Come Sit By Me: Volume 87

Welcome to “Come Sit By Me”! It’s our chance to catch up on the little things I’d share with you this week if we could chat on the porch over coffee (or wine depending on the time of day).

Life Lately in a Nutshell.

• Last weekend we headed down to Austin for our friends’ third annual summer blowout. I don’t know how they’ve managed to outdo themselves three years in a row, but somehow they have—food, bartenders, casino games, live music, and 150 of their closest friends. Their “lake” house feels more like a Hill Country boutique resort overlooking Lake Travis than someone’s home, but that’s what makes it so special. They built it to be filled with family and friends, and every inch of it was designed with hospitality in mind. And with temperatures pushing 100 degrees, I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather have been than in this lazy river.

• One of my favorite parts of the weekend wasn’t even all of that or the view (although the sunsets were pretty spectacular). What was remarkable was that we pretty much left our phones in the beach bag for the entire two day party. On Saturday we spent about four solid hours in the lazy river, getting out only to go to the bathroom and refresh our drinks. We floated, laughed, and talked to each other and to guests we didn’t know, as we all floated around and around. My biggest decision all day was whether to put a frozen margarita or a frozen pina colada in my cup. That really feels like what the level of unplugged should be in summer—I’m just not often familiar with the concept.

• I spent the first part of this week nursing a sore back. I’m still not sure whether I tweaked it exercising, sleeping in a hotel bed, or if I’m at the age where too much sitting (and relaxing in a lazy river) is not good for it. I’ve had compressed discs for years so I try to stay pretty diligent about strength training and keeping my core strong. Thankfully it’s getting better, but it’s amazing how many everyday movements involve that part of my back that I never think about until it says, “Nope“.

• My cucumber plant is producing faster than I can keep up, and it seems like they go from a little baby cucumber to giants overnight. I’ve just now learned I should be picking them when they’re only 6-8 inches long, because as cucumbers grow larger, they turn yellowish white and become more seedy. I made a cucumber and tomato salad last night using fresh basil and mint from the garden—I have a feeling this is going to be a regular dish around here if my tomato plants are also as prolific as last year.

I hope you all have a wonderful Fourth of July! Stay cool, eat something delicious off the grill, watch some fireworks, and make a few memories with the people you love. ❤️🤍💙