing but since it’s only a foot off the ground, it more than safe for us to use. The shade from the canopy will come in very handy during the afternoon when the back of our house is pummeled with sun. I’m excited that we can now eat dinner outside (on cooler days) without roasting in the heat. Added bonus is that there’s a screen that closes around to keep the Jersey State Bird (aka the mosquito) at bay!
Have you been doing any summer projects at your house?
Being stuck at home for 5 months has certainly led to finishing projects and learning new skills. I’m about ready to get back to normal but we will have to wait since the rest of the country is out of control. Our governor has taken a lot of flack over the past few months because of his cautious, slow approach to restarting the this state but I’m very happy that he’s chosen to listen to the medical professionals because we are now one of only a few states that is seeing our Covid cases going down instead of up. Amazing what a little common sense along with avoiding crowds and wearing a mask can accomplish.
If we were having coffee...I would tell you that yesterday was Miss Dee’s 22nd birthday. It will probably go down in her personal history as her most low key birthday ever but we are all safe and healthy and that’s the important thing. The poor girl was already cheated out of a proper college graduation ceremony as well as her graduation present (a trip to NYC to see Hamilton on Broadway.) I guess a birthday stuck at home is par for the course. Our celebration included an afternoon walk downtown for ice cream and a family dinner of her favorite; pulled pork sandwiches and fries, followed by the most amazing chocolate fudge cake from our local bakery. There were also a few presents, of course. Quiet but nice. Fortunately, she is a very “roll with the punches” kind of kid especially since she’s also been tasked with the challenge of job hunting during and pandemic! Well, it will certainly be a year she’ll always remember!
What was your most memorable birthday?
If we were having coffee… I would tell you that Mr D headed off to the shore this morning with his girlfriend and a few friends. I was surprised to hear him up at 7:30 since he is decidedly not a morning person but the draw of the sun and surf must have gotten him moving! They chose to go to one of the less popular beaches and get there early to ensure that they had space to social distance. I’m glad he can have some relaxing time since he’s been working so hard building. The rest of us are hoping to spend a few days at the beach later in the month. I am so looking forward to the calming effect of the ocean.
My husband however, doesn’t believe in relaxation!! He was up early so he could go mow his mother’s lawn and now he is doing ours. That man!!! The fact that there is a heat index warning doesn’t seem to matter. I wish I could stay and chat longer but I think I need to fill a nice big cup with ice water and follow him around nagging till he gives up and comes inside.
Wish me luck!
(Thanks so much for visiting. Stop by our host site Eclectic Alli for more chats and coffee!)
The View from the Porch 
That strong coffee hit the spot! Thank you! Happy belated birthday to your girl 🙂 Her birthday sounded very nice in my ears. My birthday two years ago was a memorable one, I went to watch wild horses, which was exactly what I wanted to do. What is your own most memorable birthday?
Hmm? My birthday is just a few days before Christmas so a separate celebration wasn’t always practical. I guess the ones I enjoyed the most were during my teenage years. We would invite 5 or 6 of my friends over for a combination birthday, tree decorating party. We would have cake and eggnog and a lot of laughs!
Happy birthday to Miss Dee. My brother had both a college and a high school graduate this year. Both had online graduation ceremonies, but not the same. People like them and Miss Dee will have stories to tell their kids 😉 Hope your weekend is going well and that you have a great week 🙂 Oh, why, I guess your blog should now be the view from the deck instead of porch 😉
I’ll pass along the birthday wishes. Miss Dee’s University did finally have an in person graduation but it was outside in mid July, masks were required and only two guests. She opted out saying she didn’t want her memory of college to be defined by the craziness we are now going through. I totally understood especially since she was able to do the conventional graduation two years ago when she finished county college. It’s good that your brother’s children had something to remember at least.
Technically we have a front porch and a back deck so I guess I could just trade off names! 🙂
lol, I guess use view from the porch when you want to look out on the world and from the deck when you are in a more introspective mood 😉
Decking looks great.
Thanks! Waiting for the heat wave to pass so we can finish the railing. 🙂
Nancy – you say your name is Nancy. You know, we used to have a Nancy who visited us often, but we’ve not seen or heard from her in some time. If you are her (and yes, I know you are) but still tell her she was missed. She and D-family are a valued, if virtual, part of our coffee share family and she must be more regular about popping by.
Glad to know you’re all okay as I’ve heard NJ has had a rough ride of the whole covid adventure.
Blessings dear lady.
Thanks for the welcoming words. It’s nice to be missed and I must make an effort not to disappear again. All my energy lately has been spent creating art so maybe the thing to do is start creating post about the things I’m creating! Thanks for stopping by. Be well.
Sounds like you have been keeping busy. Celebrations these days are so much quieter but it sounds like you managed to enjoy a wonderful birthday with Miss Dee nonetheless. 💕
Yes, we are certainly learning to embrace the little things! Not really a bad idea in general. Hope all is well with you. Thanks for visiting.