Condo Blues: 5 End of Summer Projects and Adventures

Thursday, September 3, 2015

5 End of Summer Projects and Adventures

Just as our unseasonably cold and soggy summer finally gets around to acting  like a normal clear and blazing hot summer the season is officially over with Labor Day weekend. Ohio weather is certainly an adventure!

That’s not to say, Husband and I have not had our share of projects and adventures in between thunderstorms. Since most of them are tidbits rather than full blown blog post I figure why not wrap up the summer with a wrap up of our summer fun?




After spending a little over a year driving past it and silently sending the place “build it faster” vibes


our Whole Foods store finally opened!

 

While I have a love hate relationship with Whole Paycheck because it comes by its nickname honestly, it will make buying some of the dairy free items I use that don’t taste wretched (let’s face it, there are a lot that do) easier than criss-rossing all over the city to grocery shop.

I won’t be giving up my beloved Trader Joe’s and Aldi anytime soon but being foodies who love to try new and interesting food and ingredients, I’m sure this is in my very near future (as in today after I write this post. I’m out of almond milk) and beyond:



I did yoga in a brewery

 

You can read about my Brewga class on my food blog Lazy Budget Chef here.  Just as I got to the point that I wanted to go to yoga class instead of feeling like I had to go to yoga class, I had to quit for four months during my Battle with the Sinus Infection that Would Not Die.

Once I was well it was summer color guard and marching band season. Practice took priority over going to the Y.  Now that my season is over (sad face) I fully expected to be back to square one with out of shape yoga-ing. Nope. Turns out I have arm muscles that I haven’t had in a very long time courtesy of a summer of practicing flag and rifle tosses!

Follow me @condoblues on Instagram to see more real time projects, adventures, and Lacey pictures like this in real time!

I surprised myself when I went back to yoga class because  I didn’t take a knee for planks and ab work wasn’t quite as hateful as before. Although neither still are my favorite…. it is progress. Better yet, even after a long absence I’m still in the looking forward to going to work out part of my fitness journey. I didn’t backslide. I took a fun fitness detour and it is working out. Whew.

Husband took on an impromptu home improvement project and sealed the driveway.  

 

The driveway needed attention but landscaping and repairing the falling over brick garden borders were the DIY priority. And frankly, we were putting off the driveway project because resealing even a small driveway like ours can be a hot sticky mess when it comes to cleaning up.

So Husband paid for someone to do it for us. While I like to DIY for a number of reasons, I’m not upset in the least for paying a pro to do the job right, using equipment I don’t want to rent or clean for a have to job neither us wants to do.  Husband rocks!

I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping.

 

I have two more people to shop for plus Lacey but for the most part I am finished with everything including buying the materials for the gifts I plan to make. I put thought into everything and it will be meaningful to the recipient. I don’t buy a bunch of junk or one thing fill all gifts (although a certain local sports team having a good season helped immensely.)

With some good detective work following my 10 Ways to Find the Perfect Gift tutorial here and the monthly seasonal shopping series I am writing this year on my food blog Lazy Budget Chef I not only research what fresh fruit and vegetables are seasonal and on sale but also home, garden, household, and seasonal items too. (You can read my Seasonal Shopping What’s on Sale and What’s on Sale in September post here to get an idea.)

This blog series is making me look at Zulily’s daily flash sales (which I use so much I became an affiliate because I only promote the things I truly like and use) with new eyes. Skimming the Zulily daily emails from time to time allows me to work ahead of the birthday and Christmas curve. Often at 50% off or more on things I’d normally buy elsewhere. Yay!
Don’t hate me. Celebrate with me. This perfect storm will probably only happen once in the history of ever.

Husband and I went to Africa!  (Sorta)

 

Husband likes the Columbus Zoo. I’m fond of it too but for one reason or another we didn’t get to see the new Africa exhibit when they opened it last year. Husband and I took a day off from work to celebrate his birthday and see it at the Columbus Zoo.

We saw giraffes! Then we traveled to Australia to hang out with some sleepy kangaroos but not before petting all the sheep and goats in the petting zoo.

Zoo animals!

 We “drove” on the right side of the road. Crazy American drivers! That’s us.



Give us a photo prop and you’re practically begging us to take goofball pictures in it.


So that’s all the news here at Condo Blues. What are your plans this holiday weekend?


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