Holy cow it’s August. COVID time is seriously weird, all. I hope you’re staying healthy – as much as some people might want to talk about how we are in the “postpandemic” phase of life, I know far too many people actively sick with COIVD right now or still struggling with lingering side effects.

We’ve continued to stay healthy at our house (*knocks on wood*) but sometimes it really just feels like a matter of time until it’s “our turn.” I keep hearing that perhaps we will be seeing an Omicron-specific vaccine by the middle of September, and I’m trying to hold onto hope for that right now.

It would certainly be nice to have a vaccine that was as good against Omicron as the original was against Delta and the original COVID strain. And then there’s Monkeypox….. at least my husband is vaccinated against smallpox thanks to a trip overseas with the Marines.

(So yes, I am still counting these Friday posts by COVID Week X… because it isn’t over yet, folks)

Friday’s Frugal Five

1. This past weekend was the end of the heatwave around here (before it heats up to close to ninety degrees again in a few days….), so we went for a double swim day again on Sunday. My town’s annnual Summerfest was going on over the weekend as well, so we went swimming downtown and spent time with friends at both Marina Park and Summerfest as well as two different beach parks.

Kirkland has some of the most public beachfront parks for a city in this area, and on hot weather days, it really shines. We are certainly lucky to have so much public outdoor space along the lake (and in the forests, etc) and that past Kirklanders fought for those public spaces. We ended the day grilling with our friends, capping off a hot but lovely weekend.

2. I also had my last glass of Rosé for a while on Sunday, having decided to make this month “Dry August” (like Dry January or Dry July without the ring to it). Like my clothes buying ban or other challenges I set for myself, I tend not to do them at the typical time, but just when I’ve decided to do it.

Taking a month off alcohol during the summertime is perhaps different than post New Years Eve parties, but it seemed like a good time for it. Summertime can be plenty of fun without those cold glasses of wine, and it doesn’t hurt to switch things up from time to time. This month instead will be a lot of water and kombucha, making it a very hydrated August instead.

3. Washington’s primaries were Tuesday, and per usual, I’d forgotten to bring my ballot with me to work where I could have dropped it off on my way home. The closest drop box to our house is about three miles downhill, so I took off on my bike after I’d gotten home.

Voting by bike was the first non-commute trip I’d taken on my e-bike after riding it home from the bike shop, and it felt incredible. There’s something about getting around without a car is so freeing, and the short amount of time that it took me for the round trip was nothing short of magical. Really, I keep asking myself what took me so long to finally buy myself an e-bike. Because it’s wonderful.

4. My mom and little brother took the kiddo to a climbing gym this week and he had an absolute blast with them. I feel so lucky that we have so much family in this area, and they want to spend so much time with him.

While sometimes we feel the tug of other places in this world, it’s hard to beat being near (good) family. The kiddo may not have any siblings or cousins, but he sure does have a ton of people who love him. He’s not missing out on anything.

5. Summertime also means lots of local food in our house, from the garden and now the chicken coop. And….. from dandelions growing in the ever shrinking part of our front yard that is still lawn. I decided to make dandelion jelly for the first time ever (telling my husband even if it was terrible I wanted to try it at least once – like I had with pickled fiddleheads that were decidedly not my thing). The description of it being a more earthy/plant-y honey flavor was right, and I think it will actually be quite good on goat cheese and crackers. Absolutely better than expected.

Thursday night I made another dish that was almost entirely from our yard – potatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, chives, and eggs. Add in some leftover sausage, the last of a jar of parmesan cheese, butter salt and pepper, and it was a delicious meal. Really, there are few things better than eating your own harvest.

6. I suppose this is a “Frugal Six” this week – the husband has done some work on his old truck lately, saving us a pretty significant amount on repairs. He replaces the glow plugs as well as his starter, and it’s running a lot better now. Inflation is a killer lately, but at least he was able to do this work himself. Doesn’t quite balance out with the grocery bill though, because yikes life is expensive right now.

Exercise Update

Friday, Monday, and Tuesday were bike rides, and I’m definitely getting a little faster/more confident on my bike. Sunday was a double swim, once in the morning and once just before dinner. Thursday was a run in the afternoon after the husband got home from work.

How is summer treating you? Do you have any big plans for August?