My Summer In Photos

 

I hope that you had a wonderful Summer. Any season where our family members are happy and healthy and still speaking to each other is always a good one in my eyes.    

We watched some great TV shows and read a lot. I have two posts coming your way soon.  We also attended and hosted a few fun happy hours and enjoyed some lunches with friends. 

If you do not relish hearing about other people's vacations, perusing photos of the most beautiful baby in the world, or don't believe in child labor, you might want to check out now and return on Friday.

Our #1 and Adorable Jonathon hosted both families for Father's Day.

 

Mrs. A and I played several rounds of cradle the baby.

Meanwhile, the guests of honor can be seen opening their presents in the background and being ignored.

AJ's First Father's Day!

Lucy's so happy she could spit!

The new Mama and Auntie.

 

Tell me you are new grandparents without telling me you are new grandparents.

Our #1 was on maternity leave until August. We had a standing Wednesday lunch date throughout the summer with our #1 and Lucy. It was our favorite day of the week. 

Lucy loves my knock-knock jokes!

Time's up, Mister!

It's my turn to hold her.

Our little firecracker.  

I bought Miss Lucy some shades and explained that the paparazzi are indeed real, unlike that purple dinosaur.

 Lucy's entourage/glam squad/ and the dream team behind her beautiful smiles.

I had a brilliant idea.  Who doesn't love cheap labor?  I interviewed Lucy for the intern position at Preppy Empty Nester. I gave her the rundown on my bazillion-dollar, cutting-edge company and what the position would entail.

 I then asked her if she had any questions, and she replied:

How come you have so many chins? 

I immediately told her to crawl down to Personnel for a class on Sensitivity Training.

No worries. I did give Lucy another chance. I filled her in on all the incredible benefits that PEN has to offer, such as frequent hugs and kisses, Reality TV all day, and an all-you-can-eat pureed fruit bar.

I asked if she was ready to ditch her bib, wipe off her drool, and start working, and she responded: 

How come you have a mustache?

I told her to get crawling.

She knows where Personnel is by now.

Sister came to town for a weekend!

The Mister made a fabulous lunch to celebrate, and I worked my fingers to the bone setting the table.

Mama... were you kidding when you said that I come from the same gene pool as these crazy ladies?

Our accidental Mommy & Me dresses!

I was a lot more thrilled about it than my #1.

I caught Sista trying to steal my intern.

 

Sista also met Darlin' Will, #2's beau, who we have enjoyed getting to know.

Auntie and her namesake.

If you have been following me for a while, you will remember that I attended a literary luncheon or two sponsored by  Where The Sidewalk Ends bookstore almost every summer.  Joanne and Caitlin, the lovely mother-daughter team, own the darling book store.  It is located in Chatham, and host the fabulous waterside luncheons.

The Mister surprised me with tickets to a luncheon featuring two of my favorite authors, Peter Swanson and Catherine Newman.

It's amazing what a little whining can do!

I spotted Peter Swanson in the hotel bar the evening before the luncheon. I introduced myself and my entourage, the Mister. Peter was so warm and charming. He is a great public speaker and had the audience rolling in the aisles at the luncheon. By the way, his new book is A Talent For Murder, and it is a page-turner.

My buddy, Annie, met us at the luncheon, and it was wonderful to catch up in person. She stayed afterward for a couple of glasses of vino. It had been four years since I saw Annie, but it felt like yesterday.

I was thrilled to run into another dear friend, Anne, who was there with some friends. She also attended some of the lunches with us in the past.

 

We were so excited to sit at Catherine Newman's table.  We had both read and loved her latest book, Sandwich.  She brought her lovely husband.  Four men were at the luncheon, and three were sitting at our table. 

The Mister must have had fun because he asked when next summer's schedule would be available. I told him not soon enough!

 

We celebrated the Mister's birthday, and I gave him an ice cream machine.  He doesn't usually appreciate my gifts, but he absolutely loves this one. Me, not so much.  

I'm his only chief taste tester and have the hips to prove it. Pictured is the Mister's idea of the size of a sample tasting. 

  

I took a walk almost every day.  My Secret Service detail,  otherwise known as the Mister, accompanied me on most jaunts.

My Summer resolution was to do some weight training three times a week.

I partly succeeded.  

I lifted the weights three times.

I put pickleball on the back burner because of the heat.  The facility does have indoor courts, and we played a couple of times.

Since I wasn't breaking any records burning calories, I decided to burn a few brain cells.  I am proud to say that I watched 17 seasons of this show. 

Don't judge me.

This pretty much sums up Millie's summer.