The Simple Woman Daybook - Aug 11

You can find out more about the Simple Woman's Daybook here and see today's post for more Daybook entries.


For today, August 11th, 2008


Outside My Window...another sunny summer day, but the air has cooled just slightly.

I am thinking...about how to celebrate the start of a new school year. I want to make it really special for my kids. In the past, we've always had an "Ice Cream for Dinner" party, and we'll do that again, but I'm also trying to think of fun ways to "gear up" for the year - not just on the first day.

I am thankful for... sweet solitude. My dear husband took my children to the beach with friends for a few days leaving me with a quiet house to myself.

From the kitchen ...I'm contemplating making a batch of my favorite eggplant dip (similar to baba ganoush).

I am wearing ... tan capris, violet t-shirt. Nothing fancy - just comfortable to work in.

I am creating quite a mess as I clean out my school cabinet in order to refill it with this year's school supplies and books.

I am going ...to the post office today to send our i800a - the next step in our adoption!

I am reading ...out of my RSS reader today. There are a number of items I've saved for later and these next few days will be the time for "later". I'm still reading Gilead, the Iliad, and my landscaping books.

I am hoping ...to use my days of solitude well. Mostly, I want to maintain a good balance between getting some needed projects done and having some relaxation time.

I am hearing ...the hum of my refrigerator. It's not very often that my house is quiet enough to notice that.

Around the house... things have stayed VERY neat with no extra people to leave little messes. Well, until I started cleaning out the school cabinet. So, let's say every room but the kitchen has stayed VERY neat.

One of my favorite things... during these few days of solitude has been having my thoughts uninterrupted. As any mom, especially when you have little ones or home educate, knows this is an extremely rare thing.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: My goals for this 4-day holiday are: Relax, get my new Fly Lady schedule tweaked for the start of the new school year, clean out the school cabinet, get the kids' new school supplies and books into the cabinet, look over school plans for areas that need some work or fleshing out, have coffee with the same friend I was trying to have dinner with last week, and Relax.

Here is picture thought I am sharing:
I think if you click on that picture it will take you to a larger image. That is me on the left (in white) in Tiananmen Square in front of the Official Beijing Olympics Countdown Clock. If you look closely, you might be able to figure out when we were there!

I have other pictures from China that are much prettier than this one, but it seemed the most appropriate for this week. My traveling companion (and neighbor) and I are really enjoying these Olympic Games and celebrating the Chinese culture and people that we came to love while we visited.

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