Making the Most of This Very Strange Summer

Who could have predicted the utter chaos we find ourselves in this July 2020?  It's like we're in a bad dream and someone needs to wake us up and take us back to our "normal" life.  I keep thinking back to my youth when we lived with much less and cherished the life we had. For the rest of the summer and the remainder of 2020, I'm going back there......

Life was much simpler.  No Internet.  Only three tv networks - ABC, NBC and CBS.  We actually read books.  We played with our neighbors in the summer evenings - kick the can was a favorite.  We jumped on trampolines (many of the neighbors had them).  My parents went out a lot - mostly to cocktail parties.  Who does that anymore?  We did not have a lot of clothes or "stuff."  I rode my pony in brogans, work boots bought at a Tractor Supply type store. No chaps, no tall boots.  I rode in jeans bareback all the time. Horse showing was something I did only a few times a year, it was expensive and there were few shows locally in my town.  We rarely ever dined out - that was only for special occasions.   But we had a very full life.

Let's go back there this summer - and it's not like we really have a choice - and perhaps we stay this way......

Read More Books
I'm making a conscious effort to read more books in 2020. 
And here is my bedside table reading stash.  Running out of room?  Curl up in a nice chair and read every day, even if for only 30 minutes.

And if you need another good new read, my friend Nicola's new book is out.  It's en route to the farm.  Can't wait to read it.  

Shopping for Quality Not Quantity
I have made a conscious effort to buy only quality clothing that I'll wear for years.  Yes, I find myself venturing over to Zara, to H & M at times but I pull myself away when I ask myself, "will I be wearing this dress three years from now" or "will this survive more than one washing" or the typical deal breaker - "is this made of cotton, silk or wool?"  I bought three sweaters from Tory Burch with the 25 percent off the sale price and I cannot wait to wear them - a cashmere cardigan, a wool cardigan and a beloved Kendra cardigan in wool.  Love this cotton tunic, now greatly reduced, another wardrobe staple that you could be wearing years from now.

We loved Lilly way back when and still do.  This adorable shift bought recently from the online Lilly sale reminds me of the old ones. It is so cute in person.  Cannot wait to wear it.

Horses at Home
I love having my horses at home and they will definitely be staying at home now that I am without a truck.  So, like in my youth, my horse showing will be greatly limited.  But I am enjoying the small things, taking care of Apollo, riding Madda in the fields and just enjoying being with the horses and nature. Those 6 am barn chores - not a chore at all most days.....And who needs a gym workout after an hour of barn chores?

Dining at Home

I'm not sure we'll ever return to dining out often like we once did, pre-pandemic. We enjoy cooking and dining alfresco in summer and fall.  Tonight, we're having a chicken salad dish with an Asian influence after the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

Happy Saturday!